Joining Or Bonding Optical Fibers, Waveguides, Or Preforms (e.g., Coupling, Etc.) Patents (Class 65/406)
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Patent number: 8818151Abstract: An novel fiber pump signal combiner is disclosed in which a fiber bundle array is coupled to a double-clad fiber with a taper section that is formed by etching a tapered outer surface into the cladding of a fiber rod to produce a high quality tapered outer surface free of defects with an inner core that has a constant diameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2010Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventor: Benjamin G. Ward
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Optical fiber end processing method and optical fiber end processing apparatus and optical fiber end
Patent number: 8764317Abstract: An optical fiber end processing method includes fixing two portions of an optical fiber, heating and fusing the optical fiber between the two fixed portions, to form a first heat fusion region, heating and fusing the optical fiber fixed between the two fixed portions unit while fixing the two fixed portions, moving a heat fusion unit from a side of the first heat fusion region toward a base end side of the optical fiber, and pushing a heat fusion portion of the optical fiber in a direction of shortening a length of the heat fusion portion, to form a second heat fusion region continuous to the first heat fusion region and in which the air holes of the optical fiber disappear; and removing the first heat fusion region by cutting the optical fiber within the second heat fusion region after the second heat fusion forming.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.Inventors: Masao Tachikura, Noribumi Shiina, Tatsuo Teraoka, Yoshiyuki Hiramoto, Mitsumasa Zobuchi, Fumi Miyata -
Publication number: 20130219970Abstract: An optical microresonator is configured as an optical microbubble formed along a section of an optical microcapillary. The curvature of the outer surface of the microbubble creates an optical resonator with a geometry that encourages the circulating WGMs to remain confined in the central region of the bubble, creating a high Q optical resonator. The resonator may be tuned by modifying the physical properties of the microbubble, allowing the resonator to be used as an optical filter. The resonator may also be used as a sensor or laser by introducing the material to be sensed (or the active laser material) into the microcapillary along which the microbubble is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: Mikhail Sumetsky
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Publication number: 20130222891Abstract: A single-mode fiber with certain parameters into the core of another fiber with different parameters; in particular single-mode guided light of a shorter wavelength is coupled into the core of a fiber which is a single-mode fiber at a longer wavelength but acts as multimode fiber for the shorter wavelength. Fabrication involves use of a model to determine a length of a pre-taper.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2013Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: LASER ZENTRUM HANNOVER E.V.Inventor: LASER ZENTRUM HANNOVER E.V.
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Patent number: 8381548Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photonic band gap fiber base material includes: a forming step of continuously forming a columnar core glass body 10 and a clad glass body 20 which coats the core glass body to obtain an intermediate base material 110; a hole making step of making holes 30 in the clad glass body 20; an insertion step of inserting in the holes 30 a plurality of bilayer glass rods 40 in which an outer layer 42 which has the same refractive index as the clad glass body coats high refractive index portions 41 having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the clad glass body 20; and a heating step of heating the intermediate base material 110 and integrating the intermediate base material 110 and the bilayer glass rods 40.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.Inventor: Katsuhiro Takenaga
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Publication number: 20120159996Abstract: Methods and apparatus for fabricating a curved sensor from silicon fibers are disclosed. In another embodiment, a curved sensor is produced having mini-sensors of differing sizes. In another embodiment, these mini-sensors are configured so that every other mini-sensor in a row of mini-sensors is shifted upwards slightly relative to its neighboring mini-sensors in the same row.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Inventor: Gary Edwin Sutton
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Publication number: 20120151968Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photonic band gap fiber base material includes: a forming step of continuously forming a columnar core glass body 10 and a clad glass body 20 which coats the core glass body to obtain an intermediate base material 110; a hole making step of making holes 30 in the clad glass body 20; an insertion step of inserting in the holes 30 a plurality of bilayer glass rods 40 in which an outer layer 42 which has the same refractive index as the clad glass body coats high refractive index portions 41 having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the clad glass body 20; and a heating step of heating the intermediate base material 110 and integrating the intermediate base material 110 and the bilayer glass rods 40.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.Inventor: Katsuhiro Takenaga
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Publication number: 20120141079Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a photonic bad gap fiber and/or fiber preform with a central structured region comprising a first non-silica based glass and a jacket comprising a second non-silica based glass surrounding the central structured region, where the Littleton softening temperature of the second glass is at least one but no more than ten degrees Celsius lower than the Littleton softening temperature of the first glass, or where the base ten logarithm of the glass viscosity in poise of the second glass is at least 0.01 but no more than 2 lower than the base ten logarithm of the glass viscosity in poise of the first glass at a fiber draw temperature. Also disclosed is a method of making a photonic bad gap fiber and/or fiber preform.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2010Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: The Government of the US, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Daniel J. Gibson, Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Frederic H. Kung, Ishwar D. Aggarwal
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Publication number: 20120057841Abstract: A method and structure for terminating an optical fiber are disclosed that provide an optical fiber termination structure with a small volume and very low return loss, even when the termination is in close proximity to reflective surfaces. In one example embodiment, the optical fiber termination reduces reflections into the one or more cores to a return loss of ?70 dB or less regardless of the presence of surfaces proximate the optical fiber termination. At the same time, a length of the optical fiber termination is less than 5 mm and a largest transverse dimension of the optical fiber termination is less than 325 um. The optical fiber termination is useful in fiber sensing applications in general and is particularly effective for terminating a multi-core fiber used in a distributed shape sensing application.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Applicant: Luna Innovation IncorporatedInventors: Paul F. Wysocki, Alan Heaney, Stephen Kreger, Mark Froggatt, Kenneth Walker
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Patent number: 8082759Abstract: A method for producing a drawn glass member includes a step of thermally softening and drawing a first end of a first glass base material, and a step of thermally bonding together a second end of the first glass base material, having the first end thermally softened and drawn, with one end of a second glass base material to form a thermally bonded portion. The step of thermally bonding together the second end of the first glass base material with the one end of the second glass base material is executed, while pressing, along a direction of the drawing, a side plane of at least one of the first and second glass base materials including the thermally bonding portion so as to keep a cross-sectional shape of at least one of the first and second glass base materials.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2006Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hirotaka Okugawa
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Publication number: 20110265521Abstract: An optical connector assembling method capable of preventing workability from worsening is provided. First, when assembling the optical connector, an optical cord (2) is passed through a rear housing (8), an outer jacket holding member (9), a securing member (10), and a boot (11), and an outer jacket (4) is removed from a leading end portion of the optical cord (2), so as to expose a coated optical fiber (3) and a tension-resistant fiber (5). A handled dust cap (16A) is mounted to a ferrule member (6) holding a built-in fiber. Then, a fusion splicer fusion-splices the built-in fiber and the coated optical fiber (3) to each other. Thereafter, while the ferrule member (6) keeps the handled dust cap (16A) mounted thereto, a plug housing (7) is assembled to the rear housing (8). Then, the outer jacket holding member (9) and securing member (10) secure the outer jacket (4) and tension-resistant fiber (5) to the rear housing (8), and the boot (11) is mounted to the securing member (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2010Publication date: November 3, 2011Inventors: Yoshikyo Tamekuni, Yuji Suzuki, Yukihiro Yokomachi
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Publication number: 20110255828Abstract: An article of manufacture is provided that includes an optic fiber comprising a core and a cladding surrounding the core and a sapphire tube bonded to the optic fiber. A total internal reflection surface is positioned such that light guided within the core of the optic fiber reflects off the total internal reflection surface and through the sapphire tube. In other embodiments, a sapphire rod having a total internal reflection surface is fused to an optic fiber comprising a core and a cladding surrounding the core. A glass coating is present on the exterior surface of portions of the sapphire rod such that the glass coating defines an opening that exposes portions of the sapphire rod where light exits the sapphire rod after reflecting off the total internal reflection surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2009Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: AMS RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventor: Venkatapuram S. Sudarshanam
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Patent number: 8015846Abstract: This method for drawing a quartz glass optical component shortens the pulling process and minimizes loss of material. An end face of a quartz glass hollow cylinder forms a tapered end portion to an attachment piece of quartz glass having a bore. The inner bore of the hollow cylinder and the bore of the attachment piece are at least temporarily interconnected fluidically as a passage bore. A cleaning fluid is passed through the inner bore of the hollow cylinder and the passage bore. A core rod of quartz glass, which rests on a contact surface of the attachment piece, is inserted into the inner bore of the hollow cylinder, and the hollow cylinder is continuously supplied to a heating zone, heated therein so as to form a drawing bulb, and the component is continuously drawn therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2005Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Joachim Peekhaus, Ralph Sattmann, Joerg Werner
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Patent number: 8002477Abstract: Optical devices, components and methods for mounting optical fibers and for side-coupling light to/from optical fibers using a modified silicon V-groove, or silicon V-groove array, wherein V-grooves, which are designed for precisely aligning/spacing optical fibers, are “recessed” below the surface of the silicon. Optical fibers can be recessed below the surface of the silicon substrate such that a precisely controlled portion of the cladding layer extending above the silicon surface can be removed (lapped). With the cladding layer removed, the separation between the fiber core(s) and optoelectronic device(s) can be reduced resulting in improved optical coupling when the optical fiber silicon array is connected to, e.g., a VCSEL array.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Evan George Colgan, Fuad Elias Doany, Bruce Kenneth Furman, Daniel J. Stigliani, Jr.
