Abstract: An apparatus and method for tapering an optical fiber segment having an initial radial profile to substantially conform to a pre-specifiable desired radial profile for controlling mutually coordinated elongation and softening of different axial portions of the segment according to control parameters derivable based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial profile map to corresponding points of the desired profile. The softening and/or elongation may progress substantially in either a step-wise, time-discrete manner or time-continuously. The invention is useful for forming tapered fused couplers as well as for tapering individual fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for tapering an optical fiber segment having an initial radial profile to substantially conform to a pre-specifiable desired radial profile for controlling mutually coordinated elongation and softening of different axial portions of the segment according to control parameters derivable based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial profile map to corresponding points of the desired profile. The softening and/or elongation may progress substantially in either a step-wise, time-discrete manner or time-continuously. The invention is useful for forming tapered fused couplers as well as for tapering individual fibers.

Abstract: A four-port optical filter is provided including two tapered optical fibers, each having a loop in the area of their tapered portions, which are located relative to one another to form a ring resonator. The optical filter has a low Q with a broadband filter response which is useful as a channel interleaver or de-interleaver for dense wavelength division multiplexing and other applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for measuring the spatial temperature distribution of a flame emitted from a burner nozzle for use in the fabrication of tapered optical fibers and fused couplers so that the position of the burner can be calibrated to locate the optical fiber within the most thermally stable part of the flame during production.

Abstract: A four-port optical filter is provided including two tapered optical fibers, each having a loop in the area of their tapered portions, which are located relative to one another to form a ring resonator. The optical filter has a low Q with a broadband filter response which is useful as a channel interleaver or de-interleaver for dense wavelength division multiplexing and other applications.