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US 6,387,593 B1Granted
Self-trapping and self-focusing of optical beams in photopolymers
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsAnthony S. Kewitsch, Amnon Yariv
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polymer material is exposed to radiation of a type that changes some aspect of the polymer's radiation passing properties. The radiation that caused the property change is then contained by the material. The property change can be self-focusing or self-trapping light can be used. In that case, the same light that causes the photopolymerization is contained by the change in index of refraction that is caused by the polymerization.
Claims13
A method, comprising:
- supplying a beam of radiation to a material, the material exhibiting a nonlinear optical response in response to the beam of radiation;
- using said beam of radiation to alter an index of refraction of the material in a path of said beam of radiation to form a radiation guiding channel in the material;
- supplying an effective amount of said beam of radiation to produce a self-focusing effect in the material which reduces beam spreading caused by diffraction;
- and
- controlling a transverse intensity profile of said beam of radiation to steer formation of the radiation guiding channel.
2 more elements
A method of patterning a polymer comprising:
- exposing a photosensitive polymer to a radiation pattern along a selected path, the photosensitive polymer exhibiting a nonlinear optical response thereto such that an index of refraction of the photosensitive polymer along the selected path is changed;
- controlling an intensity of the radiation pattern to change the index of refraction along the selected path so that self focusing occurs;
- and
- controlling a transverse intensity profile of said radiation pattern to steer the selected path.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- providing a reservoir of a liquid photopolymer exhibiting a nonlinear optical response upon application of a radiation beam thereto;
- arranging a photolithographic mask adjacent to the reservior;
- applying the beam of radiation to the mask such that a light pattern is projected onto the liquid photopolymer to change an index of refraction due to the nonlinear optical response in a path of said light pattern in the liquid photopolymer to form a pattern of fibers corresponding to the light pattern;
- and
- controlling an intensity and an exposure time of the radiation beam to produce in the liquid photopolymer a self-focusing effect which reduces beam spreading caused by diffraction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.