US 5,066,133 AGranted

Extended length embedded Bragg grating manufacturing method and arrangement

AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation

InventorMichael J. Brienza

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Abstract

An arrangement for forming an extended length light redirecting embedded grating in an elongated solid material optical waveguide includes a source that directs a coherent light beam of a frequency in the ultraviolet range in a primary path transversely toward the waveguide. A section of a diffraction grating extends through the primary path at a spacing from the waveguide, and the diffraction grating has a dimension normal to the primary path that exceeds the corresponding dimension of the primary path. Relative movement is effectuated between the waveguide and diffraction grating in unison, and the primary path, so that the light beam is diffracted at the diffraction grating into two mutually frequency shifted partial light beams propagating in diverging secondary paths. The partial light beams are caused to travel toward a shared location of the waveguide where they form an interference pattern that moves longitudinally of the waveguide but respective high intensity fringes of which extend through the waveguide at respective positions that are stationary relative to the waveguide to effect refractive index changes at such positions along an extended length of the waveguide.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An arrangement for forming an extended length light redirecting embedded grating in an elongated solid material optical waveguide having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

a support;
means for supporting the optical waveguide on said support with the longitudinal axis extending in a predetermined direction such that a portion thereof is situated at a predetermined location;
means mounted on said support for directing a coherent light beam of a frequency in the ultraviolet range in a predetermined primary path transversely toward the waveguide;
a diffraction grating supported on said support such that a section thereof extends through a zone of said primary path that is disposed at a predetermined spacing from the waveguide, said diffraction grating having a dimension normal to said primary path that exceeds the corresponding dimension of said primary path;
means for effectuating relative movement along said direction between, said portion and said section in unison, relative to said primary path, with attendant diffraction of said light beam at said diffraction grating into two mutually frequency shifted partial light beams propagating in diverging secondary paths beyond said diffraction grating and toward the waveguide with at least one of said secondary paths being aimed at a region remote from said location;
and
means, mounted on said support such as to be stationary relative to said directing means and interposed between said diffractive grating and the waveguide, for causing at least the other of said partial light beams to travel toward said location with attendant formation of an interference pattern having respective high intensity fringes which extend through the waveguide at respective positions that are stationary relative to the waveguide to effect refractive index changes at such positions along a length of the waveguide that exceeds that of said portion.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.