Optical Fiber End Reflection for Precise Laser Coupling Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for evaluating and monitoring the coupling quality of laser light into optical fiber units are inadequate, leading to difficulties in achieving optimal beam quality and power efficiency due to power plateaus and inefficiencies in detecting cladding light.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a reflective element at the fiber end to deflect a portion of useful light away from the propagation direction, allowing for stable and reproducible assessment of coupling quality by measuring the back-reflected light, thereby avoiding power plateaus and improving beam quality detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cladding light detection is used to assess coupling quality, then some coupling information can be obtained, but optimal assessment is not achieved and it is only relevant for higher modes propagating in the fiber cladding
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts a portion of the useful light propagating through the fiber core by using a reflective element to redirect it. This extracted back-reflected light is then detected to assess coupling quality, providing a measurement method that works for all modes rather than being limited to cladding modes only
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and reproducible assessment of coupling quality, ensuring consistent power and beam quality, and allows for automatic adjustment of the coupling process.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective element (11) arranged at a first fiber end (17, 19) selected from the input end (21) and the output end (23), configured to deflect a portion of useful light propagating through the light-guiding area (15) away from a propagation direction
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical fiber unit (5) comprising an optical fiber (13) which has a light guide region (15) designed to guide useful light through the optical fiber (13) and a first fiber end face (25) at one coupling end (21) in the form of a fiber end (17, 19) for coupling laser light into the light guide region (15) and a second fiber end face (27) at a decoupling end (33) in the form of another fiber end (17, 19) for decoupling laser light from the light guide region (15), wherein a first end piece (29) is arranged on a first fiber end (17, 19), selected from the coupling end (21) and the decoupling end (23), such that laser light can be coupled into the light guide region (15) and can be decoupled from the light guide region (15) through the first end piece (29). According to the invention, the first end piece (19) has a reflex element (11) that is designed to deflect a part of useful light, which is propagating through the light guide region (15) along a propagation direction, from the propagation direction.