ALL GLASS METHOD FOR FRUSTRATING INTERNAL REFLECTION IN AN OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

The disclosure is directed to an all glass method that frustrates the internal reflection on the outside diameter of an optical fiber's glass cladding thus allowing the light to be directed to a light absorbing material/ medium and allowing the desired light in the core of the fiber to be preserved with no loss. The frustration is achieved by having at least one glass frustrater in glass-to-glass contact with the outermost cladding layer of the optical fiber. The glass frustrater is made of a glass that has a glass transition point lower that both the core and cladding glasses of the fiber. Chalcogenide and phosphate glasses are among the glasses suitable for this application.

主权项

1. A method for frustrating the light in the cladding of a glass optical fiber by redirecting said light, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an optical fiber having a glass core and one or a plurality of glass cladding layers overlaying said core; and forming one or a plurality of shaped glass frustrater(s) on the outermost cladding layer of said fiber; wherein said glass frustrater(s) is/are in glass-to-glass contact with and bonded to the outermost cladding layer of said optical fiber, and light entering the glass frustrater from the cladding is redirected to a light absorbing medium.