Patents by Inventor Tomoharu Kitabayashi

Tomoharu Kitabayashi 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: 20100329288
    Abstract: An optical fiber laser including: a master oscillator; and a power amplifier, the power amplifier including: a plurality of excitation light sources; excitation ports each of which is connected to the excitation light sources and which an excitation light emitted from each of the excitation light source enters; a signal port which a laser beam emitted from the master oscillator enters; an optical coupler with an exit port that outputs the excitation lights from the excitation ports together with the laser beam from the signal port; and an optical fiber connected to the exit port, in which the optical fiber is a photonic bandgap fiber, and the optical fiber has a loss wavelength characteristic in that a photonic bandgap region is narrower than a gain wavelength band in a graph with an axis of abscissa representing a wavelength and an axis of ordinate representing a loss amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoharu KITABAYASHI
  • Patent number: 7840107
    Abstract: An optical pumping device is provided in which a multi-core fiber obtained by bundling up a plurality of optical fibers, which are input ports, and a double clad fiber for optical pumping are spliced through a bridge fiber composed of a double clad fiber having a tapered shape. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently couple signal light and pumping light to the double clad fiber for optical pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Tanigawa, Hironori Tanaka, Manabu Saito, Tetsuya Sakai, Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Publication number: 20100276822
    Abstract: A rare earth-doped core optical fiber of the present invention includes a core comprising a silica glass containing at least aluminum and ytterbium, and a clad provided around the core and comprising a silica glass having a lower refraction index than that of the core, wherein the core has an aluminum concentration of 2% by mass or more, and ytterbium is doped into the core at such a concentration that the absorption band which appears around a wavelength of 976 nm in the absorption band by ytterbium contained in the core shows a peak absorption coefficient of 800 dB/m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Ikeda, Naritoshi Yamada, Kuniharu Himeno, Michihiro Nakai, Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Publication number: 20100260212
    Abstract: A fiber output stabilizer according to an aspect of the invention stabilizes output light from a rare-earth doped optical fiber in which at least one kind of a rare-earth element is added to a core. The fiber output stabilizer includes: a monitoring light source that emits monitoring light having a wavelength shorter than that of excitation light exciting the rare-earth element; an optical multiplexer that multiplexes the monitoring light into the excitation light; an optical demultiplexer that demultiplexes the monitoring light passing through the rare-earth doped optical fiber; and a passing light detector that detects light intensity of the monitoring light from the optical demultiplexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Masakuni Mimuro, Kuniharu Himeno, Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Publication number: 20100135340
    Abstract: An MO-PA fiber laser having a master oscillator; and a first power amplifier which uses as a gain medium, a rare earth-doped optical fiber which is connected to a later stage of the master oscillator, wherein the MO-PA fiber laser has a wavelength conversion portion between the master oscillator and the power amplifier, and has a wavelength filter between the wavelength conversion portion and the master oscillator which only allows wavelength components of pulse light emitted from the master oscillator to pass, thereby making it possible to prevent breakage to a fiber laser which is caused by reflection light without using high-cost optical components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: C/O FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoharu KITABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20100067860
    Abstract: A rare earth-doped core optical fiber includes a core comprising a silica glass containing at least aluminum and ytterbium, a clad provided around the core and comprising a silica glass having a lower refraction index than that of the core, and a polymer layer provided on the outer circumference of the clad and having a lower refractive index than that of the clad, wherein aluminum and ytterbium are doped into the core such that a loss increase by photodarkening, TPD, satisfies the following inequality (A). By this rare earth-doped core optical fiber, it is possible to manufacture an optical fiber laser capable of maintaining a sufficient laser oscillation output even when used for a long period of time. TPD?10{?0.655*(DAl)?4.304*exp{?0.00343*(AYb)}+1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi IKEDA, Naritoshi YAMADA, Kuniharu HIMENO, Michihiro NAKAI, Tomoharu KITABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20100061409
    Abstract: A fiber laser of an MOPA type includes an MO which is a laser oscillator for generating seed light, a PA which is a light amplifier connected to a rear stage of the MO, for amplifying and outputting laser light emitted from the MO, and a reflection device which is provided between the MO and the PA. According to the present invention, the MOPA type fiber laser can decrease the peak value of the pulse which is emitted toward the MO or the pump light source by self-oscillation or reflection, and makes it unlikely that the pump light source or the MO will be damaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Publication number: 20090317042
    Abstract: A rare earth-doped core optical fiber of the present invention includes a core comprising a silica glass containing at least aluminum and ytterbium, and a clad provided around the core and comprising a silica glass having a lower refraction index than that of the core, wherein the core has an aluminum concentration of 2% by mass or more, and ytterbium is doped into the core at such a concentration that the light absorption band which appears around a wavelength of 976 nm in the light absorption band by ytterbium contained in the core shows a peak light absorption rate of 800 dB/m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi IKEDA, Naritoshi YAMADA, Kuniharu HIMENO, Michihiro NAKAI, Tomoharu KITABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20090274175
    Abstract: This fiber laser is provided with: a signal light source that outputs a signal light; a rare earth-doped fiber that amplifies and outputs the signal light from the signal light source; a Raman amplifying fiber that is routed as a portion of an optical transmission path in order to output the output light from the rare earth-doped fiber to an outside thereof; and a wavelength selecting element that is provided in the optical transmission path from the Raman amplifying fiber to the signal light source and does not allow transmission of a Stokes light that is generated in the Raman amplifying fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu KITABAYASHI, Tetsuya SAKAI, Michihiro NAKAI
  • Patent number: 7409122
    Abstract: An end face structure of an optical fiber includes a coreless fiber fused to an emitting end face of the fiber optical fiber and a coating material disposed around at least the coreless fiber, a refractive index of the coating material being higher than a refractive index of the coreless fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Publication number: 20080018989
