Abstract:
Filament in tube and stick in tube processes of forming optical fiber are described. A solid or monolithic core feedstock (110) is disposed in a hollow cladding structure (112) to form a loosely filled cladding structure. The filled cladding structure is heated to a draw temperature approximately equal to the softening temperature of the cladding structure. The feedstock (110) melts and fills the heated portion of the cladding structure forming a filled core which can then be drawn into optical fiber or to an optical can which can then be further overclad consolidated and drawn into fiber. Feedstock (110) and cladding structures (112) having widely varying coefficients of expansion may be employed. The resulting fiber can be readily designed to be fused to existing installed fibers.
Abstract:
A single-mode elliptical core optical fiber (15) suitable for the transmission of solitons has a core aspect ratio that changes along the length of the fiber to provide a fiber dispersion that monotonically decreases along the fiber from one end thereof to the other. The fiber preform (30) is drawn from a draw blank (10) having a glass core (11) surrounded by cladding glass (12) and having apertures (13) that are diametrically opposed with respect to the core (11). The cross-sectional area of the void space within the apertures (13) varies with respect to the longitudinal distance along the apertures.
Abstract:
A single-mode elliptical core optical fiber suitable for the transmission of solitons has a core aspect ratio that changes along the length of the fiber to provide a fiber dispersion that monotonically decreases along the fiber from one end thereof to the other. The fiber preform is drawn from a draw blank having a glass core surrounded by cladding glass and having apertures that are diametrically opposed with respect to the core. The cross-sectional area of the void space within the apertures varies with respect to the longitudinal distance along the apertures.