Grant: Research Tools and Instruments
École Polytechnique de Montréal
$126,034.00
COVERT- Characterization of Optical fibre and VEry long fibre Bragg gratings in Real Time
FY 2017-18
Summary
This proposal, COVERT- Characterization of Optical fibre and VEry long fibre Bragg gratings in Real Time, is for the acquisition of an optical frequency domain reflectometer, which allows the characterization of long optical waveguides and fibre Bragg gratings using back-scatter signals. Using interferometry with a frequency swept source, the Rayleigh scatter from optical waveguides, or the reflected signal from a Bragg grating allows the characterization of the distributed refractive index in the optical waveguide and the characterization of the grating in both amplitude and phase. Since Fourier transforms are required to arrive at spatial information, the processing of the signals take a fair amount of time including the sweep time for the source. Our current instrument, which is nearly 7 years old is very slow, taking seconds to minutes to process a measurement. This has caused a bottleneck in our research efforts. However, a newer version of this instrument has a refresh rate of 10s Hz. Hence, this instrument is URGENTLY needed to assist with real-time measurements, to overcome the impasse limited by processing time, making it suitable for measurement durations of milliseconds, appropriate for several projects being currently researched. These projects include the fabrication of perfect meter long fibre Bragg gratings, currently limited by the characterisation time, bend sensing for real-time catheter tracking in bio-medical applications, and phase and amplitude manipulation for ultra-stable ultra-high-speed mode-locked fibre lasers. The instrument will directly support the activities of a several PhD and MSc students over the years and directly contribute to the development and commercialisation of new ultra-stable single-frequency and low-threshold Raman fibre lasers. The instrument is in support of a funded Strategic grant, an applied FRQNT Team grant with INRS on ultra-fast, ultra-stable lasers, a CHRP grant being prepared for submission at Polytechnique on intervention in prostate cancer, as well as collaboration with Johns Hopkins University on robotics, Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil on Random lasers, and with industrial partners for the commercialisation of ultra-long Bragg grating devices.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
RTI-2018-00692
Name nom
Kashyap, Raman
Department département
Génie physique - Génie physique
Organization id
64
Institution établissement
École Polytechnique de Montréal
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2017
Competition year année de concours
2018
Award amount
126034
Program id
RTI
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1605
Committee name en
Physics (RTI)
Committee name fr
Physique (OIR)
Area of application code
1202
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Physical sciences
Area of application fr
Sciences physiques
Research subject code
2505
Research subject group en
Electrical and electronic engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie électrique et électronique
Research subject en
Photon devices
Research subject fr
Dispositifs photoniques
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
COVERT- Characterization of Optical fibre and VEry long fibre Bragg gratings in Real Time
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
This proposal, COVERT- Characterization of Optical fibre and VEry long fibre Bragg gratings in Real Time, is for the acquisition of an optical frequency domain reflectometer, which allows the characterization of long optical waveguides and fibre Bragg gratings using back-scatter signals. Using interferometry with a frequency swept source, the Rayleigh scatter from optical waveguides, or the reflected signal from a Bragg grating allows the characterization of the distributed refractive index in the optical waveguide and the characterization of the grating in both amplitude and phase. Since Fourier transforms are required to arrive at spatial information, the processing of the signals take a fair amount of time including the sweep time for the source. Our current instrument, which is nearly 7 years old is very slow, taking seconds to minutes to process a measurement. This has caused a bottleneck in our research efforts. However, a newer version of this instrument has a refresh rate of 10s Hz. Hence, this instrument is URGENTLY needed to assist with real-time measurements, to overcome the impasse limited by processing time, making it suitable for measurement durations of milliseconds, appropriate for several projects being currently researched. These projects include the fabrication of perfect meter long fibre Bragg gratings, currently limited by the characterisation time, bend sensing for real-time catheter tracking in bio-medical applications, and phase and amplitude manipulation for ultra-stable ultra-high-speed mode-locked fibre lasers. The instrument will directly support the activities of a several PhD and MSc students over the years and directly contribute to the development and commercialisation of new ultra-stable single-frequency and low-threshold Raman fibre lasers. The instrument is in support of a funded Strategic grant, an applied FRQNT Team grant with INRS on ultra-fast, ultra-stable lasers, a CHRP grant being prepared for submission at Polytechnique on intervention in prostate cancer, as well as collaboration with Johns Hopkins University on robotics, Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil on Random lasers, and with industrial partners for the commercialisation of ultra-long Bragg grating devices.
