Bragg grating writing through the polyimide coating of high NA optical fibres with femtosecond IR radiation

Bragg gratings are written with ultrafast 800 nm radiation and a phase mask through the polyimide polymer coatings of commercially available high NA fibres that are both unloaded and loaded with high pressure hydrogen gas. For polyimide coated fibres with very high germanium core concentrations, index modulations greater than 1 X 10(-4) are induced. Stable core index modulations similar to 60% of their original value were present after 115 h at 500 degrees C. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.