New Approaches In Spectrum Monitoring Devices

The development of Ultra violet (UV), along with near infrared (NIR) and infrared (IR) transmissive fibers, has motivated rapid evolution in technologies including communications and analytical chemistry. In both cases the emitting source, whether it be a laser diode or a participant in a chemical reaction, uses the fibre to transmit the light to a diffraction grating for dispersion. In the case of a communications application, this dispersed light will either terminate at a detector or be directed into other fibres. Diffraction gratings that have been optimized using ion-etching techniques or classical ruling have been used to produce devices capable of handling up to 20 fibres with up to 40 wavelengths simultaneously.