Title :
Polymeric optical mixing rod coupler
Author :
Blyler, Lee L., Jr. ; Grimes, Gary J.
Author_Institution :
AT&T Bell Lab., Murray Hill, NJ, USA
fDate :
3/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Optical mixing rod couplers have been fabricated using extruded plastic tubing filled with optically transparent casting resins to form a waveguide-type mixing region. Asymmetric (1×19) splitter/combiners with plastic fiber and plastic-clad silica fiber pigtails have been made with efficiencies greater than 60% and power uniformities within 1-dB standard deviation. Tested as a combiner, the coupler had an average loss of -1.6 dB with a standard deviation of 0.71 dB. Tested as a splitter, it had an average loss of -14.9 dB with a standard deviation of 0.9 dB, and the excess loss was -2.0 dB. The results suggest that the coupler would be useful in a variety of short-distance optical interconnection applications where multimode step-index fiber is appropriate. It may also offer a higher yield than some competing, more complex techniques
Keywords :
fibre optics; optical communication equipment; optical couplers; optical waveguide components; 1.6 to 14.9 dB; 60 percent; combiner; efficiencies; excess loss; extruded plastic tubing; loss; multimode step-index fiber; optical mixing rod coupler; optically transparent casting resins; plastic fiber; plastic-clad silica fiber pigtails; polymeric optical mixers; power uniformities; short-distance optical interconnection applications; splitter; waveguide-type mixing region; Casting; Optical coupling; Optical fiber couplers; Optical fiber testing; Optical losses; Optical mixing; Optical polymers; Optical waveguides; Plastics; Resins;
Journal_Title :
Components, Hybrids, and Manufacturing Technology, IEEE Transactions on