Of Waveguide Cladding Patents (Class 385/144)
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Patent number: 5704899Abstract: An improved endoscope prevents abrasion of a fiberoptic image guide with a braid reinforced sheath. Abrasion of fiberoptic image guides within articulating endoscopes quickly wear through a conventional fiberoptic mantle, decreasing the useful life of the endoscope. Preferably, the sheath comprises a metal braid disposed within a polyimide, which effectively protects the image guide from abrasion against the endoscope components and substantially extends useful life.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1995Date of Patent: January 6, 1998Assignee: Conceptus, Inc.Inventor: Charles Milo
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Patent number: 5695880Abstract: Lead-containing fluoride glass comprises 50-70 mol % of ZrF.sub.4, 3-5 mol % of LaF.sub.3, 0.1-3 mol % of YF.sub.3, and 2-15 mol % of NaF and/or LiF and/or CsF, where LaF.sub.3 +YF.sub.3 =4.5-6 mol %, and further comprises lead. An optical fiber comprises a core made of the lead-containing fluoride glass and a cladding surrounding the core. A process for producing an optical fiber comprises forming a base material for a core of the lead-containing fluoride glass, forming a base material for a cladding of fluoride glass containing 30-60 mol % of HfF.sub.4, and drawing the base materials into an optical fiber at a drawing temperature of 315-340 .degree. C.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1995Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.Inventors: Takashi Kogo, Hiroo Kanamori, Masashi Onishi, Yoshiaki Miyajima, Masataka Nakazawa
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Patent number: 5689578Abstract: The polarization-maintaining optical fiber 10 of the present invention is designed so that a plurality of core portions 12a,12b which have a high refractive index is provided in parallel along a single diameter direction in the cross section of the optical fiber, these core portions 12a,12b cooperating to propagate a single fundamental mode. In the production method for the polarization-maintaining optical fiber of the present invention, a plurality of holes 22 are formed longitudinally in parallel along a single diameter direction of a glass rod 21 having a low refractive index which forms the cladding, glass rods 23 for core use having a high refractive index which form the core portions are inserted into these holes 22, heating to form a unitary body is carried out, creating a preform which is then drawn.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1994Date of Patent: November 18, 1997Assignee: Fujikura ltd.Inventors: Ryozo Yamauchi, Kuniharu Himeno, Minoru Sawada, Fumio Suzuki, Kazuhiko Aikawa, Tetsuo Nozawa, Shigefumi Yamasaki
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Patent number: 5655046Abstract: A glass composition comprises an oxyfluoride glass comprising silicon, a divalent metal, a monovalent metal, oxygen, and fluorine, satisfying requirements: (1) the silicon is present in an amount of 40% or more and 75% or less based on total number of cations; (2) the divalent metal is present in an amount of 30% or less based on total number of cations; (3) the monovalent metal is present in an amount of 18% ore more and 60% or less based on total number of cations; and (4) the fluorine is present in an amount of below 20% based on total amount of anions. An optical fiber comprises a clad made of the glass composition and a core made of a silicate glass comprising silicon dioxide, a divalent metal compound, and a monovalent metal compound in which (9) the clad glass contains more SiO.sub.2 than the core or (10) the clad glass contains fluoride(s) of the divalent metal and/or the monovalent metal.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1995Date of Patent: August 5, 1997Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Shin-ichi Todoroki, Shigeki Sakaguchi
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Patent number: 5652821Abstract: A plastic-clad optical fiber having a cladding material formed from a cured material of a resin composition containing a urethane di(meth)acrylate represented by the general formula: ##STR1## and a diluent can efficiently introduce light from a light source without sacrificing a band.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1996Date of Patent: July 29, 1997Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Shinsuke Okumi, Takayuki Mishima, Kazuki Sogabe, Hiroyuki Kojima, Aiko Matsuda
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Patent number: 5647039Abstract: The present invention provides an optical switching system for use with an optical fiber that has a core of a prescribed refractive index and a cladding and that is configured to carry an optical signal of a prescribed bandwidth. Preferably, the optical fiber's core includes a photosensitive dopant. In a preferred embodiment, the optical switching system comprises an optical switch coupled to the optical fiber and includes a grating within the core. The optical switch has selectable non-diverting and forward-diverting modes of operation wherein the optical switch alters the prescribed refractive index: to render the grating substantially transparent to the optical signal as the optical switch operates in the non-diverting mode or, alternatively, to allow the grating to divert at least a portion of the optical signal forward and into the cladding as the optical switch operates in the forward-diverting mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Justin Boyd Judkins, Andrew John Stentz, Ashish Madhukar Vengsarkar
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Patent number: 5647040Abstract: An optical coupler 10 has two fibers 20, 30 that are adjacent each other in a coupling region 12. One of the fibers has a clad doped with a photosensitive glass, such as germania. The photosensitive glass is exposed to suitable radiation to alter the index of refraction of fiber and tune the coupler 10 to the selected coupling frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Robert Adam Modavis, Thomas A. Cook
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Patent number: 5643688Abstract: Optoelectric article includes a substrate made of an optoelectric single crystal and a film of a single crystal of lithium niobate formed on the substrate by a liquid phase epitaxial process, wherein a ratio of lithium/niobium of a composition of the film of the lithium niobate single crystal falls in a range of 48.6/51.4 to 49.5 to 50.5 or 50.5/49.5 to 52.3/47.7.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1995Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.Inventors: Tsuguo Fukuda, Tatsuo Kawaguchi, Minoru Imaeda
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Patent number: 5629532Abstract: An optical circuit device has a carbon optical waveguide structure which has a substrate. A first carbon layer is atop the substrate and has a first refractive index. A carbon optical waveguide core is positioned atop the first layer and has a second refractive index different than the first refractive index. A cladding layer of carbon is positioned atop the first layer and the waveguide core and has a third refractive index different than the refractive index of the waveguide core.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: May 13, 1997Inventor: James J. Myrick
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Patent number: 5627933Abstract: This invention provides an optical waveguide having diffraction gratings with sufficiently high reflectivity, a waveguide member for obtaining the optical waveguide, and a production process thereof. An optical waveguide in which desired diffraction gratings are formed in a core and in a cladding at a predetermined portion by using a waveguide member in which germanium dioxide is added in the core and in the cladding and irradiating the predetermined portion of the waveguide member with interference fringes of ultraviolet light. By this, the optical waveguide according to the present invention reflects guided light throughout the entire mode field region, thus having a high reflectivity.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 1995Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Masumi Ito, Maki Inai, Akira Inoue, Masakazu Shigehara
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Patent number: 5596668Abstract: We have discovered that hydrogen-related loss in silica-based single mode transmission optical fiber can be reduced or eliminated by use of a substrate tube that contains hydrogen getter sites. Exemplarily, substrate tubes according to the invention are doped with Ge or P.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1995Date of Patent: January 21, 1997Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: David J. DiGiovanni, Kenneth L. Walker
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Patent number: 5588085Abstract: A method of making a silicate optical waveguide structure for transforming an optical beam of a first modal spot size to a beam of a second modal spot size includes the step of selecting an irradiation energy which is at least partially absorbed by the cladding of the structure. A variable dosage of radiation is then provided along the length of the structure. The radiation has an energy equal to the selected irradiation energy so that a refractive index change of the cladding is greater than a refractive index change of the core.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 1996Date of Patent: December 24, 1996Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin I. Greene, Chellappan Narayanan, Herman M. Presby
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Patent number: 5581648Abstract: A probe for monitoring a fluid medium employing at least one fiber optic emitting a wave into the fluid medium. The fluid medium scatters or causes luminescence of the emitted wave which is then collected by at least one fiber optic. The probe includes a base having a hole and a window covering the hole of the base, wherein the window transmits electromagnetic waves. The probe collects scattered and luminescence of waves through one or more fiber optics placed behind the window and transmits the waves to a spectrometer connected to a computer which can analyze the fluid medium on a real-time on-line basis. Piezoresistive and temperature sensing elements are deposited on the window which can also serve as a force collector diaphragm. The elements are located primarily on the periphery of the diaphragm leaving a part of the diaphragm open for transmission and collection of the waves.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 1994Date of Patent: December 3, 1996Inventor: Armen N. Sahagen
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Patent number: 5546480Abstract: Generally, the present invention is an optically controlled optical waveguide circuit comprising a substrate 30, an inorganic waveguide core 34 disposed within one or more cladding layers 36 upon the substrate 30 and an active cladding drop-in component 40 comprising a non-linear optical material adjacent to the waveguide core wherein the phase of an optical signal within the waveguide core may be modulated by controlling the index of refraction of the active cladding region. An embodiment of the present invention uses an inorganic optical waveguide 34 with a drop-in component of non-linear silica 40 as an active cladding to provide a phase modulator for a Mach-Zender interferometer which can be used to implement high speed low loss switching of optical signals.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1995Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventor: Jerry Leonard
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Patent number: 5537505Abstract: The present invention is directed to the preparation of two groups of transparent glass-ceramics exhibiting high optical clarity and containing essentially only one crystal phase. The first group consists essentially, in cation percent, of______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 20-35 PbF.sub.2 19-23 AlO.sub.1.5 10-20 YF.sub.3 3-7, CdF.sub.2 19-34 ______________________________________and the second group consists essentially, in cation percent, of ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 20-35 PbF.sub.2 15-25 AlO.sub.1.5 10-20 YF.sub.3 3-7 CdF.sub.2 21-31 ZnF.sub.2 3-7. ______________________________________These glass-ceramics may be used to fabricate optical waveguide fibers. Also when doped with certain rare earth elements, notably Pr, Er, and Dy, the glass-ceramic materials may be used to fabricate optical amplifiers and lasers.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1995Date of Patent: July 16, 1996Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Nicholas F. Borrelli, Lauren K. Cornelius, Mark A. Newhouse, Paul A. Tick
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Patent number: 5506925Abstract: A method for reducing birefringence in a silicate waveguide structure having a waveguide core and cladding includes the step of selecting an irradiation energy that induces compaction in the cladding. The waveguide structure is then irradiated with radiation having an energy equal to the irradiation energy to induce a reduction in birefringence.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1995Date of Patent: April 9, 1996Assignee: AT&T Corp.Inventors: Benjamin I. Greene, Thomas A. Strasser, Cynthia A. Volkert
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Patent number: 5492776Abstract: A highly oriented thin film of specific barium fluoride materials deposited at low temperatures are useful as Upconversion waveguides.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1994Date of Patent: February 20, 1996Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Gustavo R. Paz-Pujalt, Liang-Sun Hung, James M. Chwalek, Anna L. Hrycin, Dilip K. Chatterjee, Duncan A. Richards
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Patent number: 5491770Abstract: A copolymer for optical fiber applications is the polymerization product of a mixture comprising a fluorinated itaconate and an alkyl (meth)acrylate.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1995Date of Patent: February 13, 1996Inventor: James A. Bonafini, Jr.
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Patent number: 5485480Abstract: A fiber optical source of stimulated optical radiation comprises an optical fiber which includes a core doped with laser material having optical gain in two wavelength regions, the fiber additionally including a material in optical communication with said laser material in such a manner as to absorb radiation emitted from said laser material within one of said wavelength regions.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Inventor: Marcos Y. Kleinerman
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Patent number: 5483614Abstract: A transparent molded article for optical applications made from silicon nitride and a coating thereon of oxidic silicon nitride formed by chemical reaction of the silicon nitride with oxygen. The moldings can be shaped, depending on the area of application, to give various articles, for example optical waveguides, prisms, sensor elements or lenses, and are used in all areas where high optical demands are made.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1994Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Assignee: Hoechst AktiengesellschaftInventors: Martin Bruck, Tilo Vaahs, Marcellus Peuckert, Ude Scheunemann, Thomas Stehlin, Jurgen Theis
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Patent number: 5483628Abstract: The present invention is directed to the preparation of two groups of transparent glass-ceramics exhibiting high optical clarity and containing essentially only one crystal phase. The first group consists essentially, in cation percent, of______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 20-35 PbF.sub.2 19-23 AlO.sub.1.5 10-20 YF.sub.3 3-7, CdF.sub.2 19-34 ______________________________________and the second group consists essentially, in cation percent, of ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 20-35 PbF.sub.2 15-25 AlO.sub.1.5 10-20 YF.sub.3 3-7 CdF.sub.2 21-31 ZnF.sub.2 3-7.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1994Date of Patent: January 9, 1996Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Nicholas F. Borrelli, Lauren K. Cornelius, Mark A. Newhouse, Paul A. Tick
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Patent number: 5459803Abstract: A quartz-based optical fiber with a lens, wherein a lens shaped in a curved surface is directly formed on an end surface, and its manufacturing method are provided, the quartz-based optical fiber with a lens having a lens section formed by a projecting core shaped in a curved surface on the end surface, the lens section being produced by immersing the end surface section of the quartz-based optical fiber, which consists of a core and a clad having a composition in which the etching speed is higher than that of the core when a hydrofluoric acid solution is applied, in the hydrofluoric acid solution to cause a core shaped in a truncated cone to project from the end surface of said quartz-based optical fiber, then heating and melting the core shaped in the truncated cone and the vicinity thereof, thus changing the truncated cone shape into a curved surface shape.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 1994Date of Patent: October 17, 1995Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motohiro Yamane, Yoshiharu Taga
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Patent number: 5444808Abstract: An optical fibre, comprising a glass core 10 surrounded by a glass cladding (11) of lower refractive index, is provided with inner and outer relatively high modulus plastics layers (12 and 14) spaced apart by a relatively low modulus layer 13. The low modulus layer is applied from an aqueous dispersion, and is dried but not sintered. This leaves the layer (13) in a form in which it has little adherence to the underlying inner plastics layer (12), thereby enabling the outer layer (14) to be readily peeled by mechanical means.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1994Date of Patent: August 22, 1995Assignee: Northern Telecom LimitedInventors: Nigel Shackleton, Laura E. Pears
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Patent number: 5438639Abstract: An optical waveguide is created using the process of ion beam deposition resulting in a waveguide with low propagation loss, mode discrimination, and gain characteristics. The waveguide is made up of a multilayer stack which is deposited upon a thermally stable substrate, wherein the multilayer stack comprises alternating layers of a first material and a second material. The layers of second material are doped with a rare earth material. By pumping the waveguide with a pump light source, interaction between the pump light and the rare earth material within the waveguide causes amplification or gain of a first optical signal. Ion beam deposition is used to fabricate the waveguide, therefore production of a high quality rare earth doped waveguide is possible. Furthermore, the waveguide is made using batch processing thus reducing costs.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1993Date of Patent: August 1, 1995Assignee: Honeywell Inc.Inventors: Carol M. Ford, Theodore J. Podgorski
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Patent number: 5422975Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an optical filter which has higher mass-producibility and economy. This feature can be realized by doped a rare earth element into the region made of a glass material which can transmit light. In a case that Er and Tm are doped as the rare earth element into the region, a ratio .alpha..sub.Er /.alpha..sub.Tm between a contribution .alpha..sub.Er of Er to attenuation and a contribution .alpha..sub.Tm of Tm to attenuation is set in a range from about 1 to 1/25 for a 1.5 .mu.m band range, whereby attenuation in this wavelength range is retained above 50 dB/m to realize required cutoff function.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1993Date of Patent: June 6, 1995Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph & Telephone CorporationInventors: Hiroo Kanamori, Akira Urano, Tomonori Kashiwara, Izumi Sankawa
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Patent number: 5418882Abstract: An optical fiber has a fiber core which includes a step index core portion and a graded index core portion located substantially around the step index core portion. The optical fiber also has a cladding located substantially around the graded index core portion and an outer jacket located substantially around the cladding. The optical fiber design allows high power laser transmission which minimizes modal-dispersion problems and delivers improved high power fiber-delivered beam quality.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 1994Date of Patent: May 23, 1995Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Angel L. Ortiz, Jr.
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Patent number: 5416880Abstract: The use of an ethylenically-terminated urethane oligomer for the provision of a radiation-cured coating material of an optical fiber, the urethane oligomer being derived from reactants which include a hydroxyl-terminated polyester polyol having dimer acid residues in its structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 1994Date of Patent: May 16, 1995Assignee: Zeneca LimitedInventors: Martin R. Edwards, Julie A. Waller, Stephen Byrne
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Patent number: 5408569Abstract: An optical waveguide having a small propagation loss and formed on an Si substrate having a large diameter has a lower cladding layer, a core and an upper cladding layer surrounding the core together with the lower cladding layer, each of the lower cladding layer, core and upper cladding layer being composed of a high-silica material. The upper cladding layer or each of the upper and lower cladding layers comprises three kind of dopants including germanium oxide (GeO.sub.2), phosphorus oxide (P.sub.2 O.sub.5) and boron oxide (B.sub.2 O.sub.3). Preferable amount of content of GeO.sub.2 in the upper cladding layer is more than 5 mole percent. The optical waveguide is suitable for a hybrid optical device including a functional device such as a semiconductor laser provided with metal patterns for electrodes and interconnections. The metal pattern can be formed before a thermal treatment of the upper cladding layer without causing a deficiency in the metal pattern during the thermal treatment.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 1994Date of Patent: April 18, 1995Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Hiroshi Nishimoto
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Patent number: 5392376Abstract: This invention is directed broadly to transparent glasses exhibiting excellent transmission far into the infrared region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum, those glasses consisting essentially, expressed in terms of mole percent, of 40-80% Ga.sub.2 S.sub.3, 0-35% RS.sub.x, wherein R is at least one network forming cation selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, arsenic, germanium, and indium, 1-50% Ln.sub.2 S.sub.3, wherein Ln is at least one cation selected from the group consisting of a rare earth metal cation and yttrium, 1-45% MS.sub.x, wherein M is at least one modifying metal cation selected from the group consisting of barium, cadmium, calcium, lead, lithium, mercury, potassium, silver, sodium, strontium, thallium, and tin, and 0-10% total chloride and/or fluoride. Glass compositions consisting essentially, expressed in terms of mole percent, of 5-30% Ga.sub.2 S.sub.3, 0-10% R.sub.2 S.sub.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1994Date of Patent: February 21, 1995Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Bruce G. Aitken, Mark A. Newhouse
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Patent number: 5388169Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical waveguide type synaptic weight modulator with a nematic liquid crystal cladding layer. The modulator can be used for optronics and optical neural computing. The modulator includes a multichannel waveguide provided on a glass substrate, electrodes which are provided on the glass substrate and which sandwich the channels of the waveguide, a nematic liquid crystal cladding layer provided perpendicularly to the waveguide and electrodes, a control power supply connected to the electrodes, a light source prism coupled to the waveguide, and a multimode fiber end surface coupling an output of the waveguide to a photomultiplier. The nematic liquid crystal cladding layer provides an electrooptical effect and is fixed by an orientation film.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1993Date of Patent: February 7, 1995Assignee: Tokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyInventors: Shunsuke Kobayashi, Yasufumi Iimura, Chen B. Xue
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Patent number: 5380386Abstract: A method of fabricating a microwave waveguide component wherein a plurality of joinable thermoplastic members are first formed. The members, when joined, comprise a microwave waveguide component having an internal surface that is adapted to be plated. The thermoplastic members are then bonded together. Then, the internal surface is plated to form the finished microwave waveguide component. The present method forms microwave components from plated, injection molded thermoplastic and reaction injection molded thermosetting plastics. In particular, the plastic components made using the present invention exhibit comparable electrical performance, as measured by voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) and insertion loss, decreased device weight and cost, and reliable and repeatable manufacturability when compared with devices formed using metals, conventional thermosetting plastics that have been metallized, and molded, plated and soldered thermoplastics.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1994Date of Patent: January 10, 1995Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventors: Susan L. Oldham, Martha J. Harvey, Steve K. Panaretos, John L. Fugatt, Richard L. Ducharme, Jeffrey M. Bille, Douglas O. Klebe
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Patent number: 5373577Abstract: An optical fibre, comprising a glass core 10 surrounded by a glass cladding (11) of lower refractive index, is provided with inner and outer relatively high modulus plastics layers (12 and 14) spaced apart by a relatively low modulus layer 13. The low modulus layer is applied from an aqueous dispersion, and is dried but not sintered. This leaves the layer (13) in a form in which it has little adherence to the underlying inner plastics layer (12), thereby enabling the outer layer (14) to be readily peeled by mechanical means.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1992Date of Patent: December 13, 1994Assignee: Northern Telecom LimitedInventors: Nigel Shackleton, Laura E. Pears
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Patent number: 5351335Abstract: Fluoride glass-based optical fiber for an optical amplifier which contains rare earth metal ions in the core glass has a relative refractive index difference .DELTA..sub.n between the core and the cladding of 1.4% or more. The core glass contains PbF.sub.2 in a proportion of 25 mol % or less based on the total composition of the core glass . The fluoride glass is doped with rare earth metal ions, and part of the fluorine in the glass may be substituted by at least one halogen. Pr.sup.3+, Pr.sup.3+ --Yb.sup.3+, Pr.sup.3+ --Nd.sup.3+, or Pr.sup.3+ --Er.sup.3+ can be doped as the rare earth metal ions. Chlorine, bromine or iodine may be used as the halogen.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1992Date of Patent: September 27, 1994Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Yasutake Ohishi, Terutoshi Kanamori, Yoshiki Nishida, Atsushi Mori, Shoichi Sudo
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Patent number: 5349473Abstract: A gradient index optical element has at least one first metal dopant selected from the group consisting of La, Y, Ga, In, Ge, Sn, Zn, Zr, Ba, Ca, As, Sr, Gd and Be distributed at a concentration gradient in a glass medium. The concentration gradient of the first metal dopant defines a slope having a direction. At least one second metal dopant different from the first metal dopant and selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sb, Nb, Ti, Ta, Pb, Tl, Zr, In, Sn, Y, Ba, Ca and Sr is distributed at a concentration gradient in the glass medium. The concentration gradient of the second metal dopant defines a slope smaller than the slope of the concentration gradient of the first metal dopant. The slope of the concentration gradient of the second metal dopant is in the same direction as the slope of the concentration gradient of the first metal dopant.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1992Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Olympus Optical Company LimitedInventors: Yuko Kurasawa, Satoshi Noda, Morinao Fukuoka
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Patent number: 5337401Abstract: An optically active device comprising an optical fiber, a light source and a coupler is disclosed. The optical fiber has a core made of a silicate glass containing Rb and/or Cs oxide. The core is doped with Nd.sup.3+ as an active ion and transmits light at 1.3 .mu.m band. The light source generates excitation light at 0.8 .mu.m. The coupler directs the excitation light from the light source into the core of the optical fiber. A signal light or a spontaneous light at 1.3 .mu.m band which is transmitted in the core stimulates Nd.sup.3+ to emit light at 1.3 .mu.m band. As a result an optical function such as optical amplification can be effected at 1.3 .mu.m band.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1991Date of Patent: August 9, 1994Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Masashi Onishi, Koji Nakazato, Yoshiki Chigusa, Minoru Watanabe, Yoshiaki Miyajima
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Patent number: 5329607Abstract: An improved dual-mode optical fiber provides for an improved combination of spectral attenuation, bending losses and modal noise and modal dispersion for long-haul transmission at 1550 nm. The dual-mode optical fiber has a pure-silica core and a silica cladding depressed with fluorine so that the core and cladding have a relative refractive index difference, .DELTA., of about 0.72% and a second-mode cutoff wavelength, .lambda..sub.c, at 1630 nm. Optionally, a non-silica core and cladding can be used for long-haul transmission at 1550 nm. when the core and cladding have a relative refractive index difference, .DELTA., of about 0.72% and a second-mode cutoff wavelength, .lambda..sub.c, at 1630 nm.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1992Date of Patent: July 12, 1994Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Neil T. Kamikawa, Arthur T. Nakagawa
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Patent number: 5317657Abstract: A waveguide structure is directly extruded onto a surface from a nozzle placed a predetermined distance above the surface and which is moved relative to the surface, preferably by means of a translation table. The predetermined distance is preferably maintained constant and the speed of relative motion regulated to achieve a uniform degree of molecular orientation within the extruded material, thus maintaining a sufficiently uniform refractive index along the axis of the waveguide. Partitions within the nozzle allow the formation of a layered waveguide or the simultaneous formation of concentric cladding or protective layers. The waveguides are advantageously formed as a curtain which is later patterned, by direct writing on the surface or between chips mounted on an electronic module.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1992Date of Patent: May 31, 1994Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Antonio R. Gallo, James J. McDonough, Gordon J. Robbins, Robert R. Shaw
