Abstract: An optical waveguide plate for a display including a main optical waveguide plate body for introducing light from a light source thereinto, and surface-smoothing materials formed on both surfaces of the main optical waveguide plate body and having approximately the same optical refractive index as that of an optical waveguide plate. The main optical waveguide plate body is composed of a transparent material such as glass and acrylic resin, because it is necessary to totally reflect the introduced light. The surface-smoothing material is composed of, for example, a liquid having good wettability with respect to the main optical waveguide plate body. The range, in which the optical refractive index of the surface-smoothing material is approximately the same as the optical refractive index of the main optical waveguide plate body, lies in 0.8n≦m≦1.

Abstract: A polarized light synthesizing apparatus has a lens assembly including a securing member for securing ends of a plurality of optical fibers which can propagate light having different polarization components and a lens for converting the plural kinds of polarization component light emitted from the optical fibers into collimated beams, and a birefringent member for polarization-synthesizing the plural kinds of polarization component light as the same optical axis using a difference in refractive index characteristic between the plural kinds of polarization component light emitted from the lens, thereby largely decreasing a packaging size of the apparatus while keeping functions of a known optical circuit device, a required resistance to light, reliability and readiness of fabrication.

Abstract: An optical submarine branching unit for branching a trunk cable into first and second branch cables, including a pressure housing having a cylinder and first and second covers, a branching circuit unit accommodated in the pressure housing, a first feed through assembly mounted to the first cover so as to extend therethrough, for introducing optical fibers of the trunk cable into the pressure housing, and second and third feed through assemblies mounted to the second cover so as to extend therethrough, for introducing optical fibers of the first and second branch cables into the pressure housing, respectively. The branching circuit unit has a feeding unit and an optical circuit unit completely separated from the feeding unit. Each feed through assembly includes a sleeve and a pin inserted in the sleeve. The pin has a plurality of bosses each having a plurality of axial grooves. Multiple layers of optical fibers are received in each axial groove and extend along the pin.

Abstract: In an optical connector for positioning and fixing the distal end of a fiber optic ribbon cable with a connector ferrule, a guide-pin hole is formed in a mating end connected with another optical connector. A pair of positioning guide pins are inserted into the respective guide-pin holes. The guide-pin hole has an enlarged region whose diameter gradually increases toward the opening end portion of the mating end.

Abstract: An optical module for an optical device and an optical fiber is constituted by a pre-molded plastic package. In forming the plastic package, the main flowing direction of the molding resin is substantially parallel with the optical axis of the optical fiber. The optical module is formed by molding the resin by an injection method using pressure and then solidifying the resin. When the plastic package is formed by comprehensive molding, the flowing direction of the resin is parallel with the optical axis direction of the optical fiber to be installed in the optical module. As a result, for comprehensive molding, the molding pressure applied to the optical fiber is reduced. By using the resin case that is formed, the resulting package exhibits high rigidity and low thermal expansion properties in connection with the flowing direction of the resin, thus reducing the external stress and thermal stress applied to the optical fiber.

Abstract: In order to reduce the polarization-mode dispersion, disturbance mechanisms are provided along the length of the respective optical waveguide in a statistically distributed manner. The disturbance mechanisms bring about additional polarization-mode couplings for transmission light in the optical waveguide interior.

Abstract: A dispersion-shifted fiber includes structure configured to effectively reduce nonlinear optical effects and transmission loss caused by structural mismatching. A core region in the dispersion-shifted fiber includes an inner core and an outer core, which are both glass areas. The inner core is doped with a predetermined amount of fluorine, having an average relative refractive index difference &Dgr;n1. The outer core is disposed between the inner core and the cladding region and is doped with a predetermined amount of germanium dioxide, having an average relative refractive index difference &Dgr;n2(&Dgr;n2>&Dgr;n1), such that the viscosity ratio between the inner core and the outer core at a drawing temperature is set within a predetermined range, thereby effectively restraining structural mismatching from occurring at the boundary between these glass regions.

