Mode Strippers Patents (Class 385/29)
  • Patent number: 11424590
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a few-mode amplifying fiber in a given spectral band of use is provided. The few-mode amplifying fiber comprises a cladding having a given refractive index (n0) and at least one core of refractive index and of dimensions suited to the propagation of a finite number of spatial modes in the spectral band of use of the fiber, a spatial propagation mode corresponding to a channel for transporting information. The core comprises a first solid material having a given first refractive index (n1) strictly greater than the refractive index of the cladding (n0), and, within said first material, inclusions spatially separated from one another, formed by longitudinal bars comprising a second solid material having a second refractive index (n2) strictly greater than the first refractive index (n1), at least one of said inclusions being actively doped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE LILLE
    Inventors: Jean-Baptiste Trinel, Guillaume Le Cocq, Laurent Bigot, Géraud Bouwmans
  • Patent number: 11241284
    Abstract: The invention relates to a skin treatment device (10) for fractional treatment of the skin (100) of a human being. A radiation source (5) emits a multi-mode laser beam (20) with a superposition (23) of mutually different higher-order laser modes. The multi-mode laser beam is configured by said superposition of different laser modes to simultaneously cause a first plurality of high-intensity zones, where the thermal threshold (TC) for collagen denaturation for the treatment zone (50) of the skin is at least reached, and a second plurality of low-intensity zones where the thermal threshold (TF) for fibroblast stimulation for the treatment zone of the skin is at least reached. This is advantageous for obtaining a skin treatment device with a simple and therefore low-cost fractional laser skin treatment system for combined collagen denaturation and fibroblast stimulation. The skin treatment device is based on non-uniform laser radiation in the form of the multi-mode laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Babu Varghese, Marco Baragona, Jonathan Alambra Palero, Martin Jurna, Margaret Ruth Horton, Anna Ezerskaia
  • Patent number: 11181694
    Abstract: An electro-wetting optical device includes an optical switch that uses a coupling region proximate a waveguide in a substrate. The device uses two optical liquids, providing first and second refractive indices respectively. At least one of the optical liquids is deuterated. Under a first switching configuration the first optical liquid is positioned at the coupling region so as to provide a first effective refractive index for light propagating along the first waveguide and under a second switching configuration the second optical liquid is positioned at the coupling region so as to provide a second effective refractive index for light propagating along the first waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Cristina Lerma Arce, Jan Watté, Roland Simon H. Claes, Yolanda Justo Zarraquinos, Frank Gommaar R. De Voeght
  • Patent number: 10976495
    Abstract: A method for attaching at least one optical fiber to a chip includes the steps of: providing at least one nanowaveguide of a chip including at least one nanowaveguide end to be attached to at least one off-chip fiber respectively; forming at least one oxide taper over or adjacent to each of the at least one nanowaveguide end; cleaving at least one fiber end; aligning the chip so that an end face of each of the at least one oxide taper is mechanically aligned substantially adjacent to each corresponding cleaved fiber end; and fusing each of the at least one oxide taper with each of the at least one fiber end respectively to modally couple each of the nanowaveguides to each of the at least one fiber end via each of the oxide tapers. A device for attaching at least one optical fiber to a chip is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Jaime Cardenas, Juniyali Nauriyal
  • Patent number: 10422950
    Abstract: The optical interconnection apparatus includes a laminated structure having an inner glass sheet, an adhesive layer, and an outer glass sheet. The laminated structure has a first bend section with bend angle and front and back opposite ends. An optical fiber is operably supported by the laminated structure so that it has a second bend section that follows the first bend section. The front end of the optical fiber resides proximate to the front end of the laminated structure and the back end of the optical fiber resides proximate to the back end of the laminated structure. The first bend section is formed by bending the laminated structure and then curing the adhesive. A protective coating can be deposited over the optical fiber and a portion of the laminated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventor: James Scott Sutherland
  • Patent number: 10401140
