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US 5,469,520 AGranted
Compression-tuned fiber grating
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsWilliam W. Morey, Arnold L. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reflective element 26, such as a Bragg grating, impressed in an optical fiber 24, has a reflection wavelength which is tuned by compressing the grating 26. Because an optical fiber is a much stronger under compression than in tension, the grating 26 is tunable over a much broader range than conventional tension/stretching techniques.
Claims9
A tunable reflective element, comprising:
- an optical waveguide which confines and propagates incident light;
- a reflective element impressed in said waveguide which reflects said incident light at a reflection wavelength;
- and
- compression means for compressing said reflective element so as to change said reflection wavelength, and for tuning said reflective element over a wavelength range greater than a predetermined range, said predetermined range being:
- 5 nm, 10 nm, 15 nm, 20 nm, or 30 nm.
2 more elements
A method for tuning the reflection wavelength of a reflective element, comprising the steps of:
- compressing an optical waveguide having a reflective element impressed therein, thereby changing said reflection wavelength of said reflective element and tuning said reflective element over a wavelength range greater than a predetermined range, said predetermined range being:
- 5 nm, 10 nm, 15 nm, 20 nm, or 30 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.