Infrared fiber combiner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10054743-B2
Application number	US-201615378602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A light system may include a fused mid-IR tapered combiner to optically connect a bundle of mid-IR fiber bundles with a multimode fiber. The fused mid-IR fiber tapered combiner arranges a bundle of fibers in a geometric arrangement to reduce the diameter of a plurality of mid-IR fibers to match or equal the diameter of a single multimode mid-IR fiber. The mid-IR fibers carry light produced and emitted from semiconductor light sources.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A mid-infrared (IR) fiber combiner comprising:
an upstream end opposite a downstream end, wherein energized light travels from the upstream end towards the downstream end;
an entrance region;
a plurality of mid-IR fibers for transmitting light having wavelengths ranging from about 285 nm to about 5.5 μm, wherein each mid-IR fiber is independent from other mid-IR fibers upstream from the entrance region;
a first tapering region positioned downstream from the entrance region, wherein the plurality of mid-IR fibers taper inwardly towards a longitudinal axis, wherein each mid-IR fibers is independent from other mid-IR fibers in the first tapering region;
a combining region positioned downstream from the first tapering region;
a fiber bundle in the combining region having a first diameter formed from the plurality of mid-IR fibers compressed together, wherein each mid-IR fiber in the fiber bundle is independent from other mid-IR fibers in the combining region;
a second tapering region positioned downstream from the combining region, wherein the fiber bundle extends downstream and tapers inwardly towards the longitudinal axis in the second tapering region, wherein each mid-IR fiber in the fiber bundle is independent from other mid-IR fibers in the tapered region; and
a narrowed exit region positioned downstream from the second tapering region, wherein the fiber bundle has a second diameter in the narrowed exit region defining a narrowed bundle portion, and wherein the second diameter is narrower than the first diameter, wherein each mid-IR fiber in the narrowed bundle portion is independent from other mid-IR fibers in the narrowed exit region.

2. The mid-IR fiber combiner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a low index tube surrounding the fiber bundle in the combining region; and
a multi-mode mid-IR fiber abuttingly spliced with the fiber bundle at the narrowed exit region, wherein a core of the multi-mode mid-IR fiber has a uniform diameter downstream from the narrowed bundle portion.

3. The mid-IR fiber combiner of claim 2 , wherein the low index tube surrounds the fiber bundle in the second tapering region and the narrowed exit region.

4. The mid-IR fiber combiner of claim 1 , in combination with an infrared countermeasure system (IRCM), wherein the combination comprises:
a plurality of mid-IR semiconductor light sources, wherein one mid-IR fiber couples each one of the plurality of mid-IR semiconductor light sources with the entrance region.

5. The combination of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of mid-IR fibers are arranged symmetrically in the entrance region.

6. The combination of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of mid-IR fibers are arranged in a hex-packed configuration in the entrance region.

7. The combination of claim 4 , wherein there are at least seven mid-IR fibers that are tightly bundled together in the combining region.

8. The combination of claim 7 , wherein there are at least nineteen single mode mid-IR fibers that are compressed together in the combining region.

9. The combination of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of mid-IR fibers includes:
a first single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a first mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region;
a second single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a second mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region;
a third single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a third mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region;
a fourth single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a fourth mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region;
a fifth single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a fifth mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region;
a sixth single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a sixth mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region; and
a seventh single mode or multi-mode mid-IR fiber coupling a seventh mid-IR semiconductor light source to the entrance region.

10. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the first mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 1.5 microns to about 1.9 microns.

11. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the second mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 1.9 microns to about 2.4 microns.

12. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the third mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 2.9 microns to about 3.4 microns.

13. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the fourth mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 3.4 microns to about 3.8 microns.

14. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the fifth mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 3.8 microns to about 4.0 microns.

15. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the sixth mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 4.0 microns to about 4.2 microns.

16. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the seventh mid-IR semiconductor light source produces light in having a wavelength in a range from about 4.2 microns to about 4.9 microns.

17. The combination of claim 4 , further comprising a high powered connector spliced downstream from the narrowed exit region, wherein the high powered connector includes an angled exit interface.

18. The combination of claim 17 , further comprising a multi-mode mid-IR fiber abutted with the fiber bundle at the narrowed exit region, wherein the multi-mode mid-IR fiber has a uniform diameter.

19. The mid-IR fiber combiner of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mid-IR fibers are formed from a material selected from the group comprising Zirconium Fluoride (ZrF 4 ) and Indium Fluoride (InF 4 ).

20. The mid-IR fiber combiner of claim 19 , wherein the mid-IR fibers only transmit light in a range from 1.5 microns to 4.2 microns.

Assignees

• Bae Sys Inf & Elect Sys Integ

Inventors

• Young York E

Classifications

• G02B6/3813

  for transmission of high energy beam (coupling high energy sources and light guides G02B6/4296) · CPC title

• G02B6/2856 Primary

  formed or shaped by thermal heating means, e.g. splitting, branching and/or combining elements · CPC title

• G02B6/4296

  coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources · CPC title

• G02B6/40

  having fibre bundle mating means · CPC title

• G02B6/04

  formed by bundles of fibres (G02B6/24 takes precedence) · CPC title