Optical structure writing system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for writing an optical structure in a waveguide. The system including, means for splitting a light beam into two coherent writing beams, an optical circuit for directing the writing beams along substantially the same optical path in opposite directions such that they produce an interference pattern in an interference region substantially within the waveguide to write the optical structure, said optical circuit including at least two acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) configured to enable a controllable phase shift to be applied to a light beam propagating therethrough, the two AOMs being arranged such that, in use, each AOM shifts the phase of only one of the writing beams, to thereby provide a controllable phase difference between the writing beams.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This Application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 547,242, filed Aug. 25, 2005, and entitled “OPTICAL STRUCTURE WRITING SYSTEM” by Goran Lars Edvell, which is a national phase filing based on PCT / AU2004 / 000240, filed Feb. 25, 2004, which in turn claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2003 / 900836, filed Feb. 25, 2003, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates broadly to a system for writing an optical structure in a waveguide, to a method of writing an optical structure in a waveguide, and to an interferometer.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Typically, the writing of optical structures such as Bragg gratings into a photosensitive material involves an interferometer in which two coherent light beams (typically in the UV wavelength range) are directed along separate optical paths and brought to interference substantially within the photosen...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system achieves reduced phase errors and improved grating quality with strong common mode rejection, enabling the writing of complex optical structures with precise control over phase and amplitude profiles, minimizing errors and enhancing the flexibility of the optical structure writing process.

Problems solved by technology

The design problem associated with the creation of such a UV interference pattern for the writing of optical gratings is multi-dimensional and it has been found to be non-trivial to design an optical system that can satisfy all criteria simultaneously while minimising errors in each dimension due to the non-ideal nature of optical and mechanical components.

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