ARO Unveils FBG Writing ToolsARO Unveils FBG Writing Tools

BOULDER, Colo. -- Alpine Research Optics (ARO, Boulder, CO) has introduced a new series of optical components intended for fiber Bragg grating (FBG) writing applications that utilize excimer, ion or solid-state lasers. Specifically, the product line includes mirrors, beamsplitters, spherical and cylindrical lenses. The mirrors and beamsplitters are both offered in 1 inch and 2 inch diameters. The mirrors nominally provide reflectivity of >99.5% at 244 nm, 266 nm or 248 nm, or >96% at193 nm, at either 0° or 45° angle of incidence. The lenses are available insizes of up to 75 mm and radii of curvature between 0.05 and 10 meters, with anti-reflection coatings for these same wavelengths.The coatings on these optics are optimized to provide long-lived, consistent performance in the high throughput environment typical of FBG production. Specifically, they are designed to withstand high laser pulse counts and high peak powers without damage or a change in performance. In addition, the combination of high substrate flatness (l/10) and low thermal expansion materials provides the quality and long term optical stability necessary to achieve consistent results with both holographic and phase mask writing techniques. Alpine Research Optics Corp.