Abstract: A temperature-compensated fiber grating package which provides a temperature dependant stress on a fiber Bragg grating to substantially compensate for temperature dependant variations of the Bragg wavelength. The package includes a base, a fiber grating bonded to the base, and a strut. The base is formed from a high thermal expansion material, and includes first and second spaced arms separated by a base portion. The strut is constructed from a low thermal expansion material is disposed between the first and second arms. The ends of the strut engage the interior surfaces of the arms to form left and right fulcrum points. The fiber grating is secured between the first and second arms. As temperature increases, the high thermal expansion material of the arms expands at a greater rate than the low thermal expansion material of the strut. The top portion of at least one of the arms thus pivots inward about a fulcrum point to place the temperature-dependant negative strain on the grating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and adjusting binder laylength during the process of manufacturing a selected fiber optic cable design. Specifically, a binder, having a distinguishing and physically detectable feature, is wrapped around fiber optic bundles or a buffer tube. A detection system detects the unique feature associated with the binder and thus creates a calculates a representative distance value. The distance value is calculated in relation the periodic spacing between two detected points on the physically detectable binder and is continuously monitored by a closed feedback loop. A computer receives status data from the closed feedback loop and compares the received data to a stored laylength parameter. In light of the comparison, an algorithm adjusts the binder head speed accordingly. This process repeats until the desired stored laylength is detected by the detection system.

Abstract: Generally, the present invention relates to a fiber optic device that is easier to align than conventional devices, and to a method for aligning such devices. An embodiment of the invention includes a first focusing element having an optical axis and a first focal length, and a first optical fiber optically coupled to a first side of the first focusing element. The first optical fiber is disposed at a first transverse distance from the optical axis so that light from the first optical fiber propagates on a second side of the first focusing element as a substantially collimated beam at a first angle to the optical axis. A wedged optical element is optically coupled to the second side of the first focusing element and deviates the substantially collimated beam so as to propagate in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: An optical fiber device for ablating a channel through a plaque deposit or a clot in a blood vessel is described. Laser energy is transmitted through one or a bundle of optical fibers to a quartz or fused silica cylinder, whose distal end surface has been made into a desired shape and sandblasted or carbon coated or both. The cylinder is received with a pocket defined in a sheath which surrounds the optical fibers. Moreover, the cylinder includes a circumferential recess and the sheath includes a circumferential rib which engages into the recess for securing the lens in the pocket. In one embodiment, the cylinder has a cavity formed therein and the distal end of the optical fiber extends into the cavity. In a further embodiment, the device is adapted to be guided along a wire extending through the pocket and an aperture defined in the sheath and/or a channel defined in the cylinder.

Abstract: Passive optical channel equalizer apparatus includes first and second waveguides arranged to form a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A non-linear optical medium section is formed in one of the waveguides and is capable of self-phase modulating each channel of an N-channel multiplexed lightwave to produce an output lightwave having improved channel power uniformity.

Abstract: An optical waveguide device is provided that can reduce external interference noise. The optical waveguide device includes a substrate, an optical waveguide formed on the substrate, a periodic polarization inversion region formed on the optical waveguide, and an optical thin film formed in a portion of the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide (refractive index: N2) and the optical thin film (refractive index: N1) differ in refractive index dispersion, and the magnitude relationship between the refractive indexes is reversed depending on wavelength. The relationship N1>N2 is established for light having a shorter wavelength, while the relationship N2>N1 is established for light having a longer wavelength.

Abstract: A strain sensor comprises an optical waveguide having a plurality of reflecting structure (Bragg grating) along its length. Each structure reflects light at a different characteristic wavelength (&lgr;1 to &lgr;n+1) which changes in dependence on a change of physical length of at least part of the reflecting structure. The reflectivity of reflecting structures which reflect at characteristic wavelengths which are adjacent to each other (&lgr;1 and &lgr;2 or &lgr;n and &lgr;n+1) are configured to be different such that the intensity of light reflected from adjacent structures can be used to discriminate between them.

Abstract: An article for temporarily retaining an optical fiber cable including a stripped terminal portion of at least one optical fiber requiring cleaving followed by polishing of an end face thereof. The article comprises a housing having a recess for a demountable optical fiber holder. A demountable optical fiber holder includes a base-plate having at least a first fiber channel to receive at least one optical fiber. The base plate has a number of pockets. A cover plate for the demountable optical fiber holder includes a spring clamp, at least a first upper channel and a number of posts to mate with the pockets of the base-plate to assemble the holder. The article further includes a guide plate attached to the housing to pivot between a first pivot position and a second pivot position. A rotatable lid attached to the housing rotates between an open position and a closed position. The article temporarily retains the optical fiber cable for cleaving and polishing the end face thereof when the lid is closed.

Abstract: A packaged optical micro-mechanical device. A die includes one or more optical micro-mechanical devices on a first surface of a substrate. The first surface includes a die reference surface. A package frame includes an aperture and a package frame reference surface proximate the aperture adapted to receive the die reference surface such that the optical micro-mechanical devices are located in the aperture. One or more V-grooves are positioned relative to an optical interface reference plane adjacent to the micro-mechanical devices and terminating adjacent to the aperture. One or more optical fibers are located in the V-grooves optically coupled with one or more of the optical micro-mechanical devices.

Abstract: The optical component includes an array of array waveguides. The optical component also includes a first light distributing component configured to distribute a first light signal to the array waveguide. The first light signal is distributed such that a fraction of the first light signal enters each array waveguide as a light signal fraction. The optical component also includes a second light distribution component configured to received the light signal fractions from the array waveguides. The light signal fractions are received so they combine to from a second light signal with a periodic intensity distribution.

Abstract: A package for optical micro-mechanical devices including a die with one or more optical micro-mechanical devices on a first surface of a substrate. The first surface includes a die reference surface. One or more optical interconnect alignment mechanisms are formed in the first surface of the die. The optical interconnect alignment mechanisms are positioned to optically couple an optical interconnect with one or more of the optical micro-mechanical devices on the die. A package frame including an aperture and a package frame reference surface proximate the aperture is adapted to receive the die reference surface such that the optical micro-mechanical devices are located in the aperture. One or more optical interconnect alignment mechanisms are formed in the package frame.

Abstract: A first multimode interferometer has a first input port to which an optical signal is applied, a first output port, and a second output port. A first optical waveguide is connected to the first output port of the first multimode interferometer. The first optical waveguide has a refractive index changed in response to a trigger signal externally applied. A second optical waveguide is connected to the second output port. A triggering unit supplies, to the first optical waveguide, the trigger signal for changing the refractive index of the first optical waveguide. An optical switch is provided which can increase the processing speed, can reduce the device size, and is free from dependency on the polarization state of an optical signal.

Abstract: In-situ and post-cure methods of joining optical fibers and optoelectronic components are provided. An in situ method of joining an optical fiber to an optoelectronic component includes positioning an optical fiber and optoelectronic component in adjacent relationship such that light signals can pass therebetween, applying a curable resin having adhesive properties to an interface of the optical fiber and the optoelectronic component, aligning the optical fiber and optoelectronic component relative to each other such that signal strength of light signals passing between the optical fiber and the optoelectronic component is substantially maximized, and irradiating the interface with non-ionizing radiation in RF/microwave energy to rapidly cure the resin.

Abstract: The invention includes fiber optic device, comprising a substrate comprising at least one groove comprising a first surface, a fiber stop a bonding material, and at least one fiber comprising a second surface in the at least one groove, wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface has a surface energy that increases in the direction of the fiber stop and method for longitudinally locating an optical fiber stub in a groove wherein the fiber stub is pressed against a fiber stop by surface tension.

Abstract: A WDM demultiplexer/multiplexer comprising a plurality of narrow band reflective filters linearly disposed along an optical axis, each narrow band reflective filter reflecting a single channel or group of channels and transmitting the remaining channels, is described. In a demultiplexing mode, an optical signal initially carrying channels at &lgr;1&lgr;2 . . . &lgr;N travels along the optical axis. Each narrow band reflective filter reflects a distinct channel and is tilted with respect to the optical axis such that it directs the reflected beam away from the optical axis to an output. Each narrow band reflective filter is substantially transparent to the remaining channels of the optical signal, such that the remainder of the optical signal proceeds along the optical axis substantially undisturbed.

Abstract: A method of winding an optical fiber on a reel, utilizing the optical fiber having the following characteristics: effective area is larger than 50 &mgr;m2, zero dispersion wavelength is outside a range of 1530-1565 nm, absolute value of the dispersion value in the entire wavelength range of 1530-1565 nm is in a range of 2-14 ps/nm/km, and bending loss at a 1550 nm-wavelength is in 1-100 dB/m when wound at a diameter of 20 mm, and the reel with a barrel diameter of 100 to 200 mm; and winding the optical fiber on the reel with satisfying d<p<2d and 0.004≦(2T/D)≦0.007, wherein d is a coating outer diameter of the fiber (mm), D is a barrel diameter (mm), T is a winding tension (N), and p is a winding pitch (mm).

Abstract: An optical attenuator includes an input optical fiber (11) and an attenuating device (3). The attenuating device is a neutral density (ND) filter. The filter has a refractive index matching that of the input optical fiber, to reduce Fresnel reflectance between the attenuating device and a terminal of the input optical fiber. One surface of the ND filter is not perpendicular to an incident light beam, thus preventing multireflectance between the attenuating device and the terminal of the input optical fiber. Therefore, return loss is increased.

Abstract: A thermally-shaped optical fiber and a method for forming the same so as to minimize the presence of optical artifacts in the optical fiber that contributes to insertion loss.

Abstract: A capillary optic produced by impression has a mold with an external profile figured for radiation transmission along an axis used as a mandrel for impression. The mold often takes the form of a precisely etched wire. At least one soft plate is used for impressing the mold into the soft plate. The mold is removed from the soft plate to leave a vacant impression figured for radiation transmission in the soft plate along an axis. The impression is then closed to provide for radiation transmission along the axis of the impression. In the most common embodiment, two relatively soft plates having identical compositions with flat and highly polished initial surfaces are used. The impression(s) can be coated with reflective materials. Disclosure of an optical connector and emitter is included.

Abstract: An optical fiber fitting includes a cylindrical sleeve having a first annular groove extending normal to the axial direction on the inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve, a rod member having a plurality of channels each extending in the axial direction and receiving therein an optical fiber and a second annular groove extending normal to the axial direction, and a C-shape spring, having a radially outer surface received in the first annular groove and a radially inner surface received in the second annular groove, for locking the rod member with the cylindrical sleeve.