Novel Tunable Fiber Optic Edge Filter Based on Modulating Chirp Rate of π-Phase-Shifted Fiber Bragg Grating

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel tunable fiber optic edge filter based on modulating the chirp rate of a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) operated in reflection mode. The phase shift induced notch in the reflection spectrum is utilized as the edge filter. The dependence of the π-phase-shifted FBG's spectral response on the chirp rate has been numerically studied in detail and experimentally confirmed for the first time. The linear wavelength range of this edge filter can be tuned by changing the chirp rate of FBG. A fiber optic edge filter is further obtained experimentally and tested as a wavelength interrogator, which is in a good agreement with numerical results. The proposed edge filter has advantages of simple-structure, cost-effectiveness, high sensitivity, and flexible tunable, thus opening up some applications, especially as wavelength interrogator in small wavelength range.