Open Access
L-band multiwavelength single-longitudinal mode fiber laser for sensing applications
(IEEE / OSA, 2012) Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; Ullán Nieto, Ángel; Leandro González, Daniel; Fernández Vallejo, Montserrat; Quintela, M. A.; Loayssa Lara, Alayn; López Higuera, José Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
In this work, a novel single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) four-wavelength laser configuration for sensing applications in the L-band is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor system presented here is based on ring resonators, and employs fiber Bragg gratings to select the operation wavelengths. The stable SLM operation is guaranteed when all the lasing channels present similar output powers. It is also experimentally demonstrated that when a SLMbehavior is achieved, lower output power fluctuations are obtained. Characterization of the lasing structure for temperature sensing is also shown.
Open Access
Tunable SESAM-based mode-locked soliton fiber laser in linear cavity by axial-strain applied to a FBG
(IEEE, 2017) Aporta, I.; Leandro González, Daniel; Quintela, M. A.; Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; López Higuera, José Miguel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica
A self-started stable tunable mode-locked (ML) soliton fiber laser in a linear cavity structure composed by commercial passive elements is presented in this paper. It is based on the combination of an Erbium doped fiber (EDF) as the active medium, and a saturated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) as a partial mirror of the cavity. The other side of the cavity consists of a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) acting also as the mode-locking device. The central wavelength of the FBG is selected by the application of axial strain giving rise to a tunable soliton over 8.6 nm on the C band with a variable spacing of 0.01 nm. The laser delivers 18.9 ps long pulses with a 0.14 nm bandwidth, an 8.2 MHz repetition rate, a pulse energy of 89 pJ and a peak power of 4.71 W.
Open Access
Micro-drilled optical fiber for enhanced laser strain sensors
(SPIE, 2019) Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; Bravo Acha, Mikel; Roldán Varona, Pablo; Leandro González, Daniel; Rodríguez Cobo, Luis; López Higuera, José Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
In this work, we present an experimental measurement of temperature and strain sensitivities of a micro-drilled optical fiber (MDOF). The MDOF consisted of a quasi-randomly distributed reflector along a single mode fiber (SMF). A fiber cavity laser based on MDOF was experimentally studied, attaining a single-wavelength laser emission centered at 1568.6nm. The output power level obtained from this single-laser oscillation when pumped at 140mW was around - 9.6dBm, and an optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) of around 45dB was measured. Although temperature sensitivities of fiber Bragg gratings used as sensors are similar to our MDOF, strain sensitivity is enhanced around one order of magnitude when the MDOF was used.
Open Access
Enhanced optical fiber lasers and optical fiber sensors assisted by micro-drilled optical fibers
(Optica, 2020) Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; Bravo Acha, Mikel; Roldán Varona, Pablo; Leandro González, Daniel; Rodríguez Cobo, Luis; López Higuera, José Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
Enhanced OFS assisted by micro-drilled optical fibers acting as mirrors are demonstrated. Strain sensitivity improved more than one order of magnitude in comparison with FBG sensors using a 50 μm-waist micro-drilled taper as distributed reflector.
Open Access
Microdrilled tapers to enhance optical fiber lasers for sensing
(Nature Research, 2021) Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; Bravo Acha, Mikel; Roldán Varona, Pablo; Leandro González, Daniel; Rodríguez Cobo, Luis; López Higuera, José Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
In this work, an experimental analysis of the performance of different types of quasi-randomly distributed reflectors inscribed into a single-mode fiber as a sensing mirror is presented. These artificially-controlled backscattering fiber reflectors are used in short linear cavity fiber lasers. In particular, laser emission and sensor application features are analyzed when employing optical tapered fibers, micro-drilled optical fibers and 50 μm-waist or 100 μm-waist micro-drilled tapered fibers (MDTF). Single-wavelength laser with an output power level of about 8.2 dBm and an optical signal-to-noise ratio of 45 dB were measured when employing a 50 μm-waist micro-drilled tapered optical fiber. The achieved temperature sensitivities were similar to those of FBGs; however, the strain sensitivity improved more than one order of magnitude in comparison with FBG sensors, attaining slope sensitivities as good as 18.1 pm/με when using a 50 μm-waist MDTF as distributed reflector.