The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 11, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1997
Jing-Jong Pan, Milpitas, CA (US);
Ming Shih, Milpitas, CA (US);
Weiti Wu, San Jose, CA (US);
Yu-Li Ko, San Jose, CA (US);
Donna S Yu, Danville, CA (US);
E-Tek Dynamics, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides fiber optic couplers for use with at least three optic fibers. The optic fibers arranged in a linear array, that is, the optic fibers are coupled side by side. The fibers along either end of the linear-array are coupled only to a single fiber, while the remaining fibers are generally coupled between only two adjacent fibers. Generally, at least one of the fibers has a propagation constant different that the other fibers. Such variations in the propagation constant are used to vary the coupling coefficients among the fibers of the linear-array, thereby providing a repeatable mechanism, to vary coupled power ratios among the fibers of the coupler. Theoretical calculations and empirical experience have shown that varying the propagation constant of fibers among a linear-array, generally by pre-pulling the fibers by varying amounts, allows repeatable manufacturing of 1.times.3, 1.times.4, 4.thrfore.3, 1.times.N and even N.times.N fiber couplers having even coupled power ratios.