Ofs Fitel, LLC

Other

Cfs Fitel, LLC

Tristan Kremp

Paul S Westbrook

David John DiGiovanni

Tommy Geisler

Brian Mangan

Eric A Swanson

Kelvin B Bradley

Robert Scott Windeler

Daryl Inniss

Yue Liang

Wladyslaw Czosnowski

Vitaly Mikhailov

John E Pacini

Jeffrey W Nicholson

Kenneth Stephen Feder

Robert L Lingle

Kazi S Abedin

Jerome C Porque

A system of aligning concatenated sections of multicore optical fiber incorporates the capability of intentionally changing core assignments as part of the azimuthal alignment process. The intentional changing of core assignments, referred to as offset clocking, compensates for differences in properties of the individual core regions in a way that reduces variations between the spatial channels supported in the transmission system. The offset clocking technique can be used, e.g., to improve the attenuation (or other selected properties of the propagating signals). The offset clocking technique may be used to step through sequential changes core assignments at one or more splice locations (passive clocking) or identify a particular pairing of cores from one fiber section to the next (e.g., 'good quality' core assigned to a “poor quality” signal exiting the first section) and rotate the fiber sections with respect to each other to achieve this particular core assignment.

Methods and apparatus for aligning and splicing optical fibers

A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of n, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rthat varies axially along the optical fiber, a total transmission loss of α, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM being defined as:

High backscattering waveguides

A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of n, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rthat varies axially along the optical fiber, a total transmission loss of &#x3b1;, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM being defined as: 

An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light. The signal processor generates the control signal to instruct the optical control device to impart the compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber.

Optical probe

A hollow core optical fiber and cable combination is configured to exhibit minimal SNR and loss degradation. This is achieved by either: (1) reducing the coupling between the fundamental and other (unwanted) modes propagating within the hollow core fiber; or (2) increasing the propagation loss along the alternative. The first approach may be achieved by designing the cable to minimize perturbations and/or designing the hollow core fiber to fully separate the fundamental mode from the unwanted modes so as to reduce coupling into the unwanted modes. Whether through fiber design or cable design, the amount of light coupled into unwanted modes is reduced to acceptable levels. The second approach may be realized through either fiber design and/or cable design to suppress the light in unwanted modes so that an acceptably low level of light is coupled back into the fundamental mode.

Cabling configurations for hollow core optical fibers

A hollow core fiber (HCF) has a cross section with a substantially-circular hollow core in a cladding lattice, an axial center and a reference direction that extends radially in one direction from the axial center. The HCF comprises modified holes that are located along linear paths that extend radially outward from the axial center. The modified holes, which are located at various radial distances from the axial center and at various azimuthal angles from the reference direction, have non-uniform modified properties. These non-uniform modified properties include radially-varying properties, azimuthally-varying properties, or a combination of radially-varying and azimuthally-varying properties.

Suppressing surface modes in fibers

A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of n, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of R, a total transmission loss of &#x3b1;, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), a center wavelength (&#x3bb;) of the in-band range (wherein 950 nm&#x3c;&#x3bb;&#x3c;1700 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM&#x3e;1, with the FOM being defined as: 

A hollow core optical fiber and cable combination is configured to exhibit minimal SNR and loss degradation. This is achieved by either: (1) reducing the coupling between the fundamental and other (unwanted) modes propagating within the hollow core fiber, or (2) increasing the propagation loss along the alternative. The first approach may be achieved by designing the cable to minimize perturbations and/or designing the hollow core fiber to fully separate the fundamental mode from the unwanted modes so as to reduce coupling into the unwanted modes. Whether through fiber design or cable design, the amount of light coupled into unwanted modes is reduced to acceptable levels. The second approach may be realized through either fiber design and/or cable design to suppress the light in unwanted modes so that an acceptably low level of light is coupled back into the fundamental mode.

Optical probe using multimode optical waveguide and proximal processing

A high backscattering fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power that is more than three (3) decibels (dB) above Rayleigh scattering. The high backscattering fiber also exhibits a coupling loss of less than 0.5 dB.

A method of, and apparatus for, inscribing a grating in an optical waveguide so as to reduce transverse inscription variations, are provided. The waveguide is exposed to multiple beams or interference patterns of actinic radiation from multiple azimuthal directions. The beams of actinic radiation are preferably split into a plurality of beams that have wave vectors with different longitudinal components, e.g., via gratings such as phase masks. The periods and phases of the interference patterns of the beams of actinic radiation are preferably matched. A control beam may be provided that does not hit the waveguide. A control loop optionally controls at least one of the position or orientation of at least one of the beams of actinic radiation. The gratings are, for example, Bragg gratings.

Method of and apparartus for inscription of fiber gratings from multiple azimuthal angles and fiber so inscribed

A multicore fiber alignment apparatus is described, having a chassis into which is mounted ferrule-holding means for holding a multicore fiber ferrule having one or more capillaries extending therethrough. Fiber-holding means for holding one or more multicore fibers in position to be mounted into the ferrule, such that each multicore fiber extends through a respective ferrule capillary. Means are provided for monitoring the rotation angle of each multicore fiber within its respective capillary, relative to a reference rotational orientation. Means are further provided for rotating each of the multicore fibers within its respective capillary. The rotational orientation of each multicore fiber is fixed when its rotation angle is equal to zero.

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Somerset, NJ, United States of America

Tristan Kremp