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Patent number: 7900481Abstract: According to one embodiment a method of making optical fibers comprises: (i) manufacturing a core cane; (ii) situating a plurality of microstructures selected from rods, air filled tubes and glass filed tubes and placing said microstructures adjacent to the core cane, said microstructures forming no more than 3 layers; (iii) placing the core cane with said adjacent microstructures inside a holding clad tube; and (iv) placing interstitial cladding rods inside the holding (clad) tube, thereby forming an assembly comprising a tube containing a core cane, a plurality of microstructures and interstitial cladding rods. The assembly is then drawn into a microstructured cane and an optical fiber is drawn from the microstructured cane. According to several embodiments, the method of making an optical fiber includes providing at least one air hole and at least one stress rod adjacent to the core.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2006Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Michael Thomas Gallagher, Ming-Jun Li, Joseph Edward McCarthy, Ji Wang, Luis Alberto Zenteno
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Patent number: 7903912Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, an optical connector for optically coupling respective end faces of two optical fiber cables including an optical fiber composed of a core and a cladding includes a beat shrinkable tube, a cable insertion tube disposed in the heat shrinkable tube for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables, an uncured refractive index matching resin disposed between the beat shrinkable tube and the cable insertion tube, and a resin supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the uncured refractive index matching resin to an inside of the cable insertion tube.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.Inventors: Seiji Kojima, Kanako Suzuki
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Patent number: 7874742Abstract: A splicing device for optical fibers comprises a programmable splicing apparatus which can be controlled by means of at least one program parameter, for connecting optical fibers, and a speech recognition unit. Spoken text is detected via the speech recognition unit, and a spoken command is determined from the detected spoken text. The at least one program parameter of the splicing apparatus is adjusted and/or the splicing apparatus is controlled as a function of the determined spoken command.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2009Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLCInventor: Rainer M. Kossat
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Patent number: 7861558Abstract: A method of making a multi-fiber assembly with irregular hexagonal array, which includes the steps of forming a plurality of primitives each made of a plurality of fibers, said fibers having cylindrical outer surfaces of same diameter and being arranged in an irregular hexagonal array, said irregular hexagonal array having six sides wherein three alternate sides of said primitive are each composed of n fibers and the other three alternate sides of said primitive 11 are each composed of n?1 fibers; and bringing together said primitives in such a way that sides with n fibers of said primitives are in contact with sides with n?1 fibers of other primitive thereby arranging said fibers at a central portion among said primitives in alignment with one another and therefore preventing said fibers at said central portion from squeezing one another.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2007Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Taiwan Fiber Optics, Inc.Inventor: Chun-I Lu
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Publication number: 20100303404Abstract: An optical fibre transducer is sensitive to at least one parameter of an environment in which it is located, the modification of the parameter(s) resulting in a modification of at least one measurable characteristic of a light wave injected into the optical fibre and flowing through the transducer, the optical fibre being multimodal and including an element adapted so that the modification of the light wave characteristic is based on a modification of mode coupling resulting from the modification of the environment parameter, the element leading to a mode coupling modification that generates, during the modification, a deformation of the optical fibre in the transducer according to a predetermined pattern. The element leading to the mode coupling modification is a hollow tube containing a relief pattern and surrounding the optical fibre at the transducer in a straight part of the fibre.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2008Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: PHOSYLABInventor: Sylvain Fischer
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Publication number: 20100303422Abstract: An optical connector having a front and back orientation and suitable for operating with a temperature range, the connector comprising: (a) a ferrule comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (COE), and having no greater than a first diameter below a transition temperature with the temperature range, and no less than a second diameter above the transition temperature, the ferrule also comprising an endface, and containing at least one fiber having a fiber end presented at the endface; (b) a spring disposed behind the ferrule and in contact with the ferrule to apply a forward urging force to the ferrule; and (c) a housing comprising a second material having a second COE, the housing defining a bore hole having a diameter greater than the second diameter, and an interface portion having a restricted bore hole having no greater than a third diameter below the transition temperature, and no less than a fourth diameter above the transition temperature; wherein the connector is conType: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: Tyco Electronics CorporationInventors: Daniel E. Wertman, Soren Grinderslev
