Method of measuring multi-mode fiber optical properties during processing of the fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9279741-B2
Application number	US-201314089023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2013
Priority date	Nov 30, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A method of measuring optical properties of a multi-mode optical fiber during processing of the fiber is described. The method includes: transmitting a light signal through one of the draw end of the multi-mode fiber and a test fiber section toward the other of the draw end and the test fiber section; and receiving a portion of the light signal at one of the draw end and the test fiber section. The method also includes obtaining optical data related to the received portion of the light signal; and analyzing the optical data to determine a property of the multi-mode fiber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of measuring a property of a multi-mode optical fiber during processing of the fiber, comprising the steps:
drawing a multi-mode fiber from a draw end of an optical fiber preform in a manner that increases the length of the fiber as a function of time, wherein another end of said preform is optically coupled to a test fiber section;
transmitting a light signal through one of the draw end or the test fiber section toward the other of the draw end or the test fiber section;
receiving a portion of the light signal at the other of the draw end and the test fiber section;
obtaining optical data related to the received portion of the light signal; and
analyzing the optical data to determine a property of the multi-mode fiber.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the property is selected from the group consisting of bandwidth, attenuation, and dispersion.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the other end of said preform is optically coupled to a test fiber section via a length of fiber which was drawn from the other end of said preform prior to said drawing a multi-mode fiber step.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step:
adjusting a fiber process parameter based at least in part on the determined property of the multi-mode fiber.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step:
winding the multi-mode optical fiber over a spool having a rotating optical coupler to minimize at least one of testing artifacts and fiber damage caused by twisting of the multi-mode fiber during the step of drawing the multi-mode fiber.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the property is bandwidth and the optical data is magnitude of the light signal and frequency at a wavelength.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber is calculated based at least in part on the length of the multi-mode fiber.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of transmitting a light signal comprises transmitting the light signal through the draw end of the multi-mode fiber toward the test fiber section, and the step of receiving a portion of the light signal comprises receiving the portion of the light signal at the test fiber section.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of transmitting a light signal comprises transmitting the light signal through the test fiber section toward the draw end of the multi-mode fiber, and the step of receiving a portion of the light signal comprises receiving the portion of the light signal at the draw end of the multi-mode fiber.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber is calculated based at least in part on the length of the multi-mode fiber.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step:
adjusting a fiber process parameter based at least in part on the bandwidth of the multimode fiber.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber is calculated based at least in part on the length of the multi-mode fiber.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step:
adjusting a fiber process parameter based at least in part on the calculated bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber.

14. A method of measuring a property of a multi-mode optical fiber during processing of the fiber, comprising the steps:
drawing a length of multi-mode fiber from a preform in a manner that increases the length of the fiber as a function of time,
transmitting a light signal through the multi-mode fiber into said preform and reflecting the light signal back through the multi-mode fiber;
receiving at least a portion of the reflected light signal at a first end of the fiber;
obtaining optical data related to the received light signal; and
analyzing the optical data to determine a property of the multi-mode fiber.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a second end of the fiber is within the preform.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a second end of the fiber comprises a test fiber section coupled to the preform.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a second end of the multi-mode fiber is coated with an optically reflective material to reflect light transmitted from the first end of the multi-mode fiber.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the property is bandwidth and the optical data is magnitude of the light signal and frequency at a wavelength.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber is calculated based at least in part on the length of the multi-mode fiber.

20. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising the step:
adjusting a fiber process parameter based at least in part on the determined bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber.

21. A method of measuring a property of a multi-mode optical fiber during processing of the fiber, comprising the steps:
drawing a length of multi-mode fiber from an optical fiber preform in a manner that increases the length of the fiber as a function of time, the fiber having a first distal end and a second end;
transmitting a light signal through the first end toward the second end of the fiber;
extracting a portion of the light signal from the fiber at a point on the fiber in proximity to the second end;
receiving the extracted portion of the light signal;
obtaining optical data related to the received portion of the light signal; and
analyzing the optical data to determine a property of the multi-mode fiber.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the property is bandwidth and the optical data is magnitude of the light signal and frequency at a wavelength.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber is calculated based at least in part on the length of the multi-mode fiber.

24. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising the step:
adjusting a fiber process parameter based at least in part on the determined bandwidth of the multi-mode fiber.

25. A method of preparing a test configuration for measuring a property of a multi-mode optical fiber during processing of the fiber, comprising the steps;
drawing a test fiber section in a downward direction to a defined length from a vertically oriented preform having a first and a second end, the test fiber section coupled to the first end of the preform;
cooling the preform;
rotating the preform such that the first end of the preform is substantially above the second end of the preform;
drawing a multi-mode optical fiber from the second end of the preform in a manner that increases the length of the optical fiber as a function of time, the optical fiber having a draw end;
transmitting a light signal through one of the draw end and the test fiber section toward the other of the draw end and the test fiber section;
receiving a portion of the light signal at the other of the draw end and the test fiber section;
obtaining optical data related to the received portion of the light signal; and
analyzing the optical data to determine a property of the multi-mode fiber.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Bennett Kevin Wallace
• Chen Xin
• Hurley Jason Edward
• Liu Anping
• Markley Jody Paul
• Mccarthy Joseph Edward
• Mozdy Eric John

Classifications

• G01M11/30 Primary

  Testing of optical devices, constituted by fibre optics or optical waveguides · CPC title

• C03B37/0253

  Controlling or regulating (for glass fibre manufacture in general C03B37/07) · CPC title

• G01M11/3163

  by measuring dispersion · CPC title

• G01M11/31

  with a light emitter and a light receiver being disposed at the same side of a fibre or waveguide end-face, e.g. reflectometers · CPC title

• H04B10/071 Primary

  using a reflected signal, e.g. using optical time domain reflectometers [OTDR] · CPC title