Experiment 3

Optical Fibre

Divyansh Rathore
2022PHS7174
Group A
Date of allotment: August 7, 2023
Date of submission: August 25, 2023
Objective:
To determine the numerical aperture (NA) of a given mulƟmode fibre from a
measurement of its far field.
Apparatus:
Optical breadboard, tungsten halogen lamp (THL), microscope objective (20X),
microscope objective holder, XYZ-translational stage, pinhole photodetector with a
multimeter, photodetector holder, rotation stage, two fibre chucks, two post bases, and
3 posts, approximately 2 m length or a multimode fibre, razor blade, fibre cutter, index
matching liquid
Theory:
The nominal aperture (NA) represents the capacity of an optical fibre to gather light or
its acceptance angle for light. This parameter is crucial for understanding the fibre's
capability to capture and transmit light effectively.
The formula to calculate the nominal aperture (NA) of a fibre is:
2 2
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛(α) = 𝑛1 − 𝑛2

where
NA: Numerical Aperture
n1: Refractive index of the core of the fibre
n2: Refractive index of the cladding of the fibre
i: Incident angle of light ray into the core with respect to normal of interface

Source: https://circuitglobe.com/numerical-aperture-of-optical-fibre.html

When the incident ray hits the interface between the core and cladding if θ is larger
than the critical angle θc, the ray undergoes complete internal reflection and because of
the symmetry of the structure, suffers repeated total internal reflections.
 Source: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/fibre-optic6.htm

In a short length of the straight fibre, ideally, a ray launched at an angle 𝝰 at the input
end should come out at the same angle 𝝰 from the output end. Therefore far-field at the
output end will also appear as a cone or semi-angle 𝝰 emanating from the fibre end.
Thus, the NA of the fibre is usually determined by measuring the angular dependence
of the far field of the fibre. The semiangle corresponds to the 5% level of the far-field
intensity maximum.
The numerical aperture is then estimated using the following relation

𝑁𝐴 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( −1
( ))
𝐷
2𝑧

where D is the diameter of the spot, and z is the distance between the fibre end and the
screen.
Procedure:
a) Scanning Method
● Light from the tungsten halogen lamp (THL) is coupled into the given multimode
fibre (about 2 m long) by using a 20X microscope objective (MO).
● fibre ends are prepared so that it has well-cleaved flat ends and then clamped
over the fibre chucks with magnets. The cladding modes are removed by
applying an index-matching liquid over a few centimeters of the bare fibre, near
both the input and the output ends.
● The output end of the fibre is clamped over a post base in such a way that the tip
of the fibre gets positioned on the center of the axis of rotation of the rotational
stage.
● A pinhole-masked detector is mounted on the rotational stage and the height of
the fibre tip is so adjusted that the pinhole is at the same horizontal level as that
of the fibre end.
● Now, without disturbing the input coupling, the far field (circular) spot of the
fibre is scanned in suitable steps, and at each angular position, the detected
power recorded by the detector is noted down.
● Plot of the detector reading versus the angular position of the detector represents
the far-field intensity distribution. From this plot, the half angle 𝝰 corresponding
to 5% above the baseline is determined.
● Numerical Aperture of fibre is given by:
𝑁𝐴 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛(α)
b) Visual Method
● Several concentric circles of increasing radii, say, starting from 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm
are drawn on a small paper placed normal to the fibre axis.
● The screen is positioned in the far-field such that a line extending the axis of the
fibre on the screen from its output end would have passed through the center of
these circles.
● The fibre end, which is mounted on an XYZ-stack, is moved slightly towards or
away from the so that the emerging light spot exactly fills up one of the circles.
● The distance z between the fibre-end and the screen is measured accurately.
● The NA is calculated for direct visual estimation. The value of NA thus obtained
may be compared with the NA Obtained by the scanning method.
Observations and Calculations:
From Scanning method

Multi-Mode
Angular displacement Current
Main Scale Reading Vernier scale division
(degrees) (mA)

