Journal of Optical Communications
2 (1981) 3
J. Opt. Commun. 2(1981)3,105—109
Wavelength Selective Distributed Coupling Between Single Mode
Optical Fibers for Multiplexing
O. Parriaux, F. Bemoux, G. Chartier
Summary
The design of a (demultiplexer using distributed coupling
between two step index single mode fibers of different
dispersion characteristics is presented. The required fiber
properties can easily be provided by modem single mode
fiber technology. It is shown that this simple, low loss
coupling technique allows the multiplexing of a tens of
channels in the 1.25 um-1.6 um wavelength range with
a 20 dB inter-channel isolation. The influence of the
parameters of the structure on its filtering properties is
discussed.
1 Introduction
It is now established that the future generation of single
mode fiber optical communication systems will operate
within the 1.25 μιη-1.6 um wavelength range. Losses not
more than 0.1 dB/km above the Rayleigh scattering limit
have been obtained over the whole range by almost
eliminating OH~ ions from the deposited preform [1].
Besides, the zero dispersion wavelength can be adjusted
by modifying the Ge concentration in the silica fiber
core without significantly changing the attenuation [2].
InGaAsP lasers have been shown to be reliable sources
for this spectral region [3].
In this situation the actual bandwidth of a single mode
fiber could easily be multiplied if two or more channels
could be wavelength multiplexed within the available
frequency window. To that end a number of approaches
have been proposed. A micro-optical device using a
spherical mirror and a grating has been demonstrated with
multimode fibers [4]; high spectral resolution can be
achieved; in this approach the channels cannot be dealt
with individually as the main link must be interrupted
for inserting the device. A polarization independent filter
on a planar LiNbO3 substrate has been proposed [5];
its usefulness is hampered by the still high fiber-film
coupling losses. Some wavelength selectivity can also be
105
§ Journal of
Optical Communications
(C by Fachverlag Schiele & Schon 1981
introduced in a distributed coupling between two bent
parallel fibers [6], but not enough for multiplexing a few
channels in a restricted frequency band.
The selectivity required in wavelength multiplexing for
optical communications is actually rather low. The
spectral width of semiconductor lasers is broad and
strongly depends on temperature. It is presently admitted
that a spectral distance of SO nm between channels is a
reasonable figure in the wavelength range of interest.
We show here that such a requirement can be matched
by a fiber directional coupler consisting of two polished
single mode fibers of different dispersion characteristics,
placed along each other, using a coupling technique
described elsewhere [7].
2 Coupler analysis
Two parallel step index single mode fibers of core index
ncl and n c2) and cladding index ns, placed at a distance
2 d0 between core boundaries (Fig. 1) within a section
of length Δζ, experience a power transfer along the fiber
axis direction ζ given in [8]; if a;(z) is the modal field
amplitude in fiber i, one gets, after the change of
variables
(1)
Address of authors:
Ecole Nationale Superieure
d'Ingdnieurs Electriciens de Grenoble
Section de genie physique
Domaine universitaire bp 46
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revised 29 July
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| 4/30/19 7:34 PM
 Journal of Optical Communications
106 2 (19Θ1) 3

B! =b/a!, with b, distance between the core centers,

Km modified Bessel Functions of order m.

