Specialty Optical Fiber
StockerYale has the expertise to produce three broad categories of optical fiber, each based on a different technology platform with different applications.
The company's single-mode specialty optical fiber (SOF) - or application specific fiber - is generally a small core fiber that is manufactured using the modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) method. MCVD fabrication yields extremely pure preforms, and is ideally suited towards the development of a variety of single-mode fibers. These fibers are integral to fiber optic gyroscopes, an array of optical components, optical sensors, and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) that support select telecommunication and CATV applications.
A second class of fiber that is manufactured by StockerYale is fabricated from a borosilicate glass and is ideal for the production of fiber bundles. These fiber optic bundles are used in conjunction with StockerYale's halogen-based, fiber optic illumination products or can be developed exclusively for OEMs.
A third type of fiber is a high-purity step index multimode silica fiber, which is ideal for sensors, spectroscopy applications, and UV curing systems. StockerYale can also custom design a multimode silica fiber in single strands, or in bundles.
MCVD Preform Fabrication and Fiber Draw
StockerYale operates several state-of-the-art MCVD lathes and fiber draw towers. And, when combined with its intellectual capital and development resources, the company has the ability to focus on multiple SOF design projects simultaneously with the highest of confidence for success.
Custom Fiber Coatings
StockerYale has the ability to custom coat fiber with industry standard dual-layer UV-cured acrylate polyimide, or other custom coatings that may be specific to a customer's requirements.
StockerYale's Fiber Simulation Software
StockerYale possesses a unique powerful custom software package capable of performing many types of calculations for fibers and fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). Beginning with an arbitrary empirically acquired or mathematically defined index profile, the program solves Maxwell's equations and calculates the effective phase index, the propagation constant, the effective group index, the dispersion, and other fiber waveguide parameters. These calculations can be performed for any of the LPnm modes (as a function of wavelength). The software can also calculate the mode distribution allowing for the calculation, for example, of the mode field diameter. Moreover, the user may define an arbitrary photosensitivity profile, and the software will calculate the coupling due to a fiber Bragg grating, between any two modes of the LPnm modes. Slanted gratings can also be simulated, opening the door to working on gain-flattening filters and other in-fiber transmission filters.
StockerYale also possesses the necessary software for the simulation of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs).
FIBER CHARACTERIZATION
Geometrical and Waveguide Fiber Properties
Since characterization is critical in developing and delivering sophisticated specialty optical fiber, StockerYale is equipped with state-of-the-art characterization equipment for the measurement of geometrical and waveguide fiber properties, including: preform refractive index profiles, fiber refractive index profiles, mode field diameter, fiber end-face geometry (core and cladding diameter, core and cladding non-circularity, and core-cladding concentricity), spectral attenuation, numerical aperture, and cutoff wavelength.
Characterization of Polarization-Maintaining and Polarizing Fibers
StockerYale possesses the know-how to produce a suite of "bow-tie" high-birefringence fiber products. Specialized tests include spectral and interferometric beat length measurements, h-parameter measurements, and polarization extinction ratio measurements.
Characterization of Active Fibers
Rare-earth-doped fibers are subjected to a complete characterization, including the measurement of amplifier parameters such as gain, absorption and emission cross-sections, and power conversion efficiency. Our characterization setups involve optical spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, tunable laser sources, ASE and SLED sources, polarizers, variable attenuators and a number of state-of-the-art photonics components.
Characterization of Photosensitive Fibers
In order to develop specialized fibers for the fabrication of high-quality FBGs, StockerYale operates its own in-house equipment for writing and characterizing FBGs. This equipment consists of a solid state UV laser, an automated FBG writing station, and a tunable laser/receiver system.
StockerYale also possesses and operates a hydrogen-loading station, intended for the hydrogenation of optical fiber in the production of FBGs. This equipment allows for the immersion of optical fiber samples in an environment of pure hydrogen at high pressure (2000 psi) and high temperature (~ 100 degrees C).
Accelerated Hydrogen-Aging, Telcordia Qualification and Quality Control
StockerYale is able to perform accelerated hydrogen-aging tests on optical fiber (and on photonics devices in general), in order to predict the long-term aging effects of exposure to industrial quantities of hydrogen gas. The equipment consists of a gas delivery system, an oven and an optical spectrum analyzer, as well as the theoretical knowledge and software required for analyzing the growth of OH peaks during the accelerated tests.
With regard to fiber strength and Telcordia qualification, we are fully equipped to qualify our fiber, possessing dynamic pull test equipment and environmental test chambers. We also have the expertise in the modeling of crack growth in silica fiber, allowing us to predict lifetime under a given in-service applied stress.
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