All-Fiber Side-Pump Combiner Manufacturing for Multi-Pump Low-Loss Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing all-fiber side-pump combiners face challenges in fabricating multi-fiber configurations due to the complexity of controlling fiber configurations and tapering ratios, leading to issues like high signal loss, heat management, and degraded beam quality, especially for high-power applications.
Innovation Solution
A dedicated system and method for manufacturing all-fiber side-pump combiners using a control unit to manage mechanical positioning, heating, and fiber tension, involving sliding modules, clamping fixtures, and H2/O2 flame torches to achieve precise fiber tapering and bundling, ensuring consistent and efficient coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If end-pump combiner is used for backward pumping, then pump light can be injected through the end of DCF, but the core size becomes smaller creating a bottleneck that causes high signal loss and degraded beam quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional end-pump approach by using side-pump configuration where pump light is injected through the side of DCF rather than the end. This inversion allows the DCF to remain continuous without tapering-induced core size reduction, eliminating the bottleneck effect and enabling low-loss backward pumping while maintaining beam quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional end-pump injection to two-dimensional side-pump injection by coupling pump light through the side surface of DCF. This dimensional change enables pump light to enter the fiber core from the side, avoiding the core size reduction problem inherent in end-pump tapering while allowing flexible fiber configuration.
2Power
If multiple pump fibers (N>2) are used in side-pump combiner, then pump coupling capacity increases, but fiber configuration control becomes extremely difficult leading to fabrication challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fiber assembly process into distinct stages: first forming a pump fiber array with controlled spacing, then separately positioning the signal fiber, and finally fusing them together. This segmentation allows independent optimization of pump fiber configuration and signal fiber positioning, making multi-fiber control manageable even for N>2 configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a fixture as an intermediary tool that holds multiple pump fibers in a predetermined array configuration during the assembly process. This fixture serves as a mediator that simplifies the complex task of positioning multiple fibers by providing a pre-configured template, reducing the difficulty of fiber configuration control.
3Use of energy by moving object
If DCF is tapered to accommodate multiple pump fibers, then pump light coupling is improved, but the core size reduction creates a bottleneck for signal output
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of tapering the DCF to improve pump coupling, the patent inverts the approach by using side-pump configuration where the DCF remains untapered with its original core size. Pump light is coupled from the side, eliminating the need for tapering-induced core reduction and avoiding the bottleneck effect at the output end.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pump coupling function from the DCF end face and relocates it to the side surface. By taking out the pump injection point from the end of the fiber, the original core size is preserved throughout the fiber length, preventing the bottleneck problem while maintaining effective pump coupling through side injection.
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
The method enables high pump coupling efficiency and low signal loss, with samples showing <0.1 dB signal loss and 95% efficiency, suitable for high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers.
Implementation Method 1
controlling a heating source to fuse the fiber bundle with a fusion range covering the converging portion of the pump tapers
Implementation Method 2
controlling the heating source to fuse the fiber bundle
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an all-fiber side-pump combiner fabrication system and a control unit coupled to control operations of the all-fiber side-pump combiner fabrication system to produce a (N+1)×1 combiner with N side pump fibers.