Title :
Side-coupling of polymer optical fibers and its applications
Author_Institution :
NEC Res. Inst., Princeton, NJ, USA
Abstract :
Reflection based side couplings into or out of glass fibers were reported using either fusion splicing of graded index fiber or using mechanical cutting methods. However, the availability of polymer optical fibers (POFs) makes it possible to further simplify mirror preparation operations so that massive production of such low cost side couplers is feasible. Both the conventional reflection and the total internal reflection can easily be implemented through mirrors formed inside a POF using mechanical or other types of etching techniques. We show two conventional micro-mirrors which an embedded into a POF through a serious of microcutting, masking, metallic coating, and polymer refilling. A mirror can be formed either by satisfying the total internal reflection condition of the etched interface or by metal deposition using a conventional metallic mirror coating process.
Keywords :
cutting; etching; gradient index optics; mirrors; optical fibre couplers; optical fibre fabrication; optical films; optical polymers; reflectivity; etched interface; etching techniques; fusion splicing; glass fibers; graded index fiber; low cost side couplers; masking; mechanical cutting methods; metal deposition; metallic coating; metallic mirror coating process; micro-mirrors; microcutting; mirror preparation operations; optical fibre fabrication; polymer optical fiber side coupling; polymer optical fibers; polymer refilling; reflection based side couplings; total internal reflection; total internal reflection condition; Coatings; Etching; Glass; Mirrors; Optical fiber couplers; Optical fibers; Optical polymers; Optical reflection; Production; Splicing;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting, 1996. LEOS 96., IEEE
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3160-5
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.1996.565285
