Patents by Inventor Robert S. Windeler
Robert S. Windeler 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).
-
Publication number: 20220073407Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a hollow core optical fiber with a controllable core region (in terms of diameter) is based upon regulating conditions (gas flow, volume, and/or temperature) within the hollow core region during the fiber draw process. The introduction of a gas, or any change in volume or temperature of the hollow core region, allows for the diameter of the hollow core region to self-regulate as a multistructured core rod (MCR) is drawn down into the final hollow core optical fiber structure. This self-regulation provides a core region having a diameter that selected and then stabilized for the duration of the draw process. The inventive apparatus is also useful in controlling the diameter of any selected hollow region of an MCR including, but not limited to, shunts and corner capillaries disposed around the core region.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Matt Corrado, David J DiGiovanni, Brian Mangan, Gabriel Puc, Robert S Windeler
-
Patent number: 11203547Abstract: A technique for fabricating a hollow core optical fiber with a controllable core region (in terms of diameter) is based upon regulating conditions (gas flow, volume, and/or temperature) within the hollow core region during the fiber draw process. The introduction of a gas, or any change in volume or temperature of the hollow core region, allows for the diameter of the hollow core region to self-regulate as a multistructured core rod (MCR) is drawn down into the final hollow core optical fiber structure. This self-regulation provides a core region having a diameter that selected and then stabilized for the duration of the draw process. The inventive process is also useful in controlling the diameter of any selected hollow region of an MCR including, but not limited to, shunts and corner capillaries disposed around the core region.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Matt Corrado, David J DiGiovanni, Brian Mangan, Gabriel Puc, Robert S Windeler
-
Patent number: 11079536Abstract: A hollow core fiber (HCF) has a cross section with a substantially-circular hollow core in a cladding lattice, an axial center and a reference direction that extends radially in one direction from the axial center. The HCF comprises modified holes that are located along linear paths that extend radially outward from the axial center. The modified holes, which are located at various radial distances from the axial center and at various azimuthal angles from the reference direction, have non-uniform modified properties. These non-uniform modified properties include radially-varying properties, azimuthally-varying properties, or a combination of radially-varying and azimuthally-varying properties.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Brian Mangan, Robert S. Windeler
-
Publication number: 20200257042Abstract: A hollow core fiber (HCF) has a cross section with a substantially-circular hollow core in a cladding lattice, an axial center and a reference direction that extends radially in one direction from the axial center. The HCF comprises modified holes that are located along linear paths that extend radially outward from the axial center. The modified holes, which are located at various radial distances from the axial center and at various azimuthal angles from the reference direction, have non-uniform modified properties. These non-uniform modified properties include radially-varying properties, azimuthally-varying properties, or a combination of radially-varying and azimuthally-varying properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Brian Mangan, Robert S. Windeler
-
Patent number: 10698154Abstract: A hollow core fiber (HCF) has a cross section with a substantially-circular hollow core in a cladding lattice, an axial center and a reference direction that extends radially in one direction from the axial center. The HCF comprises modified holes that are located along linear paths that extend radially outward from the axial center. The modified holes, which are located at various radial distances from the axial center and at various azimuthal angles from the reference direction, have non-uniform modified properties. These non-uniform modified properties include radially-varying properties, azimuthally-varying properties, or a combination of radially-varying and azimuthally-varying properties.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Brian Mangan, Robert S Windeler
-
Publication number: 20200079680Abstract: A process of fabricating the microstructure core rod preform used in the fabrication of a hollow core optical fiber includes the step of applying external pressure to selected hollow regions during the drawing of the preform from the initial assembly of capillary tubes. The application of pressure assists the selected hollow regions in maintaining their shape as much as possible during draw, and reduces distortions in the microstructure cells in close proximity to the core by controlling glass distribution during MCR draw.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2018Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Matt Corrado, David J DiGiovanni, Brian Mangan, Gabriel Puc, Robert S Windeler, Tristan Kremp
-
Publication number: 20200024178Abstract: A technique for fabricating a hollow core optical fiber with a controllable core region (in terms of diameter) is based upon regulating conditions (gas flow, volume, and/or temperature) within the hollow core region during the fiber draw process. The introduction of a gas, or any change in volume or temperature of the hollow core region, allows for the diameter of the hollow core region to self-regulate as a multistructured core rod (MCR) is drawn down into the final hollow core optical fiber structure. This self-regulation provides a core region having a diameter that selected and then stabilized for the duration of the draw process. The inventive process is also useful in controlling the diameter of any selected hollow region of an MCR including, but not limited to, shunts and corner capillaries disposed around the core region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Matt Corrado, David J. DiGiovanni, Brian Mangan, Gabriel Puc, Robert S Windeler
-
Publication number: 20190107670Abstract: A hollow core fiber (HCF) has a cross section with a substantially-circular hollow core in a cladding lattice, an axial center and a reference direction that extends radially in one direction from the axial center. The HCF comprises modified holes that are located along linear paths that extend radially outward from the axial center. The modified holes, which are located at various radial distances from the axial center and at various azimuthal angles from the reference direction, have non-uniform modified properties. These non-uniform modified properties include radially-varying properties, azimuthally-varying properties, or a combination of radially-varying and azimuthally-varying properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Brian Mangan, Robert S. Windeler
-
