Patents Assigned to Nufern
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Patent number: 9014522Abstract: The present invention relates generally to optical waveguides for the transmission of electromagnetic energy. The present invention relates more particularly to optical couplers for coupling optical fibers, and methods for making them. One aspect of the present invention is an optical coupler for use with a polarization-maintaining input optical fiber and a polarization-maintaining output optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: NufernInventors: Imtiaz Majid, Chih-Hao Wang, Kanishka Tankala
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Patent number: 8849083Abstract: The present invention relates generally to optical waveguides, and more particularly to optical fibers suitable for use with high optical energies, and to devices using them. One aspect of the invention is an optical fiber having a cross-sectional profile comprising a base glass material; a first ring of first low refractive index glass features disposed in the base glass material; and a second ring of second low refractive index glass features disposed in the base glass material outside of and substantially concentric with the first ring, wherein the optical fiber has a loss of less than about 0.7 dB/m for the fundamental mode and a loss greater than about 10 dB/m for all other modes in a coiled configuration having a coil diameter in the range of about 20 cm to about 200 cm.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2012Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: NufernInventors: Bryce N. Samson, Kanxian Wei, Liang Dong
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Patent number: 8655129Abstract: The present invention relates to optical fibers useful for the transmission of electromagnetic energy at such high levels of power that stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) may be of importance. One aspect of the present invention is an optical fiber for the propagation of optical radiation having an optical wavelength, the optical fiber and optical wavelength having an SBS acoustic wavelength associated therewith, the optical fiber comprising a core having a geometrical center and an outer perimeter; and a cladding surrounding the core; wherein the core is rare earth doped and substantially free of germanium, the optical fiber has a refractive index profile such that the core is guiding for optical radiation having the optical wavelength, and the optical fiber has an acoustic index profile such that the core is antiguiding for an acoustic wave having the SBS acoustic wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: NufernInventors: Kanishka Tankala, Kevin Farley
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Publication number: 20110310913Abstract: Optical fiber lasers and components for optical fiber laser. An optical fiber laser can comprise a fiber laser cavity having a wavelength of operation at which the cavity provides output light, the cavity including optical fiber that guides light having the wavelength of operation, the fiber having first and second lengths, the first length having a core having a V-number at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture, the second length having a core that is multimode at the wavelength of operation and that has a V-number that is greater than the V-number of the core of the first length optical fiber at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture that is less than the numerical aperture of the core of the first length of optical fiber. At least one of the lengths comprises an active material that can provide light having the wavelength of operation via stimulated emission responsive to the optical fiber receiving pump light.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Gavin P. Frith
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Publication number: 20110280584Abstract: The present invention relates to optical fibers useful for the transmission of electromagnetic energy at such high levels of power that stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) may be of importance. One aspect of the present invention is an optical fiber for the propagation of optical radiation having an optical wavelength, the optical fiber and optical wavelength having an SBS acoustic wavelength associated therewith, the optical fiber comprising a core having a geometrical center and an outer perimeter; and a cladding surrounding the core; wherein the core is rare earth doped and substantially free of germanium, the optical fiber has a refractive index profile such that the core is guiding for optical radiation having the optical wavelength, and the optical fiber has an acoustic index profile such that the core is antiguiding for an acoustic wave having the SBS acoustic wavelength.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2010Publication date: November 17, 2011Applicant: NUFERNInventors: Kanishka Tankala, Kevin Farley
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Patent number: 8027557Abstract: Optical fiber lasers and components for optical fiber laser. An optical fiber laser can comprise a fiber laser cavity having a wavelength of operation at which the cavity provides output light, the cavity including optical fiber that guides light having the wavelength of operation, the fiber having first and second lengths, the first length having a core having a V-number at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture, the second length having a core that is multimode at the wavelength of operation and that has a V-number that is greater than the V-number of the core of the first length optical fiber at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture that is less than the numerical aperture of the core of the first length of optical fiber. At least one of the lengths comprises an active material that can provide light having the wavelength of operation via stimulated emission responsive to the optical fiber receiving pump light.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: NufernInventor: Gavin P. Frith
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Publication number: 20110075252Abstract: The present invention relates generally to devices for the generation and amplification of electromagnetic energy. The present invention relates more particularly to optical fiber devices, such as lasers and amplifiers, useful for generating and amplifying optical energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Gavin P. Frith
