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US5037181A
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Claddings for single crystal optical fibers and devices and methods and apparatus for making such claddings
Assignee: Leland Stanford Junior University
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Filing: 1988-04-25
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Granted: 1991-08-06
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Expires: 2008-04-25
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus are shown for cladding grown single crystal optical fibers. Neodymium YAG fibers are clad with a high index glass, either melted around the fiber in a trough or extruded over the fiber surface. Lithium niobate fibers are clad through an impregnation process. The lithium niobate fiber is first coated with magnesium oxide and then heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient for the magnesium oxide dopant material to diffuse into the fiber. The dopant lowers the intrinsic refractive indices of the fiber material around its circumference, creating a cladding region around the fiber core. Single crystal fibers clad by these methods and combined with suitable pumping means or with deposited electrodes provide low-loss single mode optical components useful for amplification, electro-optical effects and acousto-optical effects.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Byer
- 👤 Cordova Amado
- 👤 Michael Digonnet
- 👤 Martin Fejer
- 👤 Celestino Gaeta
- 👤 Herbert J. Shaw
- 👤 Shoichi Sudo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:00
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/0915; H01S3/092; C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/02; C03B37/022; C03B37/023; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/03; G02F1/035; G02F1/0353; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/06708
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; a glass cladding surrounding and attached to said fiber core; and trough means attached to and supporting said glass cladding, said trough means being spaced from said fiber core, said trough means having substantially the same coefficient of expansion as said single crystal fiber core.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; a glass cladding surrounding and attached to said fiber core; and trough means attached to and supporting said glass cladding, said trough means being spaced from said fiber core, said trough means having substantially the same coefficient of expansion as said single crystal fiber core.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The product of claim 1 wherein said single crystal substantially is Nd:YAG.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The product of claim 1 wherein said glass cladding is homogeneous and solid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The product of claim 1 wherein said glass cladding has a uniform index of refraction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The product of claim 4 wherein said uniform index of refraction is sufficient to support guided light waves within said fiber core.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a cladding region surrounding said core and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction that are sufficiently different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction of said core to support guided light waves within said core.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a cladding region surrounding said core and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction that are sufficiently different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction of said core to support guided light waves within said core.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The product of claim 6 wherein said single crystal fiber core is single crystal lithium niobate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
Clad lithium niobate single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cladding region comprises a portion of said single crystal fiber core with an addition of dopant material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
Clad lithium niobate single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 8 wherein said dopant material is a metal oxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Clad lithium niobate single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 9 wherein said metal oxide is magnesium oxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 6 wherein said dopant material is magnesium oxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a cladding region surrounding said core and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction of said core and including the same material as said fiber core.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a cladding region surrounding said core and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction of said core and including the same material as said fiber core.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 12 wherein said single crystal fiber is lithium niobate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cladding region has ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction which decrease along the radius outwardly from the center of said fiber core.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cladding region has ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction sufficiently different from said fiber core to support a single optical mode within said clad fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 12 wherein the diameter of said fiber core is sufficiently small to support a single optical mode within said clad fiber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 12 wherein said region surrounding said core comprises a mixture of substantially the same material as said fiber core and a dopant material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 15 wherein said dopant material is a metal oxide.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
Clad single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 18 wherein said metal oxide is magnesium oxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
Clad lithium niobate single crystal fiber as claimed in claim 17 further comprising: a second region surrounding said region surrounding said core, and having a uniform and lower index of refraction than said lithium niobate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
Clad lithium niobate single crystal fiber as claimed in 20 wherein said dopant material is magnesium oxide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a region surrounding said core having a uniform index of refraction that is different than that of said fiber core, and including the same material as said fiber core, said region; comprising a mixture of substantially the same material as said fiber core and a dopant material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
A product comprising: a single crystal fiber core; and a region surrounding said core having a uniform index of refraction that is different than that of said fiber core, and including the same material as said fiber core, said region; comprising a mixture of substantially the same material as said fiber core and a dopant material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
A product comprising: a solid single crystal lithium niobate fiber core having a smooth external sidewall surface comprising substantially no lithium oxide granules.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
A product comprising: a solid single crystal lithium niobate fiber core having a smooth external sidewall surface comprising substantially no lithium oxide granules.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal lithium niobate having an outer region comprising sufficient impregnated dopant material to change the index of refraction of said region sufficiently to support a single optical mode within said fiber core.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal lithium niobate having an outer region comprising sufficient impregnated dopant material to change the index of refraction of said region sufficiently to support a single optical mode within said fiber core.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
Clad fiber as claimed in claim 24 wherein the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction of said outer region are sufficiently different from said core of said fiber to support a single optical mode within said clad fiber.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
Clad fiber as claimed in claim 24 wherein said outer region is impregnated with a dopant material that reduces both the ordinary index of refraction and the extraordinary index of refraction of said outer region of lithium niobate fiber by an amount up to about 0.01.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
47 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal electro-optic material; and a solid birefringent region surrounding said fiber and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction that are sufficiently different from corresponding indices of said electro-optic material to support a single optical mode within said fiber core.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
47 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal electro-optic material; and a solid birefringent region surrounding said fiber and having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction that are sufficiently different from corresponding indices of said electro-optic material to support a single optical mode within said fiber core.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
Electro-optic fiber as claimed in claim 27 wherein said electro-optic material comprises lithium niobate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
Electro-optic fiber as claimed in claim 27 wherein said solid surrounding region includes single crystal lithium niobate and a dopant material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
Fiber-optic optical modulator comprising: a single crystal fiber core; a cladding layer surrounding said fiber core, said fiber core having indices of refraction sufficient to support a single optical mode within said fiber core; and a plurality of electrodes deposited upon said cladding layer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
44 words
Fiber-optic optical modulator comprising: a single crystal fiber core; a cladding layer surrounding said fiber core, said fiber core having indices of refraction sufficient to support a single optical mode within said fiber core; and a plurality of electrodes deposited upon said cladding layer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
Fiber-optic optical modulator as claimed in claim 30 wherein said single crystal fiber core comprises lithium niobate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
35 words
Fiber-optic optical modulator as claimed in claim 31 wherein said cladding layer comprises a mixture of lithium niobate and an amount of magnesium oxide sufficient to lower the indices of refraction of said cladding region.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
Light amplifier comprising: a single crystal fiber core including a mixture of lithium niobate and a rare-earth element; and means for optically stimulating the atoms within said single crystal fiber core.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
Light amplifier comprising: a single crystal fiber core including a mixture of lithium niobate and a rare-earth element; and means for optically stimulating the atoms within said single crystal fiber core.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
Light amplifier as claimed in claim 33 wherein said cladding layer comprises a mixture of lithium niobate and an amount of magnesium oxide sufficient to lower the indices of refraction of said cladding region.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
75 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal lithium niobate having an outer region impregnated with a dopant material that reduces both the ordinary index of refraction and the extraordinary index of refraction of said outer region by an amount up to about 0.01, said outer region having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction sufficiently different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction said fiber to support a single optical mode within said fiber.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
75 words
A product comprising: a fiber of single crystal lithium niobate having an outer region impregnated with a dopant material that reduces both the ordinary index of refraction and the extraordinary index of refraction of said outer region by an amount up to about 0.01, said outer region having ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction sufficiently different from the ordinary and extraordinary indices of refraction said fiber to support a single optical mode within said fiber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-08-05 | 1995-02-04 | 1995-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-08-05 | 1999-02-04 | 1999-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-08-05 | 2003-02-04 | 2003-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |