Multimode fiber combiners
AssigneenLight Photonics Corporation
InventorsJason N. Farmer, Ronii C. Mehl, Robert G. Waarts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multimode beam combiners include at least one gradient-step index optical fiber in which a refractive index difference at a core/cladding interface is selected to provide a numerical aperture so as to provide stable, uniform beam output. One or more such fibers is formed into a tapered bundle than can be shaped to provide a selected illuminated aperture. The fibers in the bundle can be separated by respective tapered claddings so as to be optically coupled or uncoupled. Illumination systems can include a plurality of such fibers coupled to a plurality of laser diodes or other light sources.
Claims48
An optical waveguide assembly, comprising a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide wherein the first optical waveguide is a gradient-step waveguide having a waveguide numerical aperture based on a waveguide core dimension and a waveguide core refractive index gradient, and having a refractive index step at a core/cladding boundary such that nB√{square root over (2Δ1)}≧0.04, wherein
- Δ
- 1
- =
- n
- B
- 2
- -
- n
- CLAD
- 2
- 2
-
- n
- B
- 2
- ,
- nB is a refractive index within the waveguide at the core/cladding boundary, and nCLAD is a cladding refractive index, wherein the first and second waveguides having respective independently positionable first and second input portions that extend into a bundled waveguide portion that defines an output surface operable to provide optical power received from the first and second input portions of the first and second waveguides, respectively.
An optical waveguide assembly, comprising at least a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide wherein at least one of the first and second optical waveguides is a gradient-step waveguide, the first and second waveguides having respective independently positionable input portions that extend into a bundled waveguide portion that defines an output surface operable to provide optical power received from the first and second input portions of the first and second waveguides, respectively, wherein the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguides are optical fibers, and wherein a cladding of at least one gradient-step index fiber has a refractive index nCLAD, a core has a refractive index n(0) near a core center and a refractive index n(rMAX) at a core/cladding interface, wherein n2(rMAX)-n2CLAD is in a range of between about [n2(0)-n2(rMAX)]/10 and 2[n2(0)-n2(rMAX)].
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.