Asymmetic optical fiber tap
US5016966A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 12, 1990 |
| Grant date | May 21, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 12, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/421
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An asymmetric optical fiber for tap optically coupling an ingoing fiber, an outgoing fiber, a tap fiber and optionally an optical source fiber, includes a housing, and at least one wavelength compensated holographic optical element (HOE) disposed in the housing. The housing includes first, second and third guides therein for guiding the ingoing fiber, and the outgoing fiber, and the tap fiber, and optinally a fourth guide means for guiding the optical source fiber, respectively, adjacent to the HOE. The HOE is adapted to couple optical energy from the ingoing fiber to both the outgoing and tap fiber, and to launch optical energy from the optical source fiber to the ingoing fiber. The disclosed taps are simple in design, easy to manufacture and connect, and cause minimal attenuation of the ongoing optical signal. The taps are also compact; optical fiber alignment is facilitated and they allow for an optical signal to be efficiently launched in an uphill direction into the ingoing fiber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.