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Patent number: 7817683Abstract: Optical fiber source for providing polarized optical pulses, comprising a Q-switched fiber laser for providing substantially unpolarized seed pulses of optical energy, where the Q-switched fiber laser can comprise a laser cavity having a Q-switch and an optical fiber comprising a gain medium, where the optical fiber need not be a polarizing or polarization maintaining optical fiber; a passive polarizing element arranged to receive and substantially polarize the substantially unpolarized seed pulses; and a polarization maintaining fiber amplifier arranged for receiving the polarized seed pulses. The polarization maintaining fiber amplifier can comprise a selected polarizing or polarization maintaining fiber having a core comprising a gain medium for amplifying the substantially polarized seed pulses, where the core can be normally multimode at a an operating wavelength of the optical fiber source. The fiber amplifier can provide substantially polarized output pulses.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2009Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: NUFERNInventor: Victor Khitrov
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Patent number: 7724422Abstract: Optical apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) for providing light having a selected linear polarization having a polarization ratio, the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) comprising a length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1001) comprising a rare earth for providing light having a first wavelength responsive to receiving pump light having a second wavelength that is different than said first wavelength, wherein if the length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) were placed in a first position between the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is substantially linearly oriented (20) the fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) could propagate at the first wavelength a fundamental mode and a plurality of higher order modes and the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) could provide light having a first polarization ratio for the selected linear polarization and an M2 parameter, and wherein the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is positioned in a second position that increases the bend loss ofType: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: NufernInventors: Jaroslaw Abramczyk, Upendra H. Manyam, Bryce N. Samson, Kanishka Tankala
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Publication number: 20100008634Abstract: An optical fiber preform, and method for fabricating, having a first core, a second core spaced from the first core and first and second regions, the first region having an outer perimeter having a first substantially straight length and the second region having an outer perimeter having a second substantially straight length facing the first straight length. One of the regions can comprise the first core and the other comprises the second core. The preform can be drawn with rotation to provide a fiber wherein a first core of the fiber is multimode at a selected wavelength of operation and a second core of the fiber is spaced from and winds around the first core and has a selected longitudinal pitch. The second core of the fiber can couple to a higher order mode of the first core and increase the attenuation thereof relative to the fundamental mode of the first core.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2009Publication date: January 14, 2010Applicant: NUFERNInventors: Douglas Guertin, Nils Jacobson, Kanishka Tankala, Adrian Carter
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Patent number: 7634164Abstract: A fiber optic article can comprise a core, an inner region disposed about the core and a cladding disposed about the inner region. The index of refraction of the cladding can be less than that of the inner region, and the index of refraction of the inner region can be less than that of the core. The fiber can include a second cladding disposed about the cladding, where the second cladding has an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the cladding. The inner region can have a non circular outer perimeter that includes at least one inwardly oriented section. The article can be elongate along a longitudinal axis and can include at least one longitudinally extending region, such as a stress inducing region, for providing birefringence and the inwardly oriented region can face the longitudinally extending region. The fiber optic article can include active material for providing light responsive to the article receiving pump light, such as, for example, one or more rare earths.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: NufernInventors: Julia A. Farroni, Upendra H. Manyam, Nils Jacobson, Kanishka Tankala, Adrian Carter
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Publication number: 20090262761Abstract: Optical fiber source for providing polarized optical pulses, comprising a Q-switched fiber laser for providing substantially unpolarized seed pulses of optical energy, where the Q-switched fiber laser can comprise a laser cavity having a Q-switch and an optical fiber comprising a gain medium, where the optical fiber need not be a polarizing or polarization maintaining optical fiber; a passive polarizing element arranged to receive and substantially polarize the substantially unpolarized seed pulses; and a polarization maintaining fiber amplifier arranged for receiving the polarized seed pulses. The polarization maintaining fiber amplifier can comprise a selected polarizing or polarization maintaining fiber having a core comprising a gain medium for amplifying the substantially polarized seed pulses, where the core can be normally multimode at a an operating wavelength of the optical fiber source. The fiber amplifier can provide substantially polarized output pulses.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Victor Khitrov
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Publication number: 20090208877Abstract: Optical fibers and optical fiber lasers including gratings and methods of writing gratings into fibers. A method can comprise providing a photosensitive optical fiber having a region having an original refractive index (RI) profile along the elongate direction of the fiber; exposing the optical fiber to actinic radiation to alter the original RI profile to form along a length of the fiber a grating having a RI profile including alternating higher RI and lower RI sections; and wherein the maximum RI difference between a RI of a higher RI section and a RI of an adjacent lower RI section of the grating RI profile is no greater than 85% of the difference between the average index of the grating RI profile and the original RI profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: NufernInventor: Adrian Carter
