Lightpath Technologies, Inc.

David A Tinch

Bruce E Bernacki

K Brent Binkley

Vineet Tyagi

A method for making a high-power fused collimator, and a fused collimator made thereby, are provided. A fused collimator is provided that includes an end of a stripped end portion of an optical fiber fused to a proximal face of a silica lens. In an embodiment, a joint formed by the fiber end and the silica lens proximal face is substantially surrounded with a solder glass in a melted form. A cross-sectional area of the solder glass decreases proximally from a distal edge adjacent the lens to a proximal edge located along the fiber's stripped end portion. The solder glass is permitted to harden, forming a fused collimator. In another embodiment, a ferrule surrounds the fiber stripped end portion, and an adhesive is applied to the ferrule's proximal face to surround the fiber. The lens-ferrule joint is surrounded with solder glass, which is then surrounded with a silica sleeve.

High-power fused collimator and associated methods

A method for making a high-power fused collimator, and a fused collimator made thereby, are provided. A fused collimator is provided that includes an end of a stripped end portion of an optical fiber fused to a proximal face of a silica lens. In an embodiment, a toroidal element is positioned in surrounding relation to the fiber's stripped end portion, and a joint formed by the fiber end and the toroidal element proximal face is substantially surrounded with a solder glass in a melted form. A cross-sectional area of the solder glass decreases proximally from a distal edge adjacent the lens to a proximal edge located along the fiber's stripped end portion. Then the solder glass is permitted to harden, forming a fused collimator.

A device for manipulation of acoustic waves is provided, comprising a functionally-graded material for interposing between a source of the acoustic waves and a target, which may be a detector of manipulated acoustic waves. The functionally-graded material has a gradient in acoustic wave velocity which is obtained by the generation of a gradient in at least one of the following properties: elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and density, that is perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the acoustic waves. The gradient is axial. Biaxial acoustic velocity gradients may be used for focusing/waveguiding (high-low-high) or dispersing (low-high-low), while monoaxial acoustic velocity gradients may be used for wave steering. Also in accordance with the present invention, a method of making the device is provided, comprising: (a) providing the source of acoustic waves; (b) providing the target for acoustic waves, e.g., detector of manipulated acoustic waves; (c) providing the functionally-graded material having a gradient in at least one material property; and (d) interposing the functionally-graded material between the source of acoustic waves and the target for acoustic waves such that the gradient is perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the acoustic waves. The functionally-graded material so provided can be used to manipulate, i.e., focus, disperse, steer, waveguide acoustic waves for applications such as, acoustoelectronics, acoustooptics, SONAR, ultrasonic imaging, non-destructive testing (NDT), etc.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

David A Tinch