In the coupling device demonstrated in [7], two identical

fibers were first laid on a spherical surface and polished
in a plane tangent to the sphere. The analysis of the
coupler was made—and will be here too—by considering
the two bent fibers as a series of short sections of
parallel fibers of length Azjj their transition matrices
TJ were then multiplied in order to get the normalized
ppwer transfer of the complete coupler Ρί = |ΦπΙ 2
(Fig. 1).
Though; approximate, Snyder's expression for C was
shown to be suitable even when fiber cores are touching
[10]. In the present case one is aiming at low coupling
coefficients in order to increase the wavelength selectivity
effect of the phase mismatch term Δ in the power transfer.
3 Journal of Optical Communkations Therefore (3) can be considered as sufficiently accurate.
Fig. 1: Cross-section of a coupler made of two parallel sec-
tions of single mode fibers of radii a, and a 2 and index difference
Δηι and Δη 2 (left); bent fibers directional coupler considered
as a series of short parallel sections of length Δζ ; ; 2d 0 distance
between core boundaries (right) 3 Coupler properties
When two identical fibers are involved, the wavelength
sensitivity of a directional cpupler only relies on the
. Δ . .C
. . wavelength dependence of the coupling coefficient as the
cosq+j — sinq j - Φι
phase matching condition is always fulfilled. Such a case
(Δζ) = is illustrated in Fig. 2, showing in dB the wavelength
.C . . Δ dependence of the power transfer for two identical silica
J - _Φ2 fibers, bent with a radius of curvature R = 5 m, with
cladding index ns = 1.457, an index difference between
(2) core and cladding Δη = 0.0022, a distance 2d0 between
the core boundaries of 7.86 μπι and a core radius a = 5 μτη.
Fiber 1 is excited with a normalized power P! unity.
or, in a matrix form, defining a transition matrix Τ
Using two different fibers allows phase matching to
occur at a certain wavelength provided dispersion curves
Φ(Δζ) = ΤΦ(0), are made to intersect. This, for example, can happen
with fibers having a different type of index profile and
the same index difference. However, preform fabrication
where techniques do not allow yet a very precise control of the
Δ= 2 — i =k 0 (n e 2 -n e l ) is the phase mismatch be-
tween the propagation constants ; of the HE n
mode, n ei is the effective index in fiber i.
k0 is the wave number in vacuum,

0
dB
-10
UtU2
C= (3) -20
aia 2 (V 1 V 2 ) 3/2 K 1 (W 1 )K 1 (W 2 )
-30
is the coupling coefficient between the HEU modes of -40
the two fibers, given by Snyder [9],
δ; =l-(n s /n ci ) 2 , 0,8 1 1.2 U ,1.6 ΙΛ 2 μπι Λ

