Numerical analysis of highly birefringent photonic crystal fibers with Bragg reflectors

We analyze theoretically the coupling properties of Bragg gratings written in highly birefringent photonic crystal fibers with doped core and show how they can be tuned by the parameters of a microstructured fiber. We apply the coupled mode theory combined with a fully vectorial mode solver based on on the plane-wave method. The results indicate large differences in interaction with the grating for the two linearly polarized fundamental modes. We show fiber designs, which provide single-mode operation with high birefringence and at the same time a high coupling efficiency of the grating. Such features can be used in fiber sensors, fiber laser configurations or to introduce a polarization dependent feedback in a long external cavity system with a semiconductor laser.