Tapping element for optical fibre - follows curved section to receive light emerging from side without breaking into it

摘要

A tapping element branches off a light component from an optical fibre without breaking into it. A section of the fibre is so markedly curved that light emerges from one side of it. A second optical fibre runs in parallel along this curved section. the second fibre has a higher numerical aperture than the first. The second fibre can be planar with a side border forming a curved groove on a support. This grooves receives the first fibre. The radius of curvature of the latter can increase in the direction of the light propagation. The width of the second fibre can increase in the same direction along the curvature.