Abstract: The invention relates a power fiber laser system including at least one single-mode fiber laser, emitting at a signal wavelength, the fiber including at least one outer cladding and a core, in which the core of the fiber has a radially graded index. The fiber includes, at least over a part of its length, a geometrical section having a graded fiber-core radius that decreases between an input end of the section and an output end of the section, the core radius and the index variation between the cladding and the fiber at the input end being such that the normalized frequency at the signal wavelength is less than the normalized cutoff frequency at which the fiber becomes unimodal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fiber axicon taper includes, aligning a fiber, splicing the fiber, pulling the fiber, necking the fiber, breaking the fiber, and rounding the edges of the fiber axicon taper.

Abstract: An optical resonator made from an elongated fiber having a proximal and distal end. A sphere is created on the distal end by locating the distal end in cylindrically symmetrical heating zone along a centerline. For some embodiments, the distal end is rapidly cooled by allowing it to retract away from the heating zone along the centerline during the formation and solidification of the molten microsphere. The resulting optical resonator has an intrinsic quality factor greater than 106 over the 2.0 to 3.2 ?m MIR wavelength range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an optical fiber base material and an optical fiber base material, the method including: arranging a rod containing SiO2 family glass for core, in a container; pouring a SiO2 glass raw material solution for cladding layer and a hardener into the container, the glass raw material solution containing a hardening resin; solidifying the glass raw material solution through a self-hardening reaction; and then drying the solidified material and heating the solidified material in chlorine gas, to manufacture an optical fiber base material in which a SiO2 cladding layer is formed in an outer periphery of the rod containing SiO2 family glass for core.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to an optical glass, which comprises, denoted as weight percent, 2 to 37 percent of SiO2, 0 to 25 percent of B2O3, 0 to 10 percent of GeO2, 18 to 55 percent of a combined content of Li2O, Na2O, K2O, CaO, SrO, and BaO, and 27 to 55 percent of a combined content of TiO2, Nb2O5, and WO3, wherein the weight ratio of SiO2 content relative to a combined content of SiO2 and B2O3 ranges from 0.1 to 1, a weight ratio of the Li2O content to a combined content of Li2O, Na2O, K2O, CaO, SrO, and BaO ranges from 0 to 0.4, and a weight ratio of TiO2 content relative to a combined content of TiO2, Nb2O5, and WO3 ranges from 0.35 to 1, with a refractive index nd of 1.860 to 1.990 and an Abbé number ?d of 21 to 29.

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.

Abstract: To provide a process to improve acid resistance of a glass substrate for an information recording medium. A process for producing a glass substrate for an information recording medium, comprising processing a glass formed into a plate by a float process, a down-draw method or a press method, wherein, in cooling of the glass in the last step where the glass has a temperature of at least its strain point, the time during which the glass temperature is at least its strain point and at most a temperature where the glass viscosity is 1010 dPa·s is at least 13 minutes.

Abstract: Methods to fabricate an optical preform for draw into Polarization Maintaining (PM) or Polarizing (PZ) optical fiber are provided. The methods involve assembly of pre-shaped and pieced together bulk glass elements into preforms (“assembled preforms”) for simultaneous fusing and drawing into optical fiber. These preforms form a stress-induced birefringent optical core when drawn to fiber.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for making a glass preform with nanofiber reinforcement. The apparatus comprises a container for melting one or more glass components in a mixture comprising the glass components and one or more nanofibers. The container has an opening that allows escape of any gas released from the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more heating elements for heating the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more electric field devices, positioned exterior to the glass components, that create an electric field in a volume of the mixture in order to orient the nanofibers within the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, the optical fiber comprises: (i) a core having a first index of refraction n1; (ii) a cladding surrounding the core and having a second index of refraction n2, such that n1>n2, wherein cladding has at two sets of stress rods extending longitudinally through the length of the optical fiber, wherein the two sets of stress rods have CTE coefficients and/or softening points different from one another and different from that of cladding.

Abstract: Methods for modifying preform core ovality during and subsequent to the formation of an optical fiber preform. After MCVD deposition forms the core rod, but prior to overcladding of the core rod, the code rod may be etched to change its ovality. In order to etch the core rod, the core rod may be mounted to lathe, rotated by at least two rotors, and subjected to a heat source. Additionally, one of the at least two rotors may be phase-shifted from another one of the at least two rotors after the core rod is mounted on the lathe.

Abstract: A terminal for mounting to a fiber distribution cable includes a housing having a base and a cover. The cover is connectedly engaged with the base. The terminal further includes a plurality of adapters disposed on the cover. A fiber routing tray having a top panel and a bottom panel is disposed in an interior cavity. The fiber routing tray includes a storage space defined between the top and bottom panels for storing a length of optical fiber. A method for installing a terminal includes providing a terminal having a housing defining an interior cavity. A cable is pulled from the interior cavity of the housing. The cable is spliced to a fiber distribution cable with a splice. The cable is inserted back into the interior cavity. A spliced end of the cable, a spliced end of the fiber distribution cable and the splice are inserted in a retention device.

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.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a device comprising multiple specialty glass optical fibers that combines several different mid-infrared optical signals from multiple optical fibers into one signal in a single optical fiber. In addition, the present invention provides for a method of making the device.

Abstract: An intermediate preform is formed in a process of manufacturing an optical fibre by forming a sol containing a glass precursor; pouring the sol in a mold containing a set of elongate elements; aging the sol to obtain a gel body; removing the set of elongate elements from the gel body to create a corresponding set of holes in the gel body; and removing the gel body from the mold. The method further provides imparting a motion of the set of elongate elements during aging of the sol to avoid adhesion of the gel to the elongate elements, the motion being preferably a rotation about the respective axes or an alternate translation along the respective axes. An apparatus with means for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: Aa method fabricates an optical switch comprising a microsphere coated with silicon nanocrystals. The method includes providing a silica optical fiber. The method further includes melting at least a portion of the fiber to form at least one silica microsphere. The method further includes coating the microsphere with a silica layer. The method further includes precipitating silicon nanocrystals within the silica layer by annealing the microsphere. The method further includes passivating the nanocrystals by annealing the microsphere in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: A method of forming a cladding portion of an optical fiber preform assembly includes positioning a glass core cane in a mold cavity and loading the mold cavity with silica glass soot. The silica glass soot is compressed in an axial direction as the vibratory energy is applied to the mold body to form a soot compact around the glass core cane, wherein the soot compact is the cladding portion of an optical fiber preform assembly and the glass core cane is a core portion of the optical fiber preform assembly.

Abstract: Optical devices include a doped glass material in which the dopant facilitates the transmission of energy out from the glass material. The doped glass may not significantly absorb a selected wavelength of laser radiation to be manipulated by the optical devices. The dopant may comprise one or more of a transition metal element, an actinide element, and a lanthanide element. Laser systems include at least one such optical device and a laser device configured to emit a beam to be manipulated by the optical device. Methods for forming optical devices and laser systems including such optical devices include dispersing a dopant within a glass material to form, and forming the glass material into a body having a size and shape configured to manipulate a beam of radiation emitted by a laser device. The dopant is selected to comprise a material that facilitates the transmission of energy out from the glass material.

Abstract: Optical fiber preforms which can be drawn into optical fibers of desired dimensions are fabricated by applying a vacuum to a cladding tube and drawing molten glass from a crucible into a bore of the cladding tube while a portion of the cladding tube is within a furnace preferably through a small hole in the top of the furnace. The method and apparatus are particularly applicable to highly non-linear fiber (HNLF) glasses and highly doped or rare earth glasses since materials therein are generally expensive and only a small quantity of molten glass is required but can be applied to virtually any optical fiber construction where the core glass has a lower melting or softening point than that of the cladding tube. Sources of contamination, breakage and other preform defects are substantially avoided and toxic substances, if present are readily confined.

