Method of drawing microstructured glass optical fibres from a preform
OwnerPhilip Russell, Brian Mangan +3inventors
InventorsPhilip Russell, Brian Mangan, Jonathan Knight, Ian Kilbride, Timothy Birks
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a microstructured fibre, comprises: providing a preform comprising a plurality of elongate holes; mating at least one, but not all, of the holes with a connector to connect the hole(s) to an external pressure-controller; drawing the preform into the fibre whilst controlling gas pressure in the hole(s) connected to the pressure-controller. The connector is also claimed.
Claims55
1-53. (canceled)
A method of manufacturing a microstructured fibre, comprising:
- (i) providing a preform comprising a plurality of elongate holes;
- (ii) mating at least one of the holes with an external pressure-controller, and
- (iii) drawing the preform into the fibre whilst controlling gas pressure in the hole(s) connected to the pressure-controller.
A connector for connecting a preform, which is for a microstructured fibre and which comprises a plurality of holes, to a pressure source, the connector comprising a plurality of elements arranged to mate with one or more of the holes, each element being connectable to a pressure source.
A method of manufacturing a microstructured optical waveguide, comprising:
- (i) providing a preform in which there are a plurality of holes running side-by-side through the preform;
- (ii) coupling a pressure-controller to one or more, but not all, of the holes for controlling the gas pressure in those holes;
- (iii) drawing the preform into an optical waveguide while controlling the gas pressure in the holes that are coupled to the pressure-controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.