Patent · US Expired

Balanced coupler for radiation sources

US6671429B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
27References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 3, 2001
Grant dateDec 30, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 3, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/2861
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical coupler system is described. The optical coupler system is for coupling radiation from a plurality of radiation sources. The optical coupler system comprises a first optical coupler having at least a first and a second input and a first and a second output. The optical coupler also comprises a second optical coupler having at least a first and a second input and a first and a second output, wherein the first and second outputs of the first optical coupler are connected to the first and second inputs, respectively, of the second optical coupler via first and second optical links, and wherein the first and second links provide different optical paths between the first and second optical couplers such that portions of radiation energy that is input to the first input of the first optical coupler are combined incoherently at the first output of said second optical coupler.

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