← Back to Patent Explorer
US4053204A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical fiber having reduced dispersion

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1976-07-30
•
Granted: 1977-10-11
•
Expires: 1996-07-30
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Dispersion is reduced in a graded index optical fiber having a finite number of core layers by introducing slow longitudinal variations into the thickness of each layer. The thickness of each layer varies between maxima and minima, the latter being proximate to zero.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stewart Edward Miller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 10:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; G02B6/02214; G02B6/02285; G02B6/028; G02B6/0288

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 92 words
A graded index optical fiber having decreased optical dispersion comprising a core member and a cladding surrounding said core member, said core member including a plurality of layers, the refractive indices of which radially decrease from a maximum at the center of the fiber, characterized in that the thickness of each of said layers has spatial fluctuations along the longitudinal axis of said fiber, said fluctuations occuring slowly, the thickness of each layer varying between maximum and minimum values with the minimum thickness of each of said layers being proximate to zero.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 92 words
A graded index optical fiber having decreased optical dispersion comprising a core member and a cladding surrounding said core member, said core member including a plurality of layers, the refractive indices of which radially decrease from a maximum at the center of the fiber, characterized in that the thickness of each of said layers has spatial fluctuations along the longitudinal axis of said fiber, said fluctuations occuring slowly, the thickness of each layer varying between maximum and minimum values with the minimum thickness of each of said layers being proximate to zero.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
A graded index optical index as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that the distance between maxima in the thickness of each layer is within the range of 0.1 meter to 400 meters.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
A graded index optical fiber as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that the distance between the maxima in the thickness of each layer is within the range of 10 meters to 100 meters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
A graded index optical fiber as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said fluctuations are periodic along the fiber axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
A graded index optical fiber as defined in claim 4 further characterized in that the period of said fluctuations is equal in each layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 37 words
A graded index optical fiber as defined in claim 5 further characterized in that the longitudinal spatial positions of the layer thickness minima of each layer are longitudinally aligned with the thickness maxima of the adjacent layers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3617917A Cited
US3891302A Cited
GB1448080A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-10-10 1981-04-11 1981-10-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-10-10 1985-04-11 1985-10-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-10-10 1989-04-11 1989-10-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag