Method of making a miniature lens for use with an optical fiber
AssigneeG & H Technology, Inc.
InventorsRudolph Woelfl, Alexander Wassserman, Terrance W. Allsworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cylindrical glass blank (10) has one end received within a rotatable fixture (22) supporting the blank with its axis extending vertically. While rotating the fixture and glass blank at a given rate, a laser beam (54) is directed onto the upper blank end face (12) until the glass softens. The combination of the glass softening, glass surface tension and centrifugal force experienced from the rotation, the glass bank is formed into a convex lens (20).
Claims7
A method of forming the circular end face of a cylindrical glass or quartz blank into a lens, comprising the steps of:
- rotating the blank at a uniform predetermined rate about the blank cylindrical axis normal to an end face of the blank at about 1360 revolutions per minute;
- and
- directing a laser beam of a power in the range of 15-20 watts substantially normally onto the blank end face while said blank is rotating.
A method of forming the circular end face of a glass or quartz cylindrical blank having a diameter in the range of 0.020-0.050 inches into a lens, comprising the steps of:
- rotating the blank at a uniform rate about the blank cylindrical axis normal to an end face of the blank;
- and
- directing a laser beam substantially normally onto the blank end face center point while said blank is rotating.
A method of producing a convex lens on the end of and unitary with a cylindrical glass, quartz, or silica blank having a diameter of 0.020-0.050 inches, comprising the steps of:
- facing off the end of the cylindrical blank into a flat circular surface precisely normal to the blank cylindrical axis;
- locating the blank in a rotatable fixture with the faced-off blank upwardly directed and the axis of rotation coincides with the blank axis;
- rotating the fixture and a blank at a constant uniform rate of about 136 revolutions per minute;
- and
- directing a laser beam in the power range of 15-20 watts normally onto the blank faced-off circular end surface until the glass softens to the extent that the combination of glass surface tension and centrifugal force forms the circular surface into a convex lens.
A method of producing a convex lens on the end of and unitary with a cylindrical glass blank, comprising the steps of:
- facing off the end of the cylindrical blank into a flat circular surface precisely normal to the blank cylindrical axis;
- locating the blank in a rotatable fixture with the faced-off blank upwardly directed and the axis of rotation coincides with the blank axis;
- rotating the fixture and blank at a constant uniform rate;
- and
- directing a laser beam continuously normally onto the center point of the blank faced-off circular end surface until the glass softens to the extent that the combination of glass surface tension and centrifugal force forms the circular surface into a convex lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.