Hollow Optical Fibers Or Waveguides Patents (Class 65/393)
  • Patent number: 11554977
    Abstract: A method for making an optical fiber device may include using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body including an optical material. The preform body may have a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice. The method may further include drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher A. Corey, Susanne M. Lee
  • Patent number: 11303086
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a system for generating radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation includes a maser having a photonic crystal structure and a vapor. The photonic crystal structure is formed of dielectric material and includes an array of cavities having a defect region disposed therein and an elongated slot disposed in the defect region. The array of cavities and the elongated slot define a waveguide having a waveguide mode. The vapor is disposed in the elongated slot and includes one or more input electronic transitions and an output electronic transition coupled to the one or more input electronic transitions. The output electronic transition is operable to emit a target RF electromagnetic radiation and is resonant with the waveguide mode. The system also includes a laser system configured to provide input optical signals to the elongated slot and signal processing electronics in communication with the laser system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Quantum Valley Ideas Laboratories
    Inventors: Hadi Amarloo, James P. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 11237322
    Abstract: An optical fiber manufacturing method includes setting a first holding member and a rod inside a glass pipe, the first holding member made of glass and having plural holes formed, so that the rod is supported by the first holding member; filling glass particles between the rod and a glass pipe inner wall; holding the rod such that the rod and the filled glass particles are enclosed by the glass pipe inner wall and the first and second holding members, and sealing one end of the glass pipe and manufacturing an intermediate; and manufacturing an optical fiber from the intermediate, wherein a bulk density of the first and second holding members is set with reference to a bulk density of a filling portion made from the glass particles, and the predetermined range is determined according to a core diameter permissible variation range in its longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Arai, Harumi Inaba, Shigeto Matsumoto, Takeshi Yagi, Shinichi Aozasa, Kyozo Tsujikawa, Kazuhide Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11034607
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a hollow-core photonic-bandgap fiber, comprising the steps of: providing a stack of capillaries, wherein the stack has a hollow core and the capillaries at a boundary of the core comprise a plurality of first, corner core capillaries and a plurality of second, intermediate core capillaries; applying a pressure differential between the corner core capillaries and the intermediate core capillaries, whereby a size of the corner core capillaries can be controlled in relation to the intermediate core capillaries; and reducing the stack to a fiber, wherein the fiber has a hollow core and a cladding which surrounds the core at a core boundary and comprises a lattice or network of struts and interstitial nodes which together define an array of cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: University of Southampton
    Inventors: Eric Rodrigue Numkam Fokoua, Francesco Poletti, David John Richardson, Yong Chen, Natalie Violet Wheeler, John Richard Hayes, Marco Petrovich
  • Patent number: 10976576
    Abstract: Example embodiments are described for a method and system for direct current (DC) bias control in downhole optical intensity modulators. After receiving an optical signal from a downhole intensity modulator, a harmonic distortion analysis is performed on the optical signal to determine whether a power spectrum of the optical signal deviates by a preselected amount from an expected power spectrum. The expected power spectrum occurs when a bias point is positioned at a quadrature point of a sinusoid associated with the optical signal. A DC bias voltage of the intensity modulator is subsequently adjusted in response to the harmonic distortion analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Joshua Stark, Aaron Michael Fisher
  • Patent number: 9328012
    Abstract: To manufacture glass base material with high manufacturing yield, provided is a glass base material elongating method comprising forming a tapered portion where the outer diameter of the glass base material changes continuously, holding the glass base material with chucks, heating the glass base material held by chucks with a heat source, and with a portion of the glass base material softened, increasing the distance between the chucks to elongate the glass base material. The elongation begins from a state in which a position of the heat source at a position at which the outer diameter of the glass base material is set in a range from no less than 95% to no more than 98% of an average outer diameter of the trunk portion of the glass base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Fujii