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Publication number: 20090129735Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a multimode glass core having a diameter of at least 250 microns and an index of refraction and a polymer cladding having a thickness and contactingly surrounding a glass portion of the fiber so as to define an interface between the glass portion and the polymer cladding. The polymer cladding can have a first index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction. The fiber can comprise a density of less than 0.25 non-conforming regions having a diameter of 25 microns or greater per millimeter of length along the fiber, where each of the non-conforming regions is a region visible to the human eye under an optical microscope and having at least a portion thereof within a selected distance of the interface. The selected distance can be less than or equal to the thickness of the polymer cladding. The optical microscope can have a total magnification of about 200. The polymer cladding can be applied to at least a part of the optical fiber in at least a class 1000 environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2009Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: NUFERNInventors: Martin Seifert, Upendra H. Manyam, Mansoor Alam, Kanishka Tankala, Jaroslaw Abramczyk, Douglas Guertin, Nils Jacobson
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Publication number: 20090080835Abstract: Optical fiber lasers and components for optical fiber laser. An optical fiber laser can comprise a fiber laser cavity having a wavelength of operation at which the cavity provides output light, the cavity including optical fiber that guides light having the wavelength of operation, the fiber having first and second lengths, the first length having a core having a V-number at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture, the second length having a core that is multimode at the wavelength of operation and that has a V-number that is greater than the V-number of the core of the first length optical fiber at the wavelength of operation and a numerical aperture that is less than the numerical aperture of the core of the first length of optical fiber. At least one of the lengths comprises an active material that can provide light having the wavelength of operation via stimulated emission responsive to the optical fiber receiving pump light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Gavin P. Frith
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Publication number: 20090065959Abstract: A method of making an optical fiber article can include providing an optical fiber including at least a core; providing a preform; and subsequent to the foregoing providing of the optical fiber and the preform, drawing the preform so as to dispose a region about the optical fiber. An optical fiber article can include a core; a pump cladding disposed about the core, the pump cladding for propagating pump light; and a second cladding disposed about the pump cladding, where the second cladding can provide a photonic bandgap for tending to confine pump light to a region about which the second cladding is disposed. The second cladding can comprise a plurality of layers including a first layer having a different optical property than a second layer, and the plurality of layers can be arranged as to provide the photonic bandgap effect.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Martin Seifert
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Patent number: 7483610Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a multimode glass core having a diameter of at least 250 microns and an index of refraction and a polymer cladding having a thickness and contactingly surrounding a glass portion of the fiber so as to define an interface between the glass portion and the polymer cladding. The polymer cladding can have a first index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction. The fiber can comprise a density of less than 0.25 non-conforming regions having a diameter of 25 microns or greater per millimeter of length along the fiber, where each of the non-conforming regions is a region visible to the human eye under an optical microscope and having at least a portion thereof within a selected distance of the interface. The selected distance can be less than or equal to the thickness of the polymer cladding. The optical microscope can have a total magnification of about 200. The polymer cladding can be applied to at least a part of the optical fiber in at least a class 1000 environment.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2005Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: NufernInventors: Martin Seifert, Upendra H. Manyam, Mansoor Alam, Kanishka Tankala, Jaroslaw Abramczyk, Douglas Guertin, Nils Jacobson
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Publication number: 20090016686Abstract: Optical fibers and optical fiber lasers including gratings and methods of writing gratings into fibers. A method can comprise providing a photosensitive optical fiber having a region having an original refractive index (RI) profile along the elongate direction of the fiber; exposing the optical fiber to actinic radiation to alter the original RI profile to form along a length of the fiber a grating having a RI profile including alternating higher RI and lower RI sections; and wherein the maximum RI difference between a RI of a higher RI section and a RI of an adjacent lower RI section of the grating RI profile is no greater than 85% of the difference between the average index of the grating RI profile and the original RI profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2007Publication date: January 15, 2009Applicant: NufernInventor: Adrian Carter
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Publication number: 20080267575Abstract: Disclosed is an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating optical fiber, such as one or more loops of optical fiber. The optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) can include a body (12, 112, 412, 612) comprising an inwardly facing surface (16, 116, 416, 616) adapted for receiving a plurality of loops of a length of optical fiber. The body (16, 116, 416, 616) can include at least a portion (75) wherein the inwardly facing surface is continuous between two adjacent loops (79). Methods and apparatus are disclosed for disposing the optical fiber with an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2008Publication date: October 30, 2008Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Martin Seifert
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Publication number: 20080217520Abstract: Optical apparatus comprising a generally closed housing defining an interior, an arrangement of optical elements in optical communication, the arrangement housed within the interior of the generally closed housing, and an optical sensor within the interior and arranged for sensing interior ambient light for monitoring an optical characteristic of the arrangement of optical elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: NUFERNInventor: Martin Seifert