Title:
FIBER OPTIC LIGHT MIXER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2000075701
Kind Code:
A9
Abstract:
An optical structure for combining light from a plurality of individual optical fibers into a single optical transmission device. The structure can be incorporated into the optical probe of a spectrophotometric instrument and includes a plurality of optical send fibers (116) having input and output ends and an optical light mixer having input and output ends. The light mixer assembly (110) effectively splices the send fibers (116) to the mixer fiber (152) and includes a connector formed by outer shell (160), inner shell (162), send fiber ferrule (164), mixer fiber ferrule (166) and alignment pin (168). The send fibers (116) extend through the connector outer shell (160) and into send fiber ferrule (164). The ends of the send fibers (116) are secured (e.g., by an optical grade adhesive) in an aperture (170) in the send fiber ferrule (164), cleaved, and polished to provide an optical-quality mating surface. Similarly, the end of the mixer fiber (152) extends through the connector inner shell (162) and into mixer fiber ferrule (166). The end of the mixer fiber (152) is located within an aperture (172) in the mixer fiber ferrule (166).
Inventors:
LEWANDOWSKI MARK S
QUAST KENNETH R
MYERS DEAN E
SCHMIDT MARK A
QUAST KENNETH R
MYERS DEAN E
SCHMIDT MARK A
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/015175
Publication Date:
September 20, 2001
Filing Date:
June 01, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
HUTCHINSON TECHNOLOGY (US)
International Classes:
G01J3/02; G01N21/27; G01N21/31; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/38; G01N21/35; G02B6/42; (IPC1-7): G02B6/28; G01N21/00; G01J3/00
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