Polarization dependence in microbend gratings is an inherent problem. We formulate simple analytical expressions to describe it, and demonstrate their effectiveness via a comparison with experimental results on a standard transmission fiber. The ability to control polarization dependence with fiber design potentially enables replacing UV-LPGs within low-cost, tunable microbend gratings.

© 2005 Optical Society of America

1. C. B. Probst, A. Bjarklev, and S. B. Andreasen, �??Experimental Verification of Microbending Theory Using Mode Coupling to Discrete Cladding Modes,�?? J. Lightwave Technol. 7, 55�??61 (1989). [CrossRef]
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3. S. H. Yun, H. K. Lee, H. K. Kim, and B. Y. Kim, �??Dynamic Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier Based on Active Gain Flattening with Fiber Acousto-optic Tunable Filters,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 11, 1229�??1231 (1999). [CrossRef]
4. S. Ramachandran, M. F. Yan, E. Monberg, F. Dimarcello, P.Wisk, and S. Ghalmi, �??Record Bandwidth Microbend Gratings for Spectrally Flat Variable Optical Attenuators,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 15, 1561�??1563 (2003). [CrossRef]
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8. S. Ramachandran, S. E. Golowich, M. F. Yan, E. Monberg, F. Dimarcello, J. Fleming, S. Ghalmi, and P. Wisk, �??Lifting Polarisation Degeneracy Of Modes By Fiber Design: A Platform for Polarisation Insensitive Microbend Fiber Gratings,�?? Opt. Lett. (in press).
9. S. Ramachandran, Z.Wang, and M. F. Yan, �??Bandwidth Control of Long-Period Grating-Based Mode Converters in Few-Mode Fibers,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 698�??700 (2002).
10. A. W. Snyder and J. D. Love, Optical Waveguide Theory (Chapman and Hall, London, 1983).
11. D. Chowdhury and D.Wilcox, �??Comparison Between Optical Fiber Birefringence Induced by Stress Anisotriipy and Geometric Deformation,�?? IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6, 227�??232 (2000).

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• D. Chowdhury and D.Wilcox, �??Comparison Between Optical Fiber Birefringence Induced by Stress Anisotriipy and Geometric Deformation,�?? IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6, 227�??232 (2000).

IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett.

• S. H. Yun, H. K. Lee, H. K. Kim, and B. Y. Kim, �??Dynamic Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier Based on Active Gain Flattening with Fiber Acousto-optic Tunable Filters,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 11, 1229�??1231 (1999). [CrossRef]
• S. Ramachandran, M. F. Yan, E. Monberg, F. Dimarcello, P.Wisk, and S. Ghalmi, �??Record Bandwidth Microbend Gratings for Spectrally Flat Variable Optical Attenuators,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 15, 1561�??1563 (2003). [CrossRef]
• Q. Li, A. A. Au, C.-H. Lin, E. R. Lyons, and H. P. Lee, �??An Efficient All-Fiber Variable Optical Attenuator via Acoustooptic Mode Coupling,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 14, 1563�??1565 (2002). [CrossRef]
• T. E. Dimmick, G. Kakarantzas, T. A. Birks, A. Diez, and P. S. J. Russell, �??Compact All-Fiber Acoustooptic Tunable Filters with Small Bandwidth-Length Product,�?? IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 12, 1210�??1212 (2000). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• C. D. Pool, C. D. Townsend, and K. T. Nelson, �??Helical-Grating Two-Mode Fiber Spatial-Mode Coupler,�?? J. Lightwave Technol. 9, 598�??604 (1991). [CrossRef]
• C. B. Probst, A. Bjarklev, and S. B. Andreasen, �??Experimental Verification of Microbending Theory Using Mode Coupling to Discrete Cladding Modes,�?? J. Lightwave Technol. 7, 55�??61 (1989). [CrossRef]

Opt. Lett.

• S. Savin, M. J. F. Digonnet, G. S. Kino, and H. J. Shaw, �??Tunable Mechanically Induced Long Period Fiber Gratings,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 710�??712 (2000).
• S. Ramachandran, S. E. Golowich, M. F. Yan, E. Monberg, F. Dimarcello, J. Fleming, S. Ghalmi, and P. Wisk, �??Lifting Polarisation Degeneracy Of Modes By Fiber Design: A Platform for Polarisation Insensitive Microbend Fiber Gratings,�?? Opt. Lett. (in press).
• S. Ramachandran, Z.Wang, and M. F. Yan, �??Bandwidth Control of Long-Period Grating-Based Mode Converters in Few-Mode Fibers,�?? Opt. Lett. 27, 698�??700 (2002).

Other

• A. W. Snyder and J. D. Love, Optical Waveguide Theory (Chapman and Hall, London, 1983).

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