Method of manufacturing a fiber optic directional coupler
US4536058A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 1981 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S359/90
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic directional coupler comprises a pair of bases, with respective longitudinal, arcuate grooves formed therein on confronting faces thereof, for mounting a pair of optical fibers in close proximity. A portion of the cladding is removed from each of the fibers to form planar facing surfaces which permits the spacing between the fiber cores to be within a predetermined critical zone so that guided modes of the fibers interact, through their evanescent fields, to cause light to be transferred by evanescent field coupling between the fibers. The coupler is "tuned" to a desired coupling efficiency by offsetting the planar facing surfaces to increase the spacing between the fiber cores. A method of manufacture of the coupler includes procedures which permit the coupler halves to be made symmetrical. The method also permits couplers having given coupling characteristics to be reproduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.