Fiber optic attenuators and attenuation systems

Details Fiber optic attenuators and attenuation systems Fiber optic attenuators and attenuation systems

1998-02-20

1999-10-12

Palmer, Phan

Optical waveguides

Accessories

Attenuator

385 28, 385 30, G02B 600

Patent

active

059664932

ABSTRACT:
Controllable fiber optic attenuators and attenuation systems are disclosed for controllably extracting optical energy from a fiber optic, and therefore attenuating the optical signal being transmitted through the fiber optic. In one aspect, material is removed from a portion of the fiber optic, thereby exposing a surface through which optical energy can be extracted. A controllable material is formed over the surface for controllably extracting optical energy according to a changeable stimulus applied thereto, which affects the refractive index thereof. In an improved embodiment, a controllable material is formed over the exposed surface for controlling the amount of optical energy extracted from the fiber optic, and a bulk material is formed over the controllable material, into which the extracted optical energy is radiated. The controllable material has a controllable index of refraction approximately matching the index of refraction of the cladding of the fiber optic, and the bulk material formed over the controllable material has a fixed index of refraction higher than the effective mode index of refraction of the fiber optic. This cladding-driven design varies the effective optical thickness of the controllable material, and therefore effects a controllable attenuation of the optical signal being transmitted in the fiber optic. Attenuation systems including these controllable attenuators, as well as control and sense sub-systems, are also disclosed.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5781675 (1998-07-01), Tseng et al.
Pan, R.P., Liou, S.R., & Lin, C.K., "Voltage-Controlled Optical Fiber Coupler Using a Layer of Low-Refractive-Index Liquid Crystal with Positive Dielectric Anisotropy," Jpn. J. Phys., vol. 34, Part 1, No. 12A, (Dec. 1995), pp. 6410-6415.
Digonnet, M.J.F., et al., "Measurement of the Core Proximity in Polished Fiber Substrates and Couplers," Optics Letter, vol. 10, No. 9, (Sep. 1985), pp. 463-465.
Ottokar, G. & Zengerle, R., "Determination of Single-Mode Fiber Coupler Design Parameters from Loss Measurements," IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. LT-3, No. 4, (1985), pp. 864-867.
Cordaro, H., et al., "Precision Fabrication of D-Shaped Single-Mode Optical Fibers by In Situ Monitoring," IEEE Journal of Lightwave Techology, vol. 12, No. 9, (1994), pp. 1524-1531.

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