Open AccessComplete modal decomposition for optical fibers using CGH-based correlation filters
Author(s) -
Thomas Kaiser,
Daniel Flamm,
Siegmund Schröter,
Michael Duparré
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.009347
Subject(s) - modal , optics , holography , phase retrieval , uniqueness , characterization (materials science) , beam (structure) , computer science , algorithm , physics , mathematics , fourier transform , mathematical analysis , materials science , polymer chemistry
The description of optical fields in terms of their eigenmodes is an intuitive approach for beam characterization. However, there is a lack of unambiguous, pure experimental methods in contrast to numerical phase-retrieval routines, mainly because of the difficulty to characterize the phase structure properly, e.g. if it contains singularities. This paper presents novel results for the complete modal decomposition of optical fields by using computer-generated holographic filters. The suitability of this method is proven by reconstructing various fields emerging from a weakly multi-mode fiber (V approximately 5) with arbitrary mode contents. Advantages of this approach are its mathematical uniqueness and its experimental simplicity. The method constitutes a promising technique for real-time beam characterization, even for singular beam profiles.