Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a connector system. The connector system includes a connector cover. The connector-cover has a cap to protect a connector from dust and water and an adapter attached to an optical fiber cable, which is configured to connect to the cap. The dimensions and configuration of the connector-cover allow it to be pulled through conventional conduit (i.e. a 90°-bent, 0.75 inch Schedule 40 conduit).

Abstract: Disclosed are optical fiber devices incorporating optical fibers with total dispersion greater than material dispersion, and with preferred dispersion values less than +50 ps/nm-km. The desired dispersion values are obtained when light resides substantially in a single higher order mode (HOM) of the fiber, typically the LP02 mode. The optical fibers also preferably have substantial separation between the effective indices of the HOM and any other mode.

Abstract: A technique is described for creating a localized modulation of an optical fiber's refractive index profile. A segment of optical fiber is loaded into a heating unit having a resistive heating element with a localized heating zone. A selected portion of the fiber segment is positioned within the heating zone, and the heating unit is used to create a refractive index modulation the selected fiber portion. The localized modulation is repeated along the length of the fiber segment to write a fiber grating. Also described is a resistive heating system for performing the described technique.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a hardened connector system. The connector system includes a connector plug for terminating an optical fiber, a plug housing for coupling to the optical fiber cable and the connector plug, and a translator for coupling the plug housing and the connector plug to an optical fiber connector adapter. The translator, which couples the plug housing to a jack receptacle portion of the connector adapter is configured to allow the connector to be decoupled from the connector adapter without damaging the connector adapter, e.g., when the connector system is subjected to relatively excessive cable loads. Also, the dimensions and configuration of the plug housing allow it to be pulled through conventional conduit, including a 90?-bent, 0.75 inch Schedule 40 conduit.

Abstract: An optical transmission fiber is formed to include a relatively low-index, relatively thin outer cladding layer disposed underneath the protective polymer outer coating. Stray light propagating along an inner cladding layer(s) within the fiber will be refracted into the thin outer cladding (by proper selection of refractive index values). The thin dimension of the outer cladding layer allows for the stray light to “leak” into the outer coating in a controlled, gradual manner so as to minimize heating of the coating associated with the presence of stray light. The inventive fiber may also be bent to assist in the movement of stray light into the coating.

Abstract: The specification describes optical fiber cables designed for microduct installations. The microduct cables are coated with a sheath having particulates added to modify the drag of the outer surface of the cable to air, and thereby facilitate air blown installation. The particulates are nanoclay, silica, alumina, or other suitable solid particles of less than 5 microns. The coating comprises a prepolymer containing the filler, and is UV cured.

Abstract: An air-clad optical fiber is provided having a core that is surrounded by an inner cladding region, an air-clad region, and an outer region. A lead end of the air-clad optical fiber is prepared for splicing by removing the air-clad region and all fiber regions outside of the air-clad region, so as to expose an inner fiber region. The prepared lead end of the air-clad optical fiber is then spliced to a lead end of the optical device. The air-clad region may be removed from a selected portion of an air-clad fiber by causing an etchant gas to stream through the air-clad region in the selected portion of the fiber. Heat is then applied to the selected fiber portion, causing at least some of the microstructure to be etched away.

Abstract: A mode conversion technique to convert higher-order-mode into a nearly fundamental Gaussian shape by using a beam expander is developed and is particularly useful in high-power lasers and amplifiers. By using a beam expander between a transmitted fiber and a conventional mode conversion system, the strict lateral tolerance requirement can be overcome with high conversion efficiency.

Abstract: An optical fiber includes a large graded index core of Ge doped silica for an increased bandwidth-length-product of over 100 MHz-km. A cladding layer of non-doped silica is formed on the core during the preform process and subsequently during drawing the preform an ultraviolet light curable polymer first coating is overlaid on the cladding layer. The first coating is sufficiently hardened to match the fracture characteristics of the silica core and cladding layer to facilitate crimp and cleave termination. The first coating is additionally provided with an index of refraction greater than the cladding layer to enable mode or energy stripping from the cladding layer. A second polymer layer may optionally be applied during draw for protection and to provide a tough outer layer of the optical fiber for the deformable features of a connector to hold onto after crimping.

Abstract: Optical fiber and cable management apparatus includes a base for mounting on a wall or other surface at a subscriber premises, and a drum region extending axially upward from the base. The drum region includes an outer cylindrical wall for supporting a length of a first fiber optic cable wound about the outer wall, an inner cylindrical wall disposed radially inward of the outer wall to define an annular fiber routing region between the two walls, and a cable entry port in the outer wall for receiving an end portion of the first fiber optic cable so that fibers of the cable may be routed through the fiber routing region. An interface compartment disposed atop the drum is constructed to interface a first set of fibers routed within the compartment, with a second set of fibers associated with a second fiber optic cable that is routed to the apparatus.

