Abstract: An optical coupling apparatus including a light emitting diode, a lens, an optical isolator and an optical fiber disposed on a common optical axis is improved in the optical coupling efficiency. The individual optical elements are roughly adjusted in the respective positions and fixed, and then a precise and fine adjustment is effectuated by plastically deforming a portion of a holder for supporting the lens or the optical isolator and/or by adjusting inclination of the holder. The holder imparted with the fine adjustment capability can be implemented as a lens holder.

Abstract: In order to achieve increased spacing between amplifiers in soliton transmission systems, it is proposed to use distributed amplifiers, whereby the fibre is a continuous amplifier, rather than or in addition to the conventional lumped amplifiers. This is achieved by using rare earth, for example, erbium doped fibre as the or part of the transmission fibre (4; 4, 7) for the solitons and arranging that the erbium doped fibre appears substantially lossless to input soliton pulses. The latter can be achieved by varying the erbium concentration along the fibre length and providing appropriate optical pumping (5) for the erbium doped fibre. Alternatively, the output of the pump (5) for the fibre can itself be pumped (5a) whereby to replenish the pump power lost to the erbium doped fibre.

Abstract: Fiber optic couplers formed of at least two single mode optical fibers, at least one of which is an input fiber, are shown, the fibers constructed and arranged in the manner that coupling between the input fiber and the other fibers limits antisymmetric modal energy to substantially less than 50% of the input energy, the coupling region of said coupler being fused and drawn to an extended length sufficient to cause cutoff of the antisymmetric mode energy, whereby the coupler exhibits coupling ratio stability over an extended range of wavelengths and an excess loss of substantially less than 50%. Numerous fiber couplers of various construction, all employing cut-off of the antisymmetric mode to achieve wideband response or wavelength insensitivity are shown along with their method of manufacture.

Abstract: The voltage signal applied between a conductive thin film (2) and a transparent conductive thin film (6) changes the aligning direction of a liquid crystal layer (5) near the surface of a waveguide layer (4) so that the refractive index of the liquid crystal (5) for waveguide light (8) is changed thereby to change the equivalent refractive index for the waveguide light (8), and thus the diffraction angle of the radiated light (9) from the waveguide layer (4) including the cyclic structure (3G) formed therein is also changed to deflect the radiated light.

Abstract: A tool for actuating an optical fiber splice having an actuation element which moves longitudinally within the splice. The tool includes a base having a recess for receiving the splice, and two channels parallel to and aligned with the recess. A pair of fiber holders are used to manipulate the fibers, the holders being placed in the channels. The channels have ramped surfaces inclined toward the recess to facilitate proper insertion of the fibers into the splice, and the ramped surfaces have slots therein allowing passage of push rods which bias the holders toward the splice, providing positive abutment of the fiber end faces within the splice. Backstops are formed at the outside ends of the channels, and sidewalls are formed adjacent the backstops. A lever is pivotally attached to the underside of the base, and has an actuation stud which passes through an opening in the base and contacts the actuation element of the splice.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable (20) includes a core which (22) is filled with a filling material (26) comprising a composition of matter which passes industry wide drip tests, which substantially has no oil separation and which has excellent thermal oxidative stability. The filling composition includes a relatively high molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon which may be a polyalphaolefin, for example, or a relatively high molecular weight mineral oil. Also included in the composition of the filling material is a fumed silica, a block copolymer and a relatively high amount of an antioxidant system. Swelling of coating materials for optical fibers (25,25) which are relatively soft and which are in contact with the filling material is substantially less than that experienced with prior art filling materials. Because of the inclusion of a low pour point aliphatic hydrocarbon in the filling material, the cable provides excellent optical performance at low temperatures.

Abstract: An optical fiber holder 10 has a base 20 which has at least one groove 24 for retaining a fiber 13, which groove 24 is optimally slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber 13. The top of the groove 24 is slightly larger than the diameter of the fiber 13. A strand retaining plate 30 is spring biased to additonally secure the fiber 13 when the plate 30 is placed over the fiber 13. The base 20 may be securely fixed in place. To fuse two fibers 13, two optical fiber holders 10 may be placed facing each other with the end of a fiber 13 extending from each. When fusing is to be performed by laser, the pair of apparatus may be securely placed at the proper distance from the laser beam as well as at the proper distance with respect to one another.

Abstract: An apparatus simplifying the creation of right-angle optical paths between optical structures. The apparatus allows the input/output of optical signals from an optical wave-guide.

Abstract: A coated optical fiber (30) includes optical glass fiber which has been drawn from a preform and provided with one or more layers of coating materials having defined properties. The layer (32) of coating material which is contiguous to the drawn glass fiber may be one which in a preferred embodiment is cationically cured coating material. Curing of the cationically cured coating material causes an acid to be generated. The acid which has a relatively long life is effective to reduce sufficientlythe pH of the environment in contact with the drawn glass to cause the coated optical fiber to have enhanced mechanical strength.

Abstract: An integrated optic waveguide coupler having an interaction length throughout which two waveguides lie parallel and in contact with each other, in which the interaction length incorporates at least one straight section and, adjoining the straight section, there is provided at least one additional interaction length having a predetermined curvature. The curvature and the length of the interaction length together minimize wavelength sensitivity.