  • Patent number: 9096455
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a photonic bad gap fiber and/or fiber preform with a central structured region comprising a first non-silica based glass and a jacket comprising a second non-silica based glass surrounding the central structured region, where the Littleton softening temperature of the second glass is at least one but no more than ten degrees Celsius lower than the Littleton softening temperature of the first glass, or where the base ten logarithm of the glass viscosity in poise of the second glass is at least 0.01 but no more than 2 lower than the base ten logarithm of the glass viscosity in poise of the first glass at a fiber draw temperature. Also disclosed is a method of making a photonic bad gap fiber and/or fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Daniel J. Gibson, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Frederic H. Kung, Ishwar D. Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 9052432
    Abstract: A multicore fiber includes cores located at vertexes of a polygonal ring and a cladding including sub medium regions and covering the cores. A refractive index of the cladding is lower than a refractive index of the cores and higher than a refractive index of the sub medium regions. The sub medium regions are arranged at positions to reduce a crosstalk between adjacent cores of the cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Bing Yao, Kazumasa Ohsono, Noribumi Shiina
  • Publication number: 20150141844
    Abstract: An optogenetic probe, an optogenetic system, and a method for fabricating an optogenetic probe are provided. The optogenetic probe has a proximal and a distal end, and includes an elongated body made of a body glass material and extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal ends. The optogenetic probe also includes at least one optical channel, each including an optical channel glass material having a refractive index larger than a refractive index of the body glass material, so as to guide light therealong. The optogenetic probes also includes at least one electrical channel, each including an electrical channel structure having an electrical conductivity larger than the electrical conductivity of the body glass material, so as to conduct electricity therealong. The optogenetic probe further includes at least one fluidic channel, each adapted for transporting fluid therealong. Each optical, electrical and fluidic channel extends longitudinally within the elongated body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Jean-François Viens, Jean-François Gravel, Younès Messaddeq, Yannick Ledemi, Maxime Rioux
  • Publication number: 20150093085
    Abstract: Air core optical fiber structures in which the cladding is composed of an engineered optical metamaterial having a refractive index less than unity for at least one specific wavelength band and provides for total internal reflection of optical energy between the air core and metamaterial cladding. According to certain examples, a method of guiding optical energy includes constructing a hollow core optical fiber with an all-dielectric optical metamaterial cladding, coupling optical energy into the optical fiber having an operating wavelength near a resonance of the metamaterial cladding, and guiding the optical energy within the hollow core optical fiber by total internal reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Robert W. Byren, Vladimir V. Shkunov
  • Patent number: 8983258
    Abstract: A random array of holes is created in an optical fiber by gas generated during fiber drawing. The gas forms bubbles which are drawn into long, microscopic holes. The gas is created by a gas generating material such as silicon nitride. Silicon nitride oxidizes to produce nitrogen oxides when heated. The gas generating material can alternatively be silicon carbide or other nitrides or carbides. The random holes can provide cladding for optical confinement when located around a fiber core. The random holes can also be present in the fiber core. The fibers can be made of silica. The present random hole fibers are particularly useful as pressure sensors since they experience a large wavelength dependant increase in optical loss when pressure or force is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong I. Kim, Daniel Kominsky, Gary Pickrell, Ahmad Safaai-Jazi, Roger Stolen, Anbo Wang
  • Patent number: 8903214
    Abstract: A single-mode optical fiber for guiding an optical signal, wherein the core region is capable of guiding an optical signal in a fundamental core mode at an optical signal wavelength. A cladding region is arranged to surround the core region and includes an inner cladding region and an outer cladding region. The inner cladding region includes a background material and a plurality of inner cladding features arranged in the background material, wherein a plurality of the plurality of inner cladding features are of a first type of feature that includes an air hole surrounded by a high-index region comprising a high-index material that is larger than the refractive index of the inner cladding background material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: NKT Photonics A/S
