Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Optical article shaping or treating – Optical fiber – waveguide – or preform
Patent
1997-09-15
1999-08-10
Vargot, Mathieu D.
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Optical article shaping or treating
Optical fiber, waveguide, or preform
264 11, 264 26, 264 27, B29D 1100
Patent
active
059354917
ABSTRACT:
The invention features a method of making a gradient-index polymer rod involving the steps of: combining a polymer with an additive, wherein the refractive index of the polymer material is different than the refractive index of the additive material; extruding the polymer and the additive into a polymer rod having a substantially uniform index of refraction profile; and immersing the rod having the substantially uniform index of refraction profile in a non-solvent under conditions and for a time that enables the non-solvent to permeate the rod and out-diffuse a portion of the additive material, thereby producing the gradient-index polymer rod. The rod produced by the method can be drawn into a graded index polymer fiber. The invention also features a gradient-index polymer rod (or fiber) of condensation-type polymer that is doped with an additive material. The refractive index of the additive material is different than the refractive index of the polymer and the rod (or fiber) has a concentration profile of the additive that varies along the radial direction of the rod (or fiber) from the center to the surface of the rod (or fiber).
REFERENCES:
patent: 3718383 (1973-02-01), Moore
patent: 3819782 (1974-06-01), Irie
patent: 3955015 (1976-05-01), Ohtsuka et al.
patent: 3999834 (1976-12-01), Ohtomo et al.
patent: 4581252 (1986-04-01), Guerra et al.
patent: 5235660 (1993-08-01), Perry et al.
patent: 5253323 (1993-10-01), Koike et al.
patent: 5390274 (1995-02-01), Toyoda et al.
patent: 5405556 (1995-04-01), Liu
patent: 5593621 (1997-01-01), Koike et al.
Chakravorty, K.K., "Ultraviolet Defined Selective In-Diffusion of Organic Dyes in Polyimide for Applications in Optical Interconnection Technology," Applied Physics Letters, 61:1163-1165, (1992).
Ho, B.C., "Gradient-Index Polymer Fibers Prepared by Extrusion," Polymer Journal, 27:310-313 (1995).
Ishigure, Takaaki et al., "Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fiber for High-Speed Data Communication," Applied Optics, 33:4261-4266, (1994).
Koike, Yasuhiro, "High-Bandwidth Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fibre," Polymer, 32:1737-1745, (1991).
Koike, Yasuhiro et al., "High-Bandwidth Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fiber," Journal of Lightwave Technology, 13:1475-1489, (1995).
Koike, Yasuhiro et al., "Graded-Index Plastic Optical Fiber Composed of Methyl Methacrylate and Vinyl Phenylacetate Copolymers," Applied Optics, 29:2686-2691, (1990).
Kuzyk, M.G. et al., "Guest-Host Polymer Fibers for Nonlinear Optics," Appl. Phys. Lett., 59:902-904, (1991).
Yamane, Masayuik et al., "Variable Refractive Index Systems by Sol-Gel Process," Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 148:606-613 (1992).
Chittibabu Kethinni G.
Kumar Jayant
Tripathy Sukant
University of Massachusettes
Vargot Mathieu D.
LandOfFree
Gradient-index polymer rods and fibers does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gradient-index polymer rods and fibers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gradient-index polymer rods and fibers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1117118