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:
Oct. 16, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 27, 1999
David Kalish, Roswell, GA (US);
Paul Emilien Neveux, Jr., Loganville, GA (US);
Albert John Ritger, Lawrenceville, GA (US);
Carl Raymond Taylor, Lawrenceville, GA (US);
John Michael Turnipseed, Lilburn, GA (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include an optical energy transmission system, method and apparatus having improved mode coupling. According to embodiments of the invention, an optical energy transmission medium such as an optical fiber includes bubbles formed therein for inducing microbending of the optical energy transmission medium, thus promoting advantageous mode coupling, which improves bandwidth potential by reducing dispersion. The bubbles are formed, e.g., in one or more buffer region layers and/or at the interface between the coating and buffer regions. The method for manufacturing the inventive optical energy transmission medium includes controllably forming one or more buffer region layers around the coated optical fiber or other transmission medium in such a way that that a desired amount of bubbles is created and maintained within one or more of the buffer region layers and/or at the interface between the coating and buffer regions. The bubbles form controlled perturbations that enhance mode coupling to the extent that bandwidth of the optical fiber is improved. The quantity and size of the bubbles formed in the optical energy transmission medium are controlled by, e.g., the amount of moisture present in the applied coating.