High-numerical aperture light stripper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267993-B2
Application number	US-201715595748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	May 15, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A fiber connector, comprising a housing comprising a region extending in a lengthwise direction an optical fiber disposed in the region, a first portion of the optical fiber comprising an inner core, a cladding layer surrounding the core, and a first outer polymer layer surrounding the cladding layer and a second portion of the optical fiber comprising the inner core, the cladding layer surrounding the core and a second outer polymer layer that is different from the first polymer layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber connector, comprising:
an optical fiber disposed in a housing;
a first portion of said optical fiber comprising an inner core, a cladding layer surrounding said inner core, and a first outer polymer layer surrounding said cladding layer; and
a second portion of said optical fiber comprising said inner core, said cladding layer surrounding said inner core and a second outer polymer layer surrounding said cladding layer, wherein a first index of refraction of said first outer polymer layer is lower than a second index of refraction of said second outer polymer layer.

2. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein said first portion and said second portion are adjacent to one another.

3. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein the second outer polymer layer is curved.

4. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein said cladding layer has a third index of refraction that is higher than said second index of refraction and wherein said cladding layer in said first portion has a first NA and said cladding layer in said second portion has a second NA, wherein said first NA is higher than said second NA so as to restrict an acceptance angle of light in said cladding of said first portion.

5. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein said second polymer layer is a fluoroacrylate-based polymer, a silicone-based polymer, a fluorosilicate glass, or a borosilicate glass, or any combination thereof.

6. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein said second polymer layer comprises a polymer material or glass material, wherein said polymer or glass material includes holes configured to influence light guiding properties.

7. The fiber connector of claim 1 , wherein said second polymer layer comprises a structured or textured surface.

8. A fiber connector, comprising:
a coreless optical fiber disposed in a housing;
a first portion of said coreless optical fiber coated with a first outer polymer layer having a first index of refraction; and
a second portion of said coreless optical fiber coated with a second outer polymer layer having a second index of refraction, wherein said first portion and said second portion are adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction along a length of said coreless optical fiber, and wherein said first index of refraction is lower than said second index of refraction so as to restrict an acceptance angle of light in said coreless optical fiber of said first portion.

9. The fiber connector of claim 8 , wherein said second polymer layer has an index of refraction that is lower than the index of refraction of said coreless optical fiber.

10. The fiber connector of claim 8 , wherein said second polymer layer is a fluoroacrylate-based polymer, a silicone-based polymer, fluorosilicate glass, or a borosilicate glass, or any combination thereof.

11. The fiber connector of claim 8 , wherein said second polymer layer comprises a polymer material or glass materials, wherein said polymer or glass materials includes holes configured to influence light guiding properties.

12. The fiber connector of claim 8 , wherein said second polymer layer comprises a textured or structured surface.

Assignees

• Nlight Inc

Inventors

• Kliner Dahv A V

Classifications

• G02B6/036

  core or cladding comprising multiple layers {(multicore optical fibres G02B6/02042; microstructured properties G02B6/02295; omniguide fibres G02B6/023)} · CPC title

• G02B6/2852 Primary

  using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures) · CPC title

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B6/4296

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

• G02B6/03633

  arranged - - · CPC title