Polarisation control of DFB fibre laser using UV-inducedbirefringent phase-shift

Abstract

The polarisation properties of a distributed feedback (DFB) fibre laser are investigated experimentally. A birefringent phase-shift is induced by side illumination of the centre part of the lasing structure with ultraviolet (UV) light and it is experimentally shown that the birefringence of the phase-shift is the dominating effect controlling the polarisation properties of the laser.