Apparatus and method for combining multiple optical beams in a free-space optical communications system
US6868236B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4207
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for combining multiple optical beams into mode-scrambled optical signals. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of laser beam sources, each to produce a modulated optical beam. A plurality of input fiber segments, each comprising a multimode optical fiber core, are operatively coupled at one end to a respective laser source to receive a respective modulated optical beam. A multimode optical beam combiner is used to operatively couple the output ends of the input fiber segments to the input end of an output fiber segment having a multimode optical fiber core. The modulated optical beams produced by the laser beam sources are combined into a single mode-scrambled optical signal. The apparatus enables multiple optical beams having similar wavelengths to be combined to increase optical signal strength. It also enables multiple optical beams having different wavelengths to be combined to form a wavelength division multiplexed signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.