OPTICAL FIBERS

Head: Dr. Diego Alustiza

Participants:
- Dr. Diego Alustiza
- Eng. Sergio Noriega
- Eng. Marcos Mineo
- Eng. Daniel Aredes
- Eng. Guillermo Castiglioni
- Eng. Juan Pablo Ciciarelli
- Tech. Emanuel Vaio
- Fellow Demian Bogado (IEC Group, UTN FRLP)
- Fellow Juan José Carrillo Pavón (IEC Group, UTN FRLP)
- Fellow Narella Ghiglino (IEC Group, UTN FRLP)
- Fellow Paulina Rabatin (IEC Group, UTN FRLP)


Dr. Diego Alustiza, Juan José Carrillo Pavón, Narella Ghiglino, Paulina Rabatin, Eng. Marcos Mineo

Research Topics

  • Study of photophysical processes in optical fibers.
  • Analysis, theoretical modeling, and development of fiber lasers.
  • Spatiotemporal processing using optical fiber devices in both time and frequency domains.
  • Design and development of gain-flattening filters for EDFAs based on long-period gratings (LPGs).
  • Development of fiber-optic sensing devices and systems.
  • Design and development of sensor interrogation systems.
  • Study and development of multiplexing techniques for fiber-optic sensors.
  • Design and fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) using UV inscription.
  • Fabrication of biconical fiber couplers.
  • Generation of long-period gratings (LPGs) using electric arc, UV, and CO₂ laser techniques.
  • Fiber-optic sensors for temperature, mechanical strain, and inertial measurements.

Historical Overview

In recent decades, the impact of communications on socio-economic activities has grown dramatically, reaching virtually all sectors of the productive system. For this reason, in 1995 a laboratory was established at CIOp dedicated to both fundamental studies—such as the analysis of photonic processes in optical fibers and the study of light propagation properties in fiber media—and technological applications, including the development of devices and systems for optical communications, as well as the design and development of fiber lasers and sensors.

This laboratory was founded by Dr. Ricardo Duchowicz and Dr. Enrique Sicre, with Dr. Duchowicz serving as its director until his retirement in 2018. In addition to research activities, the group is engaged in technological development, academic training (graduate courses), human resource development (undergraduate and graduate fellows), and certification services for measurement equipment applied to optical communication systems (through LAMECO, the Metrology Laboratory for Optical Communications / Dr. Ricardo Duchowicz Laboratory).

Recent Publications

  • Development of an optical measurement system for strain determination in concrete structures. M. Mineo, D. H. Alustiza, D. Aredes, J. P. Cicciarelli, G. Castiglioni, E. Vaio, N. A. Russo. Journal of Instrumentation (JINST), IOP Publishing. Vol. 19, P10025, 2024. DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/19/10/P10025.
    https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-0221/19/10/P10025

Active Projects

  • Statistical analysis of the optical performance of long-period gratings in locally fabricated optical fibers.
    Principal Investigator: D. Alustiza. Co-Investigator: M. Mineo.
    Collaborative R&D project between the IEC Group (Department of Basic Sciences, UTN FRLP) and the Optical Fiber Group (CIOp, CONICET-CIC-UNLP), approved by the UTN FRLP Board (Resolution No. 788-2024). Duration: 06/01/2024 – 06/01/2026.


Experimental setup for evaluating HR sensors based on long-period gratings (LPGs) in optical fibers


Experimental setup for microtaper fabrication in optical fibers using a CO₂ laser


Experimental setup for semi-automated fabrication of long-period gratings (LPGs) in optical fibers


Development of an interrogation system for temperature and mechanical strain sensors based on LPG and FBG structures in optical fibers


Eng. Daniel Aredes working on the integration of the BGS system (CIOp–VENG S.A. agreement)


Tech. Emanuel Vaio

Research Lines: