Lens fabrication of optical fibers with laser exposure
AssigneeCorning Research & Development Corporation
InventorsMing-Jun Li, Ying Liu, Lei Yuan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a lensed optical fiber having a lens applied onto an end face of an optical fiber by laser beam processing. The lens having a radius of curvature that is greater than the diameter of the optical fiber. The lens is applied onto the end face of the optical fiber by laser beam processing in which a laser beam is applied onto the end face of the optical fiber to create the lens. The laser beam has a wavelength ranging between 2.65 microns and 2.85 microns.
Claims10
A lensed connector comprising:
- at least one optical fiber comprising an optical fiber diameter and an end face, wherein the end face includes a lens, the lens spanning the optical fiber diameter with a radius of curvature that is greater than the optical fiber diameter;
- wherein the lens has a radius of curvature in the range between 10 millimeters and 25 millimeters with a hydroxyl concentration ranging between 8 parts per million (ppm) and 700 ppm and a height relative to an interface between an edge of the optical fiber and the lens, the height ranging between 0.1 microns and 50 microns with a height H to diameter D1 ratio of at least 1%.
A method of preparing a lensed connector wherein the lensed connector includes an optical fiber having an optical fiber diameter and an end face comprising:
- applying a laser beam onto the end face of the optical fiber for creating a lens on the end face of the optical fiber;
- wherein the laser beam has a wavelength ranging between 2.65 microns and 2.85 microns;
- and
- wherein the lens spans the optical fiber diameter with a radius of curvature that is greater than the optical fiber diameter and in the range between 10 millimeters and 25 millimeters with has a hydroxyl concentration ranging between 8 parts per million (ppm) and 700 ppm and a height relative to an interface between an edge of the optical fiber and the lens, the height ranging between 0.1 microns and 50 microns with a height H to diameter D1 ratio of at least 1%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.