High Efficiency Pump Signal Combiner For High Power Fiber Amplifier And Laser Applications

摘要

A high efficiency optical combiner minimizes core region distortions in the area where fusion splicing between an input tapered fiber bundle (or any other type of “cladding-less” input fiber) and output fiber are joined. The thickness of the output fiber's glass cladding layer in the splice region is reduced (if not removed altogether) so that a core-to-core splice is formed and any necked-down region where the glass flows to join the core regions (while also joining the outer diameters) is essentially eliminated. The reduction of distortions in the core region of the splice improves the transmission efficiency between an input tapered fiber bundle and output fiber, reaching a level of about 99%. This high efficiency optical combiner is particularly well-suited for applications where a number of pump sources are combined and applied as an input to a fiber laser or amplifier.

主权项

1. An optical combiner comprising
an optical input arrangement comprising a plurality of optical fibers configured as a tapered fiber bundle, formed to exhibit an endface having a diameter Din; and an optical output fiber defined as including a terminal portion for coupling to the endface of the optical input arrangement, the output fiber including a core region and at least one glass cladding layer surrounding the core region, wherein the core region exhibits a diameter Dout substantially equal to the endface diameter Din of the tapered fiber bundle, with at least a defined thickness of the glass cladding material removed along a longitudinal extent L of the output fiber, beginning at the terminal portion, so as to enable core-to-core fusion splicing between the optical input arrangement and the optical output fiber, reducing core distortion at the splice point and creating a high efficiency fusion splice combiner.