Coaxial optical fiber coupler transmitter-receiver apparatus and method of making same
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsMark A. Newhouse, David L. Weidman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical two-way transmission-received communications system utilizing a coaxial coupler in place of a standard coupler, the optical system being capable of operation either in a single or multiple wavelength mode by designing the coupling region to have the proper length (i.e., either in 3dB or WDM operation), and further comprising a transmitter and a detector adjacent a coaxial coupler. The detector of the system is provided with a hole in its center in order to allow the transmitter access to the core waveguide of the coaxial coupler. The coaxial coupler may be formed from a rod in tube structure with a core waveguide extension adjacent the Tx/Rx and an integral pigtail on the opposite side of the coupler.
Claims32
A coupling apparatus for a two-way optical communications system, comprising:
- a coaxial coupler having a core waveguide surrounded by a ring waveguide;
- detector means disposed adjacent said coaxial coupler for receiving light transmissions from said ring waveguide and having hole means therein for accessing said core waveguide of said coaxial coupler to light transmissions from a transmitter;
- and
- a transmitter disposed adjacent said detector and said coaxial coupler for directing light transmissions to said core waveguide of said coaxial coupler.
A method of fabricating a coaxial optical coupler comprising the steps of:
- a) disposing a rod-like core member in a tube;
- and
- b) collapsing said tube upon at least a portion of a length of said rod-like core member to form a coaxial coupler comprising a core waveguide inside a ring waveguide;
- said core member comprising at least a raised refractive index part of said core waveguide and at least a portion of said tube comprising a raised refractive index part of said ring waveguide and a lower refractive index part of said ring waveguide.
A method of fabricating a coaxial optical coupler from a coated optical fiber and a tube, comprising the steps of:
- a) stripping the coating from at least a portion of the fiber;
- b) disposing a rod-like stripped portion of said optical fiber in said tube;
- and
- c) collapsing said tube upon at least a portion of a length of said rod-like stripped portion to form a coaxial coupler comprising a core waveguide inside a ring waveguide;
- said rod-like stripped portion comprising at least a raised refractive index part of said core waveguide and at least a portion of said tube comprising a glass having a refractive index less than that of said raised refractive index part of said core waveguide.
A coaxial optical coupler having a core waveguide inside a ring waveguide, said core waveguide including a central core region surrounded by a cladding having a lower refractive index, said ring waveguide including a region of raised refractive index between an inner and an outer coaxial annulus of lower refractive index, comprising:
- a tube, including a first radial tube portion comprising at least a portion of said region of raised refractive index and of said outer coaxial annulus of said ring waveguide;
- and,
- a core member, including a first axial segment disposed inside said tube, said core member comprising at least a first radial core portion of said central core region;
- said tube and said core member being integrally formed as a rod structure and a tube structure fused together by heating.
A coaxial optical coupler including a core waveguide inside a ring waveguide, comprising:
- a tube, including a first radial tube portion comprising a glass having a refractive index less than that of a raised refractive index part of said core waveguide, said first radial tube portion forming at least a first radial portion of said ring waveguide;
- and,
- a core member, comprising an optical fiber whose coating has been stripped from a first axial segment, said first axial segment being disposed inside said tube, said first axial segment comprising at least a first radial portion of said core waveguide;
- said tube and said core member being fused together by heating at least within said coupling region.
A coaxial optical coupler having a core waveguide inside a ring waveguide, said core waveguide including a central core region surrounded by a cladding having a lower refractive index, said ring waveguide including a region of raised refractive index between an inner and an outer coaxial annulus of lower refractive index, comprising:
- a tube, including a first radial tube portion comprising at least a portion of said outer coaxial annulus of said ring waveguide;
- and,
- a core member, including a first axial segment disposed inside said tube, said core member comprising at least a first radial core portion of said central core region;
- said tube and said core member being integrally formed as a rod structure and a tube structure fused together by heating;
- further comprising means for coupling said core waveguide to a transmitter and said ring waveguide to a detector to form a transmitter-receiver assembly for attachment to a bi-directional transmission link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.