METHODS OF FORMING A TIR OPTICAL FIBER LENS

摘要

Methods of forming a total-internal-reflection (TIR) optical fiber lens are disclosed. The methods include heating an end of an optical fiber with a defocused infrared laser beam to form a bulbous tip having a curved outer surface that defines a lens surface. The bulbous tip is laser cleaved to define a TIR facet. Light traveling in the fiber diverges at an effective fiber end and is reflected by the TIR facet through the lens surface to form an image at an image plane.

主权项

1. A method of forming a faceted total-internal-reflection (TIR) optical fiber lens on an end of an optical fiber having a first axis, comprising:
heating the fiber end to form a bulbous tip; allowing the bulbous tip to cool, the bulbous tip having a refractive index, a center and a curved outer surface; and laser cleaving the cooled bulbous tip to form a facet that intersects the first axis at a facet angle θ that defines the facet as a TIR surface.