    Abstract: A bending detecting system includes a light guide, a first grating and a light detector. The light guide has elongated shape and is configured to guide an incident light in a propagating direction. The light guide includes a core and a cladding disposed around the core. The first grating is disposed in a boundary area, the boundary area including an outer surface of the core, and an adjacent area that is adjacent to the outer surface. The first grating includes a first periodic structure along the propagating direction with a first pitch, and is configured to generate a first diffracted light from the incident light. The light detector is configured to detect the first diffracted light from the first grating, and detect a bending of the light guide based upon an optical feature amount of the first diffracted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Sasaki, Eiji Yamamoto, Hiromasa Fujita
  • Patent number: 10234614
    Abstract: A method of generating light for use in tracing an end of a cable assembly includes coupling convergent visible light into an input end of a multimode mode-homogenizing optical fiber having low-order and high-order modes and comprising an output end, a fiber angle, a length and a mode-homogenization length. The inputted light is initially concentrated mainly in the low-order modes. The method also includes conveying the light through the length of the mode-homogenizing optical fiber to form outputted light that is substantially mode-homogenized, substantially spatially uniform and substantially angularly uniform and having a divergence angle that is substantially the same as the fiber angle. Light source assemblies and systems for carrying out the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony Sebastian Bauco
  • Patent number: 10224981
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a coupling device includes a circuit that receives a signal. At least one passive electrical circuit element generates an electromagnetic field in response to the signal. A portion of the electromagnetic field is guided by a surface of a transmission medium to propagate as a guided electromagnetic wave longitudinally along the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, LP
    Inventors: Paul Shala Henry, Robert Bennett, Irwin Gerszberg, Farhad Barzegar, Donald J Barnickel, Thomas M. Willis, III
  • Patent number: 9900087
    Abstract: A multimode launch system to be connected to an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) for use in performing at least one OTDR measurement on a multi-fiber array Device Under Test (DUT), the multimode launch system comprising: an optical switch being connectable to the OTDR during use; a launch array device having an end being connectable to the optical switch and another end being connectable to the multi-fiber array DUT during use, the launch array device having a plurality of multimode launch optical fibers each having at least one first guidance parameter being smaller than a corresponding one of at least one second guidance parameter of at least one multimode optical fiber of the optical switch; and a multi-fiber mode conditioner along the launch array device for inducing a preferential attenuation of higher-order optical modes of test light propagated into the multi-fiber array DUT during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: EXFO INC.
    Inventor: Bernard Ruchet
  • Patent number: 9891305
    Abstract: A chip scale star tracker that couples starlight into a lightguide such that the angle of incidence partially determines the mode of propagation of the starlight in the lightguide. A baffle system integrated with the lightguide prevents propagation of light incident from a predetermined range of angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
    Inventors: Juha-Pekka Laine, Gregory P. Blasche, Murali V. Chaparala, Robin Dawson, Benjamin Lane, Stephen P. Smith, Erik Waldron
  • Patent number: 9791761
    Abstract: An integral chip is disclosed by embodiments of the present disclosure, including: two mono-mode vertical coupling gratings, two modulation modules, one 2×1 multi-mode interference coupler, and one dual-mode vertical coupling grating. The integral chip is capable of operating in dual wavelengths and dual polarization states by combination of polarization multiplexing and wavelength division multiplexing so as to realize modulation of complex formats and to enhance data modulation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF SEMICONDUCTORS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Ming Li, Jian Tang, Yu Liu, Haiqing Yuan, Ninghua Zhu
  • Patent number: 9658410
    Abstract: An optical connector is structured so as to include a fiber connection structure therein. A multi-core fiber is included inside a ferrule, and affixed to the ferrule substrate. One end surface of the multi-core fiber is exposed to an end surface of the ferrule. The other end of the multi-core fiber passes through and is affixed to a capillary. A plurality of optical fiber pass through a capillary that faces the capillary, and are affixed thereto the capillary in the same manner. Seven optical fiber cores of the same diameter are joined in a close-packed arrangement in the fiber connection structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsunetoshi Saito, Kengo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9608720
