Optical fiber rod lens device and method of making same
AssigneeSumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
InventorsShigeru Hirai, Toshiaki Kakii, Shinji Ishikawa, Hiroo Kanamori
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Abstract
In an optical fiber functional device for processing a light beam between optical fibers, single-mode optical fibers for processing the light beam are concentrically connected at the mutually opposed ends to convergence-type rod lenses each having a prescribed length and made of a graded-index optical fiber.
Claims9
An optical fiber functional device for processing a light beam between optical fibers, comprising:
- a first single-mode optical fiber concentrically connected to a first convergence-type rod lens made of a graded-index optical fiber;
- and
- a second single-mode optical fiber concentrically connected to a second convergence-type rod lens made of a graded-index optical fiber, said first convergence-type rod lens being confronted with said second convergence-type rod lens;
- wherein the difference between specific refractivities of a center and a periphery of each of said first and second graded-index optical fibers is between 0.5%, inclusive, and 1.5%.
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber functional device, comprising the steps of:
- connecting concentrically a single-mode optical fiber for processing a light beam, through melting, to a graded-index optical fiber having a diameter between than that of said single-mode optical fiber and two times that of said single-mode optical fiber;
- cutting off said graded-index optical fiber to a prescribed length including a finishing allowance;
- holding said single-mode optical fiber and said graded-index optical fiber concentrically connected to each other by a ferrule which is made of a transparent glass;
- and
- polishing optically a cut-off end of said graded-index optical fiber held by said ferrule so that said graded-index optical fiber has a prescribed length.
An optical fiber functional device, comprising:
- a multimode graded-index optical fiber with a prescribed length;
- two single-mode optical fibers concentrically secured to both ends of said graded-index optical fiber by one of melting and connector coupling;
- and
- a space for collimation formed by removing an intermediate portion of said multimode graded-index optical fiber by cutoff, wherein said space is adapted to receive an optical element.
An optical fiber functional device comprising:
- a single-mode optical fiber;
- and
- a convergence-type rod lens made of a multimode graded-index optical fiber and concentrically connected to an end of said single-mode fiber;
- wherein a diameter of said graded-index optical fiber is between that of said single-mode optical fiber, inclusive, and two times that of said single-mode optical fiber.
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber functional device, comprising the steps of:
- disposing a multimode graded-index optical fiber in a V-groove of a base formed from a material selected from the group of silicon and glass;
- cutting said graded-index optical fiber to a prescribed length;
- polishing both end of said graded-index optical fiber to form a graded-index fiber lens;
- and
- fixing a single-mode optical fiber so that a center of said single-mode optical fiber is coincident with a center of said graded-index optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.