Optical fiber device
AssigneeBookham Technology PLC
InventorsChristopher Fludger, Kevin J Cordina, Jonathan King
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber amplifier or laser comprises an optical housing having a diffusive reflective inner surface and at least one opening for receiving pump light. An optical fiber having a doped core is at least partially contained within the optical housing. The optical fiber can be pumped by an optical source without the need for any complex or expensive optical couplers. Lateral illumination of the fiber core with pump light enables many fibers to be pumped by the same pump source, so that a separate dedicated coupler is no longer required to couple the pump light into each optical cable.
Claims15
An optical device, comprising:
- an optical housing having a diffusive reflective inner surface and at least one opening into said housing for receiving pump light;
- an optical fiber having a doped core at least partially contained within the optical housing;
- and
- an optical source arranged at the opening of the optical housing to provide pump light to the optical housing.
A method of amplifying a signal propagating in an optical fiber, at least part of the optical fiber being contained within an optical housing, the optical housing defining a volume having a diffusive reflective inner surface and having an opening into said volume, the method comprising the step of:
- providing pump light from an optical source located at said opening into said optical housing, the pump light reflecting off the diffusive reflective inner surface and substantially uniformly illuminating the volume thereby pumping the optical fiber, to amplify the optical signal.
A method of providing a pump signal to an optical fiber, at least part of the optical fiber being contained within an optical housing, the optical housing defining a volume having a diffusive reflective inner surface and having an opening into said volume, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing pump light from an optical source located at said opening into said optical housing;
- reflecting the pump light off the diffusive reflective inner surface and substantially uniformly illuminating the volume;
- pumping the optical fiber with the substantially uniform illumination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.