Optical component including nanoparticle heat sink

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291256-A1
Application number	US-201514674168-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical fiber assembly includes at least one optical component configured to deliver light from a first end to a second end opposite the first end. The at least one optical component includes at least one localized heat-sensitive area that emits increased temperatures with respect to remaining areas of the at least one optical fiber in response to light traveling through the localized heat-sensitive area. The optical fiber assembly further includes a nanoparticle heat sink that contacts the optical component and that completely surrounds the localized heat-sensitive area such that the nanoparticle heat sink dissipates heat from the at least one optical component.

First claim

1 . An optical fiber assembly, comprising:
at least one optical component configured to deliver light from a first end to a second end opposite the first end, the at least one optical component including at least one localized heat-sensitive area that emits increased temperatures with respect to remaining areas of the at least one optical fiber in response to light traveling through the localized heat-sensitive area; and a nanoparticle heat sink contacting the at least one optical component and completely surrounding the at least one localized heat-sensitive area, the nanoparticle heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the at least one optical component, wherein the at least one optical component includes a first optical fiber having a first fiber core and a second optical fiber having a second fiber core spliced to the first fiber core to define a splice interface that forms a localized hearing sensitive area among the at least one localized heat sensitive areas.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 21 , wherein the nanoparticle heat sink includes a casing that surrounds the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, and is aligned with the at least one localized heat-sensitive area.

4 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 3 , wherein the casing contains a plurality of thermally conductive nanoparticles and retains the nanoparticles directly against the splice interface.

5 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 4 , wherein the nanoparticles are selected from a group comprising copper (Cu), a nickel-cobalt ferrous alloy, and diamond, wherein the first and second optical fibers comprise a material selected from a group comprising glass, silicide and plastic.

6 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 5 , wherein the nanoparticles have a first thermal coefficient of expansion that matches a second thermal coefficient of expansion corresponding to the material of the first and second optical fibers.

7 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 3 , wherein the casing contains a solid thermally-conductive body integrally formed with the first and second optical fibers and completely surrounding the at least one localized heat-sensitive area.

8 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a housing that completely surrounds that at least one optical component, the housing extending between an inlet and an outlet.

9 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one optical component includes an optical fiber having an input end coupled to the inlet and an output end coupled to the outlet, the input end defining at least one localized heat-sensitive area.

10 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 9 , wherein the nanoparticle heat sink is embedded completely within the housing.

11 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 10 , wherein the nanoparticle heat sink includes a plurality of thermally conductive nanoparticles filling the housing and completely surrounding the input end of the optical fiber.

12 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 11 , wherein the nanoparticles are selected from a group comprising copper (Cu), a nickel-cobalt ferrous alloy, and diamond, and wherein the first and second optical fibers comprise a material selected from a group comprising glass, silicide or plastic.

13 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 12 , wherein the nanoparticles have a first thermal coefficient of expansion that matches a second thermal coefficient of expansion corresponding to the material of the first and second optical fibers.

14 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 10 , wherein the housing contains therein a solid thermally-conductive body integrally formed with the first and second optical fibers and completely surrounding the at least one localized heat-sensitive area.

15 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a loose-end portion and a core portion, the loose-end portion including a plurality of loose optical fibers each having a respective loose fiber core disposed therein, and the core portion including a plurality of bundled fiber cores disposed therein.

16 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 15 , wherein each loose fiber core is spliced to a respective bundled fiber core.

17 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 16 , wherein the nanoparticle heat sink covers at least a portion of the loose-end portion and at least a portion of the core end.

18 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 17 , wherein a portion of the thermally conductive nanoparticles are disposed in voids between the loose optical fibers.

19 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 18 , wherein the loose-end nanoparticle heat sink and the core nanoparticle heat sink each include a plurality of nanoparticles, the nanoparticles selected from a group comprising copper (Cu), a nickel-cobalt ferrous alloy, and diamond.

20 . The optical fiber assembly of claim 19 , wherein the nanoparticles have a first thermal coefficient of expansion that matches a second thermal coefficient of expansion corresponding to the material of the first and second optical fibers.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Rollinger Andrew R

Classifications

• G02B6/36 Primary

  Mechanical coupling means (G02B6/255, G02B6/42 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/02042

  Multicore optical fibres · CPC title

• G02B6/2558

  Reinforcement of splice joint · CPC title

• G02B6/3814

  with cooling or heat dissipation means · CPC title

• H05K7/20418

  the radiating structures being additional and fastened onto the housing · CPC title