Abstract: In order to provide a dispersion-compensating optical fiber able to be applied over a broad wavelength band, having a large effective area, and as a result, suppressing the occurrence of non-linear effects, the present invention comprises a dispersion-compensating optical fiber that compensates chromatic dispersion of a 1.3 &mgr;m single-mode optical fiber over the entire wavelength range of 1.53-1.63 &mgr;m characterized in that, chromatic dispersion at a wavelength of 1.55 &mgr;m is −50 ps/nm/km or less, the dispersion slope is negative over the entire wavelength range of 1.53-1.63 &mgr;m, a cutoff wavelength is provided at which there is substantially single-mode propagation, bending loss is 30 dB/m or less, effective area is 20 &mgr;m2 or more, and the absolute value of chromatic dispersion during compensation of the chromatic dispersion of a 1.3 &mgr;m single-mode optical fiber serving as the target of compensation is 0.5 ps/nm/km or less.

Abstract: The center of a turntable 30 moves around the central axial line of an autoroation disk 20 along the circular orbit C of a smaller diameter than that of an autorotation disk 20. Thus, the turntable 30 revolves both around a center point O and on its own axis in accordance with an autorotation of the autorotation disk 20. A polishing holder 60 holds a connector of an optical fiber polished by a polishing film 41 arranged on the upper plane of the turntable 30. An optical fiber end face polishing machine provided with a memory 85 for storing a control program which allows a control device 80 to execute predetermined polishing steps, the control device 80 being for controlling an autorotation motor 16 of the turntable 30 and a revolution motor 14 thereof.

Abstract: An optical switching system includes a substrate, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) input mirror, a MEMS output mirror, and an opposing mirror. The substrate is configured to carry an input light source and an output light source spaced from the input light source. The microelectromechanical system (MEMS) input mirror is carried by the substrate. The MEMS output mirror is carried by the substrate and is spaced from the MEMS input mirror. The opposing mirror is disposed opposite the substrate and is configured to communicate optically with an input light source and an output light source carried by the substrate. The input mirror optically couples an input beam from the input light source via the opposing mirror to a location on the opposing mirror with the output mirror via the opposing mirror. The output mirror optically couples the location on the opposing mirror with the output light source via the opposing mirror.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dispersion compensating optical fiber (“DC fiber”) having a segmented core of at least three segments and having a negative total dispersion and negative dispersion slope in the L-band. The index profile of the segmented core is selected to provide an optical fiber having properties suitable for a high performance communication system operating in the L-band wavelength band, i.e., between about 1570 nm to 1620 nm. The DC fiber according to the invention exhibits total dispersion at 1595 nm of between −70 and −225 ps/km/nm and dispersion slope more negative than −0.7 ps/km/nm2. The DC fiber may be optically connected to a non-zero dispersion shifted fiber in the system to compensate for dispersion and dispersion slope thereof.

Abstract: A two-dimensional optical switch (10) includes a hermetically sealed housing (41) cooperable with several input fibers (11-18) and several output fibers (21-28). A digital micromirror device (71) is disposed within the housing, and can selectively effect travel of radiation between each input fiber and any one of the output fibers. The housing includes two lens sections (56, 57), which each have a platelike support portion (106), and several lens portions (111-118) of approximately semi-spherical shape that project from the inner side of the support portion. Each of the input fibers is fixedly secured to an outer side of one lens section in alignment with a respective lens portion thereon, and each of the output fibers is fixedly secured to the outside of the other lens section in alignment with a respective lens portion thereon.

Abstract: A system for positioning at least one optical fiber. The system includes a plate having a major surface defining a hole adapted to receive an optical fiber. A spring is located on the plate and is located at least partially within the hole to position the optical fiber therein and/or additional plates are used to position the optical fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus aligns an optical fiber array, that has first and second ends, to an optical fiber light source at the first end of the optical fiber array by using an image of the second end of the optical fiber array captured by a CCD camera, while the first end of the optical fiber array is moved relative to the optical fiber light source. The apparatus includes a controller, coupled to an alignment stage which moves the first end of the optical fiber array and a variable optical attenuator located between the second end of the optical fiber array and the camera. The controller controls the fiber optic alignment device responsive to signals provided by the electronic camera. The camera is used for rough alignment and an optical power meter, coupled to the alignment stage is used for fine alignment.

Abstract: In an arrayed waveguide grating device, two or three components are joined to each other in joint face in any one of or both an input-side slab waveguide and an output-side slab waveguide. In this case, the joint faces are joined to each other in such a state that the joint faces have been relatively moved by a desined degree. By virtue of this construction, an arrayed waveguide grating device, a process for producing the same, and an arrayed waveguide module and an optical communication system using the arrayed waveguide grating device can be realized wherein the joint faces can be fixed to each other at an optimal position to facilitate wavelength correction and the third component for constituting the output-side slab waveguide can be properly selected and joined, for example, to realize increase the number of output-side channels or to provide a monitoring output terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for interrogating fiber optic sensors non-intrusively sensing fluid flow within a pipe is provided. The apparatus includes a two-beam interferometer which comprises an optical circuit for generating a series of discrete light pulses that are directed at sensors positioned between pairs of low reflectivity fiber Bragg gratings. The successive light pulses are split into first light pulses and second light pulses, and the second light pulses are delayed a known time period relative to the first pulses. The first and second light pulses are combined onto a single optical fiber and directed through the low reflectivity gratings and the sensors positioned between the gratings. Reflected pulses from the series of pulses impinge on a photo receiver and interrogator, wherein the phase shift between the reflected first light pulses from a particular grating and the reflected second light pulses from the preceding grating, for each sensor are determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a structure and for locating the position of an event including a light source, a waveguide, and a detector means. The waveguide receives light from the light source so that the light is caused to propagate in counter-propagating optical signals in the waveguide. The waveguide includes the counter-propagating optical signals or some characteristic of the signals modified or effected by an external parameter caused by or indicative of the event to provide modified counter-propagating optical signals. The detector means detects the modified counter-propagating optical signals effected by the parameter and determines the time delay or difference between the modified counter-propagating optical signals in order to determine the location of the event.

