Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090324159 | OPTICAL CHIRAL FIBER ISOLATOR AND METHOD OF FABRICATION THEREOF - The present invention provides an optical in-fiber chiral fiber isolator, capable of transmitting a signal of a predetermined optical polarization in a forward direction therethrough, while rejecting all signals traveling in a backward direction therethrough, and a method of fabrication thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the inventive optical chiral fiber isolator includes a chiral magneto-optical fiber having a helical pitch profile, a birefringence profile, and an effective Verdet constant profile, at least a portion of which is exposed to a magnetic field of a predetermined magnetic field profile (generated by a proximal magnetic field source), where the magnetic field profile, the chiral pitch profile, the birefringence profile, and the effective Verdet constant profile are selected and configured such that the inventive isolator is capable of transmitting a signal of a predetermined optical polarization in a direction from its input end toward its output end, and to reject all signals in a direction from its output end to its input end. | 12-31-2009 |
20100008627 | DUAL TWIST SINGLE HELIX OPTICAL FIBER GRATING - A single helix chiral fiber grating of a predetermined grating strength is provided that is operable to control light transmission in a predetermined wavelength range. The novel fiber grating comprises a first optical fiber with a first interface portion at a first end, a second interface portion at a second end, and a middle portion therebetween. The first optical fiber is configured with at least one fiber core, surrounded by a corresponding at least one cladding, with a first longitudinal section disposed within the first interface portion, a second longitudinal section disposed within the second interface portion, and also includes a longitudinal helical section, disposed therebetween within the middle portion, that comprises a longitudinal helix structure of a single predetermined handedness, having a predetermined pitch profile, and having a predetermined helix diameter profile selected and configured to produce the predetermined grating strength. The helical section of the novel fiber grating is preferably produced by placing the first optical fiber, proximal to and parallel with a second fiber (or equivalent elongated member), and longitudinally twisting them together to form a double helix structure. Advantageously, the diameter of the second fiber (or a diameter profile thereof) may be selected to achieve the predetermined helix diameter profile in the helical section of the first fiber. The second fiber may be left proximal to the first fiber after fabrication or removed. | 01-14-2010 |
20120189241 | Chiral Fiber Circular Polarizer - The inventive circular chiral fiber polarizer is operable to convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light, may be advantageously fabricated in an “in-fiber” manner and to comprise desirable extinction ratio characteristics, and may also serve as an interface between a sequentially positioned polarization maintaining (PM) fiber, and a single mode (SM) fiber. | 07-26-2012 |
20120189242 | Multi-state Polarization Preserving Optical Fiber - The inventive chiral polarization preserving optical fiber utilizes a structure composed of specially positioned and configured single mode (SM) and conventional polarization maintaining (PM) fiber elements along with at least two novel circular chiral fiber polarizers (each operable to convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light), to preserve any arbitrary polarization state of light signals transmitted therethrough without the limitations and drawbacks of other polarization maintaining solutions. In another inventive embodiment thereof, the inventive chiral polarization preserving optical fiber is configured as an arbitrary polarization state maintaining light signal splitter. | 07-26-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100002983 | DISTRIBUTED OPTICAL FIBER DETECTION SYSTEM - A distributed elongated optical fiber detection system is provided, having at least one sensitive region, and being capable of detecting the occurrence and location(s) of one or more events along its length that cause one or more perturbations in the at least one sensitive region. In one embodiment of the invention, the novel detection system includes, at its first end, an optical signal source capable of launching a signal in a first signal mode through an optical fiber waveguide comprising at least one sensitive region along its length, and configured for transmitting at least two signal modes therethrough, toward its second end. A reflecting device, capable of reflecting only signals in a second signal mode, is positioned at the second end of the waveguide. An occurrence of at least one event in at least one sensitive region causes a perturbation in the waveguide sufficient to couple at least a portion of the energy of the forward traveling signal into a second signal mode, such that the signal in the second signal mode is reflected back toward the first end of the waveguide. A detector, capable of detecting at least one characteristic of a reflected signal in the second signal mode, is connected to the first end of the waveguide, such that when the at least one event occurs, and a reflected signal in the second signal mode is produced, the detector is capable of determining the quantity of one or more occurring events as well as a location of each of the events along the waveguide lengths. In another inventive embodiment, instead of a reflector, the detector is connected to the second end and detects the signal in the second mode directly. | 01-07-2010 |