    Abstract: An optical pumping device is provided in which a multi-core fiber obtained by bundling up a plurality of optical fibers, which are input ports, and a double clad fiber for optical pumping are spliced through a bridge fiber composed of a double clad fiber having a tapered shape. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently couple signal light and pumping light to the double clad fiber for optical pumping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Tanigawa, Hironori Tanaka, Manabu Saito, Tetsuya Sakai, Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Patent number: 7065279
    Abstract: An inner cladding exposure section 14 is formed by removing a part of an outer cladding 4 of an optical amplification medium fiber 10 which has a porous layer 3 between the inner cladding 2 and the outer cladding 4 in a longitudinal direction. An end surface 23 of an optical fiber 20 for the excited light incidence is cemented on an outer periphery of the exposed inner cladding 2. The excited light 24 is incident into the optical amplification medium fiber 10 from the optical fiber 20 for the excited light incidence. By doing this, it is possible to provide a method for exciting a light in an optical amplification medium fiber which can realize a superior amplitude while emitting the excited light so as to be incident into the optical amplification medium fiber highly efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Shima, Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Patent number: 7027692
    Abstract: An optical fiber coupling structure for optically coupling an emission-side optical fiber and an incidence-side optical fiber includes: an emission-side base; and an incidence-side base, wherein the emission-side optical fiber is secured to the emission-side base, and an end of the emission-side optical fiber is exposed at the coupling end surface, wherein the incidence-side optical fiber is secured to the incidence-side base, and an end of the incidence-side optical fiber is exposed at a slope provided in said incidence side base, and wherein the coupling end surface of the emission-side base is abutted against the abutting surface of the incidence-side base, the emission-side optical fiber exposed at the coupling end surface of the emission-side base and the incidence-side optical fiber exposed at the slope of the incidence-side base are spaced apart with a clearance, and the emission-side optical fiber and the incidence-side optical fiber are optically coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Publication number: 20050244101
    Abstract: An end face structure of an optical fiber includes a coreless fiber fused to an emitting end face of the fiber optical fiber and a coating material disposed around at least the coreless fiber, a refractive index of the coating material being higher than a refractive index of the coreless fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Publication number: 20050175289
    Abstract: An optical fiber coupling structure for optically coupling an emission-side optical fiber and an incidence-side optical fiber includes: an emission-side base; and an incidence-side base, wherein the emission-side optical fiber is secured to the emission-side base, and an end of the emission-side optical fiber is exposed at the coupling end surface, wherein the incidence-side optical fiber is secured to the incidence-side base, and an end of the incidence-side optical fiber is exposed at a slope provided in said incidence side base, and wherein the coupling end surface of the emission-side base is abutted against the abutting surface of the incidence-side base, the emission-side optical fiber exposed at the coupling end surface of the emission-side base and the incidence-side optical fiber exposed at the slope of the incidence-side base are spaced apart with a clearance, and the emission-side optical fiber and the incidence-side optical fiber are optically coupled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Publication number: 20040240819
    Abstract: An inner cladding exposure section 14 is formed by removing a part of an outer cladding 4 of an optical amplification medium fiber 10 which has a porous layer 3 between the inner cladding 2 and the outer cladding 4 in a longitudinal direction. An end surface 23 of an optical fiber 20 for the excited light incidence is cemented on an outer periphery of the exposed inner cladding 2. The excited light 24 is incident into the optical amplification medium fiber 10 from the optical fiber 20 for the excited light incidence. By doing this, it is possible to provide a method for exciting a light in an optical amplification medium fiber which can realize a superior amplitude while emitting the excited light so as to be incident into the optical amplification medium fiber highly efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Shima, Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Patent number: 6597494
    Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier having improved gain and reduced noise, and an optical amplifier which restrains an unnecessary polarization component in the signal output light, maintains polarization of a signal light and performs optical amplification in which a polarizer is connected between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber. An amplified spontaneous emission is emitted from the output end of the first fiber with the amplified signal light and is incident to the polarizer. The polarizer is disposed so as to transmit a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light. Among the different light components which are incident to the polarizer, a light having a polarization component which is orthogonal with the signal light is rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Segi, Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Patent number: 6563628
    Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier comprises an optical fiber for light loss which is provided in a later stage than an optical fiber amplification section or midway therein, the amount of light absorption and the wavelength dependency of the absorption of the optical fiber changing according to the power of input light; whereby the optical fiber amplifier can maintain flat gain in a wide wavelength band, the gain flatness not changing over a wide dynamic range and being maintained irrespective of variation in the power of input signal light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai, Takafumi Kashima
  • Publication number: 20030021012
    Abstract: So as to provide an optical fiber amplifier which can improve gain and reduce noise, and an optical amplifier which can restrain unnecessary polarization component in the signal output light, maintaining polarization of a signal light and performing optical amplification a polarizer is connected between a first EDF and a second EDF. An amplified spontaneous emission is emitted from the output end of the first EDF with the amplified signal light and is incident to the polarizer. The polarizer is disposed so as to transmit a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light. Among the lights which are incident to the polarizer, a light having a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light is rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Segi, Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai
  • Publication number: 20010017728
    Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier comprises an optical fiber for light loss which is provided in a later stage than an optical fiber amplification section or midway therein, the amount of light absorption and the wavelength dependency of the absorption of the optical fiber changing according to the power of input light; whereby the optical fiber amplifier can maintain flat gain in a wide wavelength band, the gain flatness not changing over a wide dynamic range and being maintained irrespective of variation in the power of input signal light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai, Takafumi Kashima