Fiber based generation of azimuthally polarized light

We report on a novel approach for the generation of radially and azimuthally polarized light employing a fiber mode filter. The mode filter consists of a Fiber Bragg Grating written in a strongly guiding fiber with lifted modal degeneracy. These kinds of fibers guide radially and azimuthally polarized modes with non-degenerated, i.e. distinct, effective refractive indexes. The Fiber Bragg Grating reflects light only if the Bragg condition is fulfilled. In case of strongly guiding fibers the radially and azimuthally polarized modes are guided with different effective refractive indices and, consequently, the Bragg condition is fulfilled at different wavelengths. If the reflection bandwidth of the Fiber Bragg Grating is narrow enough, the radially and azimuthally polarized modes are spectrally separated. Thus, with such a mode filter it is possible to filter the radially or azimuthally polarized mode. This filter is suitable for its integration in a resonator for stable, compact and high polarization purity azimuthally and radially polarized all-fiber oscillators. In a first experiment an azimuthally polarized mode filter consisting of a commercially available step index fiber and a femtosecond written Fiber Bragg Grating was fabricated. The experimental results are presented and discussed.