A poled fiber device with dual functions as an electro-optic modulator and a polarizer

We report the demonstration of a fiber optic device integrated with the functions of both an electro-optic modulator and a polarizer. The device was made from thermal poling of a side-polished commercial PANDA fiber. The part of the electrode on the polished flat was of a micro-strip shape measured 60 mu m wide and 60mm long. The special electrode was not only as a wire to conduct electric voltage, but also as a metal waveguide to create surface plasma wave. The sample fiber was poled thermally at temperature of 260 degrees C by applying a DC voltage of RV across the electrodes for 15 minutes. The device has demonstrated a polarization extinction ratio of 32 dB and an electro-optic coefficient of 0.15pm/V for the TE mode. The theoretical analysis of the poled fiber waveguide was done and its results fit in with the experiments well. The device may be used as a polarization-maintaining fiber optic phase modulator, a fiber polarizer, or both at the same time. The device can also be used as a component to construct polarization stable all fiber devices such as intensity modulators and sensors.