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Patent number: 7771128Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, an optical connector for optically coupling respective end faces of two optical fiber cables including an optical fiber composed of a core and a cladding and a covering layer covering the optical fiber includes a protection sleeve, a cable insertion tube disposed in the protection sleeve for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables, an uncured refractive index matching material disposed between the protection sleeve and the cable insertion tube, and a supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the uncured refractive index matching material to an inside of the cable insertion tube. The cable insertion tube includes a cable receiving room for receiving an end of the two optical fiber cables inserted, a fiber receiving room for receiving the optical fiber, and a covering removal member formed at a boundary of the cable receiving room and the fiber receiving room for removing the covering layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.Inventors: Seiji Kojima, Kanako Suzuki
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Patent number: 7720340Abstract: A device for coupling multimode pump light and a laser signal into or out of a cladding-pumped fibre laser is disclosed, comprising an output optical fibre, a substantially un-tapered feed-through optical fibre, an annular waveguide having a tapered section, and a plurality of multimode pump fibres such that: the signal feed-through fibre is located within the annular waveguide; the signal feed-through fibre is fused into the annular waveguide in the tapered section so that the annular waveguide becomes an additional cladding layer of the feed-through fibre; the end of the feed-through fibre that is fused into the annular waveguide is optically coupled to the output optical fibre; the multimode pump fibres are optically coupled to the annular waveguide in the un-tapered section. Methods of forming the device are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2008Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: GSI Group Ltd.Inventors: Steffan Lewis, Glyn Edwards
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Patent number: 7672551Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved optical device having at least a first and second optical components. The optical device further includes a first extending tube securely attached to the first and second optical components as a first building block wherein the first and second optical components are aligned and position adjusted in the position-holding-and-fixing means and securely attached thereto by a room-temperature UV curable epoxy UV cured at room temperature. The optical device then further assembled using a step-by-step building block assembling process with more building blocks assembled by optical components similar to the first building block described above. In other preferred embodiment, the first and second optical components held in the extending tube having a pre-aligned dihedral angle between the first and second optical components.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2005Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Oplink Communications, Inc.Inventor: Guijun Ji
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Publication number: 20090003776Abstract: A crimp (30) comprises a hollow crimp body (31) that is open at each end (32, 33) and includes, at a first end (32), a first crushable crimp tube (34) for crimping onto a connector; and at a second end (33) a second crushable crimp tube (36) for crimping onto a cable, the portion (39) of the crimp between the said ends including a recess (37) for engagement by a closure housing (38).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2005Publication date: January 1, 2009Applicant: Tyco Electronics Raychem NVInventors: Geoffrey Buddington, David Cheale, Jennifer Shaw
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Publication number: 20080304796Abstract: Connectorized nano-engineered optical fibers and method for forming them are disclosed. The methods include heating a mid-span bare fiber portion of the nano-engineered fiber to substantially collapse the airlines therein so as to form a substantially airline-free portion. The fiber is then inserted into a ferrule channel so that the fiber end protrudes beyond the ferrule end face, but with the substantially airline-free portion positioned at the ferrule end face. The fiber is then cleaved at or near the ferrule end face in the substantially airline-free portion, and the new fiber end face polished to create a solid fiber end face that coincides with the ferrule end face. The methods result in relatively small changes to the mode field diameter (MFD) and/or to the outer cladding diameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2008Publication date: December 11, 2008Inventors: Robert R. Beshears, Dana C. Bookbinder, Terry L. Cooke, John B. Johnson, Dennis M. Knecht, Ming-Jun Li, Michael H. Rasmussen
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Publication number: 20080282742Abstract: Optical devices, components and methods for mounting optical fibers and for side-coupling light to/from optical fibers using a modified silicon V-groove, or silicon V-groove array, wherein V-grooves, which are designed for precisely aligning/spacing optical fibers, are “recessed” below the surface of the silicon. Optical fibers can be recessed below the surface of the silicon substrate such that a precisely controlled portion of the cladding layer extending above the silicon surface can be removed (lapped). With the cladding layer removed, the separation between the fiber core(s) and optoelectronic device(s) can be reduced resulting in improved optical coupling when the optical fiber silicon array is connected to, e.g., a VCSEL array.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Evan George COLGAN, Fuad Elias DOANY, Bruce Kenneth FURMAN, Daniel J. STIGLIANI, JR.
