Title: Design and fabrication of a metal-based asymmetric and variable Y-branch plastic optical fibre coupler

Authors: A.A. Ehsan; S. Shaari; M.K. Abd Rahman

Addresses: Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia ' Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia ' Faculty of Applied Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: A metal-based asymmetric and variable plastic optical fibre or POF coupler utilising two-optical designs: a Y-branch structure with a novel hollow waveguide taper and an attenuation technique based on lateral displacement of two fibres has been developed. The non-symmetrical coupling ratios are obtained by attenuation due to the lateral displacement of two adjoining fibres. The device has been fabricated on a metal block using high speed CNC machining tool. The fabricated device has an excess loss of 6.3 dB while the coupling ratios are 46.27% and 53.73% when operating as a 3 dB coupler. In the asymmetric coupler mode, the coupling ratio ranges from 14.23% to 85.77% with excess loss varying from 6.3 dB to 8.33 dB. In the variable coupler mode, the device provides coupling ratios of 17.32% to 82.68% and excess loss varying from 6.71 dB to 9.72 dB.

Keywords: asymmetric POF couplers; coupler design; plastic optical fibre couplers; Y-branch POF couplers; hollow waveguide taper; attenuation; high speed machining; CNC machining; coupling ratio.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2014.062937

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2014 Vol.49 No.1, pp.18 - 24

Received: 17 Jul 2013
Accepted: 26 Nov 2013
Published online: 19 Jul 2014 *

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