Light source coupler for optical waveguide

Claim 2

In an optical communication system of the type wherein optical wave energy is propagated in a cylindrical, dielectric optical waveguide having a core of material that is transparent to light of at least a given wavelength and a layer of cladding material disposed upon the surface of said core, said cladding material being transparent to light of said given wavelength, a light coupler comprising a cylindrical core of material that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, a thin layer of material that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, said layer being disposed upon the surface of said cylindrical core, the refractive index of said layer being less that that of said cylindrical core, a conically shaped member of material that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, said member being disposed upon the surface of said layer in such a manner that the base of said conically shaped member and an end of said cylindrical core lie in the same plane, the refractive index of said layer being less than that of said member, and means for supporting an end of said optical waveguide adjacent to the base of said conically shaped member so that said waveguide core is aligned with said cylindrical core and the base of said conically shaped member is disposed adjacent to said waveguide cladding layer.

Claim 3

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising light absorbing means disposed on the end of said cylindrical core which is opposite said optical waveguide.

Claim 4

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said system further comprises light source means for directing light onto the tapered surface of said conically shaped member.

Claim 5

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said light source means provides a converging beam of light.

Claim 6

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said light source means provides a diverging beam of light.

Claim 7

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said conically shaped member comprises a plurality of segments which refract light from said source toward said layer at different angles.

Claim 8

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said conical segments has a different taper angle.

Claim 9

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said conical segments has a different refractive index.

Claim 10

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said light source means provides a plurality of beams of light, each of which is separately modulated and each of which propagates towards said coupler in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said core.

Claim 11

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the radius of said optical waveguide core is susbstantially equal to the radius of said cylindrical core.

Claim 12

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the refractive index of said waveguide core is substantially equal to that of said cylindrical core.

Claim 13

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coupler is disposed at the output end of said waveguide, said system further comprising means for detecting light emanating from said coupler.

Claim 14

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said coupler provides a plurality of light beams which radiate therefrom at different solid angles, and means for directing one of said plurality of beams toward said light detecting means.

Claim 15

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cylindrical core, said thin layer and said conically shaped member are formed of glass.

Claim 16

An optical communication system of the type comprising a cylindrical, dielectric optical waveguide having a core of material that is transparent to light of at least a given wavelength, said waveguide core being surrounded by a layer of cladding material that is disposed upon the surface of said core, said cladding material being transparent to light of said given wavelength, a source of optical wave energy, and a light coupler for receiving light from said source and initiating in said waveguide the propagation of light waves therein, said light coupler being characterized in that it comprises a cyindrical core of glass that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, a thin layer disposed upon the surface of said cylindrical core, said layer consisting of a glass that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, the refractive index of said layer being less than that of said cylindrical core, the thickness of said layer being small enough to permit the tunneling of light therethrough by the principle of frustrated total internal reflection, means for refracting light from said source toward said layer, and means for supporting an end of said optical waveguide adjacent to that end of said cylindrical core from which light emanates, said cylindrical coupler core being substantially aligned with the core of said optical waveguide.

Claim 17

An optical communication system of the type comprising a cylindrical, dielectric optical waveguide having a core of material that is transparent to light of at least a given wavelength, said waveguide core being surrounded by a layer of cladding material that is disposed upon the surface of said core, said cladding material being transparent to light of said given wavelength, a source of optical wave energy, and a light coupler for receiving light from said source and initiating in said waveguide the propagation of light waves therein, said light coupler being characterized in that it comprises a cyindrical core of glass that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, a thin layer disposed upon the surface of said cylindrical core, said layer consisting of a glass that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, the refractive index of said layer being less than that of said cylindrical core, the thickness of said layer being small enough to permit the tunneling of light therethrough by the principle of frustrated total internal reflection, means for refracting light from said source toward said layer, and means for supporting an end of said optical waveguide adjacent to that end of said cylindrical core from which light emanates, said cylindrical coupler core being substantially aligned with the core of said optical waveguide.

Claim 18

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 15 further comprising means disposed in the path of said optical wave energy for preventing said energy from reaching the end of said cylindrical core.

Claim 19

An optical communication system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said means for refracting comprises a conically shaped member of glass that is transparent to light of said given wavelength, said member being disposed upon the surface of said layer in such a manner that at least a portion of the base of said conically shaped member is disposed adjacent to said end of said optical waveguide.