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Patent number: 7418836Abstract: Included among the many structures described herein are photonic bandgap fibers designed to provide a desired dispersion spectrum. Additionally, designs for achieving wide transmission bands and lower transmission loss are also discussed. For example, in some fiber designs, smaller dimensions of high index material in the cladding and large core size provide small flat dispersion over a wide spectral range. In other examples, the thickness of the high index ring-shaped region closest to the core has sufficiently large dimensions to provide negative dispersion or zero dispersion at a desired wavelength. Additionally, low index cladding features distributed along concentric rings or circles may be used for achieving wide bandgaps.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Imra America, Inc.Inventors: Liang Dong, Xiang Peng
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Publication number: 20080196450Abstract: As the endface preparation of the coated optical fiber, cutting using thermal stress is carried out, and a ceramic heater is used as a heat source, thereby making it possible to provide a coated optical fiber endface preparation method and tool capable of increasing the cutting success rate of the coated optical fiber. The coated optical fiber is removed of its coating to obtain the bare optical fiber. The bare optical fiber is heated by the heat source consisting of the ceramic heater, and is cut by further adding stress to part of the bare optical fiber which has been provided with the thermal stress. When heating the bare optical fiber, the product of a temperature and the heating time of the heat source is made 3000° C. sec or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2007Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Kazuo Hogari, Noriyoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 7403686Abstract: The invention is a staggered splice and method for making the same. The staggered splice is used to join two multi-fiber optic cables. Each opposing pair of optic fibers is cleaved such that they all have substantially the same combined length and provide fully operable communication. The light transmitting interfaces are staggered with respect to each other. The individual splices can be mechanical or fusion splices. The splices are typically bundled and protected with a sheath. The staggered splice is particularly applicable for connecting torpedo payout spools wound with the multi-fiber optic micro cable to the shipboard side wire.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Harry Zervas
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Publication number: 20080098772Abstract: The present invention provides process for fabricating an optical fiber assembly that includes two or more integral optical fiber elements having different interface characteristics, where at least one of the elements is a fiber optic device (fiber grating, in-fiber polarizer, coupler, mode filter, etc.), and where the length, and thus the cost, of each fiber optic device is advantageously optimized. The inventive process utilizes a two-stage approach, where at a first process stage, one or more optical fibers are spliced to one or more predetermined optical fiber device preforms (usable to fabricate one or more optical fiber devices), and where at a second process stage, one or more preform processing techniques (such as one or more of: drawing, twisting, etching, wrapping, etc.), are applied to the one or more preforms, to fabricate one or more corresponding optical fiber devices that are already integral with the optical fibers on one or both ends, thus forming the desirable optical fiber assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2006Publication date: May 1, 2008Inventors: Victor Il'ich Kopp, Victor Tchourikov, Jonathan Singer, Daniel Neugroschl
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Patent number: 7357005Abstract: A fiber optic collimator system, a fiber optic collimator array, and a fiber optic collimator array system, which can reduce difficulty in an alignment process, minimize a coupling loss, and prevent the optical characteristics from deteriorating. An optical fiber is fused to one end of a GRIN lens made of quartz glass containing one or more selected from Sb2O3, Ta2O5, TiO2 and ZrO2 as a refractive index regulating substance, to form an optical fiber with a GRIN lens. Since an adhesive is not used, the core alignment of the GRIN lens and the optical fiber can be facilitated by a self alignment effect without deteriorating the optical characteristics. Moreover, the coupling loss is remarkably reduced by appropriately setting a refractive index distribution constant g of the GRIN lens.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2005Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Toyo Glass Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyoshi Matsumura, Taro Suzuki, Toru Achiwa
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Publication number: 20080069502Abstract: A method of fabrication of a fiber bundle termination with reduced fiber-to-fiber pitch which includes reducing the outside diameter of fibers in the fiber bundle by etching and provides means for preventing breakage of the etched fibers during etching and assembly. A high yield fabrication and assembly process is described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2006Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Jian Ma
