Patent · US Active

Fiber-coupled laser diode illumination systems with stable beam propagation

US8483533B1 · kind B1 · utility

17Cited by
5References
35Claims
0Family size

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Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 9, 2009
Grant dateJul 9, 2013
Priority date—
Expiry dateAug 18, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/0994
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Optical illuminators comprise optical fibers having a gradient index core and a cladding selected so that a refractive index difference at a core/cladding interface provides a numerical aperture less than, greater than, or equal to a numerical aperture of the gradient index core. In some examples, a maximum refractive index difference in the gradient index core is substantially the same as, less than, or greater than the refractive index difference at the core/cladding interface. Illuminators based on such fibers are configured to produce optical beams with a laser diode or diode array, and to provide stable, approximately Gaussian optical fluxes at a fiber output surface.

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