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:
Jul. 09, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 09, 2009
Ronii Chris Mehl, Brush Prairie, WA (US);
Ronii Chris Mehl, Brush Prairie, WA (US);
nLight Photonics Corporation, Vancouver, WA (US);
Abstract
Optical illuminators comprise optical fibers having a gradient index core and a cladding selected so that a refractive index difference at a core/cladding interface provides a numerical aperture less than, greater than, or equal to a numerical aperture of the gradient index core. In some examples, a maximum refractive index difference in the gradient index core is substantially the same as, less than, or greater than the refractive index difference at the core/cladding interface. Illuminators based on such fibers are configured to produce optical beams with a laser diode or diode array, and to provide stable, approximately Gaussian optical fluxes at a fiber output surface.