Optical fiber coupler and method for making same

US6968103B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kenneth R. Schroll · Chatham, US
• James P. Waters · Waterford, US
• Richard Thomas Kane · Webster, US
• Peter M. Fried · Madison, US
• Janet Mrotek · Somerville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 10, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 22, 2005
• Expiry date: Jan 24, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/2826
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A first optical fiber is coupled to a second optical fiber by ablating a portion of the cladding from the first and second optical fibers, thus exposing or nearly exposing the fibers' cores, bringing the ablated regions close together in the presence of an optical couplant, adjusting the alignment of the fibers so as to achieve a desired optical coupling ratio, and securing the fibers relative to each other. The ablation can be accomplished using a laser. The fibers can be secured mechanically or using adhesives. The finished coupler can be sleeved or otherwise encapsulated for physical protection. The technique can be applied to pairs of fiber ribbons, each having multiple optical fibers.