University of Limerick

European Atomic Energy Community (euratom)

Waterford Institute of Technology

European Community Represented by Commission of the European Communities

Conleth Dennis Hussey

Alfredo Carlo Lucia

Robert Patrick Kenny

Maurice Whelan

John Sheridan

Noel Valentine Healy

Elaine M O'Brien

Ronan O'Byrne

Sergey Sergeyev

Dominic Finnian Murphy

Paul F O'Sullivan

A method for performing a multi-stage dilation of optical fibers is described, the method comprising performing successive dilation steps such that the adiabatic condition is maintained throughout the fiber. There is also described various optical devices employing such multi-stage dilated optical fibers, as well as methods of manufacture of the optical devices.

Optical devices and methods of manufacture of optical devices

Sensors and sensing apparatus are described, based on fused tapered fiber optic couplers with the taper waist portion formed into a loop or cleaved to provide a reflecting end. Light is typically input to the taper waist portion along a single input fiber, and bending of the loop or cleaved taper waist portion causes changes in the coupling ratio between the output fibers. The taper waist portion may be formed into a loop with a small bend radius without loss, and sensors embodying the claimed invention are particularly suitable for in-vivo measurement of pressure, the taper waist portions advantageously being arranged in contact with a membrane which deflects according to surrounding pressure. Further embodiments are described which are suitable for measurement of fluid flow velocity and/or acceleration.

Fiberoptic coupler sensor and a measurement method

To form an optical element ( ), in particular an interferometric sensor, an optical fiber ( ) is placed tangent to a cylindrical supporting element ( ); a straight portion ( ) of the optical fiber and the supporting element are surface fused; and a cavity ( ) is formed in the optical fiber ( ), the cavity being defined by facing surfaces ( ) of the straight portion ( ) substantially perpendicular to the axis of the straight portion ( ). The optical fiber ( ) and supporting element ( ) may be subjected to traction during surface fusion, to form a small cross-section portion close to the cavity, and which, when light is conducted by the optical element, provides for reducing the amount of light dispersed in the cavity.

Method of producing an optical fibre resonant cavity, in particular for an interferometric sensor, and optical fibre resonant cavity produced thereby

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Limerick, Ireland

Conleth Dennis Hussey