초록 ▼

A coupling device couples low power levels of optical radiation out of an optical fibre (3) for maintenance and fault-finding purposes. The assembled coupling device acts to clamp a fibre (3), with its primary plastics coating still in place, against the inner side of a gently curved silica rod (1).

A coupling device couples low power levels of optical radiation out of an optical fibre (3) for maintenance and fault-finding purposes. The assembled coupling device acts to clamp a fibre (3), with its primary plastics coating still in place, against the inner side of a gently curved silica rod (1). The rod (1) is strongly waveguiding and, picking up radiation leaked from the fibre (3), directs it to a photodetector (6). The device finds particular application in optical communications systems.

대표청구항 ▼

An optical coupling device, for coupling low power levels of optical radiation out of an optical waveguide having a refractive index of n1 at or near its surface, comprising a pick-up element having a refractive index n3 and providing a curved optical waveguiding path therein, and clamping means mov

An optical coupling device, for coupling low power levels of optical radiation out of an optical waveguide having a refractive index of n1 at or near its surface, comprising a pick-up element having a refractive index n3 and providing a curved optical waveguiding path therein, and clamping means moveable relative to the pick-up element for clamping the optical waveguide into a curved position which at least substantially conforms to the inner side of the curved path, the clamping means acting in use to clamp the optical waveguide against the inner side of the curved path, the refractive indices of the pick-up element and the surface of the optical waveguide, n3 and n1, and the radius of curvature, R, in mm of the inner surface of the curved path portion of the pick-up element being chosen such that n3>n1(1-0.125/R), such that optical radiation is leaked from the optical waveguide in use, and coupled into the curved path.