    Abstract: An optical splitter assembly including a splitter housing, a passive optical power splitter positioned within the splitter housing and a plurality of splitter output pigtails that extend outwardly from the splitter housing. Each of the splitter output pigtails including an optical fiber structure having a first end optically coupled to the passive optical power splitter and a second end on which a fiber optic connector is mounted. Each of the splitter output pigtails having a different test characteristic such that the splitter output pigtails can be individually identified during optical network testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Trevor D. Smith
  • Patent number: 9534952
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for monitoring parameters in a high power fiber laser or amplifier system without adding a tap coupler or increasing fiber length. In some embodiments, a cladding stripper is used to draw off a small percentage of light propagating in the cladding to an integrated signal parameter monitor. Parameters at one or more specific wavelengths (e.g., pump signal wavelength, signal/core signal wavelength, etc) can be monitored. In some such cases, filters can be used to allow for selective passing of signal wavelength to be monitored to a corresponding parameter monitor. The filters can be external or may be integrated into a parameter monitor package that includes cladding stripper with integrated parameter monitor. Other parameters of interest (e.g., phase, wavelength) can also be monitored, in addition to, or as an alternative to power. Numerous configurations and variations will be apparent in light of this disclosure (e.g., system-on-chip).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Creeden, Joseph M. Owen
  • Patent number: 9442249
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing a silicon-based wire optical waveguide, by which an optical transmission loss of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide due to ion irradiation with high energy is suppressed, and an end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide that is three-dimensionally curved in a self-aligning manner is obtained. According to the method a protective film is selectively formed on the silicon-based wire optical waveguide exclusive of the end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide; and ions are implanted to the silicon-based wire optical waveguide in a particular direction, so as to curve the end portion of the silicon-based wire optical waveguide to the particular direction in a self-alignment manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Tomoya Yoshida, Youichi Sakakibara, Masahiko Mori, Takashi Nishi
  • Patent number: 9310558
    Abstract: An optical PCB includes a substrate layer, a first light waveguide layer and a second light waveguide layer. The first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are positioned on the substrate layer and are optically coupled with each other. The first light waveguide layer includes a first tapered end facing toward the second light waveguide layer, and the second light waveguide layer includes a second taped end facing toward the first light waveguide layer. The first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are optically coupled with each other via the first tapered end and the second tapered end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Shun Huang
  • Patent number: 9294146
    Abstract: A transmitter for an optical telecommunication system on a weakly multimode fiber is disclosed. One aspect is a transmitter including an encoder transforming each block of symbols to be transmitted into a code matrix, each element of the matrix being relative to a time of use and to a propagation mode of the weakly multimode fiber. The transmitter can include a plurality of modulators respectively associated with the different propagation modes, each modulator modulating a laser beam during a time of use. Each modulator can modulate a laser beam by use of an element of the corresponding matrix, the elements of the matrix of the code being subjected beforehand to an OFDM modulation upstream of said modulators. Each of the modulated beams can be input into the weakly multimode fiber to propagate therein according to a separate mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Institut Mines-Telecom
    Inventors: Sami Mumtaz, Ghaya Rekaya-Ben Othman, Yves Jaouen
  • Patent number: 9263847
    Abstract: A light delivery component includes a delivery fiber configured to include a core and a clad; and a heat radiating member, wherein the delivery fiber is configured to include a first light emitting unit connected to a first heat radiating member which is a portion of the heat radiating member and a second light emitting unit connected to a second heat radiating member which is another portion of the heat radiating member, and at least the second light emitting unit is bent, and wherein the first light emitting unit is installed closer to a light incidence end of the delivery fiber than the second light emitting unit, and a bending radius of the first light emitting unit is set to be larger than that of the second light emitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Taya
  • Patent number: 9081136
