There is provided a method for making an optical element having a textured surface. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a plurality of primary optical fiber segments, each primary fiber segment comprising one or more cores; b) bundling the primary fiber segments into an assembly with the cores of said primary fiber segments extending parallely; c) transforming the assembly into a secondary structure comprising the parallely extending cores; and d) etching a surface of the secondary structure according to an etch profile of said secondary structure, the etch profile being defined by the parallely extending cores, thereby forming the textured surface of the optical element. An optical element having a textured surface is also provided.

There is provided a method for making an optical element having a textured surface. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a plurality of primary optical fiber segments, each primary fiber segment comprising one or more cores; b) bundling the primary fiber segments into an assembly with the cores of said primary fiber segments extending parallely; c) transforming the assembly into a secondary structure comprising the parallely extending cores; and d) etching a surface of the secondary structure according to an etch profile of said secondary structure, the etch profile being defined by the parallely extending cores, thereby forming the textured surface of the optical element. An optical element having a textured surface is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a tapered optical fiber, where the optical fiber has a cladding encasing a core and has an initial outer diameter. The method involves applying opposing forces to spaced apart sections of the optical fiber. The spaced apart sections define a length portion representing a waist region. While applying the opposing forces, simultaneously applying heat to the waist region to gradually produce a taper of the optical fiber within the waist region. The taper has a first diameter at a midpoint of the waist region which is less than the initial outer diameter. An etch operation is then performed by chemically etching at least a subportion of the waist region of the optical fiber to reduce the subportion to a second diameter which is less than the first diameter.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a tapered optical fiber, where the optical fiber has a cladding encasing a core and has an initial outer diameter. The method involves applying opposing forces to spaced apart sections of the optical fiber. The spaced apart sections define a length portion representing a waist region. While applying the opposing forces, simultaneously applying heat to the waist region to gradually produce a taper of the optical fiber within the waist region. The taper has a first diameter at a midpoint of the waist region which is less than the initial outer diameter. An etch operation is then performed by chemically etching at least a subportion of the waist region of the optical fiber to reduce the subportion to a second diameter which is less than the first diameter.

The present invention relates to an optical fiber device for removing cladding light, an apparatus and a method for etching the same. The optical fiber device comprises: a first optical fiber section through an N.sup.th optical fiber section arranged in sequence along a light travelling direction; and a first tapered coupling section coupling a K.sup.th optical fiber section and a (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section, where the K.sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section and the (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section adjacent to the K.sup.th optical fiber section, wherein the K.sup.th optical fiber section comprises: at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection alternately arranged along the light travelling direction, each of the at least one first subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K−1 and a length L.sub.2K−1; and each of the at least one second subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K and a length L.sub.2K; and a second tapered coupling section coupling the first subsection and the second subsection adjacent to the first subsection, wherein the diameter D.sub.2K−1 and the length L.sub.2K−1 of the first subsection and the diameter D.sub.2K and the length L.sub.2K of the second subsection of the K.sup.th optical fiber section and a diameter D.sub.2K+1 and a length L.sub.2K+1 of the first subsection and a diameter D.sub.2K+2 and a length L.sub.2K+2 of the second subsection of the (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section satisfy D.sub.2K−1>D.sub.2K, D.sub.2K+1>D.sub.2K+2, L.sub.2K−1>L.sub.2K+1, L.sub.2K>L.sub.2K+2 and D.sub.2K−1=D.sub.2K+1, and satisfy D.sub.2K>D.sub.2K+2 for odd K and D.sub.2K<D.sub.2K+2 for even K (where N is a natural number, and K is any natural number satisfying 1≤K≤N−1).

The present invention relates to an optical fiber device for removing cladding light, an apparatus and a method for etching the same. The optical fiber device comprises: a first optical fiber section through an N.sup.th optical fiber section arranged in sequence along a light travelling direction; and a first tapered coupling section coupling a K.sup.th optical fiber section and a (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section, where the K.sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section and the (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section adjacent to the K.sup.th optical fiber section, wherein the K.sup.th optical fiber section comprises: at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection alternately arranged along the light travelling direction, each of the at least one first subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K−1 and a length L.sub.2K−1; and each of the at least one second subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K and a length L.sub.2K; and a second tapered coupling section coupling the first subsection and the second subsection adjacent to the first subsection, wherein the diameter D.sub.2K−1 and the length L.sub.2K−1 of the first subsection and the diameter D.sub.2K and the length L.sub.2K of the second subsection of the K.sup.th optical fiber section and a diameter D.sub.2K+1 and a length L.sub.2K+1 of the first subsection and a diameter D.sub.2K+2 and a length L.sub.2K+2 of the second subsection of the (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section satisfy D.sub.2K−1>D.sub.2K, D.sub.2K+1>D.sub.2K+2, L.sub.2K−1>L.sub.2K+1, L.sub.2K>L.sub.2K+2 and D.sub.2K−1=D.sub.2K+1, and satisfy D.sub.2K>D.sub.2K+2 for odd K and D.sub.2K<D.sub.2K+2 for even K (where N is a natural number, and K is any natural number satisfying 1≤K≤N−1).

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including mounting a glass sleeve in a selective etching apparatus. The sleeve comprising one or more axial through-holes, and the etching apparatus comprising a first end cap with a central aperture disposed therethrough, the first end cap being attached to a first surface of the sleeve. The method further including exposing the sleeve to an acid solution such that a first portion of the first surface is exposed to the acid solution and a second portion of the first surface is not exposed to the acid solution. The first portion being adjacent to the central aperture when the sleeve is mounted in the selective etching apparatus, and the second portion being covered by the first end cap when the sleeve is mounted in the selective etching apparatus.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including mounting a glass sleeve in a selective etching apparatus. The sleeve comprising one or more axial through-holes, and the etching apparatus comprising a first end cap with a central aperture disposed therethrough, the first end cap being attached to a first surface of the sleeve. The method further including exposing the sleeve to an acid solution such that a first portion of the first surface is exposed to the acid solution and a second portion of the first surface is not exposed to the acid solution. The first portion being adjacent to the central aperture when the sleeve is mounted in the selective etching apparatus, and the second portion being covered by the first end cap when the sleeve is mounted in the selective etching apparatus.

The present invention relates to an optical fiber device for removing cladding light, an apparatus and a method for etching the same. The optical fiber device comprises: a first optical fiber section through an N.sup.th optical fiber section arranged in sequence along a light travelling direction; and a first tapered coupling section coupling a K.sup.th optical fiber section and a (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section, where the K.sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section and the (K+1) optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section adjacent to the K.sup.th optical fiber section, wherein the K.sup.th optical fiber section comprises: at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection alternately arranged along the light travelling direction, each of the at least one first subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K−1 and a length L.sub.2K−1; and each of the at least one second subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K and a length L.sub.2K; and a second tapered coupling section coupling the first subsection and the second subsection adjacent to the first subsection, wherein the diameter D.sub.2K−1 and the length L.sub.2K−1 of the first subsection and the diameter D.sub.2K and the length L.sub.2K of the second subsection of the K.sup.th optical fiber section and a diameter D.sub.2K+1 and a length L.sub.2K+1 of the first subsection and a diameter D.sub.2K+2 and a length L.sub.2K+2 of the second subsection of the (K+1).sup.th optical section satisfy D.sub.2K−1>D.sub.2K, D.sub.2K+1>D.sub.2K+2, L.sub.2K−1>L.sub.2K+1, L.sub.2K>L.sub.2K+2 and D.sub.2K−1=D.sub.2K+1, and satisfy D.sub.2K>D.sub.2K+2 for odd K and D.sub.2K<D.sub.2K+2 for even K (where N is a natural number, and K is any natural number satisfying 1≤K≤N−1).

The present invention relates to an optical fiber device for removing cladding light, an apparatus and a method for etching the same. The optical fiber device comprises: a first optical fiber section through an N.sup.th optical fiber section arranged in sequence along a light travelling direction; and a first tapered coupling section coupling a K.sup.th optical fiber section and a (K+1).sup.th optical fiber section, where the K.sup.th optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section and the (K+1) optical fiber section is any one of the first optical fiber section through the N.sup.th optical fiber section adjacent to the K.sup.th optical fiber section, wherein the K.sup.th optical fiber section comprises: at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection alternately arranged along the light travelling direction, each of the at least one first subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K−1 and a length L.sub.2K−1; and each of the at least one second subsection having a diameter D.sub.2K and a length L.sub.2K; and a second tapered coupling section coupling the first subsection and the second subsection adjacent to the first subsection, wherein the diameter D.sub.2K−1 and the length L.sub.2K−1 of the first subsection and the diameter D.sub.2K and the length L.sub.2K of the second subsection of the K.sup.th optical fiber section and a diameter D.sub.2K+1 and a length L.sub.2K+1 of the first subsection and a diameter D.sub.2K+2 and a length L.sub.2K+2 of the second subsection of the (K+1).sup.th optical section satisfy D.sub.2K−1>D.sub.2K, D.sub.2K+1>D.sub.2K+2, L.sub.2K−1>L.sub.2K+1, L.sub.2K>L.sub.2K+2 and D.sub.2K−1=D.sub.2K+1, and satisfy D.sub.2K>D.sub.2K+2 for odd K and D.sub.2K<D.sub.2K+2 for even K (where N is a natural number, and K is any natural number satisfying 1≤K≤N−1).