Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for growing crystal fibers

US4421721A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1981
Grant dateDec 20, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T117/1068
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Apparatus for growing crystal fibers comprises a housing, a first drive within the housing for supporting and driving a feed rod, and a second drive within the housing for supporting and driving a fiber. Each of the drives includes a vacuum chuck having first and second support surfaces oriented generally perpendicular and defining a line of intersection, a vacuum provided along the line of intersection for retaining either a rod or a fiber in abutment with the first and second support surfaces, and roller means for driving the rod and fiber along the line of intersection. The apparatus further includes a first laser for generating a laser beam and transmission optics for transmitting the laser beam to the housing. Optics within the housing receives and expands the laser beam into a generally annular configuration and focuses the laser beam on an end of the feed rod. The optics includes a refraxicon portion having inner and outer conical reflecting surfaces for receiving a round laser beam and forming an annular laser beam, an elliptical mirror for receiving the annular laser beam from the refraxicon portion and directing the annular laser beam to a parabolic mirror which focuses t…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.