Mode scrambling apparatus for multimode fiber
First Claim
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1. A multimode optical fiber device, comprising:
- a multimode fiber that supports light in two or more optical waveguide modes;
a plurality of fiber squeezers engaged to the multimode fiber at different locations along a lengthwise direction of the multimode fiber to squeeze the multimode fiber along two or more different squeezing directions perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the fiber squeezers responsive to respective control signals to modulate a degree of squeezing at selected squeezing frequencies, respectively, to cause mixing of light in the two or more optical waveguide modes inside the multimode fiber to increase a spatial uniformity of optical power across a cross section of the multimode fiber; and
a control unit that produces the respective control signals to the fiber squeezers, respectively, and controls the fiber squeezers to produce either two or more different degrees of squeezing or to squeeze at two or more different selected squeezing frequencies.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for scrambling optical modes in multimode fibers to achieve uniform light distribution in guided multi-mode light for various applications.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multimode optical fiber device, comprising:
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a multimode fiber that supports light in two or more optical waveguide modes; a plurality of fiber squeezers engaged to the multimode fiber at different locations along a lengthwise direction of the multimode fiber to squeeze the multimode fiber along two or more different squeezing directions perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the fiber squeezers responsive to respective control signals to modulate a degree of squeezing at selected squeezing frequencies, respectively, to cause mixing of light in the two or more optical waveguide modes inside the multimode fiber to increase a spatial uniformity of optical power across a cross section of the multimode fiber; and a control unit that produces the respective control signals to the fiber squeezers, respectively, and controls the fiber squeezers to produce either two or more different degrees of squeezing or to squeeze at two or more different selected squeezing frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for scrambling light in different optical waveguide modes in a multimode optical fiber, comprising:
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providing a multimode fiber that supports light in two or more different optical waveguide modes; engaging a plurality of fiber squeezers to the multimode fiber at different locations along a lengthwise direction of the multimode fiber to squeeze the multimode fiber along two or more different squeezing directions perpendicular to the lengthwise direction; and controlling the fiber squeezers to modulate a degree of squeezing at selected squeezing frequencies, respectively, to cause mixing of light in the two or more optical waveguide modes inside the multimode fiber to increase a spatial uniformity of optical power across a cross section of the multimode fiber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A multimode optical fiber device, comprising:
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at least one linear actuator responsive to a control signal to cause a dimensional change along a straight line; a fiber stretcher frame comprising at least one expandable slot that is engaged to the actuator so that the dimensional change along the straight line is across the expandable slot to change a width of the expandable slot, the fiber stretcher frame structured to amplify the dimensional change of the actuator to produce an amplified change in a circumference of an exterior surface of the fiber stretcher frame; a multimode fiber that supports light in two or more optical waveguide modes and wraps around the exterior surface of the fiber stretcher frame to form a fiber loop; and a control unit that produces a control signal to the linear actuator and controls the linear actuator to modulate a degree of stretching of the fiber loop at a selected frequency to cause mixing of light in the two or more optical waveguide modes inside the multimode fiber to increase a spatial uniformity of optical power across a cross section of the multimode fiber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for scrambling light in different optical waveguide modes in a multimode optical fiber, comprising:
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providing a multimode fiber that supports light in two or more different optical waveguide modes; and modulating a dimension of at least one linear transducer to cause spatial disturbances at multiple locations in the multimode fiber to cause mixing of light in the two or more optical waveguide modes inside the multimode fiber to increase a spatial uniformity of optical power across a cross section of the multimode fiber. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification