GRIN fiber lenses
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a GRIN fiber lens having a silica-glass core whose refractive index has a radial profile, the profile has a radial second derivative whose average magnitude in the core is less than about 1.7×
10−
6 microns−
2 times the value of the refractive index on the axis of the GRIN fiber lens.
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Abstract
A GRIN fiber lens has a silica-glass core whose refractive index has a radial profile. The profile has a radial second derivative whose average magnitude in the core is less than about 1.7×10−6 microns−2 times the value of the refractive index on the axis of the GRIN fiber lens.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
a GRIN fiber lens having a silica-glass core whose refractive index has a radial profile, the profile has a radial second derivative whose average magnitude in the core is less than about 1.7×
10−
6 microns−
2 times the value of the refractive index on the axis of the GRIN fiber lens.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first optical fiber;
a first GRIN fiber lens attached to the first optical fiber;
a second optical fiber;
a second GRIN fiber lens attached to the second optical fiber; and
an optical device capable of directing a portion of a light beam emitted from a free end of the first GRIN fiber lens to the second GRIN fiber lens; and
wherein the GRIN fiber lenses have silica-glass cores and refractive indexes with radial profiles, the profiles having radial second derivatives with average magnitudes in cores of less than about 1.7×
10−
6 microns−
2 times the refractive index on the axes of the respective GRIN fiber lenses. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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13. A method for fabricating a GRIN fiber, comprising:
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providing a doped silica-glass preform having an axial core and a tubular cladding surrounding and adjacent the core, the core having a graded index of refraction, the cladding having a lower refractive index than the core;
etching the preform to remove an outer layer of the tubular cladding; and
drawing the GRIN fiber from the etched preform.
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17. A method for fabricating a GRIN fiber, comprising:
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forming a tube of silica-glass having a tubular core and a concentric tubular cladding adjacent and external to the tubular core, the core having a dopant density with a radially graded profile;
partially collapsing the tube by applying heat thereto, the partially collapsed tube having a central channel;
passing a glass etchant through the central canal to remove an internal layer of silica glass; and
then, collapsing the etched tube to a rod-like preform.
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Specification