Method of making polarization retaining fiber

• Main Authors: DOUD, PAUL D, GILLILAND, JOHN W, CHRISTOFF, WILLIAM R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.11.2001
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUSENAMELS; CHEMISTRY; GLASS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS; MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS,MINERALS OR SLAGS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS

Disclosed is a method of making a polarization retaining single-mode optical fiber. There is initially formed a draw blank having diametrically opposed longitudinal apertures in the cladding glass parallel to the core glass region. The draw blank includes a low viscosity glass region between the core and the apertures. The draw blank is drawn into a fiber under such conditions that the apertures close as the fiber is being drawn. The flow of surrounding glass, including the core glass region, toward the collapsing apertures, cause the core to become elliptically-shaped. The shape of the core is improved by the flow of the low viscosity glass into the apertures.