Optical tube waveguide lasing medium and related method
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsDouglas Llewellyn Butler, Daniel Warren Hawtof
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Abstract
Laser waveguides, methods and systems for forming a laser waveguide are provided. The waveguide includes an inner cladding layer surrounding a central axis and a glass core surrounding and located outside of the inner cladding layer. The glass core includes a laser-active material. The waveguide includes an outer cladding layer surrounding and located outside of the glass core. The inner cladding, outer cladding and/or core may surround a hollow central channel or bore and may be annular in shape.
Claims10
A method of forming a laser waveguide comprising:
- delivering a first stream of glass soot particles from a soot generating device to a target rod such that a first layer of glass soot particles is formed surrounding the target rod;
- delivering a second stream of glass soot particles from the soot generating device toward the target rod after formation of the first layer of glass soot particles, wherein the second stream of glass soot particles forms a second layer of glass soot particles and includes a laser-active material;
- delivering a third stream of glass soot particles from the soot generating device toward the target rod after formation of the second layer of glass soot particles such that a third layer of glass soot particles is formed;
- and
- sintering the first, second and third layers of glass soot particles such that first, second and third sintered glass layers are formed from the first, second and third glass soot layers, respectively,
- wherein a diameter of the first stream, the second stream, and the third stream are each less than a diameter of the target rod.
A method for forming a laser waveguide comprising:
- forming a glass waveguide tube, the waveguide tube comprising:
- an inner cladding layer surrounding a hollow central channel that extends between opposing first and second ends along a length of the waveguide;
- and
- a laser gain medium surrounding and located outside of the inner cladding layer, the laser gain medium comprising a glass material doped with a laser-active material;
- cutting a section from the glass waveguide tube, wherein the section includes a portion of the inner cladding layer, a portion of the laser gain medium and a curvature in a circumferential direction measured in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the section;
- heating the section of the glass waveguide tube to a temperature above a softening temperature of the glass material;
- and
- shaping the curved section of the glass waveguide while above the glass transition temperature, wherein the curvature in the circumferential direction is decreased during shaping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.