Patent · US Expired

Rare-earth-doped optical fiber having core co-doped with fluorine

US7116472B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
11References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 18, 2005
Grant dateOct 3, 2006
Priority date—
Expiry dateFeb 18, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/1695
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A rare-earth-doped optical fiber comprises a silica core region doped with a rare earth element and a cladding region adjacent the core region, characterized in that the core region is also doped with aluminum (Al) and fluorine (F). The presence of small amounts of F are effective to lower the refractive index, and hence the NA, of the core region even in the presence of significant amounts of Al (e.g., >8 mol %). Thus, the fiber has both a relatively flat gain spectrum and a low NA (e.g., <0.20). Also described are optical amplifiers that incorporate such fibers. Preferably the rare earth composition of the core includes at least erbium, and the core is also doped with germanium.

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