Optical fiber coupler and a fabrication method for the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a wide wavelength range optical fiber coupler that to the greatest extent possible, allows optical coupling which is wavelength independent, and thus demonstrates a constant coupling ratio over a wide range of wavelengths. By causing various irregularities to be formed in the fused-elongated region of an optical fiber coupler, thereby leading to the generation of additional modes in addition to the fundamental modes, while at the same time causing multiple mode coupling in which the above mentioned additional modes participate in the coupling of the fundamental modes, it is possible to selectively control the coupling strength at determined wavelengths and thereby achieve optical coupling which is largely wavelength independent and thus demonstrates a relatively constant coupling ratio over a wide range of wavelengths. Furthermore, by causing the strength of coupling between the cores of each component optical fiber to vary along the length of the longitudinal axis of each component optical fiber, it is possible to decrease the degree of sinusoidal variation in the wavelength dependance characteristics of each component optical fiber, thereby making it possible to further achieve optical coupling which is wavelength independent and thus considerably constant over a wide range of wavelengths.