20100008616 | CHIRAL FIBER POLARIZER - An chiral optical fiber polarizer is provided that is capable of being fabricated in-line along a conventional polarization maintaining fiber, preferably one which includes at least one structure element that is external, and parallel, to the fiber's core. The novel chiral fiber polarizer is preferably positioned between two unmodified optical fiber portions, and includes a modified central portion with altered fiber cladding interface elements on each side thereof. The modified central portion is of a non-circular cross section, and comprises at least one diameter reduced sub-section operable to allow a light signal of said predefined operation wavelength to propagate substantially in the core and in the at least one external structure element, at least one diameter expanded sub-section operable to allow a light signal to propagate substantially in the core, each sub-section being produced in accordance with a corresponding predefined diameter reduction and expansion profile, where the modified central portion is further configured in accordance with at least one helical pitch profile that is operable to, upon receiving a light signal with a first and second linear polarization components: convert the first linear polarization component to a first elliptical polarization component while scattering the first elliptical polarization component, and convert the second linear polarization component to a second elliptical polarization component, transmit therethrough, and convert back to the second linear polarization component prior to exit therefrom. The inventive polarizer also substantially eliminates the possibility of an undesirable SBS effect. | 01-14-2010 |
20100008624 | OPTICAL FIBER COUPLER ARRAY - An optical fiber coupler array capable of providing multiple low loss, high coupling coefficient interfaces between a predetermined number of low numerical aperture optical fibers and an optical waveguide device with at least a corresponding number of waveguide interfaces. The novel coupler array includes a plurality of coupler inner cores and a plurality of corresponding coupler outer cores, within a medium surrounding each plural outer core, and also includes a first end for interfacing with plural optical fibers and a second end for interfacing with a plurality of waveguide interfaces of an optical waveguide device. The sizes of the inner and outer cores are gradually reduced from the first end to the second end in accordance with at least one predetermined reduction profile. Various parameters, such as refractive indices and sizes of the inner and outer cores and the medium (as well as the reduction profile) are selected to produce a plurality of low numerical aperture waveguides at the first end, and a plurality of high numerical aperture waveguides at the second end, while advantageously minimizing insertion loss and maximizing the coupling coefficient at each end. Advantageously, the novel coupler array may be fabricated as an array of individually drawn couplers from multiple parallel fused performs (arranged in a row, or in another geometric cross section). Alternately, the novel coupler array may be fabricated from a single perform (glass or polymer) embedded with a plurality of parallel inner and outer core sets. | 01-14-2010 |
20100158438 | Fiber Optic Diffraction Grating - The present invention is directed to an optical fiber grating having a core, that is capable of controlling the light signal transmission therethrough by causing at least one of: at least one spectral peak, and/or at least one spectral dip in its core light transmission spectrum, corresponding to at least one predetermined wavelength. The inventive optical fiber diffraction grating comprises at least one longitudinally positioned structural element of a predetermined geometric profile and that is configured for diffracting a portion of the transmitted light signal at at least one predefined wavelength thereof, from at least one core mode into at least one of: at least one cladding mode and/or at least one radiating mode. Various embodiments of a number of novel techniques for fabrication of the inventive optical fiber diffraction grating are provided, inclusive of a novel technique for fabricating the inventive grating from a single material. Advantageously, such novel fabrication techniques rely on configuration of a desired geometric profile for the at least one structural element portion of the novel grating, each profile comprising a number of readily configurable parameters that can be selected and/or adjusted during fabrication, to produce a variety of novel fiber diffraction gratings, each having a corresponding specific desirable core transmission spectrum having at least one of: least one spectral peak, and/or at least one spectral dip therein, corresponding to at least one specific desired wavelength, dependent on the configuration of the applicable geometric profile. | 06-24-2010 |
