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US5187759A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

High gain multi-mode optical amplifier

Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1991-11-07
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Granted: 1993-02-16
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Expires: 2011-11-07
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Abstract

Abstract Indiscriminately exciting the modes of a multi-mode optical fiber amplifier is avoided by an optical fiber amplifier design in which the excitation of pump modes in the core of a multi-mode fiber is controlled by controlling the pump light launching. The pump light is directed substantially along the center axis of a multi-mode fiber within a predetermined launch angle. Rather than exciting all modes, only lower order modes are affected.

Inventors

  • 👤 David J. DiGiovanni
  • 👤 Clinton R. Giles
  • 👤 Stuart A. Kramer
  • 👤 Gerald Nykolak
  • 👤 Herman M. Presby
  • 👤 Jay R. Simpson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:20
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/094; H01S3/094003; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/08018; H01S3/08022; H01S3/094069

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
Apparatus for amplifying signals in a multi-mode optical fiber information transmission system, comprising: an input multi-mode fiber for containing a multi-mode information signal; an amplifier element comprising a length of optical fiber having a region of active ions disposed in the fiber core; a multi-mode wavelength-selection coupler disposed between said input fiber and said amplifier element, comprising means for combining said information signal and said pump excitation energy into a single collimated beam; a pump source of excitation energy for exciting selected ions of said active ion region; means for connecting said pump source to said coupler, and means for controlling the launch angle of said single collimated beam into the input end of said optical fiber amplifier element to an included angle of no greater than substantially 12 degrees in relation to the axis of said optical fiber of said amplifier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
Apparatus for amplifying signals in a multi-mode optical fiber information transmission system, comprising: an input multi-mode fiber for containing a multi-mode information signal; an amplifier element comprising a length of optical fiber having a region of active ions disposed in the fiber core; a multi-mode wavelength-selection coupler disposed between said input fiber and said amplifier element, comprising means for combining said information signal and said pump excitation energy into a single collimated beam; a pump source of excitation energy for exciting selected ions of said active ion region; means for connecting said pump source to said coupler, and means for controlling the launch angle of said single collimated beam into the input end of said optical fiber amplifier element to an included angle of no greater than substantially 12 degrees in relation to the axis of said optical fiber of said amplifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 53 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for connecting said pump source to said coupler comprises a connecting length comprising a single-mode fiber and a connected multi-mode fiber, the end of said single-mode fiber being connected to said pump and the end of said multi-mode fiber being connected to said coupler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said pump source is a semiconductor laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said active ion region comprises implantations of erbium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said laser emits at a wavelength selected from the group consisting of 514, 720, 820, 980, or 1480 nanometers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said connecting length comprises a relatively small diameter single-mode fiber and a relatively substantially larger diameter multi-mode fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the diameter of said smaller fiber is substantially 8 microns, and the core size of said relatively larger diameter fiber is substantially 52-62 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the center of said collimated beam enters said optical fiber amplifier substantially at the axis of said optical fiber amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said launch angle is in the range of 10-12 degrees.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the active ion region comprises the entire core of said optical fiber amplifier element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the active ion region comprises a selected portion of the cross-section of the core of said optical fiber amplifier element.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5096277A Cited
US4955025A Cited
US4815079A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-02-16 1996-08-17 1997-02-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-02-16 2000-08-17 2001-02-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-02-16 2004-08-17 2005-02-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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