Method for fast and efficient fiber tapering

A method of forming a tapered optical fiber, where the optical fiber has a cladding encasing a core and has an initial outer diameter, the method comprising:

• elongating the optical fiber at a waist region while simultaneously applying heat to the waist region, to gradually produce a first adiabatic taper of the optical fiber within the waist region, the first adiabatic taper having a first diameter at a midpoint of the waist region which is less than the initial outer diameter;
• and
• chemically etching at least a subportion of the waist region of the optical fiber;
• while the chemical etching is taking place, simultaneously passing an optical signal of a predetermined power level through the optical fiber;
• using a power measuring component to receive the optical signal and monitor a power level of the optical signal while the chemical etching is taking place;
• and
• wherein the chemical etching reduces the first diameter to a second diameter within the subportion of the waist region, and produces a second adiabatic taper, different from the first adiabatic taper, in the subportion of the waist region.

An optical fiber comprising:

• a cladding;
• a single mode core enclosed within the cladding;
• an adiabatically tapered waist region having a first adiabatic taper;
• and
• the adiabatically tapered region including a subregion at a midpoint thereof being chemically etched to a diameter of about 2 microns, to create a second adiabatic taper which differs from the first adiabatic taper.