Clad light stripper with light traps
AssigneenLIGHT, Inc.
InventorKevin Michael Carbone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mounting surface defines a branching channel, the branching channel having a main channel and one or more sub-channels branching off the main channel. An optic fiber is affixed to the mounting surface, the optic fiber including a cladding layer and an interior surrounded by the cladding layer, wherein part of the optic fiber is suspended over the main channel. A clad light stripper includes one or more discontinuities in an outer surface of the cladding layer of a suspended section of the optic fiber, the one or more outer surface discontinuities to release a portion of the process light. The one or more subchannels include a first sub-channel having an ingress located to capture released light from an individual one of the one or more discontinuities and trap at least a portion thereof.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a mounting surface defining a branching channel, the branching channel having a main channel and one or more sub-channels branching off the main channel;
- an optic fiber including a coating affixed to the mounting surface at ends of the main channel, a section of the optic fiber stripped of the coating to expose a cladding layer, and an interior surrounded by the cladding layer, wherein the interior propagates light originating from a light source toward a destination, wherein the section of the optic fiber stripped of the coating to expose the cladding layer is suspended over the main channel;
- and
- a clad light stripper including one or more discontinuities in an outer surface of the cladding layer of a suspended section of the optic fiber, the one or more outer surface discontinuities to release a portion of the process light;
- wherein the one or more sub-channels include a first sub-channel having an ingress located to capture released light from an individual one of the one or more discontinuities and trap at least a portion thereof.
A fiber laser, comprising:
- a laser source;
- an optic fiber to receive laser light from the laser source, the optic fiber including a coating, a section of the optic fiber stripped of the coating to expose a cladding layer, and an interior surrounded by the cladding layer to propagate the laser light and output a laser beam derived from the laser light;
- a mounting surface defining a branching channel, the branching channel having a main channel and one or more sub-channels branching off the main channel, wherein the coating is affixed to the mounting surface, and wherein the section of the optic fiber stripped of the coating to expose the cladding layer is suspended over the main channel;
- and
- a clad light stripper including one or more discontinuities in an outer surface of the cladding layer of a suspended section of the optic fiber, the one or more outer surface discontinuities to release a portion of the process light;
- wherein the one or more sub-channels include a first sub-channel having an ingress located to capture released light from an individual one of the one or more discontinuities and trap at least a portion thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.