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:
Mar. 04, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
NP Photonics, Inc., Tucson, AZ (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01S 3/00 ; H01S 3/091 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01S 3/00 ; H01S 3/091 ;
Abstract
A total internal reflection (TIR) coupler for side coupling pump light into a fiber for use in an amplifier or laser is mounted on a flat surface of the fiber's inner cladding. The TIR coupler has a reflecting surface that forms an angle of taper a with the inner cladding, which is effective to reflect pump light at a preselected angle of incidence &thgr; and satisfy a TIR condition at its reflecting surface for folding pump light into the fiber. The pump light is launched into the fiber at an angle that also satisfies a TIR condition for guiding pump light inside the inner cladding.