volume | PIER Journals

2010-01-17

Metal-Based 1×2 and 1×4 Asymmetric Plastic Optical Fiber Couplers for Optical Code Generating Devices

Abang Annuar Ehsan,

Dr. Abang Annuar Ehsan

Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Malaysia

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Sahbudin Shaari,

Dr. Sahbudin Shaari

Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Malaysia

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Mohd Kamil Abd-Rahman

Prof. Mohd Kamil Abd-Rahman

Faculty of Applied Science

Universiti Teknologi MARA

Malaysia

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Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 101, 1-16, 2010

doi:10.2528/PIER09112206

Abstract

An optical code generating device has been developed based on 1×2 and 1×4 asymmetric plastic optical fiber (POF) couplers. The code generating device provides a unique series of output power which are successively used as an optical code in a portable optical access-card system. The system is designed where the asymmetric POF coupler is embedded in an all passive portable unit. This device utilizes a tap-off ratio (TOFR) technique based on a simple variation of the tap width of an asymmetric Y-branch splitter design. A hollow-type waveguide structure is used where it eliminates the use of polymeric material for the waveguide core and allows simple fabrication and assembling of the device. The asymmetric POF coupler has been fabricated on metal-based materials using machining technique. The results for the simulated and fabricated 1×2 asymmetric couplers show the same linear characteristics between the TOFR and the tap width. The simulated devices shows a TOFR variation from 18.6% to 49.9% whereas the TOFR for the fabricated metalbased devices varies from 10.7% up to 47.7%, for a tap width of 500 um to 1 mm. The 1×4 coupler designed using simple cascading of a Y-branch splitter with two 1×2 asymmetric couplers has been fabricated and shows similar characteristics as that of the designed 1×4 devices. The insertion loss for the 1×2 asymmetric coupler at the tap line varies from 9 dB to 16 dB whereas for the bus line, the insertion loss is about 9±0.8 dB. The insertion loss for the 1×4 asymmetric coupler at the output ports varies from 14 dB to 22 dB.

Citation

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Abang Annuar Ehsan, Sahbudin Shaari, and Mohd Kamil Abd-Rahman, "Metal-Based 1×2 and 1×4 Asymmetric Plastic Optical Fiber Couplers for Optical Code Generating Devices," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 101, 1-16, 2010.
doi:10.2528/PIER09112206

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