A method of drawing different materials includes forming a first material into a preform body defining at least one channel extending therethrough having a first cross-sectional area. A first element formed of a second material is inserted into the channel and with the preform body creates a preform assembly. The first element has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the channel, and the second material has a higher melting temperature than the first material. The preform assembly is heated so that the first material softens and the preform assembly is drawn so that the preform body deforms at a first deformation rate to a smaller cross-sectional area and the first element substantially maintains a constant cross-sectional area throughout the drawing process. Upon completion of the drawing step, the cross-sectional area of the channel is equivalent to the cross-sectional area of the first element.

A fusion splicing machine according to one embodiment includes: an optical fiber holder holding the optical fiber in the state of allowing a tip end of the optical fiber to protrude; a rotation mechanism arranged on the opposite side of the tip end of the optical fiber holder and rotating the optical fiber holder around the axis extending along the optical fiber; a bending portion bending the optical fiber; a light source irradiating the optical fiber bent by the bending portion with light from the side of the optical fiber; and a power supply unit supplying power to the light source. The bending portion and the light source are arranged on any of the tip end side of the optical fiber from the optical fiber holder, the optical fiber holder, and the rotation mechanism.

A method for making an optical fiber device may include using a three-dimensional (3D) printer to generate a preform body including an optical material. The preform body may have a 3D pattern of voids therein defining a 3D lattice. The method may further include drawing the preform body to form the optical fiber device.

An optical fiber that is a photonic crystal fiber in which a plurality of holes is arranged along a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, having a predetermined bending radius R determined according to a transmission distance L of the optical fiber and optical power output from the optical fiber, and having an inter-hole distance and a ratio d/ between a hole diameter d and the inter-hole distance such that light of a predetermined number of modes is transmitted and a bending loss of the light of a fundamental mode with the predetermined bending radius R is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

The invention comprises a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) assembly comprising a PCF and at least one ferrule structure. The PCF has a center axis and comprises a core region and a cladding region and a first fiber end section with a first fiber end. The ferrule structure has a center axis and is mounted to the first fiber end section. The ferrule structure comprises an inner ferrule arrangement and an outer ferrule arrangement surrounding the first fiber end section. The inner ferrule arrangement comprises an inner ferrule front section proximally to the first fiber end and an inner ferrule rear section distally to the first fiber end, and each of the inner ferrule sections have an inner diameter and in at least a length thereof fully surrounds the PCF. The inner ferrule rear section is anchored in an anchor length section to the first fiber end section and the inner ferrule front section supports the first fiber end section proximally to the first fiber end.

A method of drawing different materials includes forming a first material into a preform body defining at least one channel extending therethrough having a first cross-sectional area. A first element formed of a second material is inserted into the channel and with the preform body creates a preform assembly. The first element has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the channel, and the second material has a higher melting temperature than the first material. The preform assembly is heated so that the first material softens and the preform assembly is drawn so that the preform body deforms at a first deformation rate to a smaller cross-sectional area and the first element substantially maintains a constant cross-sectional area throughout the drawing process. Upon completion of the drawing step, the cross-sectional area of the channel is equivalent to the cross-sectional area of the first element.

A sensor apparatus includes a sensor chip, an illumination system, a first optical system, a second optical system, and a detector system. The illumination system is coupled to the sensor chip and transmits an illumination beam along an illumination path. The first optical system is coupled to the sensor chip and includes a first integrated optic to configure and transmit the illumination beam toward a diffraction target on a substrate, disposed adjacent to the sensor chip, and generate a signal beam including diffraction order sub-beams generated from the diffraction target. The second optical system is coupled to the sensor chip and includes a second integrated optic to collect and transmit the signal beam from a first side to a second side of the sensor chip. The detector system is configured to measure a characteristic of the diffraction target based on the signal beam transmitted by the second optical system.

A coupled-core multi-core fiber in which an inter-core distance is stabilized is manufactured. A method of manufacturing a coupled-core multi-core fiber includes forming a second cladding base material by depositing glass particulates on an outer periphery of a first cladding base material and sintering the glass particulates. The first cladding base material has a hydroxyl group concentration that is less than or equal to 10 ppb; obtaining a ground rod by grinding an outer periphery of the second cladding base material; and forming holes in the first cladding base material in the ground rod, inserting a core base material into each of the holes, and obtaining an assembly.

A method of producing a microstructured optical fiber is disclosed. The method includes providing a preform and drawing the preform. The preform has a center axis, a length and a first end and a second end and has at least one longitudinal hole extending lengthwise. The method includes inserting a first end of a pressure tube into the hole of the preform at the first end of the preform and subjecting the hole of the preform to a controlled pressure via the pressure tube during the drawing.

A method of drawing a material into sheet form includes forming a preform comprising at least one material as a large aspect ratio block wherein a first transverse dimension of the preform is much greater than a second transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the first transverse dimension. A furnace having substantially linearly opposed heating elements one spaced from the other is provided and the heating elements are energized to apply heat to the preform to create a negative thermal gradient from an exterior surface along the first transverse dimension of the preform inward toward a central plane of the preform. The preform is drawn in such a manner that the material substantially maintains its first transverse dimension and deforms across its second transverse dimension.