76 2 76.4 0
76 7 77.4 0
78 2 78.4 0
78 5 79 0.5
78 6 79.2 0.8
78 7 79.4 1.3
78 8 79.6 1.6
80 0 80 1.3
80 2 80.4 1.3
80 3 80.6 1.9
80 5 81 2.2
80 7 81.4 2.3
80 8 81.6 2.2
82 2 82.4 2.5
82 3 82.6 3.3
82 4 82.8 4.2
82 5 83 4.6
82 7 83.4 4.9
82 8 83.6 5
82 9 83.8 4.7
84 1 84.2 4.3
84 3 84.6 4
84 4 84.8 4
84 6 85.2 4.2
84 7 85.4 4.7
84 8 85.6 5.2
84 9 85.8 5.4
86 0 86 5.5
86 2 86.4 5.3
86 3 86.6 4.8
86 4 86.8 4.6
86 5 87 4.5
86 6 87.2 5.4
86 7 87.4 5.9
 86 8 87.6 5.9
86 9 87.8 5.5
88 0 88 4.7
88 1 88.2 4
88 2 88.4 3.8
88 3 88.6 3.7
88 4 88.8 3.5
88 6 89.2 3.9
88 8 89.6 4.5
90 0 90 4.6
90 1 90.2 4.1
90 2 90.4 3.7
90 3 90.6 3.2
90 4 90.8 2.8
90 5 91 2.2
90 7 91.4 1.8
90 9 91.8 2
92 1 92.2 2.5
92 3 92.6 2.7
92 5 93 2.1
92 7 93.4 1.4
92 8 93.6 1
92 9 93.8 0.6
94 1 94.2 0.6
94 3 94.6 0.7
94 5 95 0.6
94 7 95.4 0.3
94 8 95.6 0.2
96 0 96 0.2
96 3 96.6 0.1
96 5 97 0.1
96 7 97.4 0

From the plot

θ1 = 78. 28° and θ2 = 95. 6°
θ2−θ1 95.6° −78.28°
Half of difference (𝛂) = 2
= 2
= 8. 66°

Numerical aperture using scanning method is

𝑁𝐴 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 α = 0. 150
From Visual method
Multi-Mode Using Visual Method
Distance between fibre Diameter of the spot
Numerical Aperture
S. No. end and the screen (Z) on the screen (D)
NA = sin(arctan(D/2Z))
in cm in cm
1 5 2.2 0.21486
2 10 4.4 0.21486
3 15 6.5 0.21175
4 20 8.6 0.2102
5 25 10.7 0.20926
Average = 0.212

The numerical aperture obtained using visual method, by taking average of the NAs
obtained at different distances, is 0.212.
Result:
For Multi-mode fibre,
Numerical Aperture obtained using the Scanning method = 0.150
Numerical Aperture obtained using the Visual method = 0.212
Objective:
To determine the mode field diameter (MFD) of the fundamental mode in each
single-mode fibre (SMF) by a measurement of its far-field.
Apparatus:
Breadboard, He-Ne laser, microscope objective (20X), microscope objective holder,
YZ-translational stage, pinhole masked photodetector connected to a multimeter,
photodetector holder, rotation stage, two fibre chucks, two post bases and 3 posts,
approximately 2 m length of a single-mode fibre, razor blade, fibre cutter, index
matching liquid.
Theory:
A far-field measurement evaluates how the output intensity changes with angular
displacement, at a considerable distance from the fibre's output end. In contrast, a
near-field measurement determines the spatial distribution of intensity present at the
plane of the fibre's output end.
For most single-mode optical fibres of the type used in communication systems, the
near-field of the fundamental mode can be well approximated by Gaussian function of
the form

ψ(𝑟) = 𝐴 𝑒𝑥𝑝 − ( ) 𝑟
𝑤0
2

where A is a constant. The quantity 2𝒘 gives the Gaussian mode field diameter of the
fibre.
Because the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern (or the far field of a diffracting field), is
essentially the Fourier transform of its close-proximity field, it is possible to
demonstrate analytically that the far-field pattern resulting from the provided Gaussian
mode distribution equation also takes the form of a Gaussian distribution. This, in turn,
determines the corresponding intensity pattern.

( )
2
2𝑟
𝐼(𝑟) = 𝐵 𝑒𝑥𝑝 − 2
𝑤 (𝑧)

where B is a constant, and w(z) is the mode field radius (MPFR) of the Gaussian modal
field distribution in the far-field. Mode field radii wo and w(z) are related by
2 2
2 2
𝑤 (𝑧) = 𝑤0 ⎡⎢1 + ⎤
λ𝑧
2 4 ⎥
⎣ π𝑤 ⎦
Thus, the far-field the above equation can be approximated as
λ𝑧
𝑤(𝑧) ≈ π𝑤0
The far-field intensity distribution of a Gaussian field is approximately given by

( )
2 2 2
2π 𝑟 𝑤0
𝐼(𝑟) = 𝐵 𝑒𝑥𝑝 − 2 2
λ𝑧

where B is a constant, tanθ = r/z, being the far-field diffraction angle. The angle θe, at
which the far-field intensity drops down by a factor of e2 from its maximum value (θ =
0) would then be given by

𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ𝑒 = ( )
λ
π𝑤0

⇒ 𝑤0 = ( λ
π 𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ𝑒 )
Thus, by measuring θ, we can easily calculate the Gaussian mode field diameter
(MFD) 2w0.
Procedure:
● Mount the He-Ne laser in the aligner and adjust with the help of the aligning
screws.
● fibre ends are prepared so that the fibre has well-cleaved ends. The cladding
modes are removed by applying an index matching liquid over a few centimeters
near the input.
● Chuck carrying the output end of the fibre is clamped over a post base in such a
way that the tip of the fibre is positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotational
stage Light from He-Ne laser is launched into one end of the given single-mode
fibre using a 20X-microscope objective.
● Plot of the multimeter reading versus the angular position of the detector
represents the recorded far-field intensity distribution. From this plot, calculate
the value of θ, at which the intensity is reduced to 1/e2of the maximum intensity
(at θ = 0).
The value of θe at which intensity is reduced to to 1/e2 of the maximum intensity is
calculated from the plot of intensity distribution w.r.t. angular position.
Observations and Calculations:

Single Mode
Anglular displacement Current
Main Scale Reading Vernier scale division
(degrees) (mA)
78 2 78.4 0
78 6 79.2 0.1
80 1 80.2 0.2
80 3 80.6 0.3
80 4 80.8 0.4
80 7 81.4 0.5
80 9 81.8 0.7
82 1 82.2 0.9
82 2 82.4 1
82 4 82.8 1.3
82 5 83 1.6
82 6 83.2 1.8
82 7 83.4 2
82 8 83.6 2.3
84 0 84 2.6
84 2 84.4 3.1
84 3 84.6 3.5
84 5 85 3.8
84 6 85.2 4
84 8 85.6 4.3
86 3 86.6 4.1
86 6 87.2 3.6
86 7 87.4 3.4
86 8 87.6 3.1
86 9 87.8 2.6
88 1 88.2 2.2
88 3 88.6 1.6
88 6 89.2 1.1
88 8 89.6 0.8
90 1 90.2 0.5
90 4 90.8 0.4
90 6 91.2 0.2
92 1 92.2 0.1
92 2 92.4 0.1
92 7 93.4 0
From Scanning Method
𝜃1 = 81.69°
𝜃2 = 89.89°
89.89−81.69
Difference, 𝜃 = 2
= 4. 10°
λ 633
𝑤𝑜 = π 𝑡𝑎𝑛 θ
= 3.14 × 𝑡𝑎𝑛 (4.10°)
= 2. 81 µ𝑚

Mode field Diameter 𝑀𝐹𝐷 = 2 𝑤𝑜 = 5. 62 µ𝑚

Result:
Mode Field Diameter for single mode fibre, MFD = 5.62 μm

Precautions and sources of error:

● The fibre end faces must be of good quality.
● Cladding-mode strippers must be used.
● The output end of the fibre must be positioned in such a way that the axis of
rotation of the rotation stage passes through it.