Abstract: Provided are optical glasses having a phosphate-containing composition that can materialize highly useful optical properties including high-refractivity and high-dispersion properties; an optical glass comprising P2O5, SiO2 and Li2O as essential components, comprising Na2O and K2O as optional components, having an Li2O/(Li2O+Na2O+K2O) molar ratio of from ? to 1 and having an Abbe's number (?d) of 30 or less, and an optical glass comprising P2O5, SiO2 and Li2O as essential components, having the property of transmittance that when light is caused to vertically enter one of two plane and mutually parallel optically polished surfaces of a sample of the glass having a thickness of 10.0±0.1 mm and caused to exit from the other surface, the wavelength at which the transmittance represented by the ratio of transmitted light intensity to incidence light intensity (transmitted light intensity/incidence light intensity) comes to be 70% is 510 nm or less, having a refractive index (nd) of 1.

Abstract: A method of molding low-temperature glass into a preform for formation by drawing into glass fiber, especially for transmission of mid-IR, involves casting a cladding glass into a mold cavity in the shape of the desired preform to form a cladding layer, and forming a glass core within the cladding layer, wherein the molten cladding glass is drained from the bottom of the mold cavity, forming an annular coating of cladding glass as an annular layer, and the core glass is quickly added within the annular cladding layer to form the glass core with the cladding layer thereabout.

Abstract: There is provided an elongating method of an optical fiber base material which can easily correct a distorted portion of an optical fiber base material with it being possible to elongate the optical fiber base material to reduce its diameter. According to such an elongating method, in an elongating process of elongating an optical fiber base material by heating the optical fiber base material in a heating furnace so that a diameter of the optical fiber base material is reduced, before the optical fiber base material is elongated from an end thereof, a distorted portion of the optical fiber base material is connected by being heated to be softened in the heating furnace. To do so, the optical fiber base material is attached to a hanging mechanism so as to be hung in an electric furnace, the distorted portion of the optical fiber base material is heated to be softened.

Abstract: A silica deposition tube is fused in a deuterium (D2) gas atmosphere and optionally baked in a deuterium (D2) gas atmosphere to substantially reduce the hydrogen content in the tube for decreased fiber attenuation. Alternatively, raw silica material is pre-treated in D2 gas followed by fusing of the raw silica tube in a D2 gas environment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for forming a nano-imprinted photonic crystal waveguide, comprising the steps of: preparing an optical film on a substrate; preparing a template having a plurality of protrusions of less than 500 nm in length such that the protrusions are spaced a predetermined distance from each other; heating the film; causing the template to press against the heated film such that a portion of the film is deformed by the protrusions; separating the template from the film; and etching the film to remove a residual layer of the film to form a nano-imprinted photonic crystal waveguide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sample cell with a glass body comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet and at least one orifice, a plane glass window is fused into the orifice, the shape and size of the window corresponds to the shape and size of the orifice, the orifice is limited by a rim, the rim is wider than the thickness of the window, the rim of the window is fused with the rim of the orifice. The invention further relates to a method of producing the sample cell. The window is inserted into the orifice. The rim of the orifice is heated several times from the exterior in such a way that the glass melts and a fused joint is formed between the window and the rim of the orifice. The sample cell produced by the method has a particularly rigid joint between the window and the glass body. Therefore, this glass cell is able to withstand pressures above 10 bar and allows the passage of light without lens effects owing to its plane-parallel windows. The sample cell is used in a polarizer for inert gas.