20110002579 | Polarization Maintaining Optical Fiber Polarizer - A novel in-fiber polarizer is provided that is implemented in an optical fiber structure based on a polarization maintaining (“PM”) optical fiber, and that is configured to impart a predetermined desired polarization to a light signal transmission of a predetermined at least one wavelength transmitted therethrough. The inventive polarizer comprises a PM optical fiber structure, with an entry end for receiving incident light and an exit end for outputting polarized light, having an optical fiber core, having at least one core mode and a core propagation constant, surrounded by a cladding, having at least one cladding mode and a cladding propagation constant, that further comprises a reduced core diameter region of a predetermined length between its entry and exit ends, wherein various predefined parameters of the modified PM optical fiber structure, including but not being limited to, the core and cladding propagation constants, the value of the reduced core diameter, and the length of the reduced core diameter region are selected and configured to produce a constructive interference for one light polarization of the input light signal, corresponding to the desired polarization, and to produce a destructive interference for a polarization orthogonal to the desired polarization, to thereby only output, at the polarizer exit end, the desired polarization component of the light signal transmission at the at least one wavelength. Additional embodiments of the inventive polarizer include multiple sequential polarizer structures with specially configured interconnects. | 01-06-2011 |
20110292676 | Chiral Fiber Apparatus and Method for Controllable Light Extraction from Optical Waveguides - The system and method of the present invention advantageously enable controllable light extraction from optical fiber waveguides and offer highly configurable light signal guidance and control capabilities, as well as additional advantageous features associated with waveguides, by providing, in various exemplary embodiments thereof, a multitude of novel techniques by which the parameters relating to utilization of various light signals (such as direction of their emission, magnitude of the emission, physical surface area of the emission, etc.), can be readily controlled and configured as a matter of design choice. Additionally, the inventive system and method, in various exemplary embodiments thereof, also enable and facilitate selective configuration of, and/or control over, various characteristics of the light signals guided/controlled/extracted thereby, such as the signals' wavelength, polarization, intensity, amplitude, etc. To achieve the above-noted beneficial functions, the system and method of the present invention utilize a physical property of a standard, or a specialty, chiral optical fiber to scatter light signals entering the fiber in directions away from the fiber core (through the fiber cladding), to thereby advantageously enable selective and controllable extraction of light signals of a desired predetermined wavelength (or, optionally of a predetermined range of wavelengths) therefrom. | 12-01-2011 |
20110293219 | Chiral Fiber System and Method for Providing Configurable Light Extraction from Optical Waveguides in Accordance with at Least One Predetermined Light Extraction Profile - The system and method of the present invention advantageously enable controllable light extraction from optical fiber waveguides and offer highly configurable light signal guidance and control capabilities, as well as additional advantageous features associated with waveguides, by providing, in various exemplary embodiments thereof, a multitude of novel techniques by which the parameters relating to utilization of various light signals (such as direction of their emission, magnitude of the emission, physical surface area of the emission, etc.), can be readily controlled and configured as a matter of design choice. Additionally, the inventive system and method, in various exemplary embodiments thereof, also enable and facilitate selective configuration of, and/or control over, various characteristics of the light signals guided/controlled/extracted thereby, such as the signals' wavelength, polarization, intensity, amplitude, etc. The system and method of the present invention further advantageously provide various embodiments of the novel optical fiber waveguides with one or more selected desirable and useful light extraction profiles, that may be configured as a matter of design choice in connection with the intended purpose, and/or the desired functionality, of the corresponding fiber waveguide component(s). | 12-01-2011 |
20120257857 | High Density Optical Packaging Header Apparatus - The inventive high density optical packaging header apparatus, in various embodiments thereof, provides configurable, modular, and highly versatile solutions for simultaneously connecting multiple optical fibers/waveguides to optical-fiber-based electronic systems, components, and devices, and is readily usable in a variety of applications involving highly flexible and modular connection of multiple optical fibers/waveguides assembled in a header block configuration to optical-fiber-based system/component backplanes, while providing advantageous active and passive alignment features. | 10-11-2012 |