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Publication number: 20080007830Abstract: The invention is directed to polarizing devices that can be scaled to polarize electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths in ultraviolet to microwave range; and more particularly to devices suitable for use at visible and IR wavelengths. The device has a length, a width and a thickness, and a patterned system of channels, voids or holes embedded in or through a glass matrix and running through the thickness of the glass to thereby polarize incoming electromagnetic radiation having two polarization modes orthogonal to one another, blocking the passage of or reflecting one mode and permitting the other mode to pass through the device. The glass can be any glass suitable for transmitting the electromagnetic radiation in the range it will be used without excessive transmission losses due to absorbance of radiation in that range by moieties present in the glass.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2007Publication date: January 10, 2008Inventors: Nicholas Francis Borrelli, Sergey Anatolyevuch Kuchinsky, Karl William Koch, Sasha Marjanovic
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Patent number: 7308807Abstract: A mesh (36) is placed around a bundle (32) of fused glass fibers. The bundle is then immersed in a leaching bath (44). The ends of the bundle are protected from the bath fluid by furrules (34). Some of the glass of the bundle is leached out, so as to provide a flexible fiber bundle.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignees: Carl-Zeiss StiftungInventors: Klaus Gerstner, Armin Plichta, Dirk Schlatterbeck, Michael Weisser, Peter Brix, Martin Sommer, Robert A. Rubino, Jr., Jeffrey A. Bonja, Richard Strack, Inka Henze, Paul Arsenault
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Patent number: 7272956Abstract: A multimode to low-mode optical fiber is constructed by forming a plurality of multimode optical fibers into a fiber bundle. The bundle is then selectively heated and drawn to form a bi-tapered fiber bundle having a central straight portion in which the multimode fibers are fused into a single length of fiber. During the drawing step, measures are taken to provide an aperture extending through the bi-tapered bundle, including the single straight portion of the bundle. An optical fiber having a low-mode or single-mode core is inserted through the aperture into the straight section of the bi-tapered bundle. The bi-tapered bundle and the low-mode core fiber are heated to a temperature at which cladding of the low-mode core fiber fuses to the straight portion of the bi-tapered bundle. The bi-tapered bundle is then cleaved in the straight portion to provide the multimode to low-mode optical fiber combiner. In one example, the multimode fiber bundle is formed around a metal wire before the drawing operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2004Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Serguei G. Anikitchev, Kevin Elton Lindsay, Andrei Starodoumov
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Patent number: 7221448Abstract: The invention relates to a sample cell with a glass body comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet and at least one orifice, a plane glass window is fused into the orifice, the shape and size of the window corresponds to the shape and size of the orifice, the orifice is limited by a rim, the rim is wider than the thickness of the window, the rim of the window is fused with the rim of the orifice. The invention further relates to a method of producing the sample cell. The window is inserted into the orifice. The rim of the orifice is heated several times from the exterior in such a way that the glass melts and a fused joint is formed between the window and the rim of the orifice. The sample cell produced by the method has a particularly rigid joint between the window and the glass body. Therefore, this glass cell is able to withstand pressures above 10 bar and allows the passage of light without lens effects owing to its plane-parallel windows. The sample cell is used in a polarizer for inert gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2000Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Forschungszentrum Julich GmbHInventors: Stephan Appelt, Giovanni D'Orsaneo, Nadim Joni Shah
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Patent number: 7149399Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a fiber optic array is provided. The array includes a substrate having a fiber support surface. The array further includes an optical fiber having a fiber portion that includes an un-jacketed, un-buffered optical core segment. The un-jacketed, un-buffered optical core segment is placed in contact with the fiber support surface to orient the optical core segment at a selected position relative to the support surface. In addition, the array includes a solder glass chemically bonded to the optical core segment and the fiber support surface so that the optical core segment is secured at a predetermined location relative to the support surface of the substrate. A method for fabricating such a fiber optic array is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2002Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLCInventors: Martin G. Meder, William Stacy, Mindaugas F. Dautartas, Dan A. Steinberg
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Patent number: 7106932Abstract: A method of joining a first optical fiber (110) to a second optical fiber (130) comprises the steps of: (i) providing a preform element (10) comprising material defining a primary elongate cavity (40); (ii) inserting the first optical fiber (110) into the primary cavity (40) to form a preform (125); and (iii) drawing the second optical fiber (130) from the preform (125); wherein, the second optical fiber (130) includes a core region comprising material that has been drawn from the first optical fiber (110).Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2002Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Crystal Fibre A/SInventors: Timothy Adam Birks, Jonathan Cave Knight, Philip St. John Russell, Brian Joseph Mangan
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Patent number: 7068901Abstract: An optical fiber preform comprises a central core portion having a maximal value Nc of refractive index in the center, and outside the central core portion, comprising at least a depressed portion having a minimal value Nd of refractive index, a ring portion having a maximal value Nr of refractive index and an outside cladding layer having a maximal value No of refractive index. The optical fiber preform satisfies a relation of Nc?Nr>No>Nd among the values of refractive index. A method of the optical fiber preform comprises fabricating a glass rod by inserting a rod containing at least the central core portion into a pipe containing at least the depressed portion and integrating them, fabricating a glass pipe having the ring portion, and fabricating a vitreous body by integrating the glass rod and the glass pipe by collapsing after inserting the glass rod into the glass pipe.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2003Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Hirano, Eiji Yanada, Tomoyuki Yokokawa, Takashi Sasaki
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Patent number: 7058267Abstract: Method for manufacturing of an optical fiber with a decoupling interface for scattered light to monitor the power of light guided through the optical fiber, where the optical fiber has a core having a first refractive index and a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding having a second refractive index smaller than the first refractive index, and where a portion of the optical fiber is substantially straightly aligned in the region of the decoupling interface, in which method the optical fiber is electro-thermally treated at an intermediate position within the substantially straightly aligned portion such that a partial mixture of core material and cladding material and, thereby, formation of scattering centers occurs in an interface region between the core and said the cladding, thereby forming the decoupling interface for scattered light from the modified intermediate position.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2003Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Toptica Photonics AGInventors: Rudolf Neuhaus, Frederik Popp, Harald Rossmeier
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Patent number: 7046900Abstract: The fiber-wired sheet of the present invention includes a pair of sheets facing each other and a fiber arrangement sandwiched by the pair of sheets. The pair of sheets have respective adhesive layers on the surfaces facing the fiber arrangement. The fiber arrangement has a double-layer structure composed of a continuous fiber, and the layers are in contact with the respective adhesive layers.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2004Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuaki Kondo, Kazuo Imamura, Minoru Yoshida, Shogo Ikunishi
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Patent number: 7037004Abstract: A large-diameter core optical fiber and a small-diameter core high optical fiber are fusion-spliced, and the spliced portion is heated to expand the core diameter of a core of the high optical fiber and form a spot size transition portion, whereby spot sizes of the optical fibers are matched and relative refractive index differences thereof are made substantially identical. Subsequently, the optical fiber is cut at an arbitrary position and the spliced portion and the spot size transition portion are placed inside a ferule with the large diameter core optical fiber arranged on a light incident and outgoing end face side of the ferrule to form an optical fiber component. The core diameter is expanded while monitoring transition loss of the splined portion to obtain an optical fiber component having an optimal spot size transition portion without an advanced technique and without increase in transition loss.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2003Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Showa Electric Wire & Cable Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nahoko Nakamura, Keiko Shiraishi, Tomotaka Murase, Susumu Ohneda
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Patent number: 7024078Abstract: An optical fiber is tapered, for example, by heating it with a CO2 laser. The tapering process is controlled such that the taper transition regions have taper angles selected to minimize loss. The taper waist has a diameter selected to introduce desired dispersion properties and desired nonlinearity. The optical fiber can be used as a dispersion compensator in a fiber laser or other fiber optic system. The nonlinearity in the tapered optical fiber allows the generation of ultrashort light pulses.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2004Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: University of RochesterInventor: Wayne H. Knox