Abstract: A process includes the steps of disposing a solid core glass rod at a point removed from hot temperature that can cause crystallization in the core glass rod, disposing a solid clad glass rod at a point removed from the core glass rod; softening to the flowing condition the solid clad glass rod, transferring the softened clad glass to a lower point, the softened clad glass having a central void therethrough, heating the softened clad glass above its crystallization temperature, cooling the softened clad glass to a draw temperature, transferring the solid core glass rod into the central void in the softened glad glass, softening to the flowing condition the solid core glass rod with the heat from the softened and cooled clad glass, and drawing the core/clad, glass fiber by allowing the clad and core glasses to flow in the form of a fiber.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical fiber preform includes an operation of glazing the outside surface of the preform using inductive heating, of the plasma torch type, for localized heating of the preform. A flow of gas between the plasma and the preform in the area of the outside face of the preform on which the plasma impinges reduces the power of the plasma in this outside surface area.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for forming convex and concave elements on the ends of supporting members. A convex element may be formed by forming a droplet on the end of the supporting member, then curing the droplet. The size of the droplet may be controlled using evaporation of a solvent from the droplet. In another aspect of the invention, an optical element may be formed by forming a droplet on the end of the supporting member, contacting the droplet with a mold, and curing the droplet, thereby forming an element with a curvature opposite that of the mold. When the supporting member is an optical fiber, the elements formed by the methods of the present invention are useful as lenses and mirrors in micro-optic devices.

Abstract: A glass tube for use in an optical fiber preform is produced by applying a first soot on an end face of a starting member to form an elongated, porous cylindrical soot core having a first density, and applying a second soot including SiO2 on the periphery of the soot core to form a porous soot cladding having a second density greater than that of the soot core at the periphery of the core. The core and the cladding are later heated together at a temperature sufficient for sintering to form a core glass and a cladding glass. Because the soot core collapses at a greater rate than the soot cladding during sintering, the core glass separates or delaminates radially from the cladding glass. The core glass is then removed from the surrounding cladding glass, and the latter is treated to provide a high purity glass tube suitable for use as part of an optical fiber preform.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical glass element for which flatness and smoothness of the surfaces of the optical glass element can be improved while securing the similarity of the cross-sectional shape of the optical glass element to that of the mother glass, and for which continuous production involving few steps can be carried out, and an optical glass element manufactured using the method. A mother glass is prepared, which has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to a desired cross-sectional shape of the optical glass element, and the mother glass is drawn while heating to a predetermined temperature such that the mother glass has a viscosity of 105 to 109 poise.

Abstract: According to a prior art method for producing a cylindrical component comprised of silica glass, a cylinder comprised of a softened silica glass mass is drawn in a predetermined drawing direction along a drawing axis by means of a drawing device which acts upon said cylinder. The aim of the invention is to provide a method which prevents, to the greatest possible extent, warping of the drawn cylinder and other deviations from the ideal cylinder dimensions and to prevent, to the greatest possible extent, the outer surface of the drawn cylinder from being touched. To these ends, the invention provides that the drawing device comprises a plurality of guide elements which are arranged one behind the other along the drawing axis, and which can be displaced independently of one another in a drawing direction and in a direction opposite thereto.

Abstract: A high-refractivity low-dispersion optical glass that gives press-molding preforms excellent in high-temperature shapability and suitable for precision press-molding, including an optical glass comprising B2O3, La2O3, Gd2O3 and ZnO as essential components, substantially containing none of lead and fluorine, having a refractive index (nd) of 1.72 to 1.83, an Abbe's number (?d) of 45 to 55 and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 630° C. or lower and having a viscosity of at least 0.6 Pa·s at its liquidus temperature, and an optical glass comprising, by mol %, 45 to 65% of B2O3, 5 to 22% of La2O3, 1 to 20% of Gd2O3, provided that the total content of La2O3 and Gd2O3 is 14 to 30%, 5 to 30% of ZnO, 0 to 10% of SiO2, 0 to 6.5% of ZrO2 and 0 to 1% of Sb2O3, substantially containing none of lead and fluorine, and having a refractive index (nd) of 1.72 to 1.83 and an Abbe's number (?d) of 45 to 55.

Abstract: Disclosed are masks and mask blanks for photolithographic processes, photosensitive materials and fabrication method therefor. Photosensitive materials are used in the masks for recording permanent pattern features via UV exposure. The masks are advantageously phase-shifting, but can be gray-scale masks having index patterns with arbitrary distribution of refractive index and pattern dimension. The masks may have features above the surface formed from opaque or attenuating materials. Alumino-boro-germano-silicate glasses having a composition comprising, in terms of mole percentage, 1-6% of Al2O3, 10-36% of B2O3, 2-20% of GeO2, 40-80% of SiO2, 2-10% of R2O, where R is selected from Li, Na and K, and expressed in terms of weight percentage of the glass, 0-5% of F, can be used for the mask substrate.