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Patent number: 5317082Abstract: Polyimide optical waveguide structures comprising a core within a cladding wherein at least one of the core and the cladding is a polyimide containing 6FDA, BTDA, an aromatic diamine having bulky methyl groups ortho to the amine, and a co-diamine wherein the polyimides have the properties of low optical loss, low optical absorbance, controllable refractive index, and high thermal stability, and wherein the polyimides are photosensitive and solvent resistant.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1992Date of Patent: May 31, 1994Assignee: Amoco CorporationInventors: Allyson J. Beuhler, David A. Wargowski
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Patent number: 5309543Abstract: The present invention is directed to silver halide fibers. In one embodiment, the fiber has been doped with AgI or a metal compound of the formula MY wherein M is selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, Cr, Mg, Ca, St, Ba, Cd or Hg, and Y is selected from Cl, Br, or I. The fiber has large, elongated grain core structure and decreased infrared transmission losses and a more even/cladding interface in cladded embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1992Date of Patent: May 3, 1994Assignee: CeramOptec, Inc.Inventors: Vjacheslav G. Artushenko, Wolfgang Neuberger, Alexey O. Nabatov, Eugene F. Kuzin
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Patent number: 5305414Abstract: Optical fibers and glass composition comprising a mixture of barium oxide, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, and a modifying agent selected from lanthium oxide, indium oxide, and mixtures thereof; molar ratio of barium oxide to gallium oxide is from about 4:1 to about 1:1, preferably 2:1 to 1, and especially about 1:1; amount of germanium oxide is at least 40 mole percent, preferably 60 to 95 mole percent, and especially 65 to 90 mole percent; about 0.1 to about 5 mole percent, preferably 0.5 to 4, of gallium oxide is replaced with the modifying agent. The optical fibers made from the glass composition defined herein, with or without the modifying agent, have light transmission wavelength band of about 0.3 to 4 microns; lower optical loss than silica-based optical fibers, the minimum optical loss of the novel fibers having the potential of 0.05 dB/km at 2 microns.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 1992Date of Patent: April 19, 1994Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Paige L. Higby, Ishwar D. Aggarwal, Edward J. Friebele
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Patent number: 5295211Abstract: Disclosed is a fiber amplifier system in which a gain fiber is operatively combined with a fiber optic coupler having first and second coupler optical fibers. The coupler fibers are fused together along a portion of their lengths to form a wavelength dependent coupling region whereby most of the light power of a wavelength .lambda..sub.S couples between them, and most of the light power of a wavelength .lambda..sub.P that is introduced into the first fiber remains in it. The mode field diameter of the first coupler fiber is substantially matched to that of the gain fiber and is smaller than that of the second coupler fiber. One end of the first coupler fiber is spliced to the gain fiber. The difference in mode field diameters between said couplers is sufficient create a difference in coupler fiber propagation constants in the coupling region which degrades the coupling of the .lambda..sub.S signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1993Date of Patent: March 15, 1994Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventor: David L. Weidman
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Patent number: 5274734Abstract: We have discovered that silica-based optical fibers that are doped with Ge, Al and a rare earth (e.g., Er) can be very susceptible to hydrogen-induced attenuation change. For instance, such fiber can exhibit loss increase rates that are, at 20.degree. C., 10.sup.6 times larger than those of a standard single mode fiber. We also believe that transition metal-doped silica-based fibers can exhibit large hydrogen-induced attenuation change. In many circumstances (e.g., amplifier fiber, attenuator fiber) significant attenuation change of optical fiber is undesirable. We disclose that such change can be substantially eliminated by provision of hydrogen gettering material and/or a "hermetic" fiber coating. It is currently preferred to provide silica cladding material that is a hydrogen getter, and also provide a "hermetic" fiber coating. Containment of the fiber, together with a quantity of a gettering material (e.g., ErFe.sub.2) in an essentially hermetic enclosure is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1992Date of Patent: December 28, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Shungho Jin, Paul J. Lemaire, Kenneth L. Walker
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Patent number: 5271083Abstract: A molded optical waveguide having electrical conductors molded therein for contacting an optical device mounted at one end of the waveguide and providing external electrical access to the optical device at exposed sides of the waveguide. The waveguide and assembled optical device is mounted on a printed circuit board or the like and contacted by lead wires.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1992Date of Patent: December 14, 1993Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Lebby, Davis H. Hartman, Shun-Meen Kuo, Christopher K. Y. Chun
