Use of highly oriented lcp's for low cost negative thermal expansion polymeric materials for photonics applications

摘要

The present invention provides a packaged temperature compensating fiber Bragg grating (1), which includes a fiber (1) having a fiber Bragg grating with a grating period ( LAMBDA ) and a temperature compensating package (9). The temperature compensating package (9) includes at least one liquid crystal polymer material having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. The temperature compensating package keeps the grating period ( LAMBDA ) of the fiber Bragg grating (1) substantially constant when the fiber Bragg grating (1) is exposed to varying temperatures. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a packaged temperature compensating fiber Bragg grating (1). The method includes the steps of providing a temperature compensating package (9), the package including at least one liquid crystal polymer having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion and attaching a fiber (1) having a fiber Bragg grating to the temperature compensating package (9).