Abstract: An attachment tool and method for attaching a connector to a plastic-cove optic fiber, said connector formed with a bore slightly smaller than the covered fiber but slightly larger than the fiber core, the tool comprising a block of rigid material having a flat surface containing a straight groove running into and away from a central excision, the dimensions of the groove and excision being such that when the fiber is thread through the connector, and the connector is laid in the excision and the fiber in the groove, the fiber is substantially straight and centrally placed within the connector bore. A heater is used to heat the connector and soften the covering so that the fiber can be pulled through the bore by extrusion of the covering. The covering, which now fills the bore around the fiber core, is allowed to cool and harden, and the protruding fiber is cut off flush with the end of the connector.

Abstract: A planar, optical star and access coupler for multiterminal communication systems which use multimode fibers as the transmission line either as a plurality of single fiber lines, in multichannel fiber cable or in minibundles. The fibers are placed in a row so that the core ends abut the end of a high-aspect angle rectangular cross section clad ribbon fiber which is preferably not as thick as the diameter of the core of the individual fibers for optimum packing fraction loss. Optical radiation, such as from a laser or light-emitting diode, entering the ribbon-fiber mixer element from all of the fibers on one end will be mixed by the ribbon fiber and be transmitted equally on each of the output fibers. Also, radiation from any one fiber will be divided equally between all of the transmission fibers on the opposite end of the ribbon fiber.

Abstract: An electrooptical analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. A laser beam is coupled into a waveguide which has been fabricated on an electrooptical crystal such as a lithium niobate LiNbO.sub.3 crystal. Electrodes are placed relative to the waveguide to form an electrooptical prism and an analog signal is fed to the electrodes. A modulated laser beam passing through the electrooptical prism is deflected in the plane of the waveguide in proportion to the applied analog signal. The deflected beam is expanded in the y-direction by diffraction-spreading or by a beam-spreading lens and falls on a ribbon-fiber, coded detector array. The array effectively codes the analog signal, translating the position of the deflected beam into a coded digital word which is representative of the magnitude of the analog signal.

Abstract: Two input transducers launch oppositely-propagating acoustic surface waves on a piezoelectric substrate. The waves are compressed to a smaller beamwidth and then laterally confined in a diffused channel waveguide where non-linear interaction occurs at increased energy densities due to the beam compression. In one embodiment the beam compression is accomplished in multistrip couplers. In another embodiment, diffused horn-shaped channels are provided for compressing the beamwidth. Both piezoelectric and semiconductor convolvers are disclosed.

Abstract: An electrooptic switch in which one of four channel waveguides is selectively induced in a thin slab of electrooptic material by the application of an electric field between intersecting strips of electrodes disposed adjacent the top surface of the slab and other intersecting strips of electrodes disposed adjacent the bottom surface directly below the top surface strips. The electrode strips comprise (1) primary electrodes to which constant potentials are applied to induce optical paths partially through the slab and (2) switching electrodes, vertically displaced and electrically isolated from the primary electrodes, to which alternating potentials are applied to complete the desired optical path through the slab.

Abstract: A tapped surface acoustic wave (SAW) delay line with time-resolved outputs sing piezoelectric leaky wave coupling and bulk wave amplification, and having low loss characteristics. A solid piezoelectric semiconductor is placed adjacent to a solid piezoelectric substrate. A pulsed rf input signal is applied to interdigital transducers (IDT) on the substrate. The applied signal launches a SAW in the substrate in a direction parallel to the interface between the substrate and the piezoelectric semiconductor solid. Upon reaching the interface, the SAW is piezoelectrically leaky-wave coupled across an air gap to a bulk acoustic wave in the piezoelectric semiconductor. Reflections of the bulk wave occur at both surfaces of the piezoelectric semiconductor, and piezoelectrically couples back across the air gap to excite a SAW on the piezoelectric substrate. The resultant rf output includes the normal delayed SAW pulse and additional delayed and time-resolved pulses.

Abstract: A system using collinear acoustooptic interactions in optical waveguides through which waveguide mode conversion is achieved. The system involves a surface acoustic wave interaction with an optically guided wave and its operation for mode conversion.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to an electrical means for input and output coupling of light in optical waveguides.

Abstract: An optical waveguide, which combines a thin film of aligned liquid-crystal sandwiched between two dielectric plates, is capable of performing many active optical processing functions such as modulation switching and beam deflection.

Abstract: An optical waveguide system for transforming the output of a phase modulator into an amplitude modulation. Laser light propagating in the waveguide is forwarded into branches in the waveguide. An electrooptic material placed in one or more branches is electrically controlled to vary the phase in each branch causing different propagation modes. The branched optical radiation or coherent light is then recombined in a single branch and subsequently branched again with each subsequent branch propagating a different mode. By tapering one of the latter branches to zero thickness, selective modes can be blocked resulting in amplitude modulation.

Abstract: An optical waveguide linear modulator array comprising an optical waveguide having an input coupler and an output coupler. The waveguide or substrate is formed of electrooptical material with different shaped electrodes secured thereto. An electrical field applied between the electrodes modulates the radiation passing through the waveguide so that the radiation may be phase shifted or shaped into desired outputs.