Patent EP0293289A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0293289A2
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Wavelength independent coupler and method of manufacture thereof
Assignee: Amphenol Corp
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Filing: 1988-05-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-05-20
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a single mode fiber optic coupler which is wavelength independent and a method of manufacture thereof. The coupler comprises two single mode fibers (3a,3b) positioned side by side which are fused in a manner such that they taper down (7) into a substantially circular cross section coupling region (9) wherein the two cores of the fibers run therethrough. In its most preferred aspect to achieve wavelength independence, the fibers are selected to have indexes of refraction at the core which are sufficiently different such that uniform coupling throughout a broad range of light wavelengths is achieved.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin L. Sweeny
- 👤 Michael Corke
- 👤 Kevin M. Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:42
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/2804; G02B6/2821; G02B6/2835
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A single mode coupler of a type wherein two single mode fibers are fused together to form a coupler which permits substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range of light between the two fibers, characterized in that said fibers (3a,3b) are selected to have cores with respective indexes of refraction one different from the other, with the difference being sufficient such that when said fibers are fused together as a coupler, said substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range, between the two fibers is achieved.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A single mode coupler of a type wherein two single mode fibers are fused together to form a coupler which permits substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range of light between the two fibers, characterized in that said fibers (3a,3b) are selected to have cores with respective indexes of refraction one different from the other, with the difference being sufficient such that when said fibers are fused together as a coupler, said substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range, between the two fibers is achieved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A coupler as in claim 1 characterized in that said fibers have an outer diameter at the edge of the cladding of about 125 micron and a core diameter of about 8 micron, the cladding and core being of glass and at least one of the cladding and core being doped to result in a fiber wherein the core has a higher index of refraction than the cladding.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A coupler as in claim 2 characterized in that said glass is SiO₂.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A coupler as in claim 3 characterized in that the SiO₂ core is doped with GeO₂ to achieve the difference in index of refraction between core and cladding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A coupler as in claim 4 characterized in that the index of refraction of the cladding of the two fibers is about 1.46 and the index of refraction of the core of one of the fibers is about 1.4627 and of the other fiber is about 1.4636, and wherein the predetermined wavelength range of coupled light wavelengths is about 1200-1600 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A coupler as in claim 2 characterized in that prior to fusing the fibers together the cladding of the fibers have been etched down such that the fibers have an outer diameter of no less than about 85-105 micron.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A coupler as in any one of claims 3 to 5 characterized in that prior to fusing the fibers together the cladding of the fibers have been etched down such that the fibers have an outer diameter of no less than about 105 micron.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of making a single mode coupler of the type wherein two single mode fibers are fused together forming a coupler which permits substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range of light between the two fibers, the method including the steps of positioning predetermined portions of the two single mode fibers together such that their claddings are in contact, heating the fibers with a heat source over a predetermined portion thereof and moving the predetermined portions in a reciprocal motion across and in proximity to the heat source to cause said predetermined portions of the fibers to fuse together, and applying axial tension to said fused region to taper down from individual fibers into a reduced diameter region of predetermined shape, wherein the fibers are fused into a unitary region, characterized in that the fibers to be fused are selected to have cores with respective indexes of refraction, one different from the other, with the difference being sufficient such that when said fibers are fused together as a coupler there results a coupler capable of uniformly coupling light over a predetermined wavelength range between the two fibers.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of making a single mode coupler of the type wherein two single mode fibers are fused together forming a coupler which permits substantially uniform coupling of light over a predetermined wavelength range of light between the two fibers, the method including the steps of positioning predetermined portions of the two single mode fibers together such that their claddings are in contact, heating the fibers with a heat source over a predetermined portion thereof and moving the predetermined portions in a reciprocal motion across and in proximity to the heat source to cause said predetermined portions of the fibers to fuse together, and applying axial tension to said fused region to taper down from individual fibers into a reduced diameter region of predetermined shape, wherein the fibers are fused into a unitary region, characterized in that the fibers to be fused are selected to have cores with respective indexes of refraction, one different from the other, with the difference being sufficient such that when said fibers are fused together as a coupler there results a coupler capable of uniformly coupling light over a predetermined wavelength range between the two fibers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method as in claim 8 characterized in that said fibers have an outer diameter at the edge of the cladding of about 125 micron and a core diameter of about 8 micron, the cladding and core being of glass and one of the cladding and core being doped to result in a fiber wherein the core has a higher index of refraction than the cladding.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as in claim 9 characterized in that said glass is SiO₂.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 10 characterized in that the SiO₂ core is doped with GeO₂ to achieve the difference in index of refraction between core and cladding.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as in claim 11 characterized in that the index of refraction of the cladding of the two fibers is about 1.46 and the index of refraction of the core of one of the fibers is about 1.4627 and of the other fiber is about 1.4636, and wherein the predetermined wavelength range of coupled light wavelengths is about 1200-1600 nm.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
43 words
A method as in any one of claims 9 to 12 characterized in that prior to fusing the fibers together the cladding of the fibers are etched down such that the fibers have an outer diameter of no less than about 105 micron.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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