Method of coupling optical fibers, and optical coupler
AssigneeUniversite Laval
InventorsCharles Matte-Breton, Sophie Larochelle, Simon Duval, Réal Vallée, Martin Bernier
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Abstract
There is described a method of optically coupling a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to one another. The method generally has a step of bringing a free end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber and liquid in close proximity to one another within a coupling region, the free end of the first optical fiber having a dimension below a critical dimension, the free end of the first optical fiber moving within said liquid to contact the second optical fiber along a given coupling length, said contact optically coupling the free end of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber to one another.
Claims23
A method of optically coupling a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to one another, the method comprising:
- bringing a free end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber and liquid in close proximity to one another within a coupling region, the free end of the first optical fiber having a dimension below a critical dimension, the free end of the first optical fiber moving within said liquid to contact the second optical fiber along a given coupling length, said moving including the free end at least partially wrapping around the second optical fiber along the given coupling length, said contact optically coupling the free end of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber to one another.
An optical coupler comprising a first optical fiber, a second optical fiber optically coupled to the first optical fiber, the first optical fiber having free end having a dimension below a critical dimension, the free end of the first optical fiber being wrapped around the second optical fiber along a given coupling length thereby providing an optical coupling, and a protector over the free end and the second optical fiber along the given coupling length, the free end having a free tip with a cleaved-cut endface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.