Tailoring inhomogeneous $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric fiber Bragg grating spectra

Abstract: The unique spectral behavior exhibited by a class of non-uniform Bragg periodic structures, namely chirped and apodized fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) influenced by parity and time reversal ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry, is presented. The interplay between the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry and nonuniformities brings exceptional functionalities in the broken $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric phase such as wavelength selective amplification and single-mode lasing for a wide range of variations in gain-loss. We observe that the device is no more passive and it undergoes a series of transitions from asymmetric reflection to unidirectional invisibility and multi-mode amplification as a consequence of variation in the imaginary part of the strength of modulation in different apodization profiles, namely Gaussian and raised cosine, at the given value of chirping. The chirping affords bandwidth control as well as control over the magnitude of the reflected (transmitted) light. Likewise, apodization offers additional functionality in the form of suppression of uncontrolled lasing behavior in the broken $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric regime besides moderating the reflected signals outside the band edges of the spectra.