Optical fiber for delivering optical energy to or from a work object
First Claim
1. An improved optical fiber for delivering light having a selected wavelength to or from a work object, comprising;
- a glass core that is multimode at the selected wavelength, said core comprising an index of refraction and a diameter Dcore;
a glass cladding disposed about said glass core, said glass cladding comprising an outer diameter Dcladding and a first index of refraction that is less than said index of refraction of said core, where [Dcladding/Dcore]2 is no greater than 1.5, and wherein if one or both of said diameters Dcore and Dcladding have a maximum and a minimum value, the maximum value is used in the foregoing formula; and
a second cladding disposed about said glass cladding, said second cladding comprising an optically cured polymer, said polymer comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first index of refraction and having a modulus of no greater than 100 MPa.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical fiber can include a glass core that is multimode at a selected wavelength and that comprises an index of refraction and a diameter Dcore, a glass cladding disposed about said glass core, said glass cladding comprising an outer diameter Dcladding and a first index of refraction that is less than said index of refraction of said core, and a second cladding disposed about said glass cladding, said second cladding comprising an optically cured polymer, said polymer comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first index of refraction. In certain embodiments, the fiber can include various other features. For example, [Dcladding/Dcore]2 can be no greater than 1.5; the polymer can have a modulus of no greater than 100 MPa; the core can include means for affecting the power distribution amongst modes propagated by the core, such as by having a non circular outer perimeter; the core can support at least 100 modes at the selected wavelength; Dcore can be at least 250 microns; the fiber can include a region disposed about the second cladding, and the region can comprise a polymer comprising an index of refraction that is greater than the index of refraction of said core. The fiber can be used, for example, for delivering light having the selected wavelength to or from a work object.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An improved optical fiber for delivering light having a selected wavelength to or from a work object, comprising;
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a glass core that is multimode at the selected wavelength, said core comprising an index of refraction and a diameter Dcore;
a glass cladding disposed about said glass core, said glass cladding comprising an outer diameter Dcladding and a first index of refraction that is less than said index of refraction of said core, where [Dcladding/Dcore]2 is no greater than 1.5, and wherein if one or both of said diameters Dcore and Dcladding have a maximum and a minimum value, the maximum value is used in the foregoing formula; and
a second cladding disposed about said glass cladding, said second cladding comprising an optically cured polymer, said polymer comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first index of refraction and having a modulus of no greater than 100 MPa. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An improved high power optical fiber for delivering light having a selected wavelength to or from a work object, comprising:
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a glass core comprising silica, said glass core being multimode to the extent that it can support at least 100 modes at the selected wavelength, said core comprising an index of refraction and a diameter Dcore that is at least 250 microns;
a glass cladding disposed about said glass core, said glass cladding comprising silica, said cladding comprising an index of refraction that is less than said index of refraction of said core;
a second cladding disposed about said glass cladding, said second cladding comprising an optically curable polymer, said optically cured polymer comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first index of refraction and having a modulus of no greater than 100 MPa. a region disposed about said second cladding, said region comprising a polymer comprising an index of refraction that is greater than said index of refraction of said core. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An improved optical fiber for the delivery of optical energy to or from a work object, comprising:
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a multimode core, said core comprising a diameter Dcore;
a cladding disposed about said core, said cladding further comprising an outer diameter Dcladding, where [Dcladding/Dcore]2 is no greater than 1.5, and where if one or both of said diameters and Dcore and Dcladding have a maximum and a minimum value, the maximum value is used in the foregoing formula; and
wherein said core comprises a non circular outer perimeter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An improved optical fiber for the delivery of optical energy to or from a work object, comprising:
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a multimode core, said core comprising a diameter Dcore;
a cladding disposed about said core, said cladding further comprising an outer diameter Dcladding, where [Dcladding/Dcore]2 is no greater than 1.5, and where if one or both of said diameters and Dcore and Dcladding have a maximum and a minimum value, the maximum value is used in the foregoing formula; and
wherein said core comprises means for affecting the power distribution amongst modes propagated by said core of said fiber. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34)
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33. The optical fiber of claim 33 wherein said inner region comprises a diameter and wherein said outer region comprises an outermost diameter, and wherein said diameter is greater than the difference between said outermost diameter and said diameter.
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35. An improved optical fiber for the delivery of optical energy to or from a work object, comprising:
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a multimode core, said core comprising a diameter Dcore;
a cladding disposed about said core, said cladding further comprising an outer diameter Dcladding, where [Dcladding/Dcore]2 is no greater than 1.5, and where if one or both of said diameters and Dcore and Dcladding have a maximum and a minimum value, the maximum value is used in the foregoing formula;
said core comprising an inner region comprising a first index of refraction and a second region disposed about said inner region, said second region comprising a second index of refraction that is greater than said index of refraction of said inner region by a selected amount; and
wherein said cladding comprises an index of refraction that is less than said first and second indices of refraction.
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36. An improved optical fiber for the delivery of optical energy to or from a work object, comprising:
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a multimode core for propagating light having selected operating wavelength, said core supporting at least 200 modes at said operating wavelength;
said core comprising an inner region comprising a first index of refraction and a second region disposed about said inner region, said second region comprising a second index of refraction that is greater than said index of refraction of said inner region by a selected amount; and
a cladding disposed about said core, said cladding comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first and second indices of refraction.
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Specification