V? =a 2 kg(n 2 i -n 2 ),
aj is the core radius of fiber i,
zes Journal of Optical Communications.
U I 2 =a?kg(n 2 i -n 2 i ) Fig. 2: Normalized
Brought power transfer
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Nacional into fiber 2 versus
Autonoma
2 2
wavelength λ for two identical fibers; fiber 1 is excited; ns = 1.457,
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W = V?-U Δη = 0.0022, R = 5 Download
m, a = 5 μπι
Date | 4/30/19 7:34 PM
Journal of Optical Communications
2 (1981) 3
profile in the single mode case. Therefore the option
chosen here is to use two step index fibers with different
core radii at and a2 and index differences Δη, and Δη 2 .
Step profiles are taken for theoretical simplicity; but
what follows does not rely on a strict definition of the
type of profile. Dispersion curves intersect in this case
when a!> a2 and An t < Δη 2 ; for a given fiber 1 and a
given Δη 2 , the phase matching condition can be made to
occur at a desired wavelength by adjusting a 2 , as shown
in Fig. 3, where the single mode part of the effective
index curves are plotted. These were calculated by solving
the reduced dispersion equation for each fiber i
., K t (W,)
U
J0(U,) (4)
where Jm is the Bessel function of order m.
Fibers having the same cladding index n, are considered
here with Δ^ =0.0022, Δη 2 =0.0044 and η,= 1.457;
Δη2=0.0044
_α 2 =25μιτι
1.4570
0.80 UX> 1.20 UO 1.60 IflO 200 2.20 2ΛΟ 2.60 Λ
! Journal of Optical Communications.
Fig. 3: Effective index ne versus wavelength λ with fiber 1:
Δη, =0.0022, at = 5 μιη; fiber 2: Δη 2 =0.0044, a2 is the para-
meter
2,00 μτη 2.20 Λ
\ Journal of Optical Communkations.
Fig. 4: Coupler wavelength selectivity in case of Fig. 3; curve a:
Xc = 1.248 μτα,&2 = 2.55 μιη; curve b:X c = 1.422 μπι^ι = 2.7 um;
curve c: Xc = 1.636 μιη, a 2 = 2.85 urn
107
a, =5 urn. Figure 4 shows the wavelength width Δ λ of
three channels that can be placed within the 1.25 um-
1.65 urn range using the present configuration with a
radius of curvature R = 5 m. The three values of
a2 = 2.55, 2.7, 2.85 urn (corresponding to a coupling
wavelength Xc = 1.248, 1.422, 1.636 urn, respectively)
have been chosen so that the power transfer of adjacent
channels, at the central wavelength Xc of a given channel,
is -20 dB below that of the latter. Each curve is obtained
in such a way: for a given wavelength Xc at which a full
transfer is desired, the radius a2, where phase matching
should occur, is taken from Fig. 3, and one finds the core
boundary spacing 2d0 providing P2 = 1, using (2); then
with this value of 2d0, λ is scanned. The power transfer
curves are asymmetrical with respect to the axis λ = Xc
in Fig. 4: the first sidelobe is higher for λ> Xc as a result
of an increased coupling coefficient due to a larger modal
field overlap.
a) b)
n,,-
ω
! Journal of Optical Communications.
Fig. 5: Sketch of effective index curves versus angular fre-
quency; the two fibers have the same cladding index n,, ®;
the cladding index n,2 of fiber 2 is lower than that of fiber 1,
It turns out that the pass band Δ λ at -20 dB is in this
case of the order of 350 nm, allowing only 3 channels to
be multiplexed. Though this may be enough for some
simple applications, one is looking for more. Obviously
the solution is to increase the angle at which the dispersion
curves intersect, i.e., for a given fiber 1, to increase
Δη 2 . However, not much would be gained in doing this
only. As sketched in Fig. 5, light in fiber 2 would prop-
agate with a very low V number, and it is not in this
part of the effective index curve that its slope is the
steepest. Therefore, in order to take full advantage of a
high Δη 2 , the cladding index ns2 of fiber 2 should be
lower than that of fiber 1, nsl, as sketched in Fig. 5.
These requirements are compatible with actual trends in
fiber technology: single mode fibers with high Δη, up to
0.013, and very low losses have been fabricated [2];
besides, in MCVD processes, fibers with a low index
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deposited cladding doped with Authenticated
fluorine have been
achieved [11]. Download Date | 4/30/19 7:34 PM
 Journal of Optical Communications
108 2(1981)3

100
nm

Δ η, =00022
50

Q)
0.5

1.4540
0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60 180 200 220 2ΛΟ μηι 180 Λ 75
nm
3 Journal of OptkdCommurycations
Fig. 6: Effective index n, versus wavelength λ with two differ- 50
entcladdingindicesifiberlia, =5μηι,Δη, = 0.0022, nsl = 1.457;
fiber 2: Δη 2 =0.01, n,2 = 1.454, a 2 is the parameter

i.o 1.2 μηη 1.4

0 ΔΛ/2)
dB
-20
/
ι
/ντΓ%\
: · ·
.· ; :
·. \ · Χ
: ·, '· \ \
/ / ; / \ ·. '·. ^ '~^ χ 100
-40 nm
α / b.' d; I j ΐ \ιΐ
:
/ ' · *'· ' ι
-60 50
- ! 1.-Λ !
-80
/ /ν/ Ι
~''~Ψ ί c)
-100 ι· ι ' ι '· ι ι ι ι ι ι ι .
0.01 a02 Δη,
1.10 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40 1.45 1.50 μιτι 1.60 Λ

I Journal of Optical Communications,

lJwjmol of Optical Communications
Fig. 7: R dependence of coupled power P2 into fiber 2 in the
case of Fig. 6 at λ = λ«. = 1.363 μιη, corresponding to a 2 = 2.4 μπι;
curves a: R=0.5 m; b: R = l m; c: R = 2 m; d: R = 5 m
Fig. 9: @ Pass band width Δ λ versus inverse square root of R,
taken from Fig. 7; a, =5 μηι, Δη, =0.0022, a 2 = 2.4 μπι, Δη 2
= 0.01; © wavelength dependence of Δλ; Δη, =0.0022,
Δη 2 =0.01, R = 5 m; © spectral distance between channels
Δλ/2 versus index difference Δη 2 ; Β! = 5 μπι, Δη, =0.0022,
λ,. = l .4 μηη

