Abstract:
High aspect ratio core optical fiber designs, which could be semi-guiding, including a core region having a first refractive index and a high aspect ratio elongated cross-section along a slow axis direction, are described. An internal cladding having a second refractive index sandwiches the core and acts as a fast-axis signal cladding. The core has an edge region at both of its short edges that is in contract with edge-cladding regions having a barbell shape. The refractive index of the core regions, the refractive index of the internal claddings, and the refractive index of the edge-cladding regions, are selected so as to maximize the optical power of a lowest-order mode propagating in the fiber core, and to minimize the optical power of the next-order modes in the fiber core. A process to fabricate such a high aspect ratio core fiber is also provided.
Abstract:
An apparatus and process for making glass soot sheet and sintered glass sheet. Glass soot particles are deposited on a curved deposition surface (103) of a rotating drum to form a soot sheet. The soot sheet is then released from the deposition surface. The soot sheet can tie sintered into a consolidated glass. The soot sheet and the sintered glass can be sufficiently long and flexible to be reeled into a roll (117).
Abstract:
The invention relates to an optical fibre consisting of at least a core part (11) and a cladding part (12), in which cladding partthere are single particles (42) whose refractive index deviates from the refractive index of the material of the cladding part, bymeans of which particles the variations in the refractive index that are necessary for the function of the optical fibre are implemented.
Abstract:
A method of forming periodic regions of differing refractive index within a glass light transmitting device, typically an optical fibre, and in which the device is formed in a manner to create weak chemical bonds that have a weak binding energy relative to that of oxygen-linking bonds in the device. Tensile stress is established within a portion of the device containing the weak bonds at a level which permits preservation of at least a majority of the weak bonds. The device after its formation is exposed to optical irradiation at the spaced-apart periodic regions, the irradiation having an energy level which is sufficient to break the weak chemical bonds and thereby effect a stress level reduction and consequential refractive index increase in the exposed periodic regions of the device.
Abstract:
A system and method for sintering a thin, high purity fused silica glass sheet having a thickness of 500 μm or less, includes a step of rastering a beam of a laser across a sheet of high purity fused silica soot; wherein a pattern of the rastering includes tightly spacing target locations on the sheet such that the laser sinters the soot and simultaneously forms tiny notches on a first major surface of the sheet when viewed in cross-section, wherein the tiny notches are crenellated such that at least some of the notches have generally flat bottom surfaces and at least some respective adjoining caps have generally plateau top surfaces offset from the bottom surfaces by steeply-angled sidewalls.
Abstract:
The present disclosure provides optical fiber preforms formed from core canes having large core-clad ratio, intermediate core-cladding assemblies, and methods for making the preforms and core cladding assemblies. The preforms are made with capped core canes. The capping material has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the core cane and more closely matched to or lower than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the surrounding cladding monolith in a cane-in-soot process. Presence of the cap reduces stresses that arise from differential thermal expansion of the core cane and cladding materials and leads to preforms having low defect concentration and low probability of failure during subsequent thermal processing steps.
Abstract:
A method for making silica includes delivering a silica precursor comprising a perfluorinated group to a conversion site and passing the silica precursor through a conversion flame to produce silica soot.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for forming soot used in making glass, and in particular, optical waveguides. A liquid precursor (66) is first fed into orifice (52) of a liquid orifice insert (48) within an injector (44) positioned within an atomizing burner assembly, and is thereafter discharged from the injector into a pressurization chamber (56). An atomization gas (70) is also fed into the pressurization chamber (56) to mix with the liquid precursor liquid stream (68) which breaks into droplets (76). The liquid precursor and atomization gas are forced under pressure out of an atomization orifice (32) on the face of the burner (30) assembly. Flame gas (74), reaction gas (84) and shield gas (82) are ejected from burner orifices (40, 38, 36 and 34) to produce the flame. The atomized liquid precursor thus discharged is fed into the flame (72) produced at the face of the burner assembly where the atomized liquid precursor reacts with the flame to form soot (78) on a rotating mandrel (80).
Abstract:
A system and method for making an edge section of a thin, high purity fused silica glass sheet. The method includes a step of directing a laser to melt through the glass sheet with localized heating of a narrow portion of the glass sheet to form an edge section of the glass sheet, and continuing the edge section to form a closed loop defining a perimeter of the glass sheet. The method further includes rapidly cooling the glass sheet through the glass transition temperature as the melted glass of the edge section contracts and/or solidifies to form an unrefined-bullnose shape extending between first and second major surfaces of the glass sheet.