Laterally emitting optical waveguides and methods introduce micromodifications into an optical waveguide and provide optical waveguides. The laterally emitting optical waveguides comprise at least an optical wave-guiding core and a region in the optical waveguide and the methods arrange the micro-modifications in the region of the optical waveguide and order the arrangement of the micro-modifications.

A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

The methods disclosed herein include forming an expanded core in an optical fiber with a glass core having a core dopant and a core outer surface, and a glass cladding immediately surrounding the core and having a flat glass-portion surface closest to the core outer surface at a first core spacing S1. The methods include applying heat to a section of the optical fiber to cause the glass core to expand toward the flat glass-portion surface due to thermal diffusion of the core dopant. The methods also include terminating the application of heat to define the expanded core in the heated section of the optical fiber. The expanded core defines an evanescent coupling region having a second core spacing 0≤S2<S1 and an adiabatic transition region between the core and the evanescent coupling region of the expanded core.

The methods disclosed herein include forming an expanded core in an optical fiber with a glass core having a core dopant and a core outer surface, and a glass cladding immediately surrounding the core and having a flat glass-portion surface closest to the core outer surface at a first core spacing S1. The methods include applying heat to a section of the optical fiber to cause the glass core to expand toward the flat glass-portion surface due to thermal diffusion of the core dopant. The methods also include terminating the application of heat to define the expanded core in the heated section of the optical fiber. The expanded core defines an evanescent coupling region having a second core spacing 0≤S2<S1 and an adiabatic transition region between the core and the evanescent coupling region of the expanded core.

The present disclosure relates to the fabrication and characterization of an optical fiber capable of firing light virtually from any point along its circumferential surface. The optical fiber is preferably prepared by laser micromachining. In preferred embodiments, laser radiation is focused onto a multimode optical fiber axis, forming a conical-shaped cavity (side window) in the fiber core. Because of the total internal reflection when the laser beam reaches the side window-outside medium interface, the beam is reflected to the side of the optical fiber.

The present disclosure relates to the fabrication and characterization of an optical fiber capable of firing light virtually from any point along its circumferential surface. The optical fiber is preferably prepared by laser micromachining. In preferred embodiments, laser radiation is focused onto a multimode optical fiber axis, forming a conical-shaped cavity (side window) in the fiber core. Because of the total internal reflection when the laser beam reaches the side window-outside medium interface, the beam is reflected to the side of the optical fiber.

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including: a stripping step of partially stripping a coating layer 12, 13 of the optical fiber 10; a splicing step of fusion-splicing an exposed end surface of a glass fiber 11; and a recoating step of recoating a protective resin 15 covering a stripped portion of the coating layer 12, 13 and an exposed portion of the glass fiber 11, in which the stripping step irradiates the coating layer 12, 13 with a laser light to strip the coating layer 12, 13. A pulse width of the laser light is 50 fs or more and 500 ps or less.

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including: a stripping step of partially stripping a coating layer 12, 13 of the optical fiber 10; a splicing step of fusion-splicing an exposed end surface of a glass fiber 11; and a recoating step of recoating a protective resin 15 covering a stripped portion of the coating layer 12, 13 and an exposed portion of the glass fiber 11, in which the stripping step irradiates the coating layer 12, 13 with a laser light to strip the coating layer 12, 13. A pulse width of the laser light is 50 fs or more and 500 ps or less.

A method of fabricating a variable diameter fiber includes providing a fiber optic cable comprising a cladding region, a fiber core, and a plurality of sacrificial regions disposed in the cladding region and focusing a laser beam at a series of predetermined locations inside the fiber optic cable. The method also includes creating a series of damage sites associated with the series of predetermined locations, wherein the series of damage sites define a variable diameter profile and a latticework in the cladding region of the fiber optic cable. The method further includes exposing the fiber optic cable to an etchant solution, preferentially etching the series of damage sites, and separating peripheral portions of the fiber optic cable to release the variable diameter fiber.