Abstract: A coupling waveguide is interconnected between a launching fiber and a receiving fiber to reduce coupling loss. The coupling waveguide includes an integrally formed graded index lens having a non-parabolic refractive index profile. The graded index lens receives as an input a coupling mode field of an optical signal launched by the launching fiber and transforms the coupling mode field into a transverse spatial distribution matching a corresponding coupling mode field of the receiving fiber.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber drop cable with a flat configuration and having two side-by-side subunits. One of the subunits contains a cable strength member, e.g. a steel wire or stranded wire. The other subunit is an optical fiber subunit, which contains the optical fiber(s), and also contains one or more additional strength members. In a preferred embodiment, the cable is dry, and has conformal encasements that couple the optical fiber(s) to the outer cable sheath.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber device wherein a LOM is converted to an HOM prior to entering the gain section. The gain section is a few mode fiber that supports the HOM. The output from the gain section, i.e. the HOM, may be utilized as is, or converted back to the LOM. With suitable design of the few mode fiber in the gain section of the device, the effective area, Aeff, may be greater than 1600 ?m2. The large mode separation in the gain section reduces mode coupling, allowing greater design freedom and reducing the bend sensitivity of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A large mode area (LMA) fiber with improved resistance to bend-induced distortions utilizes highly oscillatory modes such that the effective index of the propagating modes remains less than the bent-fiber “equivalent” refractive index over a greater portion of the core. By providing a signal mode with a reduced effective index, the “forbidden” (evanescent) region of the core is reduced, and bend-induced distortion of the propagating mode is largely avoided.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber device for propagating and recompressing high energy, ultrashort pulses with minimal distortions due to nonlinearity. The device is based on propagation in a higher order mode (HOM) of a few-moded fiber. Coupling into the HOM may be accomplished using long-period gratings. Features of the HOM fiber mode that are useful for high quality pulse compression include large effective area, high dispersion and low dispersion slope. In a preferred case the long period gratings go through a turn-around point (TAP) at the wavelength of operation.

Abstract: An optical fiber has a core region and a first cladding region surrounding the core. The first cladding region is doped to increase the fiber's refractive index volume. A second cladding region surrounds the first cladding region. The second cladding region is doped to reduce the fiber's cutoff wavelength, offsetting an increase in the fiber's cutoff wavelength caused by the first cladding region. An outer cladding surrounds the cutoff reduction region. In a further embodiment, the volume increasing region is doped to have a refractive index profile that is sloped to increase from the region's outer circumference towards its inner circumference. In another embodiment, the cutoff reduction region has a step refractive index profile that may have more than one section.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber drop cable with a flat configuration and having two side-by-side subunits. One of the subunits contains a cable strength member, e.g. a steel wire or stranded wire. The other subunit is an optical fiber subunit, which contains the optical fiber(s), and also contains one or more additional strength members. In a preferred embodiment, the cable is dry, and has conformal encasements that couple the optical fiber(s) to the outer cable sheath.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus and system for managing and radially distributing optical fibers from a first location, such as a central office, to a plurality of destination locations, such as homes within a neighborhood. The apparatus includes a distribution panel having a central hub or ring, and both a plurality of optical input elements and a plurality of optical output elements disposed radially around the central hub. The optical input elements split the fibers coupled from the first location into a plurality of individual fibers that are routed to the central hub. The central hub radially distributes the plurality of fibers to appropriate optical output elements, which are coupled to destination fibers routed to the plurality of destination locations. The radial configuration of the apparatus provides a central breakout point for fiber distribution, thus improving fiber organization and routing management compared to conventional routing and distribution systems.

Abstract: On the basis of a known process for the production of a preform for an optical fiber for optical data transmission technology, the productivity of the process for the production of complex refractive index profiles is to be improved by providing a quartz glass substrate tube which exhibits different doping in radial direction, introducing a core glass made of synthetic quartz glass into the substrate tube and covering the substrate tube with a jacket tube. A substrate tube suitable therefor is also being provided which tube requires less core glass material for the production of the preform, whether during the internal deposition or for the core glass rod in the rod-in-tube technique.

Abstract: Fiber-optic connectors and methods for coupling optical fibers via the fiber-optic connectors are disclosed. Once such fiber-optic connector includes: 1) a socket having a tunnel extending through a portion of the socket, the tunnel having first opening through a first socket surface and a second opening through a second socket surface, the first surface being opposed to the second surface, 2) a first plug having a first prong that is configured to support a portion of a first optical fiber, and that is configured to be inserted with the portion of the first optical fiber into the first opening, and 3) a second plug having a second prong that is configured to support a portion of a second optical fiber, and that is configured to be inserted with the portion of the second optical fiber into the second opening.