Ο Figure 6 shows the set of effective index curves in the

dB new configuration. Fiber 1 is the same as above. Fiber 2
-20
has Δη 2 = 0.01, ns2 = 1.454 and a 2 is a parameter for the
selection of the coupling wavelengths Xc. The selectivity
-30 is much better in this configuration as illustrated in
-40 Fig. 7 with λ£ = 1.363 and R as a parameter. There is
-50 approximately a linear relationship between the pass band
-60 and the inverse of the square root of the radius of
-70 curvature R (Fig. 9a). Figure 8 shows, with R = 5 m,
-80 that as many as 8 channels could be multiplexed between
λ = 1.3 μπι and 1.55 μηι. The average pass band width
-90
at — 20 dB is of the order of 75 nm in the wavelength
-100 range considered. The same calculations, made with the
1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40 1.45 1.50 1.55 μπι 1.65 Λ
same structure in a wider wavelength range show that
Δ λ actually varies approximately linearly with the wave-
' Journal of Optical Communications. length (Fig. 9b). With the same fiber 1, R = 5 m and
Fig. 8: Wavelength channels distribution within the 1.3 μηι- Xc = 1.4 μπι, the dependence of the spectral distance
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1.55 μιη range; fiber 1: a, =5 μηι, Δη, =0.0022; fiber 2: between channels, taken as Δλ/2, Authenticated
was investigated and
is represented in Download
Fig. 9c. With Δη 2 =0.02,
Date | 4/30/19 the average
7:34 PM
Journal of Optical Communications
2 (1981) 3
distance between adjacent channels could be lowered
down to 20 nm, with a core radius a2 = 1.63 urn. There
is not much to be gained by increasing Δη2 further as
a 2 would become too small for practical reasons and also
because the slope of the curve in Fig. 9c tends towards
zero.
4 Conclusion
The feasability of a full fiber single mode (de)multiplexer
based on available fiber technology, using a known fiber
distributed coupling technique, is demonstrated. From
the best data reported for a coupler made of two identical
polished fibers [12], insertion losses as low as 5% per
coupler can be expected.
This design gives a high flexibility as each channel can
be dealt with individually. The selectivity in wavelength
that can be theoretically reached matches the require-
ments of the future generation of single mode communica-
tion systems, allowing about 10 channels, with a separa-
tion between channels of 40 nm, within the wavelength
range that will be used with silica single mode fibers.
Experimental results will be reported elsewhere.
109
5 Acknowledgement
A grant of C bloptic SA, Switzerland, is gratefully ac-
knowledged.
References
[1] T. Edahiro et al.: Proc. 3rd IOOC '81, San Francisco (1981), 50
[2] B.J.Ainsleetal.:ibid.,50
[3] M. Takusagawa: ibid., 42
[4] J. P. Laude J. Flamand: ibid., 66
[5] R. C. Alfemess, L. L. Buhl: ibid., 68
[6] Y. Murakami: Appl. Opt. 19 (1980) 3,398-403
[7] O. Parriaux, S. Gidon, A. A. Kuznetsov: Appl. Opt., to be
published
[8] A. Yanv: Fiber and Integrated Optics, Plenum Press (1979)
223-256
[9] P. D. Mclnlyre, A. W. Snyder: J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63 (1973) 12,
1518-1527
[10] W. Wijngaard: J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63 (1973) 8, 944-950
[11] J. Irven, A. P. Harrison: Proc. 3rd IOOC '81, San Francisco
(1981), 50-51
[12] R. Bergh, H. Lefevre, H. J. Shaw: ibid., 116-117
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