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Patent number: 7010203Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber manufacturing method and an optical fiber in which an increase in the transmission loss is suppressed by preventing hydroxyl group from entering near the core portion. This invention provides a method for manufacturing an optical fiber 10 including forming a glass pipe 16 by applying a ring portion 15 on the inner face of a starting pipe 14 as a starting material, inserting a glass rod 13 that becomes a central core portion 11 and a depressed portion 12 into the inside of the glass pipe 16, integrating the glass pipe 16 and the glass rod 13 by collapse to form a glass body 17, forming a preform 10a by providing a jacket portion 18 outside the glass body 17, and drawing the preform 10a, wherein the thickness of the starting pipe 14 is set in a range from 4 mm to 8 mm.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2003Date of Patent: March 7, 2006Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Yokokawa, Eiji Yanada, Masaaki Hirano
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Patent number: 6993938Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for compiling and fracturing optical fibers are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2003Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: William L. Stewart, II
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Patent number: 6959131Abstract: An achromatic power splitter is formed from multiple optical fibers. The achromatic power splitter operates single mode, which permits the power splitter to operate substantially insensitive to changes in wavelength of the input light, to changes in the polarization of the input light, to changes in the temperature of the device, and to exposure to ionizing radiation.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2003Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.Inventor: Reinhardt L. Willig
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Patent number: 6925840Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a photonic crystal optical fiber preform by stacking and bonding individual glass disks. In one embodiment, each glass disk has a pattern of voids formed therethrough, and the pattern for each disk is the same. In another embodiment, glass blanks are formed without voids and stacked with disks having voids wherein an optical fiber preform is formed having channels closed at both ends by glass having no channels. Also disclosed is an optical fiber having channels closed at both ends by glass without channels.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2003Date of Patent: August 9, 2005Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Daniel W. Hawtof, Karl W. Koch, III, Natesan Venkataraman
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Patent number: 6921452Abstract: An optical display panel which provides improved light intensity at a viewing angle by redirecting light emitting from the viewing screen, and a method of making a light redirective display panel, are disclosed. The panel includes an inlet face at one end for receiving light, and an outlet screen at an opposite end for displaying the light. The inlet face is defined at one end of a transparent body, which body may be formed by a plurality of waveguides, and the outlet screen is defined at an opposite end of the body. The screen includes light redirective elements at the outlet screen for re-directing light emitting from the outlet screen.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2002Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Brookhaven Science AssociatesInventor: James T. Veligdan
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Patent number: 6865322Abstract: A method for producing fiber optic devices having improved intrinsic resistance to external environmental conditions and a fiber optic device made my the method are disclosed. The fabrication method produces an optic device that is treated with deuterium. The method includes a step for treating and/or making optical devices in the presence of a flame produced by the combustion of deuterium gas or a mixture including deuterium.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2003Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: GOI Acquisitions LLCInventors: Jack R. Tallent, Arthur J. Hoffman, III, Saeed Pilevar
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Patent number: 6837075Abstract: A glass fixative composition for bonding glass materials to non-glass materials is provided. The fixative composition is selected for its thermal expansion coefficient, its viscosity, its adhesion to glass, melting point, and bond strength. The glass fixative is in particular useful for bonding optical fibers to metallic materials such as Kovar. The low melting point of the glass fixative enables localized heating methods to be used, in particular, as Kovar is a ferromagnetic material, induction heating can be used to form a bond. The bond formed provides a compressive joint which enables the fiber to be hermetically fixed in position.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Bookham Technology, plc.Inventors: Kenneth Snowdon, Timothy J Durrant, Richard Wilmshurst, Christopher G Tanner