Super high-performance MEMS fiber optic variable optical attenuator (VOA) for aerospace and commercial applications

Farzan N. Ghauri; Nabeel A. Riza

doi:10.1117/12.604919

24 May 2005 Super high-performance MEMS fiber optic variable optical attenuator (VOA) for aerospace and commercial applications

Farzan N. Ghauri, Nabeel A. Riza

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5814, Enabling Photonics Technologies for Defense, Security, and Aerospace Applications; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.604919
Event: Defense and Security, 2005, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Fiber-optic variable optical attenuators (VOAs) are required for light power control in numerous applications such as test and instrumentation, optical fiber telecommunications, industrial fiber-optic sensing, biomedical imaging and sensing, and photonic signal processing for antennas and radar systems. The requirements for the VOA, such as dynamic range and resolution, vary depending on the application. A VOA can demonstrate high end performance when it possesses critical attributes like super resolution precision and high dynamic range. Reported in this paper is the demonstration of a hybrid analog-digital fiber-optic VOA design that employs microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The VOA demonstrates simultaneously a super high controlled dynamic range of 81 dB as well as super 0.1 dB resolution attenuation controls. Proof-of-concept experiments exhibit an optical loss of 2.5 dB and C-band operations.

Citation Download Citation

Farzan N. Ghauri and Nabeel A. Riza "Super high-performance MEMS fiber optic variable optical attenuator (VOA) for aerospace and commercial applications", Proc. SPIE 5814, Enabling Photonics Technologies for Defense, Security, and Aerospace Applications, (24 May 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.604919

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