Optical-Fiber-Bundle Structure for Multi-Core Fiber Pump Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for introducing pump light into multi-core fibers lack an efficient structure, particularly for cladding excitation in optical-fiber amplifiers, which is essential for reducing electrical power consumption and enhancing communication capacity.
Innovation Solution
An optical-fiber-bundle structure is developed, where a pump light optical fiber is positioned at the center, surrounded by signal light optical fibers in a close-packed arrangement, with the pump light optical fiber having a larger diameter and potentially being multi-mode or tapered, allowing efficient introduction of pump light into the cladding of rare-earth-doped multi-core fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pump light is introduced into multi-core fiber using a multiplexer without a specific efficient structure, then pump light can be introduced, but the introduction efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber bundle is segmented into distinct functional regions: a central pump light optical fiber and peripheral signal light optical fibers arranged in a close-packed configuration. This segmentation allows independent optimization of pump light delivery and signal transmission paths, improving pump light introduction efficiency without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The signal light optical fibers are arranged in a close-packed arrangement around the central pump light optical fiber, creating a nested bundle structure. This nesting maximizes space utilization and ensures efficient pump light distribution to all signal fibers while maintaining a compact overall structure
2Use of energy by moving object
If cladding excitation is used for multi-core fiber, then electrical power consumption is reduced, but pump light introduction into cladding becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The central pump light optical fiber acts as an intermediary medium that delivers pump light to the cladding region of the multi-core fiber. By positioning this dedicated pump fiber at the center and using close-packed signal fibers around it, the structure facilitates efficient pump light coupling into the cladding without requiring complex alignment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from attempting to couple pump light directly into each core to a dimensional approach where pump light is introduced into the cladding region through a central fiber, allowing radial distribution of pump energy to all cores simultaneously. This dimensional shift simplifies the coupling process while maintaining effectiveness
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
This structure enables efficient amplification of signal light by uniformly exciting each core in the multi-core fiber, reducing power consumption and increasing transmission capacity while maintaining high optical amplifying efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a pump light optical fiber that transmits pump light
Implementation Method 2
An optical fiber doped by a rare-earth material such as erbium is used for the optical-fiber amplifier. Entering pump light into such a rare-earth-doped optical fiber allows light to be amplified
Implementation Method 3
signal light optical fibers that transmit signal lights
Data Source
AI summary
A bundle structure is obtained by arranging optical fibers having equal diameters in a close-packed arrangement around the outer circumference of a center optical fiber. The optical fibers are signal light optical fibers that transmit signal lights. The optical fiber is a pump light optical fiber that transmits pump light. The number of optical fibers is equal to the number of cores in the multi-core fiber. The bundle structure and the multi-core fiber are connected to one another by adhering or fusing. The cores and the cores are optically connected, and the core and the cladding are optically connected. When connecting, the mode field diameter of the cores and the cores are substantially equivalent. In addition, the outer diameter (diameter of circumscribed circle including optical fibers) of the bundle structure is set so as not to be greater than the outer diameter of the multi-core fiber.