Method for making an optical fiber device from a 3D printed preform body and related structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10556820-B2
Application number	US-201715672369-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2017
Priority date	Aug 9, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A method for making an optical fiber device may include using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body including an optical material. The preform body may have a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice. The method may further include drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method for making an optical fiber device comprising:
using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body comprising an optical material, the preform body comprising a plurality of strands, wherein the plurality of strands comprises a plurality of helical strands, and having a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice; and
drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of strands comprises a plurality of counter-rotating, helical strands.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of strands comprises a plurality of intersecting, counter-rotating, helical strands.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body while retaining the 3D pattern of voids therein.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising coating at least a portion of the preform body with a different material prior to drawing.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising electroplating at least a portion of the preform body prior to drawing.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein electroplating comprises electroplating with gold.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of strands comprises a metal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising passing an electrical current through the at least one of the plurality of strands comprising metal during drawing.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the metal comprises tungsten.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body in a direction offset with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body in axial and radial directions with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the preform body comprises at least one of silicon carbide and aluminum oxide.

14. A method for making an optical fiber device comprising:
using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body comprising a plurality of strands, the plurality of strands comprising an optical material and defining a 3D lattice with a 3D pattern of voids therein, and at least some of the voids opening outwardly along a side of the preform body; and
drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of strands comprises a plurality of helical strands.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body while retaining the 3D pattern of voids therein.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising coating at least a portion of the preform body with a different material prior to drawing.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising electroplating at least a portion of the preform body prior to drawing.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the preform body further comprises at least one metal strand.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising passing an electrical current through the at least one metal strand during drawing.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body in a direction offset with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber device.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein drawing comprises drawing the preform body in axial and radial directions with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber device.

23. A method for making an optical fiber device comprising:
using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body comprising an optical material, the preform body having a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice;
coating at least a portion of the preform body; and
drawing the preform body after coating to form the optical fiber device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein coating at least a portion of the preform body comprises electroplating at least a portion of the preform body.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein electroplating comprises electroplating with gold.

26. A method for making an optical fiber device comprising:
using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body comprising an optical material, the preform body having a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice; and
drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device in a direction offset with respect to an optical axis of the optical fiber device.

Assignees

• Harris Corp

Inventors

• Corey Christopher A
• Lee Susanne M

Classifications

• G02B6/02

  Optical fibres with cladding {with or without a coating} · CPC title

• C03B2203/32

  Eccentric core or cladding · CPC title

• C03B2203/20

  helical · CPC title

• C03B2203/16

  Hollow core · CPC title

• C03B37/0279

  Photonic crystal fibres or microstructured optical fibres other than holey optical fibres · CPC title