20130121641 | OPTICAL FIBER COUPLER ARRAY - An optical fiber coupler array capable of providing multiple low loss, high coupling coefficient interfaces between a predetermined number of low numerical aperture optical fibers and an optical waveguide device with at least a corresponding number of waveguide interfaces. The novel coupler array includes a plurality of coupler inner cores and a plurality of corresponding coupler outer cores, within a medium surrounding each outer core, and also includes a first end for interfacing with optical fibers and a second end for interfacing with a plurality of waveguide interfaces of an optical waveguide device. The sizes of the inner and outer cores are gradually reduced from the first end to the second end in accordance with at least one predetermined reduction profile, such that the coupler array comprises a plurality of low numerical aperture waveguides at the first end, and a plurality of high numerical aperture waveguides at the second end. | 05-16-2013 |
20130188174 | Configurable Chiral Fiber Sensor - The inventive configurable chiral fiber sensor is readily configurable for use in a variety of applications (such as applications involving pressure and/or temperature sensing), and which is particularly suitable for applications in which the sensing of a presence or absence of the target sensed event (e.g., specific minimum pressure or minimum temperature) is required. Advantageously, the inventive configurable chiral fiber sensor utilizes light sources, photodetectors, and related devices for sensor interrogation. | 07-25-2013 |
20130188175 | Configurable Chiral Fiber Tip-Positioned Sensor - The inventive configurable chiral fiber sensor with a tip-positioned sensing element, is readily configurable for use in a variety of applications (such as applications involving pressure, temperature, and even axial twist sensing), and is particularly suitable for applications requiring highly precise and accurate sensor readings within corresponding predefined limited sensing ranges. Advantageously, the inventive configurable chiral fiber sensor with a tip-positioned sensing element, is operable to utilize a wide variety of light sources, photodetectors, and related devices for sensor interrogation. | 07-25-2013 |
20130216184 | CONFIGURABLE PITCH REDUCING OPTICAL FIBER ARRAY - The inventive optical fiber coupler array is capable of providing a low loss, high-coupling coefficient interface with high accuracy and easy alignment between a plurality of optical fibers (or other optical devices) with a first channel-to-channel spacing, and an optical device having a plurality of closely-spaced waveguide interfaces with a second channel-to-channel spacing, where each end of the optical fiber coupler array is configurable to have different channel-to-channel spacing, each matched to a corresponding one of the first and second channel-to-channel spacing. The novel optical coupler array includes a plurality of waveguides (at least one of which may optionally be polarization maintaining), that comprises at least one gradually reduced vanishing core fiber, at least in part embedded within a common housing structure. Alternatively, the novel coupler array may be configured for utilization with at least one of an optical fiber amplifier and an optical fiber laser. | 08-22-2013 |
20130301991 | CONFIGURABLE PITCH REDUCING OPTICAL FIBER ARRAY - The inventive optical fiber coupler array is capable of providing a low loss, high-coupling coefficient interface with high accuracy and easy alignment between a plurality of optical fibers (or other optical devices) with a first channel-to-channel spacing, and an optical device having a plurality of closely-spaced waveguide interfaces with a second channel-to-channel spacing, where each end of the optical fiber coupler array is configurable to have different channel-to-channel spacing, each matched to a corresponding one of the first and second channel-to-channel spacing. The novel optical coupler array includes a plurality of waveguides (at least one of which may optionally be polarization maintaining), that comprises at least one gradually reduced vanishing core fiber, at least in part embedded within a common housing structure. Alternatively, the novel coupler array may be configured for utilization with at least one of an optical fiber amplifier and an optical fiber laser. | 11-14-2013 |
20140294345 | OPTICAL COMPONENT ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH AN OPTICAL DEVICE - The inventive optical component assembly advantageously enables a multi-waveguide optical component (such as the inventive optical fiber coupler array, a multi-core optical fiber, etc.), to be coupled to at least one waveguide of an optical device at a predefined coupling angle. The optical component assembly of the present invention comprises a multi-waveguide optical component with an output end, a prism having an input surface, an output surface, and an internal reflective surface with a predefined reflection angle, and a GRIN lens, positioned between the component output end and the prism input surface, along a longitudinal axis of the multi-waveguide optical component. In accordance with the present invention, the length of the GRIN lens, and its refractive index gradient profile are optimized to form an optical image of the output end of the multi-waveguide optical component, at the output surface of the prism, thus enabling the output surface of the prism to be coupled to at least one waveguide of an optical device, with the predefined reflection angle corresponding to the angle at which the multi-waveguide optical component may be coupled to the optical device. | 10-02-2014 |