Asymmetric fiber microlenses for efficient coupling to elliptical laser beams

It is demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate asymmetric hyperbolic microlenses directly on the ends of single-mode optical fiber to enhance the fiber's coupling to elliptical laser beams. The lenses, with controlled eccentricity ratios, are made by micromachining the end of the fiber wit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE photonics technology letters 1993-02, Vol.5 (2), p.184-186
Main Authors: Presby, N.M., Giles, C.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Erbium-doped fiber lasers
Laser beams
Laser modes
Lenses
Micromachining
Microoptics
Optical control
Optical coupling
Optical fibers
Pump lasers
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Summary:It is demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate asymmetric hyperbolic microlenses directly on the ends of single-mode optical fiber to enhance the fiber's coupling to elliptical laser beams. The lenses, with controlled eccentricity ratios, are made by micromachining the end of the fiber with a pulsed CO/sub 2/ laser, as the fiber is directed by computer control about the focussed laser beam. Coupling efficiencies of 84% (-0.74 dB) have been realized with single transverse mode lasers at a wavelength of 0.98 mu m having an approximately 3 to 1 beam ellipticity. With multitransverse-mode lasers at 1.48 mu m having similar ellipticities, the asymmetric lenses demonstrate a 2-dB increase in coupling efficiency over symmetric hyperbolic microlenses. The authors have coupled about 120 mW from such a 360 mW laser, used to pump erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, into single-mode fiber.< >
ISSN:1041-1135
1941-0174
DOI:10.1109/68.195998