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US 7,024,078 B2Granted
Fiber device with high nonlinearity, dispersion control and gain
AssigneeUniversity of Rochester
InventorWayne H. Knox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber is tapered, for example, by heating it with a CO2 laser. The tapering process is controlled such that the taper transition regions have taper angles selected to minimize loss. The taper waist has a diameter selected to introduce desired dispersion properties and desired nonlinearity. The optical fiber can be used as a dispersion compensator in a fiber laser or other fiber optic system. The nonlinearity in the tapered optical fiber allows the generation of ultrashort light pulses.
Claims36
A method for producing a tapered optical fiber, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a non-tapered optical fiber;
- (b) tapering a portion of the non-tapered optical fiber to form the tapered optical fiber to comprise a taper waist, a transition region on either side of the taper waist, and non-tapered portions on sides of the transition regions remote from the taper waist, wherein each of the transition regions has an outer surface at a taper angle relative to a direction of propagation of light through the tapered optical fiber;
- and
- (c) controlling step (b) so that in each of the transition regions, the taper angle is less than a local diffraction angle in the tapered optical fiber.
1 more element
A method for producing a tapered optical fiber, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a non-tapered optical fiber;
- (b) tapering a portion of the non-tapered optical fiber to form the tapered optical fiber to comprise a taper waist, a transition region on either side of the taper waist, and non-tapered portions on sides of the transition regions remote from the taper waist, wherein the taper waist has a diameter;
- (c) selecting a wavelength of light at which the tapered optical fiber will be used;
- (d) selecting a dispersion characteristic that the tapered optical fiber will have at the wavelength selected in step (c);
- and
- (e) controlling step (b) so that the diameter of the taper waist provides the dispersion characteristic selected in step (d) at the wavelength selected in step (c).
3 more elements
A fiber optic system comprising:
- a plurality of optical system elements which communicate with one another using light at a wavelength such that a first dispersion is introduced into the light;
- and
- a tapered optical fiber connecting at least two of the plurality of optical system elements, the tapered optical fiber having a taper waist with a diameter selected so that the tapered optical fiber introduces a second dispersion into the light, wherein the second dispersion cancels out the first dispersion.
A tapered optical fiber comprising:
- a taper waist;
- a transition region on either side of the taper waist;
- and
- non-tapered portions on sides of the transition regions remote from the taper waist;
- wherein each of the transition regions has an outer surface at a taper angle relative to a direction of propagation of light through the tapered optical fiber, the taper angle being less than a local diffraction angle in the tapered optical fiber.
2 more elements
A fiber optic laser comprising:
- a plurality of optical elements defining a laser cavity;
- a pumping light source for introducing pumping light into the laser cavity;
- a gain fiber in the laser cavity for receiving the pumping light and for producing laser light, the gain fiber introducing a first dispersion into the laser light;
- and
- a tapered optical fiber in the laser cavity, the tapered optical fiber comprising a taper waist with a diameter selected to introduce a second dispersion into the laser light, the second dispersion canceling out the first dispersion.
2 more elements
A fiber optic system for generating a supercontinuum of light, the fiber optic system comprising:
- a tapered optical fiber comprising a taper waist;
- and
- a laser for introducing a series of light pulses into the tapered optical fiber;
- wherein the diameter of the taper waist provides sufficient nonlinearity in the tapered optical fiber to achieve supercontinuum, wherein the tapered optical fiber further comprises a transition region on either side of the taper waist, wherein each of the transition regions has an outer surface at a taper angle relative to a direction of propagation of light through the tapered optical fiber, wherein the taper angle is less than a local diffraction angle in the tapered optical fiber.
1 more element
An optical logic element comprising:
- a plurality of optical logic components;
- and
- a tapered optical fiber interconnecting at least two of said plurality of optical logic components, wherein the tapered optical fiber comprises a taper waist and a transition region on either side of the taper waist, wherein each of the transition regions has an outer surface at a taper angle relative to a direction of propagation of light through the tapered optical fiber, wherein the taper angle is less than a local diffraction angle in the tapered optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.