D-shaped fiber
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical fiber, comprising:
- a core;
a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding having an index of refraction less than the core so as to form a waveguide therewith, the cladding having at least one substantially planar side along substantially an entire length of the optical fiber, the core being located sufficiently close to the cladding planar side to allow evanescent-field coupling of an optical signal from the core through the cladding planar side;
a polymeric buffer surrounding the cladding, the buffer having an index of refraction lower than the cladding adjacent the cladding planar side and having an index of refraction higher than the cladding adjacent at least some other portions of the cladding.
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Abstract
A D-shaped fiber which has an evanescent-field which is easily tapable has a low attenuation since a buffer material disposed on a cladding planar side of the waveguide has an index of refraction lower than the cladding so as to effectively increase a radius of the cladding in the vicinity of its planar side so as to minimize signal loss into the fiber buffer.
34 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An optical fiber, comprising:
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a core; a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding having an index of refraction less than the core so as to form a waveguide therewith, the cladding having at least one substantially planar side along substantially an entire length of the optical fiber, the core being located sufficiently close to the cladding planar side to allow evanescent-field coupling of an optical signal from the core through the cladding planar side; a polymeric buffer surrounding the cladding, the buffer having an index of refraction lower than the cladding adjacent the cladding planar side and having an index of refraction higher than the cladding adjacent at least some other portions of the cladding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of distributing optical signals, comprising the steps of:
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supporting an optical signal in an optical fiber which includes a core surrounded by a cladding, the cladding having an index of refraction less than the core so as to form a waveguide therewith, the cladding having at least one substantially planar side along an entire length thereof, the core being located closer to the cladding planar side than a cladding cylindrical side, the fiber further including a buffer surrounding the cladding, the buffer having an index of refraction lower than the cladding adjacent the cladding planar side and having an index of refraction higher than the cladding adjacent at least some other portions of the cladding; removing the optical fiber buffer adjacent the cladding planar side at at least one select region of the optical fiber; disposing a material having a coupling index of refraction on the cladding planar side at the select region. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification