Abstract: A system for optical inspection of a substrate. The system comprises an illumination device defining an inspection area on the substrate, a support to receive the substrate, and a detection device defining a detection area on the substrate. The inspection area is positioned ahead, with respect to the scanning direction, of at least a portion of the detection area.

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: An optical fiber having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction, the optical fiber having a first light guiding fiber portion with a cladding region with a plurality of spaced apart cladding voids extending longitudinally in the fiber axial direction and a core region bounded by the cladding region, and a solid light transparent fiber portion having a first end facing the first light guiding fiber portion and a second end forming an end face of the optical fiber. The solid light transparent fiber portion provides a hermetic sealing of the cladding voids of the first light guiding fiber portion. A method of producing such an optical fiber and its use, such as an optical fiber connector and an article having a microstructured optical fiber with hermetically sealed end face, are also included.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to coupling of light from one or more input waveguides to an output waveguide or output section of a waveguide having other physical dimensions and/or optical properties than the input waveguide or waveguides. The invention relates to an optical component in the form of a photonic crystal fiber for coupling light from one component/system with a given numerical aperture to another component/system with another numerical aperture. The invention further relates to methods of producing the optical component, and articles comprising the optical component, and to the use of the optical component. The invention further relates to an optical component comprising a bundle of input fibers that are tapered and fused together to form an input coupler e.g. for coupling light from several light sources into a single waveguide. The invention still further relates to the control of the spatial extension of a guided mode (e.g.

Abstract: An optical fibre having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction, the optical fibre having a first light guiding fibre portion with a cladding region with a plurality of spaced apart cladding voids extending longitudinally in the fibre axial direction and a core region bounded by the cladding region, and a solid light transparent fibre portion having a first end facing the first light guiding fibre portion and a second end forming an end face of the optical fibre. The solid light transparent fibre portion provides a hermetic sealing of the cladding voids of the first light guiding fibre portion. A method of producing such an optical fibre and its use, such as an optical fibre connector and an article having a microstructured optical fibre with hermetically sealed end face, are also included.

Abstract: An optical fiber having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to said axial direction, said optical fiber comprising: a first light guiding fiber portion (604) having a cladding region with a plurality of spaced apart cladding voids extending longitudinally in the fiber axial direction and a core region bounded by said cladding region, and a solid light transparent fiber portion (602) having a first end facing the first light guiding fiber portion and a second end forming an end face of the optical fiber, said solid light transparent fiber portion providing a hermetic sealing (601) of the cladding voids of the first light guiding fiber portion; a method of its production, and its use, such as an optical fiber connector and an article comprising a microstructured optical fiber with hermetically sealed end face.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to coupling of light from one or more input waveguides to an output waveguide or output section of a waveguide having other physical dimensions and/or optical properties than the input waveguide or waveguides. The invention relates to an optical component in the form of a photonic crystal fibre for coupling light from one component/system with a given numerical aperture to another component/system with another numerical aperture. The invention further relates to methods of producing the optical component, and articles comprising the optical component, and to the use of the optical component. The invention further relates to an optical component comprising a bundle of input fibres that are tapered and fused together to form an input coupler e.g. for coupling light from several light sources into a single waveguide. The invention still further relates to the control of the spatial extension of a guided mode (e.g.

Abstract: A microstructured optical fibre comprising an inner cladding and an outer cladding; said outer cladding comprising elongated outer cladding features extending in an axial direction of the fibre, and at least one cladding recess extending at least partly through the outer cladding in a radial direction to the inner cladding; said cladding recess providing optical access to the inner cladding; a method of forming a cladding recess in such an optical fibre comprising a step of collapsing a part of the outer cladding features by use of a heat source; an apparatus comprising such a microstructured optical fibre, preferably a laser or an amplifier.

Abstract: A preform for a microstructured fibre or a part for a preform for a microstructured fibre. The preform or part has a length in the longitudinal direction and a cross section perpendicular thereto, and includes a rod arranged at the centre of the preform or part, with one or more tubes being concentric to the rod. The rod is sleeved inside a first of the concentric tubes, and the rod and/or at least one of the concentric tubes has grooves and/or slits extending in the longitudinal direction, with the number of innermost longitudinally extending grooves and/or slits with respect to a centre of the preform or part being at least six.

Abstract: A microstructured optical fibre comprising an inner cladding and an outer cladding; said outer cladding comprising elongated outer cladding features extending in an axial direction of the fibre, and at least one cladding recess extending at least partly through the outer cladding in a radial direction to the inner cladding; said cladding recess providing optical access to the inner cladding; a method of forming a cladding recess in such an optical fibre comprising a step of collapsing a part of the outer cladding features by use of a heat source; an apparatus comprising such a microstructured optical fibre, preferably a laser or an amplifier.

Abstract: An optical fibre having an axial direction and a cross section perpendicular to said axial direction, said optical fibre comprising: a first light guiding fibre portion (604) having a cladding region with a plurality of spaced apart cladding voids extending longitudinally in the fibre axial direction and a core region bounded by said cladding region, and a solid light transparent fibre portion (602) having a first end facing the first light guiding fibre portion and a second end forming an end face of the optical fibre, said solid light transparent fibre portion providing a hermetic sealing (601) of the cladding voids of the first light guiding fibre portion; a method of its production, and its use, such as an optical fibre connector and an article comprising a microstructured optical fibre with hermetically sealed end face.

Abstract: Fabrication of microstructured fibres using stacking of a multitude of capillary tubes or using extrusion-based methods may be disadvantageous for a number of reasons, including low longitudinal uniformity, poor cleanness, low reproducibility, high polarization mode dispersion, limited flexibility of fibre design etc. The present inventors have, however, realized that the use of extrusion or a multitude of capillary tubes for the fabrication of micro-structured fibres with periodic cladding structure(s) is not required. The present invention provides new methods for fabrication of the preforms and more simple means for realising preform of high cleanliness. The present inventors have further realised manners of reducing splicing losses between microstructured fibres and conventional fibres, as well as splicing losses between two microstructured fibres.

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.