    Abstract: An integrated optical circuit includes a substrate having an input face, an output face, a lower face and an upper face, at least one optical waveguide having a first waveguide end located on the input face of the substrate and a second waveguide end located on the output face of the substrate. The lower face of the substrate includes a first part that is planar and parallel to the upper face and an optical block, the optical block being positioned in the median plane and in the incidence plane, the optical block forming a protrusion at least at the primary reflection point of the integrated optical circuit with respect to the first planar part of the lower face and the optical block being capable of receiving and attenuating at least one non-guided optical beam propagating on the optical path of a primary reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: IXBLUE
    Inventors: Herve Lefevre, Frederic Guattari
  • Patent number: 9075192
    Abstract: An optical waveguide splitter with a symmetric splitting power ratio having one input port and two output ports, includes a substrate and one or more vertical waveguide layers deposited thereon or diffused thereinto, and optionally one or more cladding layers deposited upon the waveguide layer(s). The waveguide layers and optionally one or more cladding layer together and optionally with the substrate form a profile of the refractive index that supports the propagation of light in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate. On both sides of the input port, the waveguide sidewalls terminate at a depth deeper than the location of the peak intensity of the beam transporting propagating light energy within the input port, and the sidewalls on both sides of each output port terminate at a depth shallower than the location of the peak intensity of the beam transporting the majority light energy within each output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FINISAR SWEDEN AB
    Inventor: Dave Adams
  • Publication number: 20150104131
    Abstract: Shunt fibers having a photonic bandgap cladding region including one or more hollow guiding regions of which one guiding region is configured as the core and one or more other guiding regions are configured as shunts, respectively, provide nearly single mode transmission in the core. The effective mode index of unwanted core modes and modes in one or more shunts are matched closely enough such that higher order modes will selectively couple to the shunt modes by resonant phase matching in the presence of fiber variations. The shunts are designed to have relatively higher losses thereby effectively dissipating power in the higher order modes at a faster rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: John Michael Fini, Linli Meng, Eric Monberg, Jeffrey W Nicholson, Robert Windeler
  • Publication number: 20150086160
    Abstract: In summary, an optical transportation fiber (10) for transmitting laser beams (S0) comprises at least one fiber core (1), at least one fiber jacket (2, 3) and one sheath (5) encompassing the fiber jacket (2, 3), wherein an interlayer (4), the refraction index of which is lower than a refraction index of the corresponding fiber jacket (2, 3) being in contact with the interlayer (4), is provided between the fiber jacket (2, 3) and the sheath (5). Thereby, the fiber (10) is formed with at least one outputting means (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Rudolf Huber, Stefan Fuchs, Alexander Killi
  • Patent number: 8977081
    Abstract: A polarization splitter includes a substrate, an asymmetric Y-shaped waveguide, and a pair of strip-shaped electrodes. The substrate is made of a birefringence crystal and includes a surface. The Y-shaped waveguide is formed into the surface and includes an input section for transmitting both transverse electric wave and transverse magnetic wave, a first branch for only transmitting the transverse electric wave, and a second branch for only transmitting the transverse magnetic wave. The first branch and the second branch branch off the input section. The electrodes are positioned on the surface, arranged at two opposite sides of the input section and substantially parallel with a central axis of the input section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Shun Huang
  • Publication number: 20150049983
    Abstract: An optical fiber device includes a first optical element for transmitting light. An output fiber includes an output fiber core having a light receiving end optically aligned to receive light from the first optical element, and includes at least a first outer cladding on a clad portion. The output fiber includes a mode stripper adhesive with a first adhesive composition and a structural adhesive with a second adhesive composition thereon. The mode stripper adhesive is positioned closer to the first optical element than the structural adhesive to strip a majority of power of cladding guided mode(s) light before reaching the structural adhesive. The mode stripper adhesive has a lower hardness as compared to the structural adhesive, and is substantially indexed matched to an outermost layer of the output fiber that it is in direct contact with.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Gooch and Housego PLC
    Inventors: NORMAN EDWARD FISHER, ADRIAN MARK NORMAN
  • Patent number: 8948555
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe a skew directional coupler for a plurality of waveguides. Said coupler includes a first waveguide on a first plane and a second waveguide on a second plane separate from the first plane. In embodiments of the invention, the first waveguide is disposed on top of the second waveguide to form an overlapping region of a segment of the first waveguide and a segment of the second waveguide, wherein an optical axis of the segment of the first waveguide is horizontally skew to an optical axis of the segment of the second waveguide, and wherein light is to be passively transmitted between the first and second waveguide segments via mode hybridization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Aurrion, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Edgar Roth, Brian Koch, Gregory Alan Fish
  • Patent number: 8934508
    Abstract: There are provided: a core section provided so as to extend in a light-guiding direction in which incident light propagates; a photosensitive layer provided so as to extend in the light-guiding direction and peripherally enclose the core section, the photosensitive layer including a grating formed therein by irradiation of ultraviolet light having a predetermined wavelength; and a first cladding section provided between the core section and the photosensitive layer, the first cladding section having a lower refractive index than the core section and a lower photosensitivity than the photosensitive layer, the photosensitivity being a property in which a refractive index changes in response to irradiation with the ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20140363125
    Abstract: An improved arrangement for stripping stray light energy that is propagating in the cladding layer of an optical fiber is provided. A cladding light stripper is provided that incorporates removal of at least a portion of the coating material and/or splicing the fiber to a fiber of differing diameter and/or having a bend of constant or decreasing or varying radius to efficiently remove cladding light while distributing heat dissipation in a controlled design across the device with respect to a specific direction of input (cladding) light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Pieter Schwarzenbach, Matthew J. Silva Sa, Fabio Pozzi, Peter Reeves-Hall
  • Publication number: 20140362877
    Abstract: A clad absorber unit is provided on a passive fiber of a high power fiber laser system and operative to trap and remove modes propagating along the waveguide clad of the fiber. The mode absorber is configured with such an optimal length that the clad light may be removed in a localized manner, substantially uniformly removed over the entire length thereof. The absorber removing clad light in a unformed fashion includes a host material impregnated with diffusers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Valentin Gapontsev, Valentin FOMIN, Mikhail ABRAMOV, Anton FERIN
  • Patent number: 8909017
    Abstract: A mode filter for eliminating the propagation of higher-order modes along a section of optical multimode fiber comprises a graded index (GRIN) lens, preferably of a quarter-pitch length, and a pinhole element in the form of a small core fiber. This configuration creates a Fourier spatial filter assembly that removes higher order modes propagating along an optical fiber while capturing the fundamental mode of the optical signal. A section of GRIN fiber is preferably used as the lens, with the small core fiber disposed at the output of the GRIN fiber lens to collect substantially only the on-axis fundamental mode of the optical signal. Since the higher order modes are shifted away from the origin by the GRIN fiber lens, only the fundamental mode signal is captured by the small core fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventor: Jayesh C. Jasapara
  • Patent number: 8891917
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transverse mode filter in an optical waveguide (3). The aim of the invention is to produce a transverse mode filter that permits a monolithic construction of a laser in a multi-mode waveguide. To achieve this, according to the invention the filter comprises a Fabry-Perot cavity integrated into the optical waveguide (3) and comprising two reflective elements (5) situated at a distance from one another. In addition, the waveguide (3) is modified in the region of the Fabry-Perot cavity and/or in the region of the reflective elements (5) in relation to the remaining regions of the waveguide with respect to the effective refractive index of at least one mode of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena
    Inventors: Jens Ulrich Thomas, Christian Voigtlaender, Stefan Nolte, César Jáuregui Misas, Fabian Stutzki, Jens Limpert, Andreas Tuennermann
  • Patent number: 8885993
    Abstract: A light stripper assembly for dissipating a residual optical pump power carried by a pump light propagating in an optical fiber component is provided. The optical fiber component includes a pump cladding surrounded by an outer cladding, the outer cladding being removed from the optical fiber component along a lengthwise segment thereof. The light stripper assembly includes a pump stripper disposed about the lengthwise segment and a heat-dissipation packaging structure thermally contacting the pump stripper. The pump stripper includes an input guiding region and a stripping region having refractive indices lower and higher than the refractive index at the outermost periphery of the pump cladding, respectively, so that the pump light is at least partially guided inside the pump cladding along the input guiding region and stripped from the pump cladding along the stripping region. The heat-dissipation packaging structure absorbs and dissipates the residual power stripped by the stripping region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Institut National d'Optique
    Inventors: Louis Desbiens, Pierre Laperle
  • Patent number: 8849078
    Abstract: A high power (HP) fiber circulator is configured with a case enclosing a plurality of optical components which are arranged so as to define multiple ports. The fiber circulator further includes a plurality of launching and receiving fiber components each of which has spliced delivery and pigtailed passive fibers selectively coupling a HP input signal into and receiving a HP output signal from respective input and output ports. The passive fibers of each fiber component have respective protective coatings spaced from one another and each covering the cladding of the fibers. A light stripper, extending between the protective coatings, is operative to substantially remove cladding-supported light from one of the passive fibers before it reaches the protective coating of the other passive fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Dmitry Starodubov, Hongbo Yu, Alex Yusim
  • Publication number: 20140270638
    Abstract: In one aspect, optical devices and components are described herein. In some embodiments, a device comprises a substrate and a grating layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the grating layer comprises a periodic grating structure and a sublayer beneath the grating structure and adjacent the substrate. In some cases, the sublayer has a small thickness compared to the wavelength of light incident on and/or coupled into the device. For example, the sublayer of a device described herein can have a thickness of less than about 200 nm. Moreover, devices and components described herein can exhibit both guided-mode resonance (GMR) effects and a Rayleigh anomaly and can be used to provide various optical components such as optical couplers, substrate wave couplers, and flat-top angular reflectors or flat-top angular filters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventor: Robert Magnusson
  • Publication number: 20140270637
    Abstract: A light stripper assembly for dissipating a residual optical pump power carried by a pump light propagating in an optical fiber component is provided. The optical fiber component includes a pump cladding surrounded by an outer cladding, the outer cladding being removed from the optical fiber component along a lengthwise segment thereof. The light stripper assembly includes a pump stripper disposed about the lengthwise segment and a heat-dissipation packaging structure thermally contacting the pump stripper. The pump stripper includes an input guiding region and a stripping region having refractive indices lower and higher than the refractive index at the outermost periphery of the pump cladding, respectively, so that the pump light is at least partially guided inside the pump cladding along the input guiding region and stripped from the pump cladding along the stripping region. The heat-dissipation packaging structure absorbs and dissipates the residual power stripped by the stripping region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Louis DESBIENS, Pierre LAPERLE
  • Patent number: 8817828
    Abstract: There are provided: a core section provided so as to extend in a light-guiding direction in which incident light propagates; a photosensitive layer provided so as to extend in the light-guiding direction and peripherally enclose the core section, the photosensitive layer including a grating formed therein by irradiation of ultraviolet light having a predetermined wavelength; and a first cladding section provided between the core section and the photosensitive layer, the first cladding section having a lower refractive index than the core section and a lower photosensitivity than the photosensitive layer, the photosensitivity being a property in which a refractive index changes in response to irradiation with the ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8768118
    Abstract: A system for coupling light into a fiber in accordance with embodiments of the present invention include a first fiber, a second fiber which is a double clad fiber, and a bulk optic component positioned between the first and second fibers. At least one mode stripper is positioned between the first fiber entry port and the second fiber exit port providing for limiting and removal of propagating clad light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Electro-Optics Elop Ltd.
