Tunable optical fiber grating

• US 6,366,721 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Hu, Chieh, Yang, Shu-Mei, Wu, Jiun-Shyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mooney, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US09/490,023
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 385/37, 385/31, 385/39
• US Class Current: 385/37
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0218 using mounting means, e.g. by using a combination of materials having different thermal expansion coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/022 using mechanical stress, e.g. tuning by compression or elongation, special geometrical shapes such as "dog-bone" or taper G02B6/02204 takes precedence; optical modulation using photo-elastic effect G02F1/0131

Abstract

The invention provides a structure of tunable optical filter grating. The structure includes a bimetallic strip and a compression spring to set up suitable strain for adjusting the position of the central wavelength. The bimetallic strip can also be specially designed to compensate for any drift in central wavelength due to temperature change so that temperature monitoring and feedback control designs is obsolete. Therefore, the operating wavelength of the optical grating is adjustable yet insensitive to temperature changes.

Claims

1. An adjustable light-reflecting component, comprising:

a waveguide that constrains and transmits an incoming light beam;

a light-reflecting component incorporated with the waveguide for reflecting incoming light signals around a central wavelength;

a bimetallic strip for attaching the light-reflecting component such that any deformation of the bimetallic strip will cause some strain in the light-reflecting component and lead to a shift in the central wavelength of the reflected light signals in addition, differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the two metallic strips of the bimetallic strip will produce bending stress large enough to compensate for almost any drift in central wavelength due to a temperature change; and

an elastic prop having a first end in contact with one side of the bimetallic strip and a second end attached to a drawing point so that the bimetallic strip is bent by the force applied through the elastic prop.

2. The adjustable light-reflecting component of claim 1, wherein the waveguide includes an optical fiber.

3. The adjustable light-reflecting component of claim 1, wherein the light-reflecting component includes an optical fiber Bragg grating.

4. The adjustable light-reflecting component of claim 1, wherein the elastic prop includes a compression spring.

5. An adjustable optical fiber grating system comprising:

a bimetallic strip formed by joining the flat surfaces of a first metallic strip and a second metallic strip together, wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion for the first metallic strip and the second metallic strip are different;

an optical fiber having an optical grating for reflecting incoming light signals around a central wavelength, wherein the optical grating is mounted on one side of the first metallic strip so that any deformation of the bimetallic strip will cause some strain inside the grating and ultimately results in a shift in the central wavelength, furthermore, a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the two metallic strips will result in a bending stress in the bimetallic strip that can almost compensate for any drift in central wavelength due to a temperature change in the optical grating; and

an elastic prop having a first end in contact with the second metallic strip and a second end attached to a drawing point so that the bimetallic strip is bent through the force applied to the first end of the elastic prop.

6. The adjustable optical fiber grating of claim 5, wherein the elastic prop is a compression spring.

7. A method for adjusting an adjustable light-reflecting component, comprising the steps of:

providing a waveguide having a light-reflecting component capable of reflecting incoming light signals around a central wavelength;

providing a bimetallic strip with the light-reflecting component attached to one surface of the bimetallic strip such that any deformation of the bimetallic strip will cause some strain in the light-reflecting component, furthermore, deformation in the bimetallic strip due to a temperature change can be used to offset any drift in the central wavelength of reflection for the light-reflecting component due to the same temperature change; and

providing an elastic prop that exerts a force on the side of the bimetallic strip so that the resulting deformation in the bimetallic strip can be used to adjust the central wavelength of reflection for the light-reflecting component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the waveguide includes an optical fiber.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the light-reflecting component includes an optical fiber Bragg grating.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the elastic prop includes a compression spring.