Abstract: A temporary latchable or clasping interengageable interconnection mechanism is provided for an optical gyroscope assembly (10) to enable it to be rapidly and non-harmfully assembled and disassembled prior to a more durable interconnection, to facilitate repair and rework. The assembly includes a fiber optic spool (12), an inner shield (16) and an outer shield (18), which are formed of a stress-annealed magnetically permeable, and generally malleable material. Should the assembly be dropped, bent or dented, their magnetic shielding properties will be compromised, which is the harm to be avoided by the temporary interconnection. Accordingly, the fiber optic spool (12) and the inner shield (16) are temporarily interconnectable with the outer shield (18) and its spacer ring (38) by interengageable elements having the ability to latch or clasp the shield and the spacer ring together to prevent or, at a minimum, resist disassembly therebetween.

Abstract: The invention relates to a branching unit (7) for an underwater wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communications system. The branching unit (7) has an optical switch (16) and an optical multiplexer (17) having a number of loop back optical paths which pass through the switch (16). The optical switch (16) is reconfigurable so that individual channels of a WDM signal can be selectively coupled to a trunk output of the branching unit (7). The branching unit allows wavelength and/or capacity reconfiguration between the main trunk (4) and the spur (8) so that it is possible to disconnect a signal from the spur or increase capacity of the spur according to customers' changing requirements.

Abstract: An optical fiber probe having a tapered portion inclined in three stages having three inclinations is manufactured by carrying out etching on one end of an optical fiber having a second core, a first cladding and a second cladding provided in this order around a first core, in which a radius r4 of an outer peripheral surface of the second cladding is r4<r4P, where r4P=r3+(r3−r2)[(R2+R3)/(R3−R2)]½ (r2: radius of the outer peripheral surface of the second core, r3: radius of the outer peripheral surface of the first cladding, R2: dissolution rate of the second core, R3: dissolution rate of the first cladding) under the condition of R1=R2<R3<R4 (R1: dissolution rate of the first core, R2: dissolution rate of the second core, R3: dissolution rate of the first cladding, R4: dissolution rate of the second cladding), and then performing chemical etching under the condition of R1<R2<R3<R4.

Abstract: An simlified optical configuration is acheved and, a direction discrimination function and a high resolving detection function are performed by one light receiving section. A TE mode emitted from an optical waveguide section 3 transmits through a beam splitter 5 and is guided to a measurement optical path. A TM mode emitted from the optical waveguide is reflected by the beam splitter 5 and is guided to a reference optical path. First and second ¼ wave plates 10 and 11 are inserted in the respective optical paths, and the TE and TM modes are acted by a ½ wave plate while travelling forward and backward on the reference and measurement optical paths. A reference light (TM mode) is reflected by a reference reflection section 8 and transmits through the beam splitter section 5. A measurement light (TE mode) is reflected by a measurement reflection section 9 and is reflected by the beam splitter section 5.

Abstract: A splice holder for securing and retaining fiber optic splices. The splice holder facilitates insertion and prevents accidental dislodgment of splices by providing a self locking feature. The splice holder comprises at least two spaced apart members in parallel alignment extending from a base. Adjacent pairs of members define a channel for retaining the splice. Each member comprises two spaced apart pliable and resilient sidewalls in parallel alignment and interconnected by a pliable and resilient tab near the upper ends of each sidewall with a portion of each sidewall extending above the tab to form a protrusion.

Abstract: A refractive-index grating fabricated in an optical fiber having a multilayer coating and a method for making refractive-index patterns such as gratings in optical fibers such that the mechanical properties of the original fiber are preserved. The patterns are written into the optical fiber by partially stripping away the outer coating of the fiber, exposing the core of the fiber through the remainder of the coating with an actinic radiation to form the pattern in the photosensitive core of the fiber, followed by recoating the fiber in the stripped area to provide protection of the newly formed pattern from corruption and to preserve the mechanical properties of the fiber.

