Abstract:
The field is that of methods for providing fiber-optic final preforms obtained by external plasma overcladding build-up around a primary preform. The method involves providing a final preform starting from a primary preform by external plasma deposition of silica grain over a primary preform, the outer peripheral layer of the primary preform consisting of a fluorine-doped silica tube. The build-up process involves forming a first overcladding using fluorine-doped synthetic silica grain followed by a second overcladding step using natural silica grain. The optical fibers obtained and their associated optical fiber preforms are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The specification describes an improved optical fiber design in which the criteria for high performance in a Raman amplified optical system, such as moderate effective area, moderate dispersion, low dispersion slope, and selected zero dispersion wavelength, are simultaneously optimized. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the dispersion characteristics are deliberately made selectively dependent on the core radius. This allows manufacturing variability in the dispersion properties, introduced in the core-making process, to be mitigated during subsequent processing steps.
Abstract:
The present invention provides nanometer-sized diameter silica fibers that exhibit high diameter uniformity and surface smoothness. The silica fibers can have diameters in a range of a about 20 nm to about 1000 nm. An exemplary method according to one embodiment of the invention for generating such fibers utilizes a two-step process in which in an initial step a micrometer sized diameter silica preform fiber is generated, and in a second step, the silica preform is drawn while coupled to a support element to form a nanometer sized diameter silica fiber. The portion of the support element to which the preform is coupled is maintained at a temperature suitable for drawing the nansized fiber, and is preferably controlled to exhibit a temporally stable temperature profile.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are described for fabricating a varying-waveguide optical fiber. In one described method, a preform is fabricated having a core and at least one cladding region. The cladding region has a higher viscosity and the core region has a lower viscosity. The relative viscosities of the cladding region and core are chosen such that, when tension is applied to an optical fiber drawn from the preform, the applied tension is primarily borne by the cladding region thereby causing a viscoelastic strain to be frozen into the cladding region, while creating a minimal viscoelastic strain in the core. The method further includes drawing the preform into an optical fiber under an applied tension, such that a viscoelastic strain is frozen into the cladding region the frozen-in viscoelastic strain decreasing the cladding region refractive index. The cladding region refractive index is changed in a section of the optical fiber by heating the section so as to relax the viscoelastic strain frozen into the cladding region in the section of fiber, thereby increasing the cladding region refractive index in the section of fiber.
Abstract:
An optical fiber preform is made by modifying a conventional preform tube having a cladding zone and a core zone, before its thermal collapse normally followed by fiber drawing. The modification is accomplished by depositing, e.g. by MCVD, a thin protective layer of a light-transmissive material, e.g. silica, on the inner surface of the preform tube, over the core zone, before the collapse step. The material of the protective layer has a higher viscosity than the material of the core zone. The protective layer is deposited over the inner (core) zone of the preform tube and its thickness and composition is selected to prevent excessive viscosity drop of the typically alumina-doped core zone during the collapse step. The provision of the protective, viscosity-controlling protective layer is helpful in maintaining good roundness of the collapsed preform tube.
Abstract:
A method for producing an optical fiber preform starting with a first-generation target typically comprising pure silica. A plasma torch deposits an annular region of doped silica to form an intermediate structure. The intermediate structure is drawn down to a second-generation target and another annular region of doped silica is deposited. The process is repeated a plurality of times until an Nth generation target is formed. The deposition optionally employs repeated cycles of depositing a plurality of layers of silica at a high traversal rate without sintering, followed by periodic sintering. In a further embodiment, stabilizer bars extending out from the plasma coils improve distribution of the deposition material. Another embodiment injects the source gas into a particular region of the plasma for control of soot deposition.
Abstract:
A method for making silica includes delivering a silica precursor comprising a pseudohalogen to a conversion site and passing the silica precursor through a flame to produce silica soot.
Abstract:
An optical fiber (10) made with a central core (12), a first cladding layer (16), and a second cladding layer (18) having a series of perturbations or irregularities formed into the otherwise generally circular outer boundary of the first cladding layer (16). The irregularities in the first cladding layer (16) interrupt the propagation of skew rays and encourage coupling into the core (12).
Abstract:
Fiber is drawn from a preform comprising a silica body, e.g., a sol-gel derived overcladding or substrate tube. Prior to sintering, the body is treated with a gaseous mixture containing one or more non-oxygenated sulfur halides, to remove and/or reduce the size of refractory oxide particles, and/or dehydroxylate the body. Removal of metal oxide particles or reduction in their size contributes to drawing of optical fiber exhibiting desirable strength, since such particles act as initiation sites for breakage. Advantageously, the halides include sulfur chlorides, which provide desirable improvements compared to treatment by oxygenated sulfur chlorides such as thionyl chloride (SOCl2).
Abstract:
Fiber is drawn from a preform comprising a silica body, e.g., a sol-gel derived overcladding or substrate tube. Prior to sintering, the body is treated with a gaseous mixture containing one or more non-oxygenated sulfur halides, to remove and/or reduce the size of refractory oxide particles, and/or dehydroxylate the body. Removal of metal oxide particles or reduction in their size contributes to drawing of optical fiber exhibiting desirable strength, since such particles act as initiation sites for breakage. Advantageously, the halides include sulfur chlorides, which provide desirable improvements compared to treatment by oxygenated sulfur chlorides such as thionyl chloride (SOCl2).