Interferometric inscription of surface relief gratings on optical fiber using azo polymer film

We report the fabrication and characteristics of surface relief grating on the end surface of silica optical fiber with a diameter of 125 mum. One- and two-dimensional gratings were inscribed on the fiber surface covered with azo polymer thin-film layer using interferometric methods. Diffraction beam patterns of the zeroth and the first order due to surface relief gratings were observed using a 635 nm laser, and the relation between the measured diffraction beam pattern and the grating period was also investigated. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.