Chiral photonic crystal fibers with single mode and single polarization

• Published in: Optics communications 2015-12, Vol.356, p.96-102
• Main Authors: Li, She, Li, Junqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chiral PCF; Circular polarization; Plane wave expansion method; Single-polarization single-mode
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2015.07.024

Chiral photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a solid core is numerically investigated by a modified chiral plane-wave expansion method. The effects of structural parameters and chirality strength are analyzed on single-polarization single-mode range and polarization states of guided modes. The simulation demonstrates that the chiral photonic crystal fiber compared to its achiral counterpart possesses another single-circular-polarization operation range, which is located in the short-wavelength region. The original single-polarization operation range in the long-wavelength region extends to the short wavelength caused by introducing chirality. Then this range becomes a broadened one with elliptical polarization from linear polarization. With increase of chirality, the two single-polarization single-mode ranges may fuse together. By optimizing the structure, an ultra-wide single-circular-polarization operation range from 0.5μm to 1.67μm for chiral PCF can be realized with moderate chirality strength. •We design a SCPSM chiral PCF with an ultra-wide SPSM range from 0.5μm to 1.67μm.•The SPSM ranges may fuse together from two into one with chirality increase.•The modes are polarized from circular to elliptical with wavelength increase.