Abstract:
An optical fibre has a coating of, for example, liquid crystal polymer which causes temperature-dependent stress-induced changes in the optical fibre such as to counteract temperature-induced changes in the transmission delay of the fibre.
Abstract:
An optical switch, e.g. a blocking switch or a coupler switch, has a liquid crystal control element which, in at least one of its control configurations, has a splayed molecular orientation. In a preferred embodiment the liquid crystal is surrounded by chemical control surfaces, e.g. by homeotropically coated control surfaces.
Abstract:
The method generally has the steps of propagating a seed wave in an optical fiber; generating a wave of first order by stimulated Brillouin scattering of the seed wave in the optical fiber, the wave of first order having a frequency spectrally shifted from the seed wave and being backscattered from the seed wave; propagating the seed wave and the wave of first order in a feedback cavity thereby generating a plurality of waves of higher order, each wave of higher order being cascadely generated by the wave of previous order, each wave of higher order being backscattered and having a frequency spectrally shifted from its corresponding wave of previous order and forming a frequency comb with the seed wave and the wave of first order; the frequency comb generating optical pulses; and propagating the generated optical pulses out of the feedback cavity.
Abstract:
A one step process for fabricating planar optical waveguides comprises using a laser to cut at least two channels in a substantially planar surface of a piece of dielectric material defining a waveguide there between. The shape and size of the resulting guide can be adjusting by selecting an appropriate combination of laser beam spatial profile, of its power and of the exposure time. A combination of heating and writing lasers can also be used to fabricate waveguides in a dielectric substrate, wherein the heating laser heats the substrate with a relatively broad focused spot, the power of the heating laser being controlled to raise the temperature heating the substrate just below the substrate's threshold temperature at which it begins to absorb electro-magnetic radiation, the writing laser, which yields a spot size smaller than the heating laser then melts the substrate within the focal spot of the heating laser. Compare to processes from the prior art, a waveguide fabrication process according to the present invention results in lower cost, faster processing time and applicability to a wider range of materials. The present process is particularly suited for the mass production of inexpensive photonic devices.
Abstract:
A method for treating an optical fiber according to a predetermined treatment, the optical fiber including a light guide and a coating, said coating covering, at least in part, said light guide, said method comprising: heating said coating along a portion thereof to a temperature such that said coating is treated according to said predetermined treatment; and transferring heat to said optical fiber at a rate small enough for substantially preventing said optical fiber from melting.
Abstract:
An apodised refractive index grating is recorded in a photosensitive optical fiber by forming first and second component interference patterns with different pitches, that are recorded in the grating such as to result in apodisation. The component patterns are spatially in phase in a central region and move progressively out of phase towards the ends of the patterns. The patterns may be recorded sequentially or concurrently. The fiber may be stretched once or cylically.
Abstract:
It has been demonstrated that B containing glasses are sensitive to radiation in the band 225-275 nm and, therefore, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 glasses are particularly adapted to receive refractive index modulation, e.g., to make reflection gratings. Glasses containing SiO.sub.2 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 are particularly suitable when the grating is to be localized in the cladding of a fiber. Glasses containing SiO.sub.2, GeO.sub.2, and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 are suitable when the grating is in the path region of a waveguide, e.g., in the core of a fiber.
Abstract translation:PCT No.PCT / GB93 / 01321 Sec。 371日期1994年9月22日 102(e)日期1994年9月22日PCT提交1993年6月24日PCT公布。 公开号WO94 / 00784 日期1994年1月6日已经证明含B的玻璃对225-275nm波段的辐射敏感,因此B 2 O 3玻璃特别适于接收折射率调制,例如制造反射光栅。 当光栅定位在纤维的包层中时,含有SiO 2和B 2 O 3的玻璃特别适合。 当光栅位于波导的路径区域中时,例如在纤维的芯中,含有SiO 2,GeO 2和B 2 O 3的玻璃是合适的。
Abstract:
A method of assembling a package including a photosensitively configured optical device providing a window positioned to allow optical frequency electromagnetic radiation from an external source to impinge on a photosensitive part of the optical device. In one embodiment a packaged intermediate product is fabricated, which may subsequently be formed into an external cavity semiconductor laser having certain specified characteristics, by writing a grating into a photosensitive fiber. Use of a window allows the characteristics of the laser to be defined after packaging so that, firstly a large stock of external cavity lasers having all possible characteristics need not be held, and secondly so that the reflectivity of the grating need be chosen only once the degree of coupling between the fiber and the laser diode has been established, thus enhancing the performance of the external cavity laser.
Abstract:
The present invention is based on the use of a plurality of gratings recorded in an optical waveguide, the gratings having different Bragg wavelengths selected to store individual bits of data. The invention has particular application to optical fiber communications networks.
Abstract:
An optical waveguide in which the rate of change with wavelength of the reciprocal of the difference between the effective refractive indices of a fundamental wavelength mode and a second harmonic wavelength mode is zero at a first wavelength, and there is an internal periodic grating providing phase matching in the wavelength region of the first wavelength.