Reflection-type Optical Waveguide Index Profiling Technique

We report a new configuration of a reflection-type confocal scanning optical microscope system for measuring the refractive index profile of an optical waveguide. Several improvements on the earlier design are proposed; a light emitting diode (LED) at 650 nm wavelength instead of a laser diode (LD) or He-Ne laser is used as a light source for better index precision, and a simple longitudinal linear scanning and curve fitting techniques are adapted instead of a servo control for maintaining an optical confocal arrangement. We have obtained spatial resolution of 700 nm and an index precision of $2\times10^{-4}$. To verify the system's capability, the refractive index profiles of a conventional multimode fiber and a home-made four-mode fiber were examined with our proposed measurement method.