Patent number: 9971087Abstract: A hollow core fiber has a cladding comprising a matrix of cells, wherein each cell comprises a hole and a wall surrounding the hole. The fiber further has a hollow core region comprising a core gap in the matrix of cells, wherein the core gap spans a plurality of cells and has a boundary defined by the interface of the core gap. The matrix of cells comprises a plurality of lattice cells, and a plurality of defect cells characterised by at least one difference in at least one property from that of the lattice cells. The cells at the core region boundary include lattice cells and defect cells that are arranged in a pattern so as to produce birefringence in a light propagating through the hollow core fiber. Further described is a technique for making the fiber.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: David J Digiovanni, John M Fini, Robert S Windeler
-
Publication number: 20170248757Abstract: A hollow core fiber has a cladding comprising a matrix of cells, wherein each cell comprises a hole and a wall surrounding the hole. The fiber further has a hollow core region comprising a core gap in the matrix of cells, wherein the core gap spans a plurality of cells and has a boundary defined by the interface of the core gap. The matrix of cells comprises a plurality of lattice cells, and a plurality of defect cells characterised by at least one difference in at least one property from that of the lattice cells. The cells at the core region boundary include lattice cells and defect cells that are arranged in a pattern so as to produce birefringence in a light propagating through the hollow core fiber. Further described is a technique for making the fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2017Publication date: August 31, 2017Inventors: David J. Digiovanni, John M. Fini, Robert S. Windeler
-
Patent number: 9658393Abstract: A hollow core fiber has a cladding comprising a matrix of cells, wherein each cell comprises a hole and a wall surrounding the hole. The fiber further has a hollow core region comprising a core gap in the matrix of cells, wherein the core gap spans a plurality of cells and has a boundary defined by the interface of the core gap. The matrix of cells comprises a plurality of lattice cells, and a plurality of defect cells characterized by at least one difference in at least one property from that of the lattice cells. The cells at the core region boundary include lattice cells and defect cells that are arranged in a pattern that define two orthogonal axes of reflection symmetry, so as to produce birefringence in a light propagating through the hollow core fiber.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: David J Digiovanni, John M Fini, Robert S Windeler
-
Publication number: 20150198764Abstract: A hollow core fiber has a cladding comprising a matrix of cells, wherein each cell comprises a hole and a wall surrounding the hole. The fiber further has a hollow core region comprising a core gap in the matrix of cells, wherein the core gap spans a plurality of cells and has a boundary defined by the interface of the core gap. The matrix of cells comprises 8 plurality of lattice cells, and a plurality of defect cells characterised by at least one difference in at least one property from that of the lattice cells. The cells at the core region boundary include lattice cells and defect cells that are arranged in a pattern that define two orthogonal axes of reflection symmetry, so as to produce birefringence in a light propagating through the hollow core fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: July 16, 2015Inventors: David J. Digiovanni, John M. Fini, Robert S. Windeler
-
Patent number: 6795617Abstract: An optical device including a microstructured fiber pumped by an external pulsed-light source. In one embodiment, the microstructured fiber includes two waist regions functioning as a tunable attenuator and a wavelength shifter, respectively. Output wavelength of the optical device is selected by attenuating the pump light in the first waist region and then passing the light through the second waist region to shift the pump energy to a new spectral band. An optical device of the invention configured with two or more microstructured fibers generates two or more synchronized pulsed beams, each at a different characteristic wavelength. Certain embodiments of the invention provide an inexpensive, compact, energy-efficient multi-wavelength synchronized pulsed-light source.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Mihaela Dinu, Charles Kerbage, Xiang Liu, Francesco Quochi, Robert S. Windeler, Chunhui Xu
-
Publication number: 20040112089Abstract: Fluorine doping of trench layers in MCVD preforms is enhanced by exposing a silica soot layer, produced by MCVD, to a fluorine-containing gas at high pressure. The high pressure exposure is integrated into the MCVD process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2002Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventors: David J. DiGiovanni, Robert S. Windeler
-
Publication number: 20030219206Abstract: An optical device including a microstructured fiber pumped by an external pulsed-light source. In one embodiment, the microstructured fiber includes two waist regions functioning as a tunable attenuator and a wavelength shifter, respectively. Output wavelength of the optical device is selected by attenuating the pump light in the first waist region and then passing the light through the second waist region to shift the pump energy to a new spectral band. An optical device of the invention configured with two or more microstructured fibers generates two or more synchronized pulsed beams, each at a different characteristic wavelength. Certain embodiments of the invention provide an inexpensive, compact, energy-efficient multi-wavelength synchronized pulsed-light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2003Publication date: November 27, 2003Inventors: Mihaela Dinu, Charles Kerbage, Xiang Liu, Francesco Quochi, Robert S. Windeler, Chunhui Xu
-
Patent number: 6415079Abstract: The present invention is predicated on applicants' discovery that an appropriately spaced and dimensioned internal gap cladding can substantially reduce short wavelength cladding mode loss in a fiber Bragg grating. A fiber Bragg grating is provided with a ring of closely spaced, longitudinally extending gap regions in the glass peripherally surrounding the core. The gaps are spaced apart by thin glass webs having a thickness less than a wavelength of the light being transmitted and are disposed peripherally about the core at a distance of 2-10 wavelengths from the core center. The thin webs limit the passage of the light between the gaps. The combination of webs and gaps acts as an internal thin cladding which supports fewer cladding modes than conventional glass cladding and, significantly, provides increased wavelength spacing between the Bragg resonance and the first cladding mode resonance.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2000Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.Inventors: Geoffrey L. Burdge, Benjamin J. Eggleton, Thomas A. Strasser, Paul S. Westbrook, Robert S. Windeler