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US 4,733,933 AGranted
Fiber optic structure and method of making
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorJoseph L. Pikulski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber optic structure comprising an optical fiber having a body of material deposited upon the exterior surface such that the body of material is sufficiently strong and rigid to permit processing of the fiber for various fiber optics applications. The process for forming the fiber optic structure involves the electroplating of a body of material upon the exterior surface of the optical fiber which is to be processed. A built-up body of fiber allows coupling structures to be created. The built-up body enables the fiber to be used as liquid level sensors and other types of mode strippers.
Claims28
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- an optical fiber;
- and
- a metallic body of radial thickness on the order of 0.003" or above, deposited on said fiber and surrounding said fiber for strengthening and rigidizing said fiber within said metallic body so that said metallic body and said fiber may be acted upon and positioned for optical purposes, with substantial reduction of microbending losses in said fiber.
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- at least one optical fiber;
- and
- at least one metallic body deposited on a respective part of said fiber for rigidizing said respective part of said fiber encased within said at least one metallic body so that said fiber may be acted upon and positioned for optical purposes, said at least one metallic body having a radial thickness at least on the order of 0.003", and being processed at an exterior surface area so as to make said respective part of said fiber encased within, optically accessible at said surface.
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- first and second optical fibers;
- and
- first and second metallic bodies respectively deposited on and encasing respective parts of said first and second optical fibers, said first and second bodies each having an exterior surface area with said respective part of said first and second optical fibers respectively exposed at said respective exterior surface area, said first and said second bodies each having a radial thickness at least on the order of 0.003" and being positioned so that said first and second fibers are optically connected, said first and second metallic bodies being deposited in a manner which substantially avoids undesired alteration of the respective indices of refraction of said first and second optical fibers.
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- first and second optical fibers each having an end;
- first and second metallic bodies respectively electro-deposited on said ends of first and second optical fibers, said first and second bodies having polished adjoining faces wherein said ends of said optical fibers are exposed, said first and second bodies each also having two reference faces;
- and
- a fixture, said fixture being shaped so that when said reference faces of said bodies lie in said fixture, said first and second optical fibers are in endwise optical alignment.
1 more element
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- first and second optical fibers, each having an end;
- first and second metallic bodies respectively carried on said first and second optical fibers adjacent their ends, said first and second bodies respectively having adjoining faces with said first and second optical fibers exposed at said adjoining faces, said first and second metallic bodies being positionable so that said first and second optical fibers are in optical alignment;
- a source optical fiber and a detector optical fiber being respectively for connection to a light source and a light detector, said source fiber and said detector fiber each having ends and being positioned within said first body so that said ends are exposed at said face of said first body;
- and
- a loop optical fiber having ends, said loop optical fiber being at least partially positioned within said second body and having its ends exposed at said face of said second body, said source, said loop and said detector optical fibers being positioned so that they are in optical continuity when said first and second optical fibers are in optical continuity.
2 more elements
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- a mandrel;
- an optical fiber having a source end and a detector end, said optical fiber being wrapped in a plurality of turns around said mandrel, said source end being for connection to a light source and said detector end being for connection to a light detector;
- said optical fiber having an optical cladding;
- a built-up metallic body deposited around said fiber;
- and
- said body having a sensor face, the cladding on said fiber being exposed at said sensor face so that as the exposed portions of cladding are successively immersed in liquid, the amount of light arriving at the detector end is decreased.
3 more elements
A four-port fiber optic coupler comprising:
- first and second optical fibers, each of said fibers having ends;
- first and second electro-deposited built up metallic bodies respectively on said first and second optical fibers intermediate the ends thereof, said bodies constraining said optical fibers to a curved configuration within said body;
- and
- said first and second metallic bodies each having a face thereon, said optical fibers being exposed at said faces so that when said faces are placed together with said exposed fibers in alignment, a four-port coupling is formed.
1 more element
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- an optical fiber, said optical fiber having such properties as to produce an optical change upon change in temperature of said optical fiber, said fiber having an end;
- and
- a metal body on said end of said fiber, said fiber and said body having a face to reflect light within said fiber at the end of said fiber so that temperature can be more easily sensed when said metallic body on the end of said fiber is placed in location for temperature sensing.
A fiber optic structure comprising:
- first and second optical fibers, each of said optical fibers having a cladded optic core and a coating, said cladded optic cores being fused together to form a splice at a section wherein said coating is removed;
- and
- a metallic body positioned around said cladded optic core and between said coating on said optical fibers to protect the splice between said cores and to provide a substantially uniform diameter body which is substantially equal to the diameter of said metallic covering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.