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US3813141A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Single material optical fiber structures including thin film supporting members

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1972-11-22
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Granted: 1974-05-28
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Expires: 1992-11-22
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Abstract

Abstract Optical fibers, for propagating optical radiation in guided modes, are fabricated in an integral structure. Advantageously, the fiber structure is made of a single filamentary material, such as fused silica, with a relatively large cross section at the central portion of the fiber and with a relatively thin film portion at the extremities of the fiber. The thin film portion serves as a supporting member for the central portion of the fiber. Such optical fiber structures are capable of propagating either single mode or multimode guided optical waves. In addition, the exposed surface of the central portion (which is not contacted by the thin film supporting member portion) can be contacted with an optically nonlinear material, in order to provide suitable interactions with the propagating signal wave energy and thereby to produce electrooptic effects such as amplification, modulation, or laser action.

Inventors

  • 👤 S Miller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 23:41
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/02; C03B37/025; C03B37/027; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; C03B2203/00; C03B2203/10; C03B2203/12; C03B2203/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 118 words
An optical fiber structure for waveguiding optical radiation which comprises a filament of a unitary optically transparent structure whose cross section is characterized by a relatively thick cross section area portion of a fiber optical material at a central portion thereof and by relatively thin cross-sectional area portions of the same material contacting at least two extremities of the central portion, said thin portions providing mechanical support for the central portion, and said thin portions extending in a direction away from the central portion for distances which are at least an order of magnitude larger than the wavelength of the optical radiation, whereby the optical radiation can be propagated in at least one mode through the optical fiber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 118 words
An optical fiber structure for waveguiding optical radiation which comprises a filament of a unitary optically transparent structure whose cross section is characterized by a relatively thick cross section area portion of a fiber optical material at a central portion thereof and by relatively thin cross-sectional area portions of the same material contacting at least two extremities of the central portion, said thin portions providing mechanical support for the central portion, and said thin portions extending in a direction away from the central portion for distances which are at least an order of magnitude larger than the wavelength of the optical radiation, whereby the optical radiation can be propagated in at least one mode through the optical fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
An optical fiber structure according to claim 1 in which the central portion has a rectangular cross section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
An optical fiber structure according to claim 1 in which the central portion has a circular cross section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
An optical fiber structure according to claim 1 in which the filament is made of a single transparent material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
An optical fiber structure according to claim 1 in which the exposed edges of the filament, located distally from the central portion, are attached to a peripheral cylindrical hollow second filament which is transparent to the optical radiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The optical fiber structure recited in claim 5 in which the cylindrical portion is encased in an optically lossy jacket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 44 words
The optical fiber sTructure recited in claim 5 in which at least a portion of the space between the peripheral cylindrical portion and the central portion is occupied by an optically nonlinear material for interaction with the optical radiation propagating through the optical fiber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 40 words
The optical fiber structure recited in claim 1 in which at least a portion of the exposed surface of the central portion is coated with an optical nonlinear material for interaction with the optical radiation propagating through the optical fiber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 43 words
The optical fiber structure recited in claim 1 in which at least a portion of the exposed surface of the central portion is coated with an optically linear material in order to provide further waveguiding of the optical radiation propagating through the fiber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 46 words
An optical fiber structure according to claim 1 in which the central portion has a rectangularly shaped cross section, and in which one major surface of each of the thin portions together with the one major surface of the central portion form a single planar surface.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3350654A Cited
US3391969A Cited
US3318651A Cited
US3434774A Cited
US3535017A Cited
US3537020A Cited
US3653739A Cited
US3712705A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-05-27 1977-11-26 1978-05-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-05-27 1981-11-26 1982-05-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-05-27 1985-11-26 1986-05-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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