    Inventor: Thomas Tanggaard Alkeskjold
  • Patent number: 8857372
    Abstract: An isothermal, low pressure-based process of depositing material within a substrate has been developed and results in creating an extremely narrow reaction zone within which a more uniform and efficient deposition will occur. Sets of isothermal plasma operating conditions have been found that create a narrow deposition zone, assuring that the deposited material is clear glass rather than soot particles. The chemical delivery system, in one arrangement, utilizes rods of solid phase source material (which may otherwise be difficult to obtain in gaseous form). The operating conditions are selected such that the hot plasma does not transfer a substantial amount of heat to the substrate tube, where the presence of such heat has been found to result in vaporizing the reactant material (creating soot) and developing hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: James Fleming, George Zydzik
  • Patent number: 8813522
    Abstract: Methods of converting silica to silicon and fabricating silicon photonic crystal fiber (PCF) are disclosed. Silicon photonic crystal fibers made by the fabrication methods are also disclosed. One fabrication method includes: sealing silica PCF and a quantity of magnesium within a container, the quantity of magnesium defined by 2Mg(g)+SiO2(s)?2MgO(s)+Si(s); converting silica PCF to a reacted PCF through magnesiothermic reduction; and converting the reacted PCF to the fabricated silicon PCF by selective dissolution of the reacted PCF in an acid. Another fabrication method includes: adding silica PCF and a quantity of solid magnesium to an unsealed container, the quantity of magnesium substantially in excess of that defined by 2Mg(g)+SiO2(s)?2MgO(s)+Si(s); converting silica PCF to a reacted PCF through magnesiothermic reduction; and converting the reacted PCF to the fabricated silicon PCF by selective dissolution of the reacted PCF in an acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Guifang Li, Fatih Yaman
  • Patent number: 8800323
    Abstract: An optical fiber which, at an optical fiber connecting end having a plurality of voids around the periphery of a core, has a light-permeable substance, such as a resin or glass whose refractive index is lower than that of quartz type substances, filled in the voids adjacent to the connecting end. An optical fiber connecting section where an optical fiber having a plurality of voids in a clad around the periphery of a core is connected to another optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is connected end-to-end to aforesaid another optical fiber through a refractive index matching agent whose refractive index at the minimum temperature in actual use is lower than that of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kurosawa, Bing Yao, Kazumasa Ohsono, Masao Tachikura, Hisanori Nakai, Toshio Kurashima, Eiji Araki, Katumi Hiramatu
  • Patent number: 8769995
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a multicore large diameter optical waveguide having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, two or more inner cores, a cladding surrounding the two or more inner cores, and one or more side holes for reducing the bulk modulus of compressibility and maintaining the anti-buckling strength of the large diameter optical waveguide. The method features the steps of: assembling a preform for drawing a multicore large diameter optical waveguide having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, by providing an outer tube having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters and arranging two or more preform elements in relation to the outer tube; heating the preform; and drawing the large diameter optical waveguide from the heated preform. In one embodiment, the method also includes the step of arranging at least one inner tube inside the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Dowd, Joseph J. Baraglia, Andrew S. Kuczma, Brian J. Pike, Thomas W. Engel, Martin A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 8731356
    Abstract: Optical devices and a method for manufacturing these devices. One optical device includes a core region having a first medium of a first refractive index n1, and includes a cladding region exterior to the core region. The cladding region includes a second medium having a second refractive index n2 higher than the first refractive index n1. The cladding region further includes a third medium having a third refractive index n3 lower than the first refractive index n1. The third medium is dispersed in the second medium to form a plurality of microstructures in the cladding region. Another optical device includes a plurality of core regions including at least one core having a doped first medium, and includes a cladding region exterior to the plurality of core regions. The core regions and the cladding region include a phosphate glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: The Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
