Abstract: A system for the distribution of white light is configured for guiding light with a multitude of visible wavelengths in a propagation direction from the supply side to the distribution side. The system includes a transport fibre and a spectral conversion fibre. The transport fibre has a length extending from a first end to a second end, and a spectral transmission characteristics. The transport fibre is operationally connected to the spectral conversion fibre having a length extending from an input end to an output end. The spectral conversion fibre includes a photoluminescent agent for converting light of a first wavelength to light of a second, longer wavelength. A spectral conversion characteristics of the spectral conversion fibre is essentially determined by the spectral absorption and emission properties of the photoluminescent agent, the amount of photoluminescent agent, and the distribution of the photoluminescent agent in the spectral conversion fibre.

Abstract: An article comprising an optical fiber, the fiber comprising at least one core surrounded by a first outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region being surrounded by a second outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region in the cross-section comprising a number of first outer cladding features having a lower refractive index than any material surrounding the first outer cladding features, wherein for a plurality of said first outer cladding features, the minimum distance between two nearest neighboring first outer cladding features is smaller than 1.0 ?m or smaller than an optical wavelength of light guided through the fiber when in use; a method of its production, and use thereof.

Abstract: A mircrostructured optical fiber that guides light in a core region, where the fiber has a cladding region that includes a background material and a number of cladding features or elements that are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the fiber and have a higher refractive index than the cladding background material. The core region has a lower effective refractive index than the cladding, and the fiber may guide light in the core by photonic bandgap effects.

Abstract: An optical fiber for transmitting light, said optical fiber having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to said axial direction, said optical fiber comprising: (1) a first core region comprising a first core material having a refractive index Nco,1; (2) a microstructured first cladding region surrounding the first core region, said first cladding region comprising a first cladding material and a plurality of spaced apart first cladding features or elements that are elongated in the fiber axial direction and disposed in the first cladding material, said first cladding material having a refractive index Ncl,1 and each said first cladding feature or element having a refractive index being lower than Ncl,1, whereby a resultant geometrical index Nge,cl, 1? of the first cladding region is lowered compared to Ncl,1; (3) a second core region surrounding said first cladding region, said second core region comprising a second core material having a refractive index Nco,2, and (4) a second cladding regio

Abstract: An optical fibre for transmission of light at a predetermined wavelength, the fibre having a core region, an inner cladding region and an outer cladding region, the inner cladding region having spaced apart voids, at least some of which are at least partly filled with a fluid substance to modify a refractive index in the cross-section of the fibre. The fluid substance may be introduced by preparing and fixing the fibre ends, identifying the voids to be filled and infusing the fluid therein while masking openings in the remaining voids. By selective heating of parts of the fibre, the location of the fluid substance in the void may be controlled to extend over only a fraction of the length of a void that extends the length by the fibre.

Abstract: An optical wavelength conversion device including a micro-structured optical waveguide, which includes sections with a non-linear material having an index of refraction which changes as a non-linear function of light intensity. The optical waveguide includes a light guiding core region, and is dimensioned for providing spatial overlap between the sections filled with the non-linear material and light propagating within the waveguide. First and second optical light sources may also be included, the second light source having an intensity sufficient to change the refractive index of the non-linear material sufficiently to encode or modulate the light from the first light source through the effect of leaking light from the first light source inside the guiding core to the outside of the guiding core.

Abstract: Planar optical waveguide comprising a core region and a cladding region comprising a photonic crystal material, said photonic crystal material having a lattice of column elements, wherein at least a number of said column elements are elongated substantially in an axial direction for said core region. The invention also relates to optical devices comprising planar optical waveguides and methods of making waveguides and optical devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical coherence reflectometry, in particular for optical coherence tomography, wherein the apparatus for optical coherence reflectometry comprises a wavelength scanning laser source for providing a light signal, and splitting means for dividing said light signal into a sample light field and a reference light field, wherein the sample light field is directed to the sample being measured, and the light reflected from the sample is amplified without correspondingly amplifying the light reflected in the reference light field. Thereby, it is possible to direct substantially all light energy from the first reflected light field to the detectors, and to obtain fully the utilization of the amplification of the first reflected light field. The optica amplifier inserted in the sample reflected light field is different from the source so that the effect of the light source may be regulated independent of the degree of amplification.

Abstract: An optical fibre for transmission of light at a predetermined wavelength, the fibre having a core region, an inner cladding region and an outer cladding region, the inner cladding region having spaced apart voids, at least some of which are at least partly filled with a fluid substance to modify a refractive index in the cross-section of the fibre. The fluid substance may be introduced by preparing and fixing the fiber ends, identifying the voids to be filled and infusing the fluid therein while masking openings in the remaining voids. By selective heating of parts of the fibre, the location of the fluid substance in the void may be controlled to extend over only a fraction of the length of a void that extends the length by the fibre.

