3M Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Grieg A Olson

Nicholas A Lee

Daniel V Attanasio

Gordon D Henson

James R Bylander

Charles M Mansfield

Martin G Afflerbaugh

Dale R Lutz

Alan George Hulme-Lowe

Maureen T Fahey

Gary B Forsberg

William W Morey

A method of aligning the polarization axis of a polarization maintaining optical fiber to the polarization of a light source comprising passing a well-polarized uniform beam through a polarization maintaining optical fiber; sending the beam through a polarizer; ascertaining the beam with a detector; and rotating the polarization of the beam such that the polarization output is substantially independent of wavelength.

Method and apparatus for aligning the polarization of a polarization maintaining optical fiber to the polarization of a light source

A method is provided for securing an optical fiber Bragg grating to a retaining element having a helical groove. In accordance with the method, an optical fiber Bragg grating is wrapped around the retaining element so that the optical fiber Bragg grating extends in and along the helical groove. Next, an excess length of the optical fiber Bragg grating is provided in the helical groove to substantially alleviate tension exerted upon the optical fiber Bragg grating. Finally, the first and second ends of the fiber Bragg grating are affixed to the retaining element.

Grating coil package for reduced fiber strain

Method for reducing strain on bragg gratings

A thermal compensation package for an optical fiber having a Bragg grating is provided. The package includes a support member adapted to support the optical fiber which is in contact with the optical fiber along substantially the entire length of the Bragg grating. At least one retaining member is provided for attaching the optical fiber to the support member. The support member is formed from a material having a first CTE that is negative in a first direction and a second CTE in a second direction that is different from the first CTE. The material is selected so that the first CTE has a sufficiently negative value to compensate for temperature fluctuations such that a reflection wavelength of the Bragg grating is substantially temperature independent over a given operating range.

Package for an optical bragg grating fiber for reducing the temperature dependence of its reflection wavelength

A package is provided for an optical fiber that includes a Bragg grating. The package includes a retaining member that supports the optical fiber and contacts the optical fiber along at least substantially the entire length of the Bragg grating. A housing is provided which is adapted to receive the retaining member therein. The housing has a conductivity below that of the retaining member so that the Bragg grating is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature.

Thermally managed package for fiber optic bragg gratings

A sleeve for protecting and reinforcing a fusion splice of two or more optical fibers. The fusion splice protector includes a heat-shrinkable sleeve adapted to surround the fusion splice and adjacent portions of the fused optical fibers, a stress-relieving support element adjacent the fusion splice, and a hot-melt adhesive contained within the sleeve for retaining the support element adjacent a longitudinal section of the sleeve. The support element is designed to impart varying elasticity along a length of the sleeve such that the fusion splice protector is more rigid at the central portion of the sleeve member than at its ends. This may advantageously be achieved by providing a support element having a cross-sectional profile which varies along the length of the sleeve. The support element is preferably constructed of a polymer or polymer blend, most preferably one having a coefficient of thermal expansion which is approximately equal to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the optical fibers.

Fiber optic fusion splice protection sleeve

The present invention is an optical fiber connector with an internal structure which allows the polarization axis of an optical element to be freely rotated and fixed with respect to an rotational orientation-indicating reference on an external surface of the connector. The reference then provides an external physical indication of the spatial direction of the birefringence axes of the optical element.

Device with internal features for rotational alignment of

A device for use in the rotational alignment of non symmetrical articles, such as non-cylindrically symmetrical optical elements which transmit and/or emit polarized light. In one embodiment, the current invention provides an optical fiber connector assembly which utilizes internal asymmetrical alignment features to optimize the rotational alignment of the polarization axes of an optical fiber element with respect to a rotational orientation-indicating reference on the connector.

Device with internal asymmetrical features for rotational alignment of

In known Faraday effect current sensors, light is fed into a polarizer, through a coil of field-sensitive optical fiber, and into a polarization measuring device. Such a current sensor can provide greater accuracy of current measurement by using a polarizing optical fiber as its polarizer and splicing the polarizing fiber to the input end of the optical fiber coil. The exit end of the optical fiber coil can be spliced to a second polarizing optical fiber, the other end of which is optically connected to a photodetector. In another embodiment, a mirror at the exit end of the optical fiber coil reflects light back through the coil to second and third polarizing fibers which in turn are optically connected to a pair of photodetectors, thus doubling the Faraday rotation while canceling out reciprocal optical effects.

Faraday effect current sensor having two polarizing fibers at an acute

Polarization-maintaining coupler is made by a biconically-tapered-fused process from two short lengths of an optical fiber, each having a small, oval stress-applying region that substantially contacts the core. The area of the stress-applying region of the optical fiber is less than 10 percent, preferably less than 2 percent, that of the optical fiber and preferably is contiguous with the core. Couplers of highest quality are made from quartz glass fibers having a birefringence between 1 and 3.times.10.sup.-4. It is believed that the principal axes of the oval stress-applying regions of those couplers of highest quality have been collinear or parallel. To permit a coupler to be handled, it can be mounted on a quartz glass substrate with the coupler suspended in air and then potted in a cured elastomer.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Grieg A Olson