    Inventors: Nasser Peyghambarian, Axel Schulzgen, Valery Temyanko
  • Publication number: 20140013808
    Abstract: A random array of holes is created in an optical fiber by gas generated during fiber drawing. The gas forms bubbles which are drawn into long, microscopic holes. The gas is created by a gas generating material such as silicon nitride. Silicon nitride oxidizes to produce nitrogen oxides when heated. The gas generating material can alternatively be silicon carbide or other nitrides or carbides. The random holes can provide cladding for optical confinement when located around a fiber core. The random holes can also be present in the fiber core. The fibers can be made of silica. The present random hole fibers are particularly useful as pressure sensors since they experience a large wavelength dependant increase in optical loss when pressure or force is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc
    Inventors: Jeong I. KIM, Daniel KOMINSKY, Gary PICKRELL, Ahmad SAFAAI-JAZI, Roger STOLEN, Anbo WANG
  • Publication number: 20130223804
    Abstract: A random array of holes is created in an optical fiber by gas generated during fiber drawing. The gas forms bubbles which are drawn into long, microscopic holes. The gas is created by a gas generating material such as silicon nitride. Silicon nitride oxidizes to produce nitrogen oxides when heated. The gas generating material can alternatively be silicon carbide or other nitrides or carbides. The random holes can provide cladding for optical confinement when located around a fiber core. The random holes can also be present in the fiber core. The fibers can be made of silica. The present random hole fibers are particularly useful as pressure sensors since they experience a large wavelength dependant increase in optical loss when pressure or force is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong I. KIM, Daniel KOMINSKY, Gary PICKRELL, Ahmad SAFAAI-JAZI, Roger H. STOLEN, Anbo WANG
  • Patent number: 8516856
    Abstract: Methods for making fiber waveguides include rolling a multilayer structure into a spiral structure and forming the fiber waveguide from the spiral structure. The forming includes drawing a fiber preform derived from the spiral structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yoel Fink, Shandon Hart, Garry Maskaly
  • Patent number: 8494322
    Abstract: A side-hole optical cane for measuring pressure and/or temperature is disclosed. The side-hole cane has a light guiding core containing a sensor and a cladding containing symmetrical side-holes extending substantially parallel to the core. The side-holes cause an asymmetric stress across the core of the sensor creating a birefringent sensor. The sensor, preferably a Bragg grating, reflects a first and second wavelength each associated with orthogonal polarization vectors, wherein the degree of separation between the two is proportional to the pressure exerted on the core. The side-hole cane structure self-compensates and is insensitive to temperature variations when used as a pressure sensor, because temperature induces an equal shift in both the first and second wavelengths. Furthermore, the magnitude of these shifts can be monitored to deduce temperature, hence providing the side-hole cane additional temperature sensing capability that is unaffected by pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan D. Kersey, John L. Maida
  • Patent number: 8474287
    Abstract: Microstructured optical fiber for single-moded transmission of optical signals, the optical fiber including a core region and a cladding region, the cladding region including an annular void-containing region that contains non-periodically disposed voids. The optical fiber provides single mode transmission and low bend loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott Robertson Bickham, Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 8464557
    Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber preform includes preparing a glass preform that has a hole extending in a longitudinal direction formed on one end of the glass preform in such a manner that a length of the hole is equal to or less than half of an entire length of the glass preform, synthesizing a porous glass preform by depositing glass particles on an outer circumference of the glass preform having the hole formed on the end, and sintering the porous glass preform after arranging the porous glass preform in such a manner that the end having the hole formed thereon points downward and the hole is open to the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taeko Shibuta, Tadashi Takahashi, Takeshi Yagi
  • Publication number: 20120321263
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a substantially void-free preform for a microstructured optical fiber using a one-step process is provided. A preform is prepared from specialty glasses using a direct extrusion method. A die for use with the direct extrusion method is also provided, and a method for drawing the preform into a HC-PBG fiber for use in transmitting infra-red wavelength light is also provided. The preform comprises an outer jacket made of solid glass, a cladding having a plurality of air holes arranged in a desired pattern within the jacket, and a core which is hollow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: DANIEL J. GIBSON, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Frederic H. Kung, Pablo C. Pureza, Robert E. Miklos, Guillermo R. Villalobos, Leslie Brandon Shaw, Ishwar D. Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 8252387
