Hollow core optical fibrereflectometry launch tail
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsShahab BAKHTIARI GORAJOOBI, Eric Rodrigue NUMKAM FOKOUA, Seyed Reza SANDOGHCHI, Bence Ferenc MOCSAI
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Abstract
A hollow core fiber launch tail for use in Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) or Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) measurements on hollow core fiber is described. The hollow core fiber launch tail comprises a length of hollow core fiber, having a first end and a second end; and coupling optics coupled to the first end of the length of hollow core fiber, wherein voids in the length of hollow core fiber are filled with a known gas.
Claims20
A hollow core fiber launch tail for use in Optical Time Domain Reflectometry, OTDR, or Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry, OFDR, measurements on hollow core fiber, the launch tail comprising:
- a length of hollow core fiber, having a first end and a second end;
- and
- coupling optics coupled to the first end of the length of hollow core fiber,
- wherein voids in the length of hollow core fiber are filled with a known gas.
A method of characterizing a hollow core fiber using a hollow core fiber launch tail, the method comprising:
- connecting the hollow core fiber to a second end of a length of hollow core fiber in the hollow core fiber launch tail, wherein an OTDR/OFDR device is coupled to the hollow core fiber launch tail via a low back reflection coupling optics in the hollow core fiber launch tail;
- generating OTDR/OFDR results for the hollow core fiber launch tail and the hollow core fiber;
- and
- characterizing the hollow core fiber by comparing a first portion of the OTDR/OFDR results to a second portion of the OTDR/OFDR results, wherein the first portion of the OTDR/OFDR results corresponds to back reflections from the hollow core fiber and the second portion of the OTDR/OFDR results corresponds to back reflections from the hollow core fiber launch tail.
A method of manufacturing a hollow core fiber launch tail, the method comprising:
- cutting a length of hollow core fiber;
- purging the length of hollow core fiber with a known gas;
- allowing pressure of the known gas in the hollow core fiber to equalize with atmospheric pressure;
- and
- forming coupling optics at a first end of the length of hollow core fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.