Method for tapering optical fibers to conform to a desired radial profile
First Claim
1. A method of tapering a segment of an optical fiber from one having an initial radial profile extending axially over an initial domain into one having a desired radial profile extending axially over a final domain, said method comprising the steps of:
- softening the segment to form at least one softened portion, each said softened portion being located at a respective axial position;
elongating said at least one softened portion axially, andsaid softening step and said elongating step being controlled in accordance with at least one parameter determined based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial radial profile map to corresponding points of the desired radial profile, said normalized axial coordinate reference being an axial coordinate reference according to which the initial domain and the final domain are equal to one another.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for tapering an optical fiber segment having an initial radial profile to substantially conform to a pre-specifiable desired radial profile for controlling mutually coordinated elongation and softening of different axial portions of the segment according to control parameters derivable based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial profile map to corresponding points of the desired profile. The softening and/or elongation may progress substantially in either a step-wise, time-discrete manner or time-continuously. The invention is useful for forming tapered fused couplers as well as for tapering individual fibers.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of tapering a segment of an optical fiber from one having an initial radial profile extending axially over an initial domain into one having a desired radial profile extending axially over a final domain, said method comprising the steps of:
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softening the segment to form at least one softened portion, each said softened portion being located at a respective axial position; elongating said at least one softened portion axially, and said softening step and said elongating step being controlled in accordance with at least one parameter determined based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial radial profile map to corresponding points of the desired radial profile, said normalized axial coordinate reference being an axial coordinate reference according to which the initial domain and the final domain are equal to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of tapering an axial segment of a plurality of adjacent optical fibers which together have initial radial profile extending axially over an initial domain, to form a tapered, fused optical device having a desired radial profile extending axially over a final domain, said method comprising the steps of:
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softening the segment to form at least one softened portion, each said softened portion being located at a respective axial position; elongating said at least one softened portion axially, said softening step and said elongating step being controlled in accordance with at least one parameter determined based on a normalized axial coordinate reference by which points of the initial radial profile map to corresponding points of the desired radial profile, where said initial radial profile is specified by an initial effective radius and an initial degree of fusion and said desired radial profile is specified by a desired effective radius and a desired degree of fusion, said normalized axial coordinate reference being an axial coordinate reference according to which the initial domain and the final domain are equal to one another. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of tapering a segment of an optical fiber from one having an initial radial profile extending axially over an initial domain into one having a desired radial profile extending axially over a final domain, said method comprising the steps of:
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softening the segment to form a softened portion at an axial position whose time rate of change is a repositioning speed; elongating said softened portion axially by an elongation distance at an elongation rate; and controlling said axial distance, said repositioning speed, said elongation distance and said elongation rate in accordance with a relationship which can be expressed by;
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Specification