Patent US4123483A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4123483A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Manufacturing method of an optical waveguide
Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1973-10-12
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Granted: 1978-10-31
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Expires: 1993-10-12
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing an O-ring type optical waveguide wherein a layer of fused silica is formed on the smooth cylindrical surface of an elongated member of fused silica and thereafter a thin layer of doped fused silica having an index of refraction greater than that of said fused silica is formed over said layer of fused silica. A second layer of fused silica is then formed over the layer of doped fused silica and the composite structure is heated to its drawing temperatures and drawn to reduce the cross sectioned area thereof to form an optical waveguide having a cylindrical layer of higher refractive index interposed between a core and an outer cylindrical layer of lesser refractive index.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsuneo Nakahara
- 👤 Masao Hoshikawa
- 👤 Satoshi Shiraishi
- 👤 Shiro Kurosaki
- 👤 Kunio Fujiwara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:23
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/02; C03B37/025; C03B37/027; C03B37/02754; C03B37/012; C03B37/01205; C03B37/01211; C03B37/014; C03B37/01413; C03B37/018; C03B37/01807; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; G02B6/036; G02B6/03616; G02B6/03622; G02B6/03633; B; B29; B29C; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/001; B29C43/00; B29K; B29K2067/00; B29K2067/06; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/10; B29K2101/12; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/24; C03B2201/00; C03B2201/02; C03B2201/06; C03B2201/30; C03B2201/31; C03B2201/32; C03B2201/34; C03B2201/40; C03B2201/42; C03B2201/50; C03B2203/00; C03B2203/10; C03B2203/22; C03B2205/00; C03B2205/12; C03B2205/14; C03B2205/16; G02B6/03605; G02B6/03611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of manufacturing an optical waveguide comprising the steps of, providing an elongated member of fused silica having a smooth cylindrical surface, forming a layer of fused silica on said smooth surface, forming a thin layer of doped fused silica having an index of refraction greater than that of said fused silica over said layer of fused silica, forming a second layer of fused silica over said layer of doped fused silica, heating the composite structure so formed to the drawing temperature of the materials thereof, and drawing the heated structure to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof and form an optical waveguide having a cylindrical layer of higher refractive index interposed between a core and an outer cylindrical layer of lesser refractive index.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of manufacturing an optical waveguide comprising the steps of, providing an elongated member of fused silica having a smooth cylindrical surface, forming a layer of fused silica on said smooth surface, forming a thin layer of doped fused silica having an index of refraction greater than that of said fused silica over said layer of fused silica, forming a second layer of fused silica over said layer of doped fused silica, heating the composite structure so formed to the drawing temperature of the materials thereof, and drawing the heated structure to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof and form an optical waveguide having a cylindrical layer of higher refractive index interposed between a core and an outer cylindrical layer of lesser refractive index.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said elongated member of fused silica is a solid rod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2, immediately prior to the step of heating, including the step of inserting said composite structure so formed coaxially within a tube of fused silica to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 including the step of forming a layer of fused silica on the inner surface of said tube prior to the step of inserting.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said elongated member of fused silica is a tube and said smooth cylindrical surface is the inner surface of said tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5, immediately prior to the step of heating, including the step of inserting a rod of fused silica coaxially inside said composite tube structure so formed to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6 including the step of forming a layer of fused silica on said rod prior to the step of inserting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, subsequent to the step of drawing, heat treating the drawn optical waveguide in an oxygen-rich atmosphere.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 including the step of etching and polishing the heat treated optical waveguide by means of HF acid.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of manufacturing an optical waveguide comprising the steps of, providing an elongated member of fused silica having a smooth cylindrical surface, applying a layer of fine powder of fused silica on said smooth surface, applying a thin layer of fine powder of doped silica having an index of refraction greater than that of said fused silica over said layer of fused silica, applying a second layer of fine powder of fused silica over said layer of doped fused silica, sintering said layers of fine powder in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, heating the sintered conmposite structure so formed to the drawing temperature of the materials thereof, and drawing the heated structure to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof and form an optical waveguide having a cylindrical layer of higher refractive index interposed betweenn a core and an outer cylindrical layer of lesser refractive index.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of manufacturing an optical waveguide comprising the steps of, providing an elongated member of fused silica having a smooth cylindrical surface, applying a layer of fine powder of fused silica on said smooth surface, applying a thin layer of fine powder of doped silica having an index of refraction greater than that of said fused silica over said layer of fused silica, applying a second layer of fine powder of fused silica over said layer of doped fused silica, sintering said layers of fine powder in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, heating the sintered conmposite structure so formed to the drawing temperature of the materials thereof, and drawing the heated structure to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof and form an optical waveguide having a cylindrical layer of higher refractive index interposed betweenn a core and an outer cylindrical layer of lesser refractive index.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said elongated member of fused silica is a solid rod.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11, immediately prior to the step of heating, including the step of inserting said composite structure so formed coaxially within a tube of fused silica to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 11, immediately prior to the step of sintering, including the step of applying a layer of fine powder of fused silica on the inner surface of a tube of fused silica prior to the step of sintering; and subsequent to the step of sintering but prior to the step of heating, inserting said sintered composite rod structure so formed coaxially within said tube of fused silica having an inner layer of sintered powder of fused silica to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said elongated member of fused silica is a tube and said smooth cylindrical surface is the inner surface of said tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 14, immediately prior to the step of heating, including the step of inserting a rod of fused silica coaxially inside said sintered composite tube structure so formed to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 14 immediately prior to the step of sintering, including the step of applying a layer of powder of fused silica on a rod of fused silica, and subsequent to the step of sintering but prior to the step of heating, including the step of inserting the rod of fused silica having said sintered layer of powder of fused silica thereon coaxially inside said composite tube structure so formed to form a new composite structure for heating.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10, subsequent to the step of drawing, heat treating the drawn optical waveguide in an oxygen-rich atmosphere.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17, including the step of etching and polishing the heat treated optical waveguide by means of HF acid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-10-30 | 1982-05-01 | 1982-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-10-30 | 1986-05-01 | 1986-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-10-30 | 1990-05-01 | 1990-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |