Claims
- 1. A method for constructing a micro-optic coupler that incorporates optical tapers to reshape multimode optical inputs to match the spatial properties of an output fiber, comprising:receiving multimode optical inputs from at least one input fiber; coupling the multimode inputs to at least one output fiber; modifying a spatial profile of the multimode inputs using a doubleclad input fiber having a tapered end; and mounting the doubleclad input fiber in a glass capillary and polishing the glass capillary to expose the tapered end of the doubleclad input fiber, wherein the tapered end of the doubleclad input has a core diameter that is smaller than a core diameter of the at least one output fiber.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the multimode optical inputs from at least one input fiber is performed using a multimode input fiber.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the multimode optical inputs from at least one input fiber is performed using a double-clad fiber.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling the multimode optical inputs to at least one output fiber is performed using a multimode output fiber.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupling the multimode optical inputs to at least one output fiber is performed using a double-clad output fiber.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising imaging the multimode optical inputs using unity magnification onto the output fibers.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising reflecting the multimode optical input and transmitting a singlemode input.
- 8. A micro-optic coupler, comprising:a multimode signal beam from at least one fiber; focusing elements coupling the multimode signal beam to a multimode output fiber having a core diameter; and a doubleclad input fiber having a core diameter that emits a pump beam, wherein the multimode output fiber and the doubleclad input fiber each have an equal outside diameter and an equal numerical aperture; and wherein the core diameter of the multimode output fiber is larger than the core diameter of the doubleclad input fiber, whereby a tapered input of the core diameter of the doubleclad input fiber modifies the spatial profile of the multimode signal beam.
- 9. The micro-optic coupler of claim 8, wherein the doubleclad input fiber comprises a tapered multimode fiber, and wherein the multimode output fiber comprises a nontapered multimode fiber.
- 10. The micro-optic coupler of claim 8, further comprising:a glass capillary tube having an aperture, wherein the aperture is defined by an oblong circumference, and wherein the multimode output fiber and the doubleclad input fiber are centered within the aperture.
- 11. The micro-optic coupler of claim 8, wherein the pump beam and the multimode signal beam are co-propagated into the multimode output fiber.
- 12. The micro-optic coupler of claim 11, further comprising:a GRIN lens coupled to the glass capillary tube for collecting the pump beam; and a reflector for reflecting the pump beam back through the GRIN lens having unity magnification onto the multimode output fiber.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/090,505, entitled “Multi-functional Optical Isolator,” filed on Jun. 4, 1998 by Anthon et al. (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,153) and assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated by reference herein which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/883,489 filed Jun. 26, 1997, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
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19645542 |
May 1998 |
DE |
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/090505 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/593648 |
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US |
Parent |
08/883489 |
Jun 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/090505 |
|
US |