Open AccessPerformances of a polymer-cholesteric-liquidcrystal output-coupler in Nd-doped fiber lasers
Author(s) -
B. Meziane,
Chuin Li,
P. Carette,
M. Warenghem,
Michel Mitov
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.10.000965
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , polarizer , output coupler , laser , photonic crystal fiber , fiber laser , reflector (photography) , optical fiber , optoelectronics , light source , physics , birefringence
The performances and characteristics of a polymer-cholestericliquid-crystal reflector, used as an output coupler in a Nd-doped fiber laser, are presented. We show that a judicious combination of a linear polarizer and a quarter wave plate with the cholesteric coupler allows for a continuous scanning of the output-intensity from zero to a maximum value following the well-known Malus law. The results are shown to be contained in a simple Jones Matrix formalism. The LP-QW-PCLC combination is characterized by a reflection coefficient that can be freely adjusted from 0 to 1 by a simple rotation of the quarter-wave plate.