Abstract: An optical fibre for transmitting light, said optical fibre having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to said axial direction, said optical fibre comprising: (1) a first core region comprising a first core material having a refractive index Nco,1; (2) a microstructured first cladding region surrounding the first core region, said first cladding region comprising a first cladding material and a plurality of spaced apart first cladding features or elements that are elongated in the fibre axial direction and disposed in the first cladding material, said first cladding material having a refractive index Ncl,1 and each said first cladding feature or element having a refractive index being lower than Ncl,1, whereby a resultant geometrical index Nge,cl, 1? of the first cladding region is lowered compared to Ncl,1; (3) a second core region surrounding said first cladding region, said second core region comprising a second core material having a refractive index Nco,2, and (4) a second cladding regio

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for optical coherence reflectometry, in particular for optical coherence tomography. The invention particularly relates to the route of the light field in the sample arm. The reflected light field in the sample arm is amplified before being received by a combining means, said combining means being capable of receiving the reflected light field from the sample arm as well as the second reflected light field from the reference arm. Thereby, it is possible to direct substantially all light energy in the sample arm to the combining means, and to obtain fully the utilisation of the amplification of the reflected light field since preferably only the reflected light field is amplified by the optical amplifier. This leads to an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) whereby an increase of the maximal penetration depth is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optical fibers and especially to optical fibers having microstructures in core and/or cladding region(s). The fibers may be utilized for dispersion compensation and non-linear applications.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide new designs of microstructured optical fibres that may be fabricated without use of voids, such as fibres being realized using silica and silica doping techniques. The invention relates to a mircrostructured optical fibre that guides light in a core region (52), where the fibre has a cladding region that comprises a background material (51) and a number of cladding features or elements (50) that are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the fibre and have a higher refractive index than the cladding background material. The core region has a lower effective refractive index than the cladding, and the fibre may guide light in the core by photonic bandgap effects. The present invention provides designs of photonic bandgap fibres that may operate without the use of voids in the cladding, thereby simplifiying fabrication of photonic bandgap fibres compared to prior art.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention there is provided an optical wavelength conversion device. The conversion device comprises a micro-structured optical waveguide, which includes sections with a non-linear material having an index of refraction which changes as a non-linear function of light intensity. The optical waveguide includes a light guiding core region, and the waveguide is dimensioned for providing spatial overlap between the sections filled with the non-linear material and light propagating within the waveguide. The conversion device further comprises a first optical light source for introducing light into the waveguide in a mode guided along the core, and a second intensity modulated light source for introducing encoding light into the waveguide in such a manner that it illuminates the sections filled with a non-linear material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical coherence reflectometry, in particular for optical coherence tomography, wherein the apparatus for optical coherence reflectometry comprises a wavelength scanning laser source for providing a light signal, and splitting means for dividing said light signal into a sample light field and a reference light field, wherein the sample light field is directed to the sample being measured, and the light reflected from the sample is amplified without correspondingly amplifying the light reflected in the reference light field. Thereby, it is possible to direct substantially all light energy from the first reflected light field to the detectors, and to obtain fully the utilisation of the amplification of the first reflected light field. The optical amplifier inserted in the sample reflected light field is different from the source so that the effect of the light source may be regulated independent of the degree of amplification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for optical coherence reflectometry, in particular for optical coherence tomography. The invention particularly relates to the route of the light field in the sample arm. The reflected light field in the sample arm is amplified before being received by a combining means, said combining means being capable of receiving the reflected light field from the sample arm as well as the second reflected light field from the reference arm. Thereby, it is possible to direct substantially all light energy in the sample arm to the combining means, and to obtain fully the utilisation of the amplification of the reflected light field since preferably only the reflected light field is amplified by the optical amplifier. This leads to an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) whereby an increase of the maximal penetration depth is obtained.

Abstract: An article comprising an optical fiber, the fiber comprising at least one core surrounded by a first outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region being surrounded by a second outer cladding region, the first outer cladding region in the cross-section comprising a number of first outer cladding features having a lower refractive index than any material surrounding the first outer cladding features, wherein for a plurality of said first outer cladding features, the minimum distance between two nearest neighboring first outer cladding features is smaller than 1.0 &mgr;m or smaller than an optical wavelength of light guided through the fiber when in use; a method of its production, and use thereof.

Abstract: Micro-structured optical fibers are improved with respect to increasing the dispersion, both to large negative or large positive values, in a first fiber design in which the fiber has a micro-structured core region being surrounded by a micro-structured cladding region with cladding features being large compared to a predetermined wavelength of light, which can be guided through the fiber. Preferably, the effective index of refraction of the core region, Nco, is larger than the effective index of refraction of the cladding region, Ncl, at the predetermined wavelength of light. It is further preferred that the refractive index of one or more of the core features is lower than the refractive index of the core material.