Method and apparatus for fiber bragg grating production

An apparatus for producing a diffraction pattern in an optical fiber, the apparatus comprising:

• a solid state laser for producing a fourth harmonic laser beam having a wavelength in the range of 230 to 250 nanometers, wherein the solid state laser comprises:
• an active laser medium;
• and
• a pump for pumping the active laser medium;
• and
• a Bragg writer for using the fourth harmonic laser beam to produce the diffraction pattern on the optical fiber.

A method for producing a diffraction pattern in an optical fiber, the method comprising the steps of:

• pumping an rare-earth doped crystal with a diode laser to generate a fundamental beam;
• producing a second harmonic beam from the fundamental beam;
• irradiating a CLBO crystal with the second harmonic beam to produce a fourth harmonic beam having a wavelength in the range of approximately 230 to 250 nanometers, with the wavelength of the fundamental beam chosen such that the CLBO crystal operates noncritically phasematched;
• and
• using the fourth harmonic beam as an input beam to a Bragg writer for producing the diffraction pattern on the optical fiber.