BDK-doped core microstructured PMMA optical fiber for effective Bragg grating photo-inscription

An endlessly single-mode doped microstructured poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) optical fiber is produced for effective fiber Bragg grating (FBG) photo-inscription by means of a 400 nm femtosecond pulsed laser and the phase mask technique. The fiber presents a uniform benzyl dimethyl ketal (BDK) distribution in its core without drastic loss increase. It was produced using the selected center hole doping technique, and the BDK dopant acts as a photoinitiator. In this Letter, we report a rapidly growing process of the grating reflection band. For an 11 mW mean laser power, the FBG reflectivity reaches 83% in only 40 s.