Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of making a polarization retaining single-mode optical fiber. There is initially formed a draw blank having diametrically opposed longitudinal apertures in the cladding glass parallel to the core glass region. The draw blank is drawn into a fiber under such conditions that the apertures close as the fiber is being drawn. The flow of surrounding glass, including the core glass region, toward the collapsing apertures, causes the core to assume an elliptical shape. The apertures are of such cross-sectional area and spacing from the core that the core develops the desired aspect ratio.
Abstract:
A fiber optic coupler is formed by providing a glass tube having a longitudinal aperture extending therethrough. Protective coating is removed from a region of a first optical fiber intermediate the ends thereof. Protective coating is removed from an end region of at least one other optical fiber. The coated portion of the first fiber is threaded through the tube until the uncoated region thereof is near the tube end. The uncoated region of the second fiber is placed adjacent that of the first fiber, and both uncoated regions are simultaneously fed into the tube aperture. After the threading operation has continued until the uncoated regions extend through the midregion of the tube, the midregion is heated to collapse it about the fibers, and the central portion of the midregion is drawn to reduce the diameter thereof over a predetermined length.
Abstract:
A low loss fiber optic coupler is fabricated by forming a coupler preform having a plurality of spaced glass cores extending longitudinally through a matrix of glass having a refractive index lower than that of the cores. The coupler preform is formed by inserting a plurality of coated optical fiber preform rods into an aperture extending axially through an elongated boule of relatively etchable matrix glass. The cladding portion of the rods, which is relatively etch-resistant, is coated with a layer of etchable glass. The coupler preform is heated and stretched to form a glass rod which is then severed into a plurality of units. Heat is applied to the central region of each unit, and the central region is elongated and tapered inwardly. When an end of the unit is immersed in acid, the matrix glass dissolves, thereby leaving the unit cores and surrounding etch-resistant cladding glass protruding from the newly formed endface of the unit.
Abstract:
An optical fiber including: (i) a silica based, rare earth doped core (12) having a first index of refraction n1; (ii) a silica based inner cladding (14) surrounding the core and having a second index of refraction n2, such that n1>n2, the inner cladding having a plurality of air holes (24, 26) extending longitudinally through the length of the optical fiber; (iii) a silica based outer cladding (16) surrounding the inner cladding and having a third index of refraction n3, such that n2>n3; wherein the optical fiber supports a single polarization mode within the operating wavelength range.
Abstract:
A tube (36) is connected to a different tube (27). A rod (22) is put in the different tube (27). Soot (28) is deposited on the outside of the different tube (27). A gas (55) is made to flow through the different tube (27). This structure (32) is then collapsed thereby creating an optical fiber preform.
Abstract:
The present invention provides environmentally stable interferometric and lattice devices that exhibit low excess loss and polarization dependent loss. The modal noise at the splices between the device pigtails and the system fiber is minimized or eliminated. The present invention is an optical device (10) for filtering a light signal. The optical device (10) has a tunable spectral response. The optical device includes a first optical fiber (25) having a first core region (30) and a cladding (34) with refractive index n2. The first core region (30) includes a core (32) having refractive index n1 and a first fiber coupling regulator (300) integral with the first optical fiber (25). The first fiber coupling regulator (300) couples the light signal between a first optical path and second optical path and substantially prevents the light signals from coupling into a third optical path.
Abstract:
A dispersion compensating single mode optical waveguide fiber designed to change the wavelength window of operation of a link from 1301 nm to 1550 nm. The dispersion compensating waveguide fiber is characterized by a core glass region refractive index profile comprised of at least three segments (2, 4, 6, 8). The segment (2) on the waveguide center has a positive relative refractive index. At least one segment (4, 8), spaced apart from the waveguide centerline has a negative relative refractive index.
Abstract:
Overclad fiber optic couplers are made by inserting the uncoated portions of a plurality of optical fibers into the bore (14) of a glass tube, collapsing the tube midregion (15) onto the fibers and stretching the central portion of the tube midregion. The present method utilizes a glass tube (10) the bore of which includes a circular portion and a recess. A plurality of optical fibers (21, 22) are sequentially inserted into the tube by threading the coated end into the circular bore portion until the uncoated portion of fiber (23, 24) is centered in the tube. The uncoated portion of fiber is then transferred laterally into the bore (14) recess. After all fibers have been threaded into the circular bore portion and transferred to the recess, a filler fiber (28) is inserted into the circular bore portion. The resultant coupler exhibits low excess loss.
Abstract:
A preform (94) for making an optical fiber is made by depositing silica soot (91) around a tube (90). Pieces of differing glass compositions (81, 82) are placed in the bore of the tube. This preform is then sintered, fused and collapsed. A draw blank is obtained which can be drawn into a low-loss, dispersion managed, single-mode optical fiber.