Apparatus and method for forming a hemispherical microlens at the end of optical fiber
First Claim
1. An apparatus for forming a hemispherical microlens at an end of an optical fiber comprising:
- laser light irradiation means for irradiating laser light into one end of an optical fiber;
far-field pattern detection means for detecting the shape of a far-field pattern of laser light emitted from the other end of said optical fiber;
heating means for heating said other end of said optical fiber and forming a hemispherical microlens; and
heating control means for controlling the operation of said heating means according to the shape of said detected far-field pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The apparatus for forming a hemispherical micro-lens according to the present invention comprises a laser light oscillator 5 for irradiating laser light into one end 3a of an optical fiber 3, a far-field pattern (F.F.P.) detector 6 for detecting the shape of the F.F.P. of laser light emitted from the other end 3b of the optical fiber 3, discharge electrodes 1 for heating the end 3b of the optical fiber 3 and thereby forming a hemispherical microlens, and a discharge controller 2 for controlling the operation of the discharge electrodes 1 according to the shape of the detected F.F.P. With this apparatus, laser light is irradiated into one end surface 3a of an optical fiber 3, the other end surface 3b is heated to form a hemispherical microlens while measuring the F.F.P. of laser light emitted from this end surface 3b, and heating is halted according to the measured value of the F.F.P. It is preferable that the discharge controller 2 halt the heating operation when the diameter of the F.F.P. detected at the F.F.P. detector is approximately equal to a preset value, in particular the maximum value of the diameter of the F.F.P. This apparatus may also be applied in a case in which the ends 3b of a plurality of optical fibers arranged as an array are collectively heated and formed into hemispherical microlenses.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for forming a hemispherical microlens at an end of an optical fiber comprising:
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laser light irradiation means for irradiating laser light into one end of an optical fiber; far-field pattern detection means for detecting the shape of a far-field pattern of laser light emitted from the other end of said optical fiber; heating means for heating said other end of said optical fiber and forming a hemispherical microlens; and heating control means for controlling the operation of said heating means according to the shape of said detected far-field pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of forming a hemispherical microlens at an end of an optical fiber comprising:
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irradiating laser light into one end of an optical fiber; forming a hemispherical microlens by heating an opposite end of said optical fiber; detecting, while said hemispherical microlens is being formed, a far-field pattern of laser light emitted from said opposite end; and controlling a halting of said heating operation based on the shape of said detected far-field pattern. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification