Flexible optical waveguide
AssigneeFuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
InventorsToshihiko Suzuki, Shigemi Ohtsu, Keishi Shimizu, Kazutoshi Yatsuda, Akira Fujii, Eiichi Akutsu
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Abstract
A flexible optical waveguide having a core in which light propagates; and a cladding portion with a smaller refractive index than the core, that surrounds the core, wherein the flexible optical waveguide has a flexible portion between both end portions thereof, and at least one end portion of the both end portions is more solid than the flexible portion, is provided, which flexible optical waveguide, while assuring flexibility, can be mounted with high accuracy.
Claims20
A flexible optical waveguide comprising:
- a core in which light propagates;
- and
- a cladding portion with a smaller refractive index than the core, which surrounds the core,
- wherein the cladding portion includes
- a soft first cladding portion, and
- a hard second cladding portion, that is provided at at least one end portion, in a direction of propagation of light, of the first cladding portion and that has a higher flexural modulus than the first cladding portion.
A flexible optical waveguide comprising:
- a core in which light propagates;
- a cladding base material with a smaller refractive index than the core, on which the core is disposed;
- and
- a cladding portion with a smaller refractive index than the core, that is provided on the cladding base material and encloses a perimeter of the core,
- wherein the cladding portion includes
- a first cladding portion, that is structured by a soft cladding material, and
- a second cladding portion, that is provided at at least one end portion, in a direction of propagation of light, of the first cladding portion and that is structured by a hard cladding material having a higher flexural modulus than the cladding material that structures the first cladding portion.
A flexible optical waveguide comprising:
- a core in which light propagates;
- a cladding portion with a smaller refractive index than the core, that surrounds the core;
- and
- a reinforcing member for reinforcing at least one of the cladding portion and the core, the reinforcing member being embedded in the cladding portion at at least one end portion thereof in a direction of propagation of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.