Patent · US Expired

Fixed and temperature tuned fiber fabry-perot filters

US5212745A · kind A · utility

52Cited by
7References
62Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 2, 1991
Grant dateMay 18, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 2, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3845
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fiber optic Fabry-Perot etalon filter constructed with a resonance cavity which is variable in length to enable variations in temperature to tune the filter to a desired frequency while maintaining accurate alignment of the fiber across the filter. Each fiber end is encased in a ferrule with the two ends placed in a facing relationship. The fibers are aligned and held by an appropriate fixture designed to allow a portion of the ferrule assembly containing the resonance cavity to expand or contract with temperature variation. The two mirrors defining the nominal size of the resonance cavity may be deposited on the facing end of each of the two ferrules, on an end of a separate waveguide located between the ends of the ferrules, or on any combination of these elements. Ferrules may be wafered, that is, a wafer of material may be bonded to the mirrored end of one or both ferrules. A portion of the ferrule/assembly including the facing ends of the two ferrule assemblies may be of smaller diameter than the remainder of the ferrules. By altering the length of the reduced diameter portion, filters are fabricated with greater or lesser freedom of movement in adjusting cavity size, thereb…

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