An in-line variable attenuator has been proposed and demonstrated exploiting a side-polished single-mode (SM) fiber evanescently coupled with an index matched dielectric plate. The attenuation can be controlled by fine mechanical sliding of the index matched dielectric plate. We have achieved 49 ㏈ dynamic range and very low excess loss of 0.2 ㏈ at 1550 nm wavelength. The measured polarization dependent losses (PDL) were 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ㏈ at 10, 20, and 30 ㏈ attenuation, respectively. Wavelength sensitivity was measured to be -0.017/nm ㏈ at 20 ㏈ attenuation.

© 2004 Optical Society of Korea

1. S. S. Lee, Y. S. Jin, and T. K. Yoo, "Polymeric tunable optical attenuator with an optical monitoring tap for WDM transmission network," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 590-592, 1999. [CrossRef]
2. T. Kawai, M. Koga, M. Okuno, and T. Kitoh, "PLC type compact variable optical attenuator for photonic transport network," Electron. Lett. vol. 34. no. 24, pp. 264-265, 1998. [CrossRef]
3. C. Marxer, P. Ggriss, and N. F. de Rooij, "A variable optical attenuator based on silicon micromechanics," IEEE Phonton. Technol. Lett., vol. 11, no. 2, pp.233-235, 1999. [CrossRef]
4. N. A. Riza and S. Sumriddetechkajorn, "Digitally controlled fault-tolerant muliwavelength progranunable fiber optic attenuator using a two dimensional digital micromirror devices," Opt. Lett., vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 83-84, 1999. [CrossRef]
5. V. Morozove, H. Fan, L. Eldada, L. Yang and Y. Shi, "Fused optic variable attenuator," Proc. of the 2000 Optical Fiber Communication Conference, vol. 4, pp. 22-24, 2000 [CrossRef]
6. Q. Li, A. A. Au, C. H. Lin, E.R. Lyons, and H. P. Lee, "An efficient all-fiber variable optical attenuators via acoustooptic mode coupling," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. vol. 14, no. 11, pp. 1563-1565, 2002. [CrossRef]
7. K. T. Kim and J. W. Song, "Investigation of thermooptically tunable fiber-to-planar waveguide coupler," Opt. Comm. vol. 205, pp.113-121, 2002. [CrossRef]
8. A. K. Das and A. Hussain, "Single-mode fiber-linearly tapered planar waveguide tunable coupler," App. Opt. vol. 36, no. 27, pp. 6822-6826, 1997. [CrossRef]
9. S. P. Ma and S. M. Tseng, "High-performance sidepolished fiber and application as liquid crystal clad fiber polarizers," IEEE J. of Lightwave Tech. vol. 15, no. 8, pp. 864-867, 1997.

Applied Optics

• A. K. Das and A. Hussain, "Single-mode fiber-linearly tapered planar waveguide tunable coupler," App. Opt. vol. 36, no. 27, pp. 6822-6826, 1997. [CrossRef]

Electronics Letters

• T. Kawai, M. Koga, M. Okuno, and T. Kitoh, "PLC type compact variable optical attenuator for photonic transport network," Electron. Lett. vol. 34. no. 24, pp. 264-265, 1998. [CrossRef]

IEEE J. of Lightave Tech.

• S. P. Ma and S. M. Tseng, "High-performance sidepolished fiber and application as liquid crystal clad fiber polarizers," IEEE J. of Lightwave Tech. vol. 15, no. 8, pp. 864-867, 1997.

Optical Fiber Communication Conference, 2000

• V. Morozove, H. Fan, L. Eldada, L. Yang and Y. Shi, "Fused optic variable attenuator," Proc. of the 2000 Optical Fiber Communication Conference, vol. 4, pp. 22-24, 2000 [CrossRef]

Optics Communications

• K. T. Kim and J. W. Song, "Investigation of thermooptically tunable fiber-to-planar waveguide coupler," Opt. Comm. vol. 205, pp.113-121, 2002. [CrossRef]

Optics Letters

• N. A. Riza and S. Sumriddetechkajorn, "Digitally controlled fault-tolerant muliwavelength progranunable fiber optic attenuator using a two dimensional digital micromirror devices," Opt. Lett., vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 83-84, 1999. [CrossRef]

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

• S. S. Lee, Y. S. Jin, and T. K. Yoo, "Polymeric tunable optical attenuator with an optical monitoring tap for WDM transmission network," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 590-592, 1999. [CrossRef]
• C. Marxer, P. Ggriss, and N. F. de Rooij, "A variable optical attenuator based on silicon micromechanics," IEEE Phonton. Technol. Lett., vol. 11, no. 2, pp.233-235, 1999. [CrossRef]
• Q. Li, A. A. Au, C. H. Lin, E.R. Lyons, and H. P. Lee, "An efficient all-fiber variable optical attenuators via acoustooptic mode coupling," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. vol. 14, no. 11, pp. 1563-1565, 2002. [CrossRef]

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