Claims
- 1. An optical fiber device comprising:a cylindrically shaped bullet tip having a hole extending axially therethrough and front and back bullet tip ends; a fiber extending through the bullet tip; a capillary sleeve situated around a portion of the fiber; and a molding compound supporting the fiber and the capillary sleeve in the bullet tip.
- 2. The optical fiber device of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the front bullet tip end is larger than a thickness at the back bullet tip end.
- 3. The optical fiber device of claim 2 further including a tubing surrounding the back bullet tip end and wherein the molding compound extends at least partially into the tubing for supporting the bullet tip in the tubing.
- 4. The optical fiber device of claim 3 wherein the back end of the bullet tip has an angled surface for guiding the fiber into the bullet tip.
- 5. The optical fiber device of claim 2 wherein the bullet tip is stainless steel or molybdenum.
- 6. The optical fiber device of claim 5 wherein the molding compound comprises an adhesive.
- 7. A method for fabricating an optical fiber device comprising the steps of:welding a cylindrically shaped bullet tip having a hole extending axially therethrough and front and back bullet tip ends with a larger thickness at the front bullet tip end than at the back bullet tip end to a tubing surrounding the back bullet tip end; inserting a fiber through the back bullet tip end until it extends out of the front bullet tip end; injecting a liquid molding compound through the front bullet tip end; inserting a capillary sleeve around a portion of the fiber in the liquid molding compound; hardening the liquid molding compound; and polishing a surface of the front bullet tip end, the fiber, and the capillary sleeve.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the back end of the bullet tip has an angled surface for guiding the fiber when inserting the fiber through the back bullet tip end.
Government Interests
This invention was made with U.S. Government support under contract number NAS327235 awarded by NASA. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3437103 |
Oct 1984 |
DE |
29611439 |
Jul 1996 |
DE |
638770 |
Aug 1994 |
EP |