Abstract: A heat source is formed within one piece of a multi-piece mold designed to shape a glass tube. The one piece of the mold can then be used as a source of intense heat to render the glass malleable and to also contribute to shaping the tube in conformance with the mold. In one embodiment, the heat source includes channels formed throughout the one piece of mold for distributing a gas therethrough with jets of gas emanating from the inner surface of the mold piece for heating the tube to be shaped to a desired temperature. In apparatus embodying the invention, there is no need for a separate torch and for moving the torch during the shaping process. Also, in accordance with the invention, better control of the heat supplied to the tube being shaped is obtained.

Abstract: A method for the pregobbing of an optical fiber preform to provide pre-optimized tip taper and system for drawing optical fiber therefrom. The downtime of an optical fiber drawing apparatus can be considerably shortened, by providing preforms that have a pre-optimized tip shape. Pre-optimized tips are provided which are melted off at the tip by an induction heater of a heating furnace. Preferably, the pregobbing furnace has substantially the same temperature profile as the draw furnace. Therefore, because the tip of the preform is optimized and unusable glass has been removed, throughput of the draw apparatus is advantageously increased. Moreover, the shape of the tip of the preform is optimized in that it has been exposed to the same temperature profile as it would have seen had the draw tip been formed in the draw furnace.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for fabricating fiber-optic glass preforms having complex refractive index configurations and/or dopant distributions in a radial direction with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The method teaches bundling together a plurality of glass rods of specific physical, chemical, or optical properties and wherein the rod bundle is fused in a manner that maintains the cross-sectional composition and refractive-index profiles established by the position of the rods.

Abstract: A crucible for melting a silica for fusion of said silica into a desired shape. The crucible having a main body with inner and outer surfaces comprised of a refractory material. In addition, at least a portion of the inner surface includes a barrier layer comprised of a material selected from rhenium, osmium, iridium, and mixtures thereof. An inlet tube to the crucible being provided to supply an oxidizing gas to a melt zone.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical fiber preform is disclosed which includes a step of outside deposition of silica possibly doped with at least one dopant by injecting at least one substance in the form of silica or a precursor of silica in the vicinity of a heating area created by a heating system during at least one pass of an injector system and the heating system along a longitudinal axis of the preform during which the relative positions of the injector and heating systems ore adjusted so that silica is deposited in the heated area regardless of the position of the heating system.

Abstract: A glass spacer ring is prepared into a round slice from a glass tube having an outer diameter and a wall thickness corresponding to an outer diameter and a width of the spacer ring, respectively, by engraving a cutting line 7 on an inner side of a glass tube with a cutter in a direction perpendicular to a tubular axis thereof at a cutting interval corresponding to the thickness of a space ring, and heating the cutting line 7 with a burner from an outer side of the glass tube to cut the glass tube by heat shock.

Abstract: A starting material for producing optical fibers contains metal halides. The refractive index of the optical fiber formed from the starting marterial is predeterminable by adjusting a composite of the molten bath. The starting material is produced by mixing halogenated gases into a gas mixture with the desired partial pressure ratio, causing a chemical reaction at a first temperature of the gas mixture with at least metal to form a reaction product, the first temperature being higher than the melting temperature of the reaction product and cooling the reaction product to a second temperature that is below the melting temperature.

Abstract: A silica-based core rod is traversed by a heat source along its longitudinal axis, to provide heated, softened regions. During the traverse, compressive or tensile movements are provided along the rod's longitudinal axis, these movements inducing, respectively, increases or decreases in the core diameter at the softened regions. By providing selective core diameter increases and/or decreases across the entire length of the core rod, a desired core diameter profile is attained. It is possible to attain a substantially uniform core diameter, or a varying core diameter profile that provides particular properties, such as systematically varying dispersion. In addition, due to the ability to increase core diameter and core rod diameter in a controlled manner, it is possible to make larger core rods, and in turn larger fiber preforms, than presently possible.