    Abstract: An isothermal, low pressure-based process of depositing material within a substrate has been developed, and is particularly useful in forming an optical fiber preform results in creating an extremely narrow reaction zone within which a more uniform and efficient deposition will occur. Sets of isothermal plasma operating conditions have been found that create a narrow deposition zone, assuring that the deposited material is clear glass rather than soot particles. The exhaust end of the tube is connected to a vacuum system which is in turn connected to a scrubber apparatus for removal and neutralization of reaction by-products. The operating conditions are selected such that the hot plasma does not transfer a substantial amount of heat to the substrate tube, where the presence of such heat has been found to result in vaporizing the reactant material (creating soot) and developing hot spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventors: James W. Fleming, George J. Zydzik
  • Patent number: 8245543
    Abstract: To provide a method for the inexpensive manufacture of a deposition burner with small manufacturing tolerances for use in the synthesis of quartz glass, and wherein moreover, when the deposition burner is used as intended, the risk of contamination of the quartz glass to be produced is low, the invention suggests the following method steps: (a) providing a start cylinder of quartz glass (40) which is mechanically provided with longitudinal bores (46, 47); (b) elongating the start cylinder with formation of a burner strand (42), the longitudinal bores being shaped as elongated channels extending in parallel with one another; (c) cutting the burner strand into pieces in the form of cylindrical quartz glass blocks (43), each being provided with passage lines extending in parallel with a central axis of the quartz glass block; and (d) manufacturing the deposition burner by using a respective one of such quartz glass blocks as burner head which has a proximal end and a distal end, the passage lines serving the sup
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Huenermann
  • Patent number: 8215129
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microstructured fiber, includes: providing a preform having a plurality of elongate holes; mating at least one, but not all, of the holes with a connector to connect the hole(s) to an external pressure-controller; drawing the preform into the fiber while controlling gas pressure in the hole(s) connected to the pressure-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: NKT Photonics A/S
    Inventors: Philip St. John Russell, Brian Joseph Mangan, Jonathan Cave Knight, Ian Patrick Kilbride, Timothy Adam Birks
  • Patent number: 8181487
    Abstract: An optical fiber preform manufacturing method includes: supporting a drilling jig in a radial direction of a preform that is cylinder-shaped; moving the drilling jig in a longitudinal direction of the preform; and forming a plurality of slits each extending in the longitudinal direction and each directed from an outer side of the preform toward a center the preform, and a plurality of holes each extending in the longitudinal direction and each connecting with an end of one of the plurality of slits in a depth direction of the one of the plurality of slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignees: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Sugizaki, Naomi Kumano, Iwao Shimotakahara, Harumi Inaba, Takeshi Yagi, Tomoya Shimizu, Toshio Kurashima, Kazuhide Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20120118019
    Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber that has a hole extending in a longitudinal direction includes preparing a glass preform that has a hole extending in a longitudinal direction, synthesizing a porous preform layer by depositing silica-based glass particles on an outer circumference of the glass preform, dehydrating the porous preform layer, sintering the dehydrated porous preform layer under a reduced pressure so that the porous preform layer becomes a translucent glass preform layer that contains closed pores, and drawing a translucent glass preform that includes the glass preform and the translucent glass preform layer so that the translucent glass preform layer becomes a transparent glass layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi TAKAHASHI, Taeko Shibuta, Takeshi Yagi
  • Publication number: 20120027368