    Inventors: Zachary Sacks, Zeev Schiffer
  • Patent number: 8730456
    Abstract: A compact monostatic optical transmitter/receiver device simultaneously transmits an optical beam and collects returning light using a single lens or optical aperture. The system provides automatic alignment of the transmit and receive aperture and is compatible with fiber-coupled laser sources. Transmit light is emitted from a double-cladding fiber core while received light is coupled into the inner cladding of the same fiber. The transmit light propagating in the core and the received light propagating in the inner cladding are separated by the means of a diplexer comprised of a fused fiber coupler or a fiber-coupled micro-optic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Lew Goldberg, Stephen Chinn
  • Patent number: 8712199
    Abstract: The inventive optical fiber coupler array is capable of providing a low loss, high-coupling coefficient interface with high accuracy and easy alignment between a plurality of optical fibers (or other optical devices) with a first channel-to-channel spacing, and an optical device having a plurality of closely-spaced waveguide interfaces with a second channel-to-channel spacing, where each end of the optical fiber coupler array is configurable to have different channel-to-channel spacing, each matched to a corresponding one of the first and second channel-to-channel spacing. The novel optical coupler array includes a plurality of waveguides (at least one of which may optionally be polarization maintaining), that comprises at least one gradually reduced vanishing core fiber, at least in part embedded within a common housing structure. Alternatively, the novel coupler array may be configured for utilization with at least one of an optical fiber amplifier and an optical fiber laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Chiral Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Il'ich Kopp, Jonathan Singer, Daniel Neugroschl, Jongchul Park, Mitchell S. Wlodawski
  • Publication number: 20140086526
    Abstract: A high power (HP) fiber circulator is configured with a case enclosing a plurality of optical components which are arranged so as to define multiple ports. The fiber circulator further includes a plurality of launching and receiving fiber components each of which has spliced delivery and pigtailed passive fibers selectively coupling a HP input signal into and receiving a HP output signal from respective input and output ports. The passive fibers of each fiber component have respective protective coatings spaced from one another and each covering the cladding of the fibers. A light stripper, extending between the protective coatings, is operative to substantially remove cladding-supported light from one of the passive fibers before it reaches the protective coating of the other passive fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Inventors: Dmitry Starodubov, Hongbo Yu, Alex Yusim
  • Patent number: 8682119
    Abstract: An optical device includes an input/output optical coupler, a waveguide and a waveguide fragment. The optical coupler is configured to separate a received optical signal into first and second signal components. The waveguide is connected to the optical coupler and configured to propagate the first signal component via a first propagation mode. The waveguide fragment is located adjacent to the first waveguide and is configured to couple light from the first waveguide that propagates therein by a different second propagation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Christopher Doerr, Long Chen
  • Patent number: 8655124
    Abstract: A waveguide intersection includes an input waveguide and an output waveguide; a crossing waveguide intersecting the input waveguide and the output waveguide to form an intersection; and a block that is optically joined to the intersection such that a guided mode is produced within the intersection. A method of reducing optical losses within a waveguide intersection includes increasing a cross-sectional height of an intersection such that optical energy passing through the intersection is laterally confined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David A. Fattal, Jingjing Li
  • Patent number: 8582936
    Abstract: Techniques for combining initially separate single mode and multimode optical beams into a single “Dual Mode” fiber optic have been developed. Bi-directional propagation of two beams that are differentiated only by their mode profiles (i.e., wavefront conditions) is provided. The beams can be different wavelengths and or contain different modulation information but still share a common aperture. This method allows the use of conventional micro optics and hybrid photonic packaging techniques to produce small rugged packages suitable for use in industrial or military environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony J. Ruggiero, Donald A. Masquelier, Jeffery B. Cooke, Jeffery S. Kallman
  • Patent number: 8582933
    Abstract: A waveguide-mode (WM) coupler having a plurality of single-mode fibers, each optically coupled to a different respective waveguide mode of a multimode fiber. The coupling optics employed by the WM coupler are scalable and include reflective fiber-tip coatings, polarization beam splitters, phase masks, and quarter-wave plates configured to overlap and/or separate the optical beams corresponding to different waveguide modes of the multimode fiber in a manner that does not cause a significant increase in the optical insertion losses with an increase in the number of optical channels in the WM coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Roland Ryf
  • Patent number: 8526771
