Method for precision casting of clad optical components
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGlen Elwood Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Special-purpose transition and fittings for optical fibers or bundles of optical fibers are produced by selecting a hollow shell having an internal surface defining a desired barrier configuration. The shell is filled with a liquid barrier material under an applied vacuum and then partially drained to provide a liquid cladding of the barrier material which is then cured. A core of fiber optic material is cast against the cured cladding of the barrier material under an applied vacuum after which optical entrance and exit surfaces are formed on the cast core for joining with an optical fiber.
Claims8
A method for precision casting of clad optical components for use with a light-conducting optical fiber, said method including the steps of:
- selecting a hollow shell having an internal surface defining a desired barrier configuration to reflect electromagnetic wave energy,
- filling the shell with a liquid barrier material to completely wet the internal surface of the shell with the liquid barrier material,
- forming a liquid cladding of barrier material upon the internal surface of said shell by incomplete draining of the barrier material from the shell,
- thereafter curing the liquid cladding of barrier material remaining upon the internal surface of the shell to form a desired optical barrier,
- thereafter casting a core of fiber optic material having an index of refraction greater than the index of refraction of the cured barrier material, and
- thereafter forming optical entrance and exit surfaces on the cast core for adjoining with the end of at least one optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.