A fiber optic element of a fiber scanning system includes a motion actuator having longitudinal side members, an internal orifice, a first support region, a central region, and a second support region. The fiber optic element also includes a first fiber optic cable passing through the internal orifice and having a first fiber joint as well as a second fiber optic cable passing through the internal orifice. The second fiber optic cable has a second fiber joint disposed in the central region and spliced to the first fiber joint, a second coupling region, a light delivery region, and a light emission tip. The light delivery region is characterized by a first diameter and the light emission tip is characterized by a second diameter less than the first diameter.

A method for figuring an optical surface of an optical element to achieve a target profile for the optical surface includes: applying a removal process to an extended region of the optical surface extending along a first direction to remove material from the extended region of the optical surface; adjusting a position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to remove material from additional extended regions of the optical surface extending along the first direction at each of different positions of the optical surface along the second direction; and repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for each of multiple rotational orientations of the optical surface about a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions to achieve the target profile of the optical surface.

A method for figuring an optical surface of an optical element to achieve a target profile for the optical surface includes: applying a removal process to an extended region of the optical surface extending along a first direction to remove material from the extended region of the optical surface; adjusting a position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to remove material from additional extended regions of the optical surface extending along the first direction at each of different positions of the optical surface along the second direction; and repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for each of multiple rotational orientations of the optical surface about a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions to achieve the target profile of the optical surface.

A method for manufacturing a capillary usable as part of a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. The method includes obtaining a capillary having capillary wall including a first wall thickness; and chemically etching the capillary wall to reduce the wall thickness of the capillary wall. During performance of the etching, a control parameter is locally varied along the length of the capillary, the control parameter relating to reactivity of an etchant used in the etching, so as to control the etched wall thickness of the capillary wall along the capillary length. Also disclosed is a capillary manufactured by such a method and various devices including such a capillary.

A method for manufacturing a capillary usable as part of a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. The method includes obtaining a capillary having capillary wall including a first wall thickness; and chemically etching the capillary wall to reduce the wall thickness of the capillary wall. During performance of the etching, a control parameter is locally varied along the length of the capillary, the control parameter relating to reactivity of an etchant used in the etching, so as to control the etched wall thickness of the capillary wall along the capillary length. Also disclosed is a capillary manufactured by such a method and various devices including such a capillary.

A single mode optical fiber including a core region doped with an alkali metal. The optical fiber has a total attenuation at 1550 nm of about 0.155 dB/km or less such that extrinsic absorption in the optical fiber contributes to 0.004 dB/km or less of the total attenuation

A method for processing glass is provide. The method includes the steps of providing a glass element and removing glass material from the glass element by etching with an alkaline etching medium in an organic solvent.

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 of preparing an optical preform, comprises the steps of: positioning an optical preform comprising silica within a cavity of a furnace; passing an etchant gas into the furnace and at least one of through an open channel defined in the optical preform and around the optical preform; and passing a neutralizing gas into the cavity of the furnace, the neutralizing gas configured to neutralize the etchant gas.