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Patent number: 5252494Abstract: An improved fiber optic sensor, sensing apparatus, and methods for making optical detections are provided. The fiber optic sensor employs a fiber optic strand to convey light energy, an immobilized polymeric reaction matrix, and at least one controlled release polymeric carrier within said reaction matrix comprising a controlled release polymer material and a releasable reagent formulation able to react with the analyte of interest. The optic sensors and sensor construction have been demonstrated to be both functionally useful and long serving in duration.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1992Date of Patent: October 12, 1993Assignee: Trustees of Tufts CollegeInventor: David R. Walt
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Patent number: 5241615Abstract: An optical waveguide fiber with a core region 1 and a cladding region 2, wherein the cladding region 2 includes an outer cladding region 3 is disclosed wherein the outer cladding region 3 is a very thin (less than 1 .mu.m in thickness) layer of TiO.sub.2 -SiO.sub.2 glass which results in a substantial reduction in the number of fiber breaks resulting from the fiber drawing process and having a predetermined TiO.sub.2 concentration less than or equal to about 10 wt. %. A method for making the fiber is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1992Date of Patent: August 31, 1993Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Lynn G. Amos, Peter C. Jones
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Patent number: 5235666Abstract: A hermetically coated optical fiber comprising a core made of glass, a cladding made of quartz glass surrounding the core the outermost layer of which glass contains fluorine, and a carbon layer surrounding the fluorine-containing glass layer, which optical fiber has good initial strength and fatigue characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1992Date of Patent: August 10, 1993Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph & Telephone CorporationInventors: Masaharu Ooe, Yoichi Ishiguro, Gotaro Tanaka, Nobuyuki Yoshizawa
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Patent number: 5214736Abstract: A single crystal non-linear optical transmission line is manufactured by using a cladding made of a glass material that eliminates or reduces the formation of an uneven inner wall of an optical fiber cladding made of a glass mother material. The improved glass material suppresses the elution of metal mono-oxides on the inner wall and results in a high yield of non-defective fiber manufacturing. A glass mother material, such as SF1, having a low concentration of lead oxide does not contribute to the elution problem common to higher concentration glass mother materials. A glass mother material having no metal oxides also overcomes the problem of elusion since substitute molecules, such as TaC6, do not elute in water or in acid solutions. These glass materials can be used to successfully form a non-defective core having a low refractive index layer of the inner wall and make possible single mode propagation of a laser light in a single crystal non-linear optical transmission line.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1991Date of Patent: May 25, 1993Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Takafumi Uemiya, Naoto Uenishi, Akira Mizoguchi, Yasuzi Ohgaki, Yasuhiro Hattori
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Patent number: 5212757Abstract: A silica-based optical fiber is provided, which has improved resistance to static fatigue. The fiber includes an outer layer of modified, fused silica which contains zirconia and, optionally, alumina.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1991Date of Patent: May 18, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Darryl L. Brownlow, David J. DiGiovanni, Daryl Inniss
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Patent number: 5188632Abstract: A fiber-optic waveguide, used for ablating lesions in blood vessels, is mounted within and guided by a catheter having multiple lumens extending therethrough and parallel to each other. The waveguide fits within at least one lumen and a guidewire, previously inserted in a blood vessel, extends through another lumen. The distal end of the waveguide can have a short section of larger diameter fiber fused to it to cause a laser beam transmitted through said fiber to expand as it emerges from the waveguide to provide a larger ablation area. The waveguide may also be connected to an energy source by means of an energy coupler. One or more balloons may be mounted to the distal end of the catheter in order to facilitate positioning the waveguide.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1990Date of Patent: February 23, 1993Assignee: Advanced Interventional Systems, Inc.Inventor: Tsvi Goldenberg
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Patent number: 5187770Abstract: An optical fiber which has a cladding made of a cured material of a photosetting resin composition comprising at least one compound which has at least two unsaturated bonds in a molecule and a photopolymerization initiator, no compound which has only one unsaturated bond in a molecule being present in the composition, has excellent mechanical properties.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1991Date of Patent: February 16, 1993Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Mishima, Yasuhiro Okuda, Hiroaki Nishimoto