Abstract: This invention is an optical connective device which can have a two-dimensional array of optical fibers. The device can be comprised of a single piece of light conducting material such as glass, plastic or the like shaped to have a slab support member having pillars which project outward from opposing surfaces. The pillars on one of the opposing surfaces are optically aligned with corresponding pillars on the other opposing surface. The length of a pillar can be as small as its diameter. The ends of the pillars can be flat or curved to form a lens and each pillar can be accurately located to an arbitary position. The optical connective device can be sandwiched between chips to provide an integrated circuit chip-to-chip connective device for a stack of two or more chips.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical connector for connecting an endoscope to a light source device. The connector includes an elongated connector body for receiving and holding one end portion of a light guide of the endoscope. The connector body has a port at its one end, and the convex lens is supported at this port. The connector is attached to the light source device, and in this condition an illumination light converging from a light source toward one end of the connector passes through the convex lens and is incident upon a light-receiving surface of the light guide.

Abstract: An improved optical fiber light-amplifier includes an amplifier optical fiber with a center core through which signal light is propagated, and a pumping light generating device which applies pumping light obliquely to the optical fiber. Pumping light is repetitively reflected within the optical fiber from portions of the optical fiber other than the interface between the core and regions surrounding the core. While pumping light is propagated through the fiber, it is absorbed by and excites the center core to amplify signal light being propagated through the optical fiber.

Abstract: A fiber-optic coil for use as the sensor loop of a fiber-optic gyroscope includes a first optical fiber segment wound as radially successive coiled layers around a coil bobbin in a first region thereof, and a second optical fiber segment wound as radially successive coiled layers around the coil bobbin in an axially adjacent second region thereof. The first and second optical fiber segments are joined to each other through a longitudinal middle portion, which is positioned in the radially innermost coiled layers of the first and second optical fiber segments adjacent to a longitudinal center of said coil bobbin. Each of the first and second optical fiber segments is wound in alternate axial directions in the radially successive coiled layers. The first and second optical fiber segments may be integrally joined to each other by the longitudinal middle portion, or may be separate from, but joined to, each other by a depolarizer across the longitudinal middle portion.

Abstract: An optical fiber tray including a fiber connector holder with storage in the holder for incoming fibers for connection to rear facing ends of the connectors. Front facing connector ends are joined to outgoing fibers in the form of patch cords which pass through a storage facility in which each patch cord is disposed in its own storage region. A minimum bend radius channel through which the patch cords travel is movable in the tray to lessen the distance moved by patch cords as the tray is moved forwardly and rearwardly. This movable channel allows for excess fiber from within the tray during tray movement and without disturbing patch cord material outside the tray.

Abstract: A semiconductor heterojunction, guided-wave, electroabsorption modulator. The device includes a rib waveguide fabricated on a substrate. The waveguide includes a relatively thin and off-center undoped electroabsorbing layer within a light-guiding region. Electrodes configured for interconnection to an external voltage source produce an electric field within the waveguide. Heavily doped field confining layers on opposite sides of the electroabsorbing layer confine the electric field within the electroabsorbing layer to cause the electroabsorption of radiation in accordance with the Franz-Keldysh effect.

Abstract: A traveling-wave ring-laser (10) to provide improved power stability single longitudinal mode characteristics, narrow lasing linewidth and smooth wavelength tuning. The ring-laser comprises an optical amplifier (12) that includes a first facet (16) and a second facet (42). Optical amplifier (12) generates laser light from first facet (16) ring-laser (10) directs a portion of the laser light from first facet (16) back into second facet (42). An Faraday rotator (32) and half-wave plate (30) direct a portion of laser light that second facet (42) receives to travel in one direction only from first facet (16) to second facet (42). By feeding back input from optical amplifier (12) first facet 16 into second facet 42, lasing occurs. Causing laser light from first facet (16) to travel in one direction provides for smooth wavelength tuning and stable power performance single longitudinal mode and narrow-linewidth characteristics in laser system (10).

Abstract: A waveguide-type optical switch having a Y-branch structure composed of a Y-waveguide and branched waveguides provided with electrodes for electrically controlling the guide asynchronism thereof characterized in that the branched waveguides arranged at a converging angle of .theta..sub.1, and the Y-waveguide having a branching angle .theta..sub.2 (.theta..sub.2 >.theta..sub.1) connected to the branched waveguides. It is possible to shorten the length of the device of the Y-structured arrangement having the electrodes capable electrically of controlling the asynchronism of the branched waveguides.

Abstract: An electro-optical connection assembly comprising a receptacle assembly and a plug assembly adapted for interconnection, the receptacle assembly having a first fiber optic line and a first electrically conductive tube concentrically arranged therein, and the plug assembly having a second fiber optic line and a second electrically conductive tube concentrically arranged therein, the receptacle assembly and the plug assembly being adapted for face-to-face connection to connect the first fiber optic line to the second fiber optic line and the first electrically conductive tube to the second electrically conductive tube. The receptacle assembly is further provided with means to resist displacement of the first fiber optic line by underwater pressure on the face of the receptacle assembly.

Abstract: A fiber optic rotary joint device is described which includes a rotor conted to either an input or output fiber optic array and a stator connected to the other of the input or output fiber optic array. A prism is mounted within the rotor for derotating an image of the input array to allow coupling to the output array. A prism rotor and a gear system are provided for rotating the prism at half the speed of the rotor. Optical means are provided for two adjustment tiers (small angular adjustment and fine adjustment) of alignment of the light propagation path for each channel of the array. Mechanical structural features provide maintanance of accurate alignment of optical elements under rotation of the joint. Further mechanical structural features provide resiliency of the gear system to isolate its operation from maintenance of mechanical alignment of optical elements.