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a hollow core fiber power combiner or divider is provided. The method includes forming a hollow core fiber bundle by assembling a plurality of small core diameter hollow core fibers inside a large diameter inner capillary. The method further includes inserting a support structure inside each of the plurality of small core diameter hollow core fibers and collapsing the large diameter inner capillary on the plurality of small core diameter hollow core fibers having the supported structure inserted to form a fused small core fiber bundle. The method further includes combining the fused small core fiber bundle with a large core diameter hollow core fiber. The structure of the hollow core fiber power combiner and divider is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: AFL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Lalitkumar Bansal, Daiichiro Tanaka, Chandraika (John) Sugrim
  • Patent number: 8079763
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a gas cell and an optical fiber portion in which the gas cell is contiguously attached to the optical fiber portion. The gas cell can be made, for example from hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: University of Bath
    Inventor: Abdel Fetah Benabid
  • Patent number: 8020410
    Abstract: A method of making an optical fiber preform includes depositing silica glass on the inside of a tube substrate via a plasma chemical vapor deposition (PCVD) operation. The parameters of the PCVD operation are controlled such that the silica glass deposited on the interior of the tube substrate contains a non-periodic array of voids in a cladding region of the optical fiber preform. The optical fiber preform may be used to produce an optical fiber having a core and a void containing cladding. The core of the optical fiber has a first index of refraction and the cladding has a second index of refraction less than that of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Robert Brett Desorcie, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 7953309
    Abstract: An optical fiber, which has a zero-material dispersion wavelength equal to or greater than 2 ?m, and a high nonlinear susceptibility ?3 equal to or greater than 1×10?12 esu, and uses tellurite glass having sufficient thermal stability for processing into a low loss fiber, employs a PCF structure or HF structure having strong confinement into a core region. This enables light to propagate at a low loss. The size and geometry of air holes formed in the core region, and the spacing between adjacent air holes make it possible to control the zero dispersion wavelength within an optical telecommunication window (1.2-1.7 ?m), and to achieve large nonlinearity with a nonlinear coefficient ? equal to or greater than 500 W?1 km?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Mori, Masao Kato, Kouji Enbutsu, Shinichi Aozasa, Kiyoshi Oikawa, Takashi Kurihara, Kazuo Fujiura, Makoto Shimizu, Kouji Shikano
  • Publication number: 20110097045
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a gas cell and an optical fibre portion in which the gas cell is contiguously attached to the optical fibre portion. The gas cell can be made, for example from hollow-core photonic crystal fibre (HC-PCF).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: University of Bath
    Inventor: Abdel Fetah Benabid
  • Patent number: 7930904
    Abstract: Microstructured optical fiber and method of making. Glass soot is deposited and then consolidated under conditions which are effective to trap a portion of the consolidation gases in the glass to thereby produce a non-periodic array of voids which may then be used to form a void containing cladding region in an optical fiber. Preferred void producing consolidation gases include nitrogen, argon, CO2, oxygen, chlorine, CF4, CO, SO2 and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Richard Michael Fiacco, Ming-Jun Li, Michael Thomas Murtagh, Pushkar Tandon
  • Patent number: 7930905
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical glass optical waveguide preform having a low water content centerline region, for use in the manufacture of optical waveguide fiber, is disclosed. The centerline region of the glass optical waveguide preform has a water content sufficiently low such that an optical waveguide fiber producible from the glass optical waveguide preform of the present invention exhibits an optical attenuation of less than about 0.35 dB/km, and preferably less than about 0.31 dB/km, at a measured wavelength of 1380 nm. Method of manufacture of a porous core mandrel used in the manufacture of such a glass optical waveguide preform is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC
    Inventors: David McDonald Stirling, Franklin W. Dabby, Gordon Randall Gould, Henry Willner
  • Publication number: 20110045298
    Abstract: A method of forming a nanowire is disclosed. In one embodiment, a primary preform is formed comprising at least one central region and a support structure. The primary preform is then drawn to a cane, which is then inserted into an outer portion, to form a secondary preform. The secondary preform is then drawn until the at least one central portion is a nanowire. The method can produce nanowires of far greater length than existing methods, and can reduce the likelihood of damaging the nanowire when handling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: ADELAIDE RESEARCH & INNOVATION PTY LTD