    Abstract: An optical interconnect includes a set of splitters. Each splitter includes a source waveguide, a reflection waveguide, an output waveguide, and a partially reflective mirror element with a reflective coating. The source waveguide and the reflection waveguide are optically coupled to the partially reflective element. A photonic signal from the source waveguide is partially reflected off the reflective coating as a reflected signal into the reflection waveguide. The output waveguide is optically coupled to the opposite surface and configured such that a non-reflected portion of the photonic signal propagates into the output waveguide. The reflective coating includes a reflected surface area interfacing with the photonic signal form the source waveguide, and power of the non-reflected portion is a function of the reflective surface area interfacing with source waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Neal Meyer, Robert Newton Bicknell, Pavel Kornilovich
  • Patent number: 8498503
    Abstract: An integrated optical coupler including in the medium separating a first integrated waveguide from a second substantially parallel integrated waveguide, a succession of strips parallel to one another and orthogonal to the general direction of the waveguides, said strips being made of a material having an absorption preventing the propagation of an electromagnetic wave across its volume, and having: a length H equal to k?/2nmedium, where k is an integer, ? is the central wavelength used, and nmedium is the optical index of the medium between the waveguides; a period P smaller than ?/2nmedium; and ends at a distance shorter than ?/10 from the waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Alexandre Mary, Salim Boutami, Roch Espiau De Lamaestre, Jérôme Le Perchec
  • Patent number: 8488234
    Abstract: Guided adiabatic bend transitions for multimode fibers are presented to preserve the power of guided light in the fundamental mode while guiding from one level of curvature to another for improved operation of mode filters and fiber amplifiers. A method is provided to find the guidance path. Implementations of these transducers include modal power back converters, and guidance paths into and out of higher order mode filtering devices which work on bending. A spiral structure is shown to incorporate adiabatic bends for a forward-pumped fiber amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Kongsberg Seatex AS
    Inventors: Stefan Franz Grünsteidl, João M. Sousa, Martin O. Berendt, Rosa M. Muñiz, Paulo T. Guerreiro
  • Patent number: 8457456
    Abstract: An optical fiber mode coupling device, capable of being readily connected to a conventional optical fiber with a high degree of ruggedness, is provided. The inventive mode coupling device only allows transmission of at least one supported fiber mode therethrough, and is preferably configured to maximize the coupling, of at least one desired fiber mode, to the at least one supported fiber mode. Advantageously, the inventive mode coupling device is capable of performing the functions of a mode filter for the signal entering its first end, or serving as a mode conditioner for the signal entering its opposite second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Chiral Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Il'ich Kopp, Jonathan Singer, Victor M. Churikov, Christopher W. Draper, Norman Chao, Daniel Neugroschl
  • Patent number: 8442368
    Abstract: Development of Integrated Optical Circuits depends greatly on progress in coupling light to and between chip devices. Exemplary disclosed embodiments provide a system and method of fabricating couplers for optical chips that may allow for access to devices on the entire chip surface. Cantilever couplers comprising optical waveguides are deflected out-of-plane creating access to remote portions of devices. An exemplary system and method may provide waveguides with tunable angles of deflection creating greater flexibility in optical coupling options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: The Ohio State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ronald M. Reano, Peng Sun
  • Patent number: 8433161
    Abstract: A system configured to generate an optical beam from a fiber laser is presented. The system includes a fiber gain medium having a core and a cladding, the core being configured to convert radiation from a pump beam into an output beam, the cladding having a mode propagating section and a mode stripping section bounded on a near end and a distal end by the mode propagating section, the mode stripping section of the cladding being configured to scatter excess pump radiation received from the mode propagating section in a substantially outwardly radial direction. The system also includes a rigid support member into which the fiber gain medium is placed, the rigid support member completely encompassing the mode stripping section of the cladding and joined to the fiber at the mode propagating section of the cladding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Textron Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Jason E. Langseth, Alexander E. Mandl
  • Patent number: 8412009
    Abstract: An optical fiber contact for transmitting moderate-magnitude optical power. The fiber contact includes an optical fiber having an inner core and a surrounding cladding for transmitting the radiation in the core. Additional surrounding layers including so-called buffer and jackets mechanically stabilize the optical fiber. The forward part of the optical fiber contact is surrounded by a transparent tubular member. The tubular member extends a certain length along the outer cylindrical surface of the cladding. There is no heating by power loss radiation, as the power loss radiation is leaving the contact as optical radiation. To disperse radiation propagating within the cladding, the cladding includes a roughening or additional layers of a transparent material. In case of additional layers of transparent material then the outermost layer should be roughened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Inventors: Sven-Olov Roos, Ola Blomster, Thomas Uhrwing