Method of poling and calibration of electro-optic fibers
AssigneeFlex Optronix Technologies, LLC
InventorsEsmaeil Banaei, Mohammad Umar Piracha
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Abstract
A method of poling and calibrating electro-optic fibers is disclosed. Metal electrodes are used to utilize the electro-optic effect to impart phase delays to the optical signal. Moreover, one or more electrodes may be used for heating of the device to reach softening temperatures of the electro-optic material, which allows easy, effective and efficient poling of the electro-optic material. A method based on continuous or periodic optical feedback is used to automatically calibrate the electro-optic device when its performance degrades with time to relaxation of molecular orientations.
Claims18
An electro-optic fiber comprising:
- a core for passing light there through;
- a first electrode spaced from the core and oriented substantially parallel with the core, the first electrode defining an electrode group;
- a second electrode spaced from the core and oriented substantially parallel with the core, the second electrode defining an additional electrode group;
- a cladding material substantially surrounding at least a portion of the core, the electrode group, and the additional electrode group;
- a first metal plate electrically connected with the electrode group, the first metal plate operable to provide an electric driving signal to the electrode group;
- and
- a second metal plate electrically connected with the additional electrode group, the second metal plate operable to provide an electric driving signal to the additional electrode group.
A method of controlling optical signals in an electro-optic fiber, the fiber including a core for passing the optical signal there through, an electrode group having at least one electrode, and an additional electrode group having at least one additional electrode, the method of controlling comprising:
- adjusting voltage through the electrode group in order to adjust an electrical field for poling;
- and
- varying current through the additional electrode group in order to create localized heating in the fiber.
A method of automatically calibrating optical signals passing through an electro-optic fiber, an electrode group having at least one electrode, and an additional electrode group having at least one additional electrode, the method of calibrating comprising:
- measuring characteristics of the outputted light;
- and
- if the characteristics of the outputted light are below a minimum level, then performing at least one adjustment of
- adjusting voltage through the electrode group in order to adjust an electrical field for poling, or
- varying current through the additional electrode group in order to create localized heating in the fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.