Device for coupling radiation into an optical waveguide
First Claim
1. An optical device for laterally input coupling radiation into a light waveguide from a member having a radiation transmitting zone, said device comprising said waveguide having a radiation conducting core of a predetermined cross-sectional area and being formed by a pair of coaxially aligned optical fiber parts, each part having a single end face obliquely extending in a plane at an angle to the axis of the waveguide and parallel to the end face of the other part, a reflective layer of a high reflectance occupying only a small portion of the total cross-sectional area of the core, said layer being disposed between said end faces and having opposite surfaces being engaged by the end faces to hold the layer on said angle as the remaining portions of the end faces abut each other to form said waveguide, a member having a radiation transmitting zone and means for arranging said member with the radiation transmitting zone being aligned with the reflective layer so that radiation from the member is coupled into the waveguide by being reflected by said layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical device coupling light between a first light waveguide and either a second light waveguide or a radiation source characterized by the first light waveguide having a core of a predetermined cross-sectional area, a reflective layer or mirror of a high reflectance being disposed on an angle to the axis of the waveguide and occupying only a small portion of the total cross-sectional area of the core so that only a small portion of the light traveling in the core of the first waveguide will be blocked by the presence of the mirror. The second waveguide will have a core diameter substantially smaller than that of the first waveguide and the mirror is mounted in the first core adjacent to the connection with the second core. The radiation source may be either a laser diode, semi-conductor laser or a light emitting diode.
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Citations
11 Claims
- 1. An optical device for laterally input coupling radiation into a light waveguide from a member having a radiation transmitting zone, said device comprising said waveguide having a radiation conducting core of a predetermined cross-sectional area and being formed by a pair of coaxially aligned optical fiber parts, each part having a single end face obliquely extending in a plane at an angle to the axis of the waveguide and parallel to the end face of the other part, a reflective layer of a high reflectance occupying only a small portion of the total cross-sectional area of the core, said layer being disposed between said end faces and having opposite surfaces being engaged by the end faces to hold the layer on said angle as the remaining portions of the end faces abut each other to form said waveguide, a member having a radiation transmitting zone and means for arranging said member with the radiation transmitting zone being aligned with the reflective layer so that radiation from the member is coupled into the waveguide by being reflected by said layer.
Specification