Lightpath Technologies, Inc.

Other

Kestrel Corporation

Lightpatch Technologies, Inc.

William P Walters

Pierre Bernard

Paul Fournier

Mark A Fitch

Marc Farrell Harris

Paul Wollcott Harrison

Boyd V Hunter

The present invention relates to a deformable mirror, specifically a gimbaled deformable mirror for use with wavefront sensors, which mirror separates the tilt correction from the higher order modes (e.g. defocus, spherical, astigmatism, and coma at higher order aberrations, up to the limits of a particular mirror design) in order to use all of the available mirror deformation stroke for correcting the higher order modes. The separation is done by placing the deformable mirror in a gimbaled structure, so that the deformable mirror can be tilted in two independent, orthogonal axes.

Deformable mirror for efficient correction of large aberrations

A fiber collimator is provided, comprising at least two optical components, one of the optical components (e.g., an optical element such as a collimating lens or a plano-plano pellet) having a surface that has a comparatively larger cross-sectional area than the surface of the other optical component(s) (e.g., at least one optical fiber). The optical components are joined together by fusion-splicing, using a laser. A gradient in the index of refraction is provided in at least that portion of the surface of the optical element to which the optical fiber(s) is fusion-spliced or at the tip of the optical fiber. The gradient is either formed prior to or during the fusion-splicing. Back-reflection is minimized, pointing accuracy is improved, and power handling ability is increased.

Fabrication of collimators employing optical fibers fusion-spliced to optical elements of substantially larger cross-section areas

A fiber collimator is provided, comprising at least two optical components, one of the optical components (e.g., an optical element such as a collimating lens or a plano&mdash;plano pellet) having a surface that has a comparatively larger cross-sectional area than the surface of the other optical component(s) (e.g., at least one optical fiber). The optical components are joined together by fusion-splicing, using a laser. A gradient in the index of refraction is provided in at least that portion of the surface of the optical element to which the optical fiber(s) is fusion-spliced or at the tip of the optical fiber. The gradient is either formed prior to or during the fusion-splicing. Back-reflection is minimized, pointing accuracy is improved, and power handling ability is increased.

Fabrication of collimators employing optical fibers fusion-spliced to optical elements of substantially larger cross-sectional areas

A method is provided for fusion-splicing with a laser beam two optical components, one of the optical components (e.g., an optical element such as a lens) having a surface that has a comparatively larger cross-sectional area than a surface of the other optical component (e.g., an optical fiber). The method comprises: (a) aligning the two optical components along one axis; (b) turning on a directional laser heat source to form the laser beam; (c) directing the laser beam to be collinear with that optical component having a smaller cross-sectional area; (d) ensuring that the laser beam strikes the surface of the optical component having the larger cross-sectional area at normal or near normal incidence so that absorption of the laser beam is much more efficient on the surface; (e) adjusting the power level of the laser beam to reach a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the surface of the optical component having the larger cross-sectional area to form a softening region thereon, thereby achieving the fusion-splicing; and (f) turning off the laser.

Use of a laser to fusion-splice optical components of substantially different cross-sectional areas

A method is provided for fusion-splicing with a laser beam at least two optical components to a different optical component, the different optical component (e.g., an optical element such as a lens) having a surface that has a comparatively larger cross-sectional area than a surface of the other optical components (e.g., at least two optical fibers). The method comprises: (a) aligning the optical components along an axis; (b) turning on a directional laser heat source to form the laser beam; (c) directing the laser beam to be collinear with those optical components having a smaller cross-sectional area; (d) ensuring that the laser beam strikes the surface of the optical component having the larger cross-sectional area at normal or near normal incidence so that absorption of the laser beam is much more efficient on the surface; (e) adjusting the power level of the laser beam to reach a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the surface of the optical component having the larger cross-sectional area to form a softening region thereon, thereby achieving the fusion-splicing; and (f) turning off the laser.

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Peralta, NM, United States of America

William P Walters