Scalable cladding mode stripper device

A cladding mode stripper for stripping a cladding mode of an optical fiber having a core and a first cladding, the cladding mode stripper comprising:

• a base;
• a first block of a transparent material, disposed in or on the base and thermally coupled thereto for conducting heat away from the first block, wherein the first block has a first surface;
• a second block of a transparent material, having a first surface in a contact with the first surface of the first block,
• wherein at least one of the first and the second block has a groove disposed in the plane of the first surface thereof for receiving the optical fiber, wherein the first cladding of the optical fiber is optically coupled to the groove for stripping the cladding mode from the first cladding of the optical fiber;
• and
• an opaque cover thermally coupled to the base, for enclosing the first and the second blocks for at least partial blocking of light of the stripped cladding mode.

A method of stripping a cladding mode of an optical fiber having a core and a first cladding, the method comprising:

• (a) disposing the optical fiber along and proximate to a reflective surface of a base for reflecting light of the cladding mode;
• (b) thermally coupling the optical fiber to the base for conducting heat away from the optical fiber;
• (c) disposing a first surface of a block of a transparent material on the reflective surface of the base and thermally coupling the first surface to the base for conducting heat away from the block,
• wherein the first surface of the block has a groove for the optical fiber,
• wherein the groove is deep enough not to impose a substantial amount of mechanical stress on the optical fiber once the first surface of the block is disposed on the reflective surface, and
• wherein a refractive index of the transparent material of the block is equal to or higher than a refractive index of the first cladding of the optical fiber;
• and
• (d) optically coupling the first cladding of the optical fiber to the groove for stripping the cladding mode from the first cladding of the optical fiber.