Abstract: A light source-optical fiber coupler using a gradient index rod lens 12 by which a diffused luminous flux emitted from a light source (for example, a semiconductor laser 10) is coupled onto an end surface of an optical fiber (for example, a single-mode optical fiber 14). The gradient index rod lens has a planar end surface facing the light source, and a convex spherical end surface facing the optical fiber. The gradient index rod lens has a light source side numerical aperture NA2 in a range of from 0.40 to 0.75, an effective lens radius r0 in a range of from 0.3 to 1.0 mm, and a spherical curvature radius R1 in a range of from 1.2 to 2.0 mm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single mode waveguide fiber and a method of making a single mode or multimode waveguide fiber which has an azimuthally and radially asymmetric core. This asymmetry provides additional degrees of freedom for use in forming a waveguide having particular performance characteristics.

Abstract: In a fusion splicing method and device for ribbon optical fibers, bare fibers (I) of the ribbon optical fibers are arranged, in opposite direction to each other, on a fiber setup stage (10) having V-grooves. A discharge occurs between the discharge electrode rods (21,22). In order to set all of the bare fibers “f” into a uniform temperature area in a discharge area, a wide and length of the uniform temperature area is extended by applying to the discharge area an electric field generated by applying a desired voltage to fiber clamps (31) made up of a conductive material. Thereby, a good fusing and splicing process is performed by supplying a uniform amount of heat to all of the bare fibers “f”. Further, the above process is also performed while a desired voltage is applied to a conductive plate arranged under the fiber setup stage (10).

Abstract: A technique for electrically mounting a surface-normal optical device or material on a waveguide-type optical device while the characteristics of the mounted device are effectively used is disclosed. The waveguide-type optical device comprises a substrate on which optical waveguides or fibers are provided and a trench is formed; a pair of electrodes which is assigned to each optical waveguide or fiber and is formed from the surface of the substrate to wall surfaces of the trench; and a material or device which is filled or inserted into the trench, and which has an electro-optic effect, thermo-optic effect, light emitting function, light receiving function, or light modulating function. Another type of device comprises a thin and surface-normal active optical device driven by an applied voltage, which is substantially vertically inserted into the trench and is fixed in the trench; and a support member attached to the inserted device.

Abstract: A cable manager provides horizontal cable management of adjacent patch panels or network equipment on network distribution racks. The cable manager includes a central section and a front cable routing section and is mountable on a network rack, such as an EIA rack. The central section has a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack, a front side, a rear side, and rack mounting holes provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the central section. The front cable routing section extends from the front side of the central section and includes a plurality of spaced fingers having an arcuate surface that provides bend radius control. A slit provides flexibility to the fingers. Ears extend laterally from the fingers. The cable manager can also include a rear cable routing section that includes a second plurality of spaced fingers. One or more passthrough openings can be provided in the central section to allow routing of cabling from the front section to the rear section.

Abstract: A hermetic package having connectors, such as optical fibers or electrical leads, connected and bonded thereto with a bonding material such as epoxy resin, has the bonding material coated with a single layer or multiple layers of sealing material, such as chromium, copper, gold, tungsten, titanium, nickel, or aluminum, to prevent outgased material from the bonding material from entering the hermetic package enclosure. The bonding material may be recessed prior to coating of the sealing material to permit the sealing material to be polished from the optical element and the optical element polished flush with the inside of the package while leaving the sealing material covering the bonding material.

Abstract: WDM demultiplexers are provided utilizing, for example, cascaded asymmetric MZI filters, wherein the (asymmetric) differential delay is such that at the output of the first stage MZI demultiplexes the WDM channels in groups of two at its output. The result is a relaxed specification for the frequency response of the filters.

Abstract: A first waveguide holding member has a first transverse surface region and a first optical waveguide having an end terminating at the first transverse surface region. A second waveguide holding member has a second transverse surface region which confronts the first transverse surface region of the first waveguide holding member and a second optical waveguide having an end terminating at the second transverse surface region. A guide member is operatively coupled to the first and second waveguide holding members and guides the first waveguide holding member in a transverse direction relative to the second waveguide holding member so as to selectively optically couple and decouple the ends of the first and second optical waveguides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high power, broad gain, high efficiency, low noise, cladding pumped fiber amplifiers and lasers. The present invention allows a much higher pump light intensity in the inner cladding of a double cladding fiber to be achieved than is possible with conventionally pumped double cladding fiber amplifiers. The present invention utilizes a fiber taper in which the inner cladding decreases from a wide to narrow portion with the fiber core remaining the same diameter.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer includes first and second directional coupling portions in which first and second optical waveguides are provided to transfer a light between the first and second optical waveguides. Lengths of the first and second optical waveguides have a difference (&Dgr;L). A product between the difference (&Dgr;L) and a refractive index (n) of the first and second optical waveguides approximates a product between a cross-propagation wavelength (&lgr;2) and a value (N′) substantially equal to an integer (N), and a product between a through-propagation wavelength (&lgr;1) and the value (N′)±0.5. Power coupling ratio differences are at least approximately 1% and at most approximately 10%. Third power coupling ratios with respect to an average wavelength of the cross-propagation wavelength (&lgr;2) and the through-propagation wavelength (&lgr;1) are at least approximately 45% and at most approximately 55%.