    Inventors: Tanya MONRO, Heike EBENDORFF-HEIDEPRIEM
  • Patent number: 7873251
    Abstract: A photonic band gap fiber and method of making thereof is provided. The fiber is made of a germanate glass comprising at least 30 mol % of a germanium oxide and has a longitudinal central opening, a microstructured region having a plurality of longitudinal surrounding openings, and a jacket. The air fill fraction of the microstructured region is at least about 90%. The fiber may be made by drawing a preform into a fiber, while applying gas pressure to the microstructured region. The air fill fraction of the microstructured region is changed during the drawing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventors: Shyam S. Bayya, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Leslie Brandon Shaw, Ishwar D. Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 7854143
    Abstract: An optical fiber preform comprising a plurality of longitudinal air holes is subjected to a thermal treatment (i.e., heating), coupled with the application of a compressive force on either end of the heated preform to compress the entire preform structure a predetermined amount. The thermal compression treatment has been found to smooth any roughened glass surfaces and heal microcracks that may have formed during the preform fabrication process, essentially “knitting” the glass material back together and forming a preform of improved quality over the prior art microstructured preforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: OFS Fitel LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Bise, James W. Fleming, George J. Zydzik
  • Publication number: 20100303429
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a substantially void-free microstructured optical fiber using a one-step process is provided. A preform for the optical fiber is prepared, comprising an outer jacket made of solid glass, a cladding having a plurality of microtubes and/or microcanes arranged in a desired pattern within the jacket, and a core which may be solid or hollow, with the cladding and the core extending above the top of the outer jacket. The thus-prepared preform is placed into a fiber draw tower. As the fiber is drawn, negative gas pressure is applied to draw the canes together and consolidate the interfacial voids between the canes while positive gas pressure is applied to the preform to keep the holes of the microcanes open during the fiber drawing. The apparatus includes a jig having support tubes that are connected to a vacuum pump for application of the negative gas pressure and a vent tube connected to a gas supply for application of the positive gas pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Daniel J. Gibson, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Frederic H. Kung, Ishwar D. Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 7841213
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photonic crystal fiber including arranging a spacer formed of two or more spacer parts in a support tube such that the inner wall surface of the support tube has a substantially regular polygonal cross-sectional shape which allows closest packing of a core rod and a plurality of capillaries or the capillaries only; and forming a preform by packing in a support tube the core rod for forming a solid core and the capillaries for forming a cladding, or by providing a core space for forming a hollow core in a support tube and packing in the support tube a plurality of capillaries for forming the cladding; and drawing the preform into a fiber under heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Kinoshita, Nobusada Nagae, Akihiko Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20100296093
    Abstract: An optical device and methods of using an optical device are provided. The optical device includes a hollow-core fiber including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a hollow core having a first diameter. The second portion includes a hollow core having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is less than 10% of the first diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Aydogan Ozcan
  • Patent number: 7797965
    Abstract: In a known method for producing tubes of quartz glass, a hollow cylinder (2) of quartz glass is continuously supplied to a heating zone (1) and is softened therein in regions, and a tube strand (21) is drawn off at a drawing speed from the softened region with formation of a drawing bulb (26), and the tubes to be produced are cut to length in the form of tube strand pieces by separating the tube strand (21) at a desired separation point (T, Vu, Vo) and an internal pressure differing from the external pressure applied to the outer cladding is maintained in the inner bore (4) of the hollow cylinder (2) in that the inner bore (4) of the tube strand is provided with a flow obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Cibis, Oliver Ganz
  • Patent number: 7793521
