Methods and apparatus for use with optical fibres
AssigneePoint Source Limited
InventorsAndrew James Rennie, Trevor White, Christel Rousseau, Ian Peter Alcock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for performing mode scrambling in a multimode optical fibre 1 comprises an electromechanical transducer 3 and a signal generator 9. A portion of the fibre 1, which is in the form of a loop 5, is arranged with its ends 6 fixed to the transducer 3, but with the remainder of the portion being left free to vibrate. The signal generator 9 drives the transducer 3 so as to form a succession of bends of differing bend radii in the portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre, thereby “scrambling” the beam as it travels through the fibre.
Claims23
A method of performing mode scrambling in an optical fibre, the method comprising:
- dynamically forming a succession of differing perturbations in a portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
A method of performing mode scrambling in an optical fibre, the method comprising:
- vibrating a portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
An apparatus for performing mode scrambling for an optical fibre, the apparatus comprising:
- a driver for dynamically forming a succession of differing perturbations in a portion of an optical fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
An apparatus for performing mode scrambling for an optical fibre, the apparatus comprising:
- a driver for vibrating a portion of an optical fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
A system for vibrating an optical fibre, comprising:
- an electromechanical transducer to which an optical fibre may be coupled such that motion of the transducer will be imparted to the optical fibre;
- and
- a signal generator for driving the transducer such that it vibrates and will thereby vibrate an optical fibre that is coupled to the transducer.
One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of performing mode scrambling in an optical fibre, comprising:
- dynamically forming a succession of differing perturbations in a portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of performing mode scrambling in an optical fibre, comprising:
- vibrating a portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.