Abstract: A planar waveguide lens is characterized in that the same is a gradient lens, whereby the refractive index profile transversely to the lens axis extends approximately parabolically. The lens may be constructed to be multi-mode or may be constructed to be single-mode in the spatial direction perpendicular to the lens axis and perpendicular to the axis in which the indicated change of the refractive index profile extends. Grid structures are provided for dividing the light. The grid structures may be permanent, electro-optically produced or acousto-optically produced. For single mode fibers, the grid structures are produced by acoustic surface waves, while for multi-mode fibers, the grid structures are produced by way of acoustical volume waves.

Abstract: An optical fiber having a core surrounded by a cladding layer which has an index of refraction less than the index of refraction of the core characterized by a longitudinal side coupling zone being formed by a longitudinal opening extending through the cladding layer of the fiber to expose a portion of the core. The optical fiber of the invention is particularly useful in conjunction with a light sensitive detector and is useful in a mixer where more than one fiber are joined together either in a bundle or in a strip configuration. The fiber with the side coupling zone can be formed by drawing the fiber from a workpiece having a core or rod member surrounded by a sleeve member or layer which is provided with the opening or can be drawn from a molten material utilizing a double crucible in which the opening of the inner crucible is provided with at least one bulge extending to the edge of the opening of the outer crucible.

Abstract: An optical fiber having a core surrounded by a cladding layer which has an index of refraction less than the index of refraction of the core characterized by a longitudinal side coupling zone being formed by a longitudinal opening extending through the cladding layer of the fiber to expose a portion of the core. The optical fiber of the invention is particularly useful in conjunction with a light sensitive detector and is useful in a mixer where more than one fiber are joined together either in a bundle or in a strip configuration. The fiber with the side coupling zone can be formed by drawing the fiber from a workpiece having a core or rod member surrounded by a sleeve member or layer which is provided with the opening or can be drawn from a molten material utilizing a double crucible in which the opening of the inner crucible is provided with at least one bulge extending to the edge of the opening of the outer crucible.

Abstract: An improved coupling element for coupling light into and out of a light component, which coupling element consists of a single core of cladded glass fiber whose cladding has a diameter that amounts to at least 1 mm so that the cladding acts as a member for supporting the core in the coupling element. Preferably, at least one flat surface is formed on the cladding to facilitate attaching the branching waveguide or fiber.

Abstract: A branching element for a single mode light waveguide characterized by monomode guides extending from a semi-transmissive reflective layer that is inclined to the axis thereof and the branching light waveguide is a multimode light waveguide which is positioned to receive light reflected by the layer from one of the monomode guides. The device has a good coupling efficiency and can be manufactured by a cheap and simple process.

Abstract: A branch element and method of making the element which distributes light signals from an incoming waveguide to outgoing waveguides characterized by a member having a pair of aligned waveguides received in channels with their end faces separated by a partially reflective layer and at least one branch waveguide engaging a portion of the surface of one of the aligned waveguides adjacent the reflective layer so that a light signal reflected by the layer is received in the branch waveguide. The method involves providing a single member having grooves for receiving each of the waveguides, cutting the member into two parts, polishing the cut edges to form polished surfaces with one of the surfaces being provided with the partially reflecting layer and joining the waveguide together. The position for the cutting is selected to be in a plane removed from the groove for the branch waveguide so that after polishing, the reflector is positioned in the desired relationship to the branch waveguide.

Abstract: An optical unit having at least one longitudinal side coupling zone characterized by the unit comprising at least one glass fiber having a glass core with a glass cladding layer surrounding the core with a step in the index of refraction from a greater to a lower value occurring at the junction between the glass core and cladding layer, the cross section of the glass fiber remaining uniform along the entire length and the core having at least one constriction to form the longitudinal coupling zone. To form the optical unit, a device utilizing a double crucible with a nozzle opening of the inner crucible being arranged to discharge into the nozzle opening of the outer crucible and provided with a means for regulating the flow therethrough is utilized.

Abstract: An optical unit having at least one longitudinal side coupling zone characterized by the unit comprising at least one glass fiber having a glass core with a glass cladding layer surrounding the core with a step in the index of refraction from a greater to a lower value occurring at the junction between the glass core and cladding layer, the cross section of the glass fiber remaining uniform along the entire length and the core having at least one constriction to form the longitudinal coupling zone. To form the optical unit, a device utilizing a double crucible with a nozzle opening of the inner crucible being arranged to discharge into the nozzle opening of the outer crucible and provided with a means for regulating the flow therethrough is utilized.

Abstract: A device for coupling an incoming light conducting fiber cable to an outgoing light conducting fiber cable characterized by at least one housing and means secured in the housing for holding the end faces of the light conducting fibers of each cable in centered relationship to each other and for optically interconnecting the ends faces of the light conducting fibers of the incoming cable to the end faces of the light conducting fibers of the outgoing cable. The means includes at least one holder having a guide body with guide channels for the light conducting fibers extending inward from one surface of the body and a cover member disposed on the guide body to close off the guide channels so that the light guiding fibers disposed in the channels are held therein.

Abstract: A distributor for optical signals characterized by a waveguide structure disposed on the substrate. The waveguide structure has an input and a plurality of output ends with a tree-like branching structure having at least one branching point with two curved branching sections extending therefrom. Each of the curved branching sections has a radius of curvature great enough so that the guiding of optical signals in the branching section is not impaired.

