Bend Tolerant Dual-Core Fiber and Cable for Balanced Photonic Links

Abstract

A multicore fiber optic cable comprising of a dual core optical fiber having a dual core optical fiber geometry, the cores are spiraled parallel to one another along the longitudinal axis of the fiber to negate link path length difference, a coating that surrounds the fiber, a buffer tube that surrounds the coated fiber, a strength member that surrounds the buffer tube, and an outer jacket that surrounds the strength member.

Claims

1. A multicore fiber optic cable comprising of; a dual core optical fiber having a dual core optical fiber geometry, the cores are spiraled parallel to one another along the longitudinal axis of the fiber to negate link path length difference; a coating that surrounds the fiber; a buffer tube that surrounds the coated fiber; a strength member that surrounds the buffer tube; and an outer jacket that surrounds the strength member.

2. The multicore fiber optic cable of claim 1, wherein the cable is employed in a balanced photonic link.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a traditional intensity modulation with direct detection photonic link based on one single core optical fiber and one photodetector;

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a balanced IMDD analog photonic link with two single core optical fibers and a balanced photodetector;

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a balanced IMDD analog photonic link with one dual core optical fiber and a balanced photodetector;

[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a longitudinal cross-section view a fiber optic cable with dual core optical fiber with spiraled cores;

[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a transverse cross-section view of a dual core fiber optic cable;

[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a longitudinal cross section view of the dual core fiber with spiraled cores; and,

[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates a balanced IMDD analog photonic link utilizing a dual core optical fiber with spiraled cores. Dual core fiber optic connectors with optical fan-in/fan-out fibers or waveguides couple light into and out of the dual core optical fiber cable.

[0020] FIG. 8 shows that for two conventional cores inside of a bent optical fiber, a net accumulation of path length is obtained (the slight difference in the bend radius of each core results in a different arc length).

[0021] FIG. 9 shows that for two cores rotating around a central axis, this effect is averaged out, limiting the net path length difference to, at most, one spiral length.

DESCRIPTION

[0022] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example below and in FIGS. 4-7. As seen in FIG. 4, a multicore fiber optic cable 10 includes a dual core fiber 100, a fiber coating 200, a buffer tube 300, a strength member 400, and an outer jacket 500. The dual core fiber 100 has a fiber outer surface 105. The fiber coating 200 surrounds the fiber outer surface 105 of the dual core fiber 100. The dual core optical fiber 100 has a spiraled dual core optical fiber core geometry 110. The dual core fiber cores are surrounded by a cladding 120. The dual core optical fiber 100 cores are spiraled along the longitudinal axis to negate link path length difference. The buffer 300 surrounds the fiber coating 200 and the dual core optical fiber 100. The strength member 400 and outer jacket 500 surrounds the buffer tube 300. FIG. 7 illustrates a balanced IMDD analog photonic link 50 utilizing multicore fiber optic cable 10 with a dual core fiber 100 with spiraled dual core optical fiber core geometry. Dual core fiber optic connectors 38 with optical fan in 35/fan out 36 fibers or waveguides couple light in to and out of the dual core optical fiber cable 10 with a dual core fiber 100 and spiraled dual core optical fiber core geometry 110.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, the invention will be discussed in a military environment; however, this invention can be utilized for any type of application that requires use of fiber optic cable.

[0024] The dual core fiber 100 may be, but without limitation, a plastic fiber, glass fiber, or any material practicable. The multicore fiber optic cable 10 may further include a strength member 400 that is disposed within cable.

[0025] The buffer tube 300 can be made from polymer, while strength member 400 may be manufactured from fiberglass, Kevlar or any other material practicable. The cable 10 may further include an outer jacket 500 on the outside of all the other elements. The outer jacket 500 may be manufactured from polymer or any other material practicable.

[0026] When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0027] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment(s) contained herein.