Method for centering a core of waveguide amplifier

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for centering a core of a waveguide amplifier. One embodiment of the invention comprises axially rotating a waveguide which has a core, shining a light through a light transmission pathway in the core of the waveguide, and shaping an outer surface of the waveguide in a predetermined pattern with respect to the light transmission pathway.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 axially rotating a waveguide which has a core;    shining a light through a light transmission pathway in the core of the waveguide;    adjusting a position of the light transmission pathway; and    shaping an outer surface of the waveguide in a predetermined pattern with respect to the adjusted light transmission pathway.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the waveguide is a waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein adjusting includes: 
 placing the waveguide amplifier in a mandrel; and  
 positioning a thermoplastic material adjacent to an end of the waveguide amplifier to secure the waveguide amplifier to the mandrel.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the shaping includes shaping the outer surface of the waveguide amplifier to produce a cylindrical waveguide amplifier wherein the light transmission pathway is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic material is a hard wax.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein positioning includes: 
 heating the thermoplastic material to soften the thermoplastic material; and    repositioning the waveguide amplifier within the mandrel such that the light transmission pathway is concentric with the mandrel.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light is an ultra-violet light.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the core is comprised of erbium-doped phosphate glass and a material encapsulating the core is comprised of silica glass.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the shaping comprises utilizing a radial grinder to shape a portion of the waveguide amplifier that extends beyond the mandrel to produce a cylindrically shaped portion of the waveguide amplifier, wherein the light transmission pathway is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising removing the cylindrical portion of the waveguide amplifier from a remainder of the waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         11 . A method comprising: 
 placing a waveguide which has a core in a mandrel;    securing the waveguide to the mandrel;    shining a light through a light transmission pathway in the core of the waveguide;    axially rotating the spindle to determine if the light transmission pathway is concentric with the mandrel;    repositioning the waveguide within the mandrel such that the light transmission pathway is concentric with the mandrel;    shaping an outer surface of the waveguide in a predetermined pattern with respect to the light transmission pathway.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the waveguide is a waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 securing includes positioning a thermoplastic material adjacent to an end of the waveguide; and    repositioning includes: 
 heating the thermoplastic material to soften the thermoplastic material;  
 moving the waveguide such that the light transmission pathway is concentric with the mandrel; and  
 resolidifying the thermoplastic material.  
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein shaping the outer surface of the waveguide includes shaping the outer surface to produce a cylindrical waveguide amplifier wherein the light transmission pathway is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the core is comprised of erbium-doped phosphate glass and a material encapsulating the core is comprised of silica glass.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shaping comprises utilizing a radial grinder to shape a portion of the waveguide amplifier that extends beyond the mandrel to produce a cylindrical portion of the waveguide amplifier, wherein the light transmission pathway is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising removing the cylindrical portions of the waveguide amplifier from a remainder of the waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         18 . A method comprising: 
 coupling an input optical fiber, which has a light transmission pathway, to an outer surface of a waveguide at a first end of the waveguide, wherein the waveguide has a light transmission pathway that is centered with respect to the outer surface of the waveguide such that the light transmission pathway of the input optical fiber is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide; and    coupling an optical component, which has a light transmission pathway, to the outer surface of the waveguide at a second end of the waveguide such that the light transmission pathway of the optical component is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the waveguide is a waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 coupling a first mounting assembly, which houses a portion of the input optical fiber and has an opening that matches the outer surface of the waveguide amplifier, to the first end of the waveguide amplifier such that the light transmission pathway of the input optical fiber is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide; and  
 coupling a second mounting assembly, which houses a portion of the optical component and has an opening that matches the outer surface of the waveguide amplifier, to the second end of the waveguide amplifier such that the light transmission pathway of the optical component is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the outer surface of the waveguide amplifier is circular, forming a cylindrical waveguide amplifier wherein the light transmission pathway of the cylindrical waveguide is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide, wherein the openings in the mounting assemblies are circular to match the outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier, and wherein the light transmission pathway in the input optical fiber is concentric with the opening in the first mounting assembly and the light transmission pathway in the optical component is concentric with the opening in the second mounting assembly.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the optical component is an output optical fiber.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising dimensioning the opening in the first mounting assembly and the opening in the second mounting assembly such that the mounting assemblies snap fit onto the outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier at the first and second ends of the cylindrical waveguide respectively.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a waveguide having a light transmission pathway that is centered with respect to an outer surface of the waveguide,    a first mounting assembly, housing a portion of an input optical fiber, and having an opening that matches the outer surface of the waveguide;    wherein the first mounting assembly is coupled to the outer surface of the waveguide at a first end of the waveguide such that such a light transmission pathway of the input optical fiber is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide.    
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  further comprising a second mounting assembly, which houses a portion of an optical component and has an opening that matches the outer surface of the waveguide, the second mounting assembly coupled to the outer surface of the waveguide at a second end of the waveguide such that such a light transmission pathway of the optical component is aligned with the light transmission pathway of the waveguide.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the waveguide is a waveguide amplifier.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the outer surface of the waveguide amplifier is circular; forming a cylindrical waveguide amplifier; and  
 the light transmission pathway of the cylindrical waveguide is concentric with an outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide; and  
 the openings in the mounting assemblies are circular to match the outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier;  
 and the light transmission pathway in the input optical fiber is concentric with the opening in the first mounting assembly and the light transmission pathway in the optical component is concentric with the opening in the second mounting assembly.  
 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein the optical component is an output optical fiber.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the openings in the first and second mounting assemblies are dimensioned to snap fit onto the outer surface of the cylindrical waveguide amplifier at the first and second ends of the cylindrical waveguide respectively.