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a photonic crystal or photonic band gap optical fiber comprises providing a preform that includes a plurality of holes in an outer diameter, wherein the holes extend from a first end of a preform to a second end of the preform, and forming at least one radially inwardly-extending slot within the preform such that the slot intersects at least some of the holes, wherein the slot does not intersect at least one hole. The method also includes establishing a first pressure in the holes intersected by the slot by introducing the first pressure to the slot, and establishing a second pressure in the at least one hole not intersected by the slot by introducing the second pressure to an end of the at least one hole not intersected by the slot. The method further includes drawing the preform into a fiber while independently controlling the first and second pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Gallagher, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Joseph Edward McCarthy, Natesan Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 7779651
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a micro-structured optical fibre, an intermediate preform is made by forming a sol; pouring the sol in a cylindrical mould including a set of structural generating elements defining internal structural elements of the intermediate preform; transforming the sol into a gel so as to obtain a cylindrical gel body defining the intermediate preform; and removing the cylindrical intermediate preform from the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Prysmian Cavi E Sistemi Energia S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Arimondi, Giacomo Stefano Roba
  • Publication number: 20100195964
    Abstract: An optical fiber comprising: (i) a core; (ii) a cladding surrounding the core; wherein the cladding comprises a cladding ring that: (a) has a width W equal to or less than 10 microns; (b) includes at least 50 airlines, each airline having a maximum diameter or a maximum width of not more than 2 microns and more than 50% of said airlines have a length of more than 20 m; (c) has an air fill fraction of 0. 1% to 10%, and (d) has an inner radius Rin and an outer radius Rout, wherein 6 ?m?Rin?14 ?m, and 8 ?m?Rout?14 ?m; and (iii) an outer cladding surrounding said cladding ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Randy Lee Bennett, Scott Robertson Bickham, Jeffrey Coon, Leonard Charles Dabich, II, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Joseph Edward McCarthy
  • Patent number: 7769263
    Abstract: An optical fiber comprising: (i) a core; (ii) a cladding surrounding the core; wherein the cladding comprises a cladding ring that: (a) has a width W equal to or less than 10 microns; (b) includes at least 50 airlines, each airline having a maximum diameter or a maximum width of not more than 2 microns and more than 50% of said airlines have a length of more than 20 m; (c) has an air fill fraction of 0.1% to 10%, and (d) has an inner radius Rin and an outer radius Rout, wherein 6 ?m?Rin?14 ?m, and 8 ?m?Rout?14 ?m; and (iii) an outer cladding surrounding said cladding ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Randy Lee Bennett, Scott Robertson Bickham, Jeffrey Coon, Leonard Charles Dabich, II, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Joseph Edward McCarthy
  • Patent number: 7734137
    Abstract: A multicore optical fibre includes a microstructured cladding material formed from a plurality of cladding elements arranged in an array and each cladding element comprising at least two different materials each having different refractive indices, and a plurality of core elements formed within interstitial regions between adjacent cladding elements. A fibre so formed may have a large number of cores per unit cross-sectional area as compared with prior art fibres, and thus allows the fibre to have relatively short distances between adjacent cores for a given required inter-core isolation. A fibre so formed has utility in many areas requiring high core density, such as inter-chip optical communication, or optical communication between circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventors: Charlotte R H Bennett, Terence J Shepherd, Laurent Michaille, David M Taylor
  • Patent number: 7730748
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a collimator assembly is provided. The method includes placing a first core element within a first center collimator path of a first collimator tube to create a first base-tube couple. A couple cross-section of the first base-tube couple is reduced such that the first base-tube couple becomes a first single-fiber fiber. The first single-fiber fiber is assembled into a collimator group. The first core element is dissolved such that a first hollow fiber is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jiang Haochuan
  • Patent number: 7707854
    Abstract: A method of making an article having channels therethrough includes the steps of: providing a ductile structure defining at least one macro-channel, the macro-channel containing a salt; drawing the ductile structure in the axial direction of the at least one macro-channel to reduce diameter of the macro-channel; and contacting the salt with a solvent to dissolve the salt to produce an article having at least one microchannel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Brian R. D'Urso