Study On The Optical Chiral Waveguide Components And Chiral Materials

Recently, one could more easily see the ever growing interest into effect of chiral media on electromagnetic waves. Recent publications on guided wave propagation in structures filled with chiral material have shown that the effects which occur are similar to the ones in waveguides containing anisotropic materials. Because the constitutive relations for electric and magnetic fields are coupled in chiral materials, two waves with different propagation speeds can be supported. Based on this effect a number of new constructions including depolarizers, polarimeters, diplexers, sensors, switches,and modulators can be proposed. In this dissertation, the optical chiral waveguide components and chiral materials were studied.In experiment, a series research have been implemented as following:The chiral molecule glucose and griseofulvin were firstly incorporated in sol-gel derived materials containing SiO2. It was discovered that the similar behaviors of optical activity for the chiral molecules in solutions were held in solid gels.Chiral molecules griseofulvin were disseminated in poly methyl metahcrylate (PMMA), the similar resuls were obtained. Their infrared spectrum properties has been measured by Fourier transformation infrared spectrometers. The results showed that the chiral molecules filled into the pores of the network structures in the gel, which hardly linked with the host.Sol-gel glass containing chiral micro-crystal had been manufactured successfully. It was discovered that sol-gel glass containing chiral micro-crystal displayed its depolarization effect. We replaced the chiral micro crystal by glass powder and manufactured the sol-gel glass containing glass powder by the same way. It was discovered that the sol-gel glass containing glass powder displayed its polarization-helding character.Crystals of sodium chlorate were grown from water solution by standard rocking techniques. The transparent chiral material containing Sodium chlorate was successfully manufactured by sol-gel process. It was firstly proven by our experiment that the circular dichroism (CD), UV spectrum and optical rotatory dispersion of crystal NaClO3 were isotropic. They are not as same as those of quartz.A solid chiral circular waveguide had been manufactured successfully. After the experimental investigation of its polarity response, it is found that its polarization state is changed when comparing with the bulk chiral medium and the solid circular waveguide.In order to test the characters of the material above, we fabricated a series apparatus such as devices of testing polarization, optical rotatory dispersion instrument based on LED and spectrum instrument. The results show that they possess high accuracy, good repetition and convenience.In theory, two aspects have been done as follow:The semi-leaky modes in doubly clad chiral optical fibers which the core, inner and outer cladding are chiral media have been investigated. It was discovered that the characteristics of semi-leaky modes in doubly clad chiral optical fibers are very different from those in single clad chiral optical fibers. The semi-leaky modes can also exist in the single clad optical fiber whose core material is achiral and the cladding material is chiral.The effects of chirality and thickness of inner cladding on the modal dispersion had been studied . It was discovered that introduing chirality to the core, inner and outer cladding of an optical fiber can change its modal dispersion characteristics drastically. The dispersion characteristics are very different especially under different thickness of inner cladding.