Patents by Inventor Michael Nickolaos Zervas
Michael Nickolaos Zervas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8743454Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one pump source and an optical fiber cable which includes an amplifying optical fiber and a pump optical fiber that are defined by respective lengths. The amplifying optical fiber and the pump optical fiber are coated with a common coating along a portion of their respective lengths, and the fibers are in optical contact with each other along a coating length within the common coating. The common coating has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of a cladding material of the pump optical fiber. The fibers are made substantially from glass. The amplifying optical fiber includes a core and a cladding, and is doped with a rare earth dopant. The pump optical fiber is defined by a first end and a second end, the first end of the pump optical fiber being connected to the pump source.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: SPI Lasers UK LtdInventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Publication number: 20120314279Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one pump source and an optical fibre cable which includes an amplifying optical fibre and a pump optical fibre that are defined by respective lengths. The amplifying optical fibre and the pump optical fibre are coated with a common coating along a portion of their respective lengths, and the fibres are in optical contact with each other along a coating length within the common coating. The common coating has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of a cladding material of the pump optical fibre. The fibres are made substantially from glass. The amplifying optical fibre includes a core and a cladding, and is doped with a rare earth dopant. The pump optical fibre is defined by a first end and a second end, the first end of the pump optical fibre being connected to the pump source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Patent number: 8270070Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: SPI Lasers UK LtdInventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Publication number: 20100188734Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2010Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Patent number: 7660034Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: SPI Lasers UK Ltd.Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Publication number: 20080174857Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2007Publication date: July 24, 2008Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Patent number: 7221822Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2004Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: SPI Lasers UK LtdInventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Patent number: 6993258Abstract: A WDM transmitter comprising an array of M pump lasers multiplexed by an M×N multiplexer, in the form of a coupler, and used to feed an array of N optically pumped fiber lasers emitting at wavelengths ?1, ?2, . . . ?N. The parameter M determines the number of pump lasers as well as the number of inputs of the pump-multiplexing coupler and can be smaller or equal to parameter N that determines the number of optically pumped lasers. The fiber laser outputs are passed through N isolators before entering N modulators were the signals are monolithically modulated. The outputs of the modulators are passed through an array of N tunable attenuators. Finally all the individual channel outputs are recombined into a single output in a combiner. The output will typically lead to an optical network. The proposed architecture may also be used for optical amplifiers, especially fiber-based optical amplifiers.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2001Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: University of SouthamptonInventors: David Neil Payne, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen
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Patent number: 6991891Abstract: A method of fabricating a distributed feedback optical fiber laser, comprises the step of exposing an optical fiber (20) to a transverse light beam (30) to form a grating structure in a section of the optical fiber, the writing light beam being polarized in a direction not parallel to the axis of the section (10) of optical fiber (20).Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2000Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: University of SouthamptonInventors: Richard Ian Laming, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Sze Yun Set, Morten Ibsen, Erland Ronnekleiv, Shinji Yamashita
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Patent number: 6826335Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2000Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: The University of SouthamptonInventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Publication number: 20020154355Abstract: A WDM transmitter comprising an array of M pump lasers multiplexed by an M×N multiplexer, in the form of a coupler, and used to feed an array of N optically pumped fiber lasers emitting at wavelengths &lgr;1, &lgr;2, . . . &lgr;N. The parameter M determines the number of pump lasers as well as the number of inputs of the pump-multiplexing coupler and can be smaller or equal to parameter N that determines the number of optically pumped lasers. The fiber laser outputs are passed through N isolators before entering N modulators were the signals are monolithically modulated. The outputs of the modulators are passed through an array of N tunable attenuators. Finally all the individual channel outputs are recombined into a single output in a combiner. The output will typically lead to an optical network. The proposed architecture may also be used for optical amplifiers, especially fiber-based optical amplifiers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2001Publication date: October 24, 2002Inventors: David Neil Payne, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen
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Patent number: 6445852Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating a Bragg grating in an optical waveguide having an optical fiber on which the Bragg grating is defined, the Bragg grating having an actual response which closely approximates a desired response. The Bragg grating comprises a plurality of lines, each line being defined by a respective strength, and each line having a relative displacement from adjacent lines. The Bragg grating is designed using a serial iterative response. The serial iterative process can be used to calculate the strength and the line spacing of at least some of the lines. The serial iterative process can further be a function of a coupling function, which is a function of the strength and line spacing of the lines of the grating. A moving window can be used to limit the number of reflections in the impulse response which is used to calculate the next serial line spacing.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: University of SouthamptonInventors: Ricardo Feced, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Michael Kevan Durkin
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Patent number: 6345134Abstract: An optical device comprises an optical fibre device having wavelength-dependent optical characteristics mounted on a bimorph element operable to bend in response to an electrical control signal, so that the wavelength-dependent optical characteristics of the optical fibre device vary in response to bending of the bimorph element.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: February 5, 2002Assignee: Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi S.p.A.Inventors: Richard Ian Laming, Wei-Hung Loh, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Sergio Barcelos
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Patent number: 6072926Abstract: A method of forming optical waveguide gratings, such as in-fiber gratings, is described. The gratings are formed optically, with a phase mask being scanned by a writing laser beam to generate the grating pattern. The waveguide and phase mask are moved with respect to one another during the writing process, to vary the grating properties along the length of the grating. Relative movement in a single direction provides a chance of grating pitch, and so can be used to fabricate chirped or multi-wavelength gratings. Bi-directional dither alters the strength of the grating, and so can be used to fabricate apodised gratings.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1998Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Inventors: Martin Cole, Wei-Hung Loh, Richard Ian Laming, Michael Nickolaos Zervas