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US 5,573,571 AGranted
Method for making optical fiber preforms and optical fibers fabricated therefrom
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsNonna Kopylov, Ahmet R. Kortan
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for drawing a self-aligned core fiber free of surface contamination and inserting the core fiber into a cladding material to make an optical fiber preform. Single or multi-mode optical fibers having high quality core-clad interfaces can be directly drawn from the preforms described herein.
Claims21
A method of forming an optical fiber preform utilizing a movable fiber drawing member and comprising the steps of:
- a) axially aligning said fiber drawing member and a first containment vessel having a molten core material contained therein;
- b) moving at least an end portion of said fiber drawing member into said first containment vessel so as to contact the molten core material;
- c) increasing the viscosity of the core material to at least about 10.sup.5 poises;
- d) removing said end portion of said fiber drawing member from said first containment vessel so as to form a core fiber from said core material;
- e) cleaving said core fiber at a predetermined location spaced from said end portion of said fiber drawing member to form a core fiber having a predetermined length;
- f) aligning said predetermined length of said core fiber and a second containment vessel having a molten cladding material contained therein;
- and
- g) moving said fiber drawing member toward said second containment vessel and introducing said predetermined length of core fiber into an inner portion of said molten cladding material to form an optical fiber preform.
5 more elements
A method of making an optical fiber utilizing a movable fiber drawing member and comprising the steps of:
- a) axially aligning said fiber drawing member and a first containment vessel having a molten core material contained therein;
- b) moving at least an end portion of said fiber drawing member into said first containment vessel so as to contact the molten core material;
- c) increasing the viscosity of the core material to at least about 10.sup.5 poises;
- d) removing said end portion of said fiber drawing member from said first containment vessel so as to form a core fiber from said core material;
- e) cleaving said core fiber at a predetermined location spaced from said end portion of said fiber drawing member to form a core fiber having a predetermined length;
- f) aligning said predetermined length of said core fiber and a second containment vessel having a molten cladding material contained therein;
- g) moving said fiber drawing member toward said second containment vessel and introducing said predetermined length of core fiber into an inner portion of said molten cladding material to form an optical fiber preform;
- and
- h) drawing said preform into an optical fiber.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.