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US 7,460,748 B2Granted
Lensed tip optical fiber and method of making the same
OwnerYin S. Tanginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method provided for manufacturing a lensed tip optical fiber. The method includes providing an optically transparent cylindrical fiber; and etching a first end of the optically transparent cylindrical fiber to form a tip. The tip is heated which forms a lens surface at the heated tip.
Claims21
A method for manufacturing an optical fiber member comprising:
- modifying at least one end of an optical fiber member to form an end continuously tapered to the outer circumference of the optical fiber member;
- and
- applying energy to the modified end of the optical fiber member to form a lens surface with a desired focal length, wherein the lens surface continuously tapers outward to the outer circumference of the optical fiber member, wherein said modifying comprises removing material from said at least one end of the optical fiber member.
A method for manufacturing a lensed tip optical fiber comprising:
- providing an optically transparent cylindrical fiber;
- etching a first end of said optically transparent cylindrical fiber to form a tip continuously tapered to an outer surface of the fiber;
- and
- heating said tip to form a lens surface with a desired focal length, wherein the lens surface continuously tapers outward to the outer surface of the fiber.
1 more element
An optical fiber comprising:
- a first lens surface formed on a first end of an optically transparent cylindrical fiber, said first lens surface formed by:
- modifying at least one end of said optically transparent cylindrical fiber to form an end continuously tapered to the outer circumference of the fiber, wherein said modifying comprises removing material from said at least one end of the optical fiber member;
- and
- applying energy to the modified end of the optically transparent cylindrical fiber to form the first lens surface with a desired focal length, wherein the first lens surface continuously tapers outward to the outer circumference of the fiber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.