Abstract: An output/input coupler for multi-mode glass fibers characterized by a substrate and a main line having a square cross section disposed on the substrate and having at least one branch line extending on said substrate therefrom with the branch line having a rectangular cross section smaller than the cross section of the main line and having one surface coplanar with the surface of the main line. The branch line may have the same thickness as the main line with a reduced width or may have both a reduced thickness and width. In one embodiment, the branch line extends as an arc and may terminate in an end line which has a square cross section equal to the cross section of the main line and extends at an angle to the main line. In another embodiment, the branch line extends rectilinearly and may terminate in an end line which extends parallel to the main line and has a square cross section equal to the square cross section of the main line.

Abstract: A method for producing a light conductor structure having a pair of light conductors embedded in a substrate of an electro-optical material and having an electrode arranged between the light conductors, which structure is particularly adapted to be used as an electrically controllable coupler, characterized by providing a substrate, applying electrodes to the desired surface area of the substrate, and then producing the light conductors by doping the substrate utilizing the electrodes as a doping mask.

Abstract: A method of producing a light conductor structure or controllable coupler having a pair of light conductors embedded in a substrate of an electro-optical material and having electrodes arranged therebetween characterized by applying a layer of polycrystalline silicon on one surface of the substrate; etching away a portion of the layer to form a doping or diffusion mask; applying a layer of diffusion material on the mask and exposed silicon-free portions of the surface; diffusing the diffusion material into the silicon-free portions to form the light conductors; applying a layer of negative acting photo-lacquer on the layer of diffusion material and the conductors; projecting light through the substrate with the remaining portions of the silicon layer acting as a mask to expose the photo-lacquer; developing the layer of photo-lacquer to remove unexposed portions with the remaining portions of the lacquer covering the light conductors; removing the remaining portions of the silicon layer; applying a metal layer

Abstract: An output/input coupler for multi-mode glass fibers characterized by a substrate, a main line having at least one flat surface, and at least one branch line having one flat surface. The main line and branch line are arranged on the substrate with the flat surfaces being in spaced parallel facing relationship. Preferably, the main line has the square cross section and the flat surface of each branch line extends at an angle to the axis of the branch line so that the branch line has a wedge-shaped configuration in the plan view. A transparent material may be imposed in the space between the spaced parallel facing surfaces of the main and branch lines. This transparent material may be a liquid crystal material whose optical properties are changed by the application of an electric field created by a pair of electrodes which overlie the space between the parallel facing surfaces.

Abstract: A device for coupling an incoming light conducting fiber cable to an outgoing light conducting fiber cable characterized by at least one housing and means secured in the housing for holding the end faces of the light conducting fibers of each cable in centered relationship to each other and for optically interconnecting the end faces of the light conducting fibers of the incoming cable to the end faces of the light conducting fibers of the outgoing cable. The means includes at least one holder having a guide body with guide channels for the light conducting fibers extending inward from one surface of the body and a cover member disposed on the guide body to close off the guide channels so that the light guiding fibers disposed in the channels are held therein.

Abstract: An output/input coupler for multi-mode glass fibers characterized by a substrate and a main line having a square cross section disposed on the substrate and having at least one branch line extending on said substrate therefrom with the branch line having a rectangular cross section smaller than the cross section of the main line and having one surface coplanar with the surface of the main line. The branch line may have the same thickness as the main line with a reduced width or may have both a reduced thickness and width. In one embodiment, the branch line extends as an arc and may terminate in an end line which has a square cross section equal to the cross section of the main line and extends at an angle to the main line. In another embodiment, the branch line extends rectilinearly and may terminate in an end line which extends parallel to the main line and has a square cross section equal to the square cross section of the main line.

Abstract: A method for producing a light conductor structure having a pair of light conductors embedded in a substrate and electrodes arranged between and along the light conductors, which structure is particularly adapted for use as an electrically controllable coupler, characterized by providing a substrate of an electro-optical material having a c-axis parallel to one surface of the substrate and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the later formed light electrodes, forming a layer of polycrystalline silicon in zones of the substrate, which lie adjacent to second zones of said one surface in which second zones the light conductors will be formed; applying a layer of diffusion material to the silicon layer and the second zones which are free of silicon; diffusing the diffusion material into the substrate by heating to an elevated temperature to form light conductors by increasing the index of refraction of the light conductor above the index of refraction of the remaining portions of the substrate;

Abstract: A device for coupling an incoming light conducting fiber cable to an outgoing light conducting fiber cable characterized by a pair of housings connected together and each receiving a holder which holders center the fibers in one cable in relation to the fibers of the cable which is centered by the other holder. The improvement comprises the holder includes a substrate having a first guide foil disposed on one surface and a second guide foil disposed on the opposite surface, each of said foils having aligned channels for receiving light conducting fibers with the channels of the first foil in a direction leading away from the substrate possessing a cross-sectional profile, decreasing to the diameter of the light conducting fibers.

Abstract: A method of producing a light conductor structure having a pair of light conductors embedded in a substrate and electrodes arranged between the light conductors which structure is particularly adapted to be used as an electrically controllable coupler, characterized by providing a substrate, applying a strip of diffusion material on the substrate at the location of each of the light conductors, covering each of the strips of diffusion material with a protective layer of material, applying a metal layer to the substrate and the layer of protective material, removing the protective layer and the metal layer supported thereon, and then diffusing the diffusion material into the substrate by heating to a desired temperature.

Abstract: An optical transmitter, a plurality of optical receivers and light wave guides operatively interconnecting the transmitter and receivers. In one embodiment the transmitter has a light emission surface in the order of a plurality of light wave guide cross-sections and the ends of the light wave guides thereadjacent are disposed in close side-by-side relation to one another and in close proximity to the light emission surface of the transmitter. In other embodiments the transmitter has a light emission surface in the order of a single light wave guide cross-section and interposed between the light emission surface and the light wave guides is an optics system.