EP0213778A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Interferometers
Assignee: The General Electric Company PLC
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Filing: 1986-08-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-04
Abstract
Abstract A Mach Zehnder interferometer comprises a single optical fibre incorporating two coaxially disposed waveguides (1, 2), e.g. a rod waveguide (1) and a surrounding tube waveguide (2), and having a pair of axially spaced tapered regions forming couplers between the two waveguides at said regions.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony Christos Boucouvalas
- 👤 George Antony Georigiou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:15
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29346; G02B6/2935; G02B6/29352; G01; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/32; G01D5/34; G01D5/353; G01D5/35303; G02B6/2804; G02B6/2821; G02B6/2835
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
32 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer comprises a single optical fibre incorporating two coaxially disposed waveguides and having a pair of axially spaced tapered regions forming couplers between the two waveguides at said regions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer comprises a single optical fibre incorporating two coaxially disposed waveguides and having a pair of axially spaced tapered regions forming couplers between the two waveguides at said regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to Claim 1 wherein one waveguide comprises a rod waveguide forming the core of the fibre, and the other waveguide comprises a tube waveguide coaxially surrounding the rod waveguide and spaced radially from it by an intervening light transmitting material of lower refractive index.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to Claim 2 wherein the optical fibre is formed of silica with the parts constituting the two waveguides doped to increase their refractive indices above that of the intervening material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to Claim 3 wherein the dopant consists of germania.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to any preceding Claim wherein the cou pler regions as separated by a distance of not more than 10mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, incorporating means for injecting light into an end of one of the waveguides and a detector for monitoring the light emerging from the other end of the waveguide, the part of the fibre between the coupler regions being subjected to a variable external influence which affects the dimensions and/or relative refractive indices of the waveguides, and produces a change in the emergent light in dependence thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer according to Claim 6 wherein the part of the fibre between the two coupler regions is coated with a conducting material, and means are provided for passing an electric current through the coating so as to heat said part of the fibre and produce a change in the relative refractive indices of the parts of the two waveguides between the coupler regions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A Mach Zehnder interferometer substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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