Methods of achieving linear index-change response for narrow-band fiber Bragg grating sequential writing

This investigation elucidates the refractive index-change response of the photosensitive optical fiber to exposed UV flux. The nonlinear UV photosensitivity deforms the index profile of FBGs on the tail edges where the writing UV flux is low. Pre-UV treatment eliminates the nonlinear index-change response and ensures the linearity of the response of subsequent grating writing. A new method that involves interference between two unequal beams in a single writing scan is proposed and demonstrated to be able to improve the index profile and the spectral response of fabricated FBGs. The procedure is stable for writing weak fiber Bragg gratings with pre-designed index profiles.