Sidelobe suppression in all-fiber acousto-optic tunable filter using torsional acoustic wave

Abstract

We propose two techniques to suppress intrinsic sidelobe spectra in all-fiber acousto-optic tunable filter using torsional acoustic wave. The techniques are based on either double-pass filter configuration or axial tailoring of mode coupling strength along an acousto-optic interaction region in a highly birefringent optical fiber. The sidelobe peak in the filter spectrum is experimentally suppressed from -8.3dB to -16.4dB by employing double-pass configuration. Axial modulation of acousto-optic coupling strength is proposed using axial variation of the fiber diameter, and the simulation results show that the maximum side peak of -9.3dB can be reduced to -22.2dB. We also discuss the possibility of further spectral shaping of the filter based on the axial tailoring of acousto-optic coupling strength. (C)2010 Optical Society of America