Abstract: A method produces homogenous quartz glass plates without streaks. The method is applied to starting quartz glass body which has an X—X geometrical axis and good refractive index homogeneity in its central area, and a refractive index homogeneity decreasing as the axis lies further from a central area. The body is divided into at least two concave parts by longitudinal cuts parallel to the axis once the central area has been processed out of the body. The parts are placed separately in corresponding molds and heated therein such that they are molded to form quartz glass plates having a desired thickness.

Abstract: A mold for shaping the end region and the opening at a selected end of a first, hollow, generally cylindrical, glass tube to enable a second tube, of smaller diameter than the first tube, to be inserted snuggly a first distance within the selected end of the first tube resulting in the two tubes nesting and being self-centered. The mold includes two complementary elongated side pieces having inner side surfaces for, when joined, encircling the periphery of the first tube along a given portion of its selected end region, and an end cap with a cylindrical stub for insertion within the opening of the first tube at its selected end.

Abstract: A method for fusing an optical fiber preform comprises fusing the preform while blowing an oxidative gas against the preform to be fused from upper and lower directions of a fusing burner unit. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a plurality of nozzles for preventing deposition of silica cloud, which are each set at an angle, &thgr;, of blowing the oxidative gas relative to the preform being drawn such 20°≦&thgr;≦60°.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to UV (ultraviolet) photosensitive bulk glass, and particularly to batch meltable alkali boro-alumino-silicate and germanosilicate glasses. The photosensitive bulk glass of the invention exhibits photosensitivity to UV wavelengths below 300 nm.

Abstract: In a known method for the manufacture of a tube made of a vitreous material, especially of quartz glass, a hollow cylindrical semifinished product made of a vitreous material is carried essentially vertically to a heating zone, wherein it is heated and drawn off downwards—without the use of tools—to the tube by forming a transitional area from semifinished product to tube, while diameter and wall thickness of the tube are continuously measured, and the tube's measured geometrical data being used to generate a control signal with the aid of which a pressure difference is regulated between pressure P1 in the interior space of the semifinished product, the transitional area and the tube, as well as pressure P2 in the heating chamber which is regulated in the heating zone at least in the transitional area from semifinished product to tube and its adjacent tube area.

Abstract: Disclosed are a shaping mold for producing an optical fiber guide block which permits highly accurate positioning and fixing of optical fibers, an optical fiber guide block having such excellent properties, processes for the production of these, and an optical fiber array.

Abstract: An apparatus for conducting a fusion process includes a first chamber and a second chamber which maintains an atmosphere that is substantially free of oxygen. A closeable passage connects the second chamber and the first chamber and selectively provides substantial isolation of the second chamber from the first chamber. A filament normally disposed in the second chamber is moveable between the second chamber and the first chamber when the closeable passage is in an open position.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical fiber wiring board having excellent optical property, high reliability and high mounting property. This invention relates to an optical fiber component for connection having a substrate on which a plurality of optical fibers being wired, wherein a foam polymer layer is provided on a surface of the substrate wiring the optical fibers, or both on a surface of the substrate wiring the optical fibers and on a surface opposite to the surface of the substrate wiring the optical fibers, or so that whole of substrate is covered. The optical fiber component of the present invention may be further provided with a protective layer and may be filled with a filler. This invention provides also a manufacturing method of the optical fiber component for connection.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel methods for fabricating optical fiber glass preforms which may contain alumina, germania, erbium, or other rare earth metals as dopants. Doping with a higher concentration of alumina enhances the solubility of the erbium, or other rare earth, dopant within the glass and the resultant optical properties of the fiber. However, the addition of an alumina dopant can cause processing difficulties due to the formation of inclusions, such as gas bubble, seeds or crystallite formation, within the glass preform or glass cane. The present invention overcomes these processing difficulties and produces glass preforms or canes that are inclusion-free.