High energy fiber terminations and methods
OwnerBrian Barr, Stephen Griffininventors
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Abstract
Fiber optic end faces produced by laser ablation, as opposed to “cleave” or mechanical polish, offer advantages in some severe environment applications such as laser surgery and delivery of extremely high energy density. The “laser polished” fiber faces are more resistant to physical damage as well as less prone to damage other structures, owing to a lack of sharp, fragile edges and laser polished faces may be formed on fibers in planes and curvatures normal to the fiber axis or off normal, as desired.
Claims22
A method for processing fiber optic tips comprising the steps of
- a. providing a fiber tip;
- b. providing a fluid flow over the fiber tip;
- c. rotating the fiber tip in the fluid flow;
- d. placing the rotating fiber tip at the focal point of a laser output equipped with a focusing optic for a time sufficient to process the fiber tip;
- and
- e. removing the processed fiber tip from the focal point of the laser focus.
A method for processing fiber optic tips comprising the steps of
- a. providing a fiber tip;
- b. providing a fluid flow over the fiber tip;
- c. placing the fiber tip at the focal point of laser output equipped with a focusing optic for a time sufficient to process the fiber tip;
- d. rotating the focal point of the laser output about the fiber tip for a time sufficient to process the fiber tip;
- and
- e. removing the processed fiber tip from the focal point of the laser output.
A fiber tip that as been processed by flowing a fluid over the tip while a focused laser has processed the fiber tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.