title: Optical microfiber coupler for broadband single-mode operation.
abstract: We present a broadband single-mode bi-conical microfiber coupler (MFC) with a specifically designed transition region that effectively suppresses any higher-order modes present at the input fiber and provides efficient power splitting into the fundamental mode at the two output ports. As a practical example, single-mode 3-dB splitting operation over a broad spectral window (400 approximately 1700 nm) was demonstrated for a very thin taper waist approximately 1.5 microm) MFC made from conventional telecom optical fibers.
authors.affiliation: Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. ymj@orc.soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Yongmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Richardson