Abstract: An optical module for an optical device and an optical fiber is constituted by a pre-molded plastic package. In forming the plastic package, the main flowing direction of the molding resin is substantially parallel with the optical axis of the optical fiber. The optical module is formed by molding the resin by an injection method using pressure and then solidifying the resin. When the plastic package is formed by comprehensive molding, the flowing direction of the resin is parallel with the optical axis direction of the optical fiber to be installed in the optical module. As a result, for comprehensive molding, the molding pressure applied to the optical fiber is reduced. By using the resin case that is formed, the resulting package exhibits high rigidity and low thermal expansion properties in connection with the flowing direction of the resin, thus reducing the external stress and thermal stress applied to the optical fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing for the ingress/egress of an optical fiber in composite materials wherein flexible tooling protects the ingress and egress point of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is placed into the uncured laminates of the composite material prior to curing such laminates. The ingress/egress point of this fiber is protected from the laminates by enclosing the fiber with a plurality of polyimide and poly(tetrofluoroethylene) tubes. During the curing process, a rubber plate covers the laminates and the fiber optic lead are brought out of the laminates through a plug in the rubber plate and positioned along the rubber plate in grooves to protect the external fiber leads during curing. After curing a strain relief boot is placed over the fiber optic lead where it ingresses/egresses the composite material to relieve the strain generated on the optical fiber lead during operational use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for fitting connectors to optical elements to an integrated optical circuit (26) consisting of connecting at least one optical element to this circuit such that the outputs and/or inputs of each element are located approximately in the same plane (xoz) as the inputs and/or outputs of this integrated optical circuit (26), also located in the same plane (xoz). This process comprises the following steps:the circuit (26) is positioned on a template (35) with patterns that enable subsequent precise alignment of optical elements with inputs and/or outputs of the circuit (26);at least one block (29, 30) capable of holding the optical element(s), is positioned on the template facing the inputs and/or outputs of the circuit (26), and is fixed to the circuit (26);the template is removed, and the optical element(s) is (are) placed in each block (29, 30) the blocks then being aligned with the inputs and/or outputs of the circuit (26).

Abstract: An optical fiber has two or more cores with respective faces on the fiber's ends. The faces are preferably oriented so that optical radiation can be coupled into or out of the individual cores, thereby permitting, for example, optical radiation from the various cores to be spatially resolved in the far field. The faces can be formed on the fiber by polishing the fiber at an angle with respect to the cores, i.e., with respect to the optical paths traversed by the optical radiation passing through the fiber.

Abstract: An input/output module (1) with a terminal unit (2) for connection of sensors or actuators with an electronic unit (3) and with a bus connection element (4). The terminal unit (2) has at least one input/output (5) located in a surface thereof and the terminal unit is connected by the electronic unit (3) to the bus connection element (4). To replace the electronic unit (3), the terminal unit (2) can be removed from the electronic unit (3) without the need to remove lines (6) connected to the inputs/outputs (5). The terminal unit (2) is able to be mounted to the electronic unit (3) in each of two positions, the input/output (5) in the two positions lying in planes that are offset relative to each other by 90.degree..

Abstract: An optical fiber switch for switching N.times.2N (N.gtoreq.1) circuits is capable of mechanically switching a plurality of pairs of optical fiber circuits at the same time. The optical fiber switch moves an N (N.gtoreq.1) number of movable optical fibers at the same time by a drive member which is guided by a slit of alignment members and reciprocated at right angles or in the X direction with respect to an optical axis. The optical axes of the movable optical fibers are accurately aligned with the optical axes of first or second fixed optical fibers by a mechanism which presses the N (N.gtoreq.1) number of the movable optical fibers against alignment V grooves at the same time by utilizing the flexure stress of an elastic pin provided on an actuator. Further, the elastic pin imparts a self-holding function to the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention includes a pigtailing method between an optical waveguide device and an optical fiber array module, comprising the steps of preparing the optical waveguide device having optical waveguides of n1 input ports and n2 output ports on the lateral surface of a substrate, wherein n1 and n2 are integers equal to or greater than 1, aligning the optical fiber array module having optical fibers arranged at equal distances between the input ports and between the output ports, to the input and output ports of the optical waveguide device, and attaching the aligned optical fiber array module to the lateral surface of the optical waveguide device. Since only one attachment process of the optical fiber array module to the optical waveguide device is required, the fabrication cost can be reduced.