Optical waveguides and methods of creating optical waveguides

Abstract

An optical waveguide is configured such that when electromagnetic radiation enters a first end face of an optical core, an initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the optical core via a peripheral surface, and a final portion of the electromagnetic radiation, remaining in the optical core after the initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the optical core, exits the optical core via a second end face.

1 . An optical waveguide ( 108 ), comprising:
 an optical core ( 146 ), comprising a first end face ( 148 ), a second end face ( 150 ), opposite the first end face ( 148 ), and a peripheral surface ( 152 ), extending between the first end face ( 148 ) and the second end face ( 150 ); and   wherein the optical waveguide ( 108 ) is configured such that when electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) enters the optical core ( 146 ) via at least one of the first end face ( 148 ), the second end face ( 150 ), or the peripheral surface ( 152 ), at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ).   
     
     
         2 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide ( 108 ) is further configured such that when the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) enters the first end face ( 148 ) of the optical core ( 146 ), an initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ), and a final portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), remaining in the optical core ( 146 ) after the initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) exits the optical core ( 146 ), exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the second end face ( 150 ). 
     
     
         3 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the optical waveguide ( 108 ) is further configured such that the initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), which exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ), is greater than or equal to the final portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), which exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the second end face ( 150 ). 
     
     
         4 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the optical core ( 146 ) has an optical-core refractive index;   the optical waveguide ( 108 ) further comprises a cladding ( 120 ), at least partially covering the optical core ( 146 );   the cladding ( 120 ) comprises at least a first resin ( 132 ), having a first-resin refractive index;   the cladding ( 120 ) is non-uniform along the optical waveguide ( 108 ); and   the optical-core refractive index is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         5 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the peripheral surface ( 152 ) has regions ( 130 ), devoid of the first resin ( 132 );   the cladding ( 120 ) further comprises a second resin ( 134 ), having a second-resin refractive index;   the second resin ( 134 ) contacts the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ); and   the second-resin refractive index is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         6 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein the second resin ( 134 ) covers the first resin ( 132 ). 
     
     
         7 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the optical core ( 146 ) has an optical-core refractive index;   the optical waveguide ( 108 ) further comprises a cladding ( 120 ), at least partially covering the optical core ( 146 );   the cladding ( 120 ) comprises at least a first resin ( 132 ), having a first-resin refractive index;   the cladding ( 120 ) is non-uniform along the optical waveguide ( 108 ); and   the optical-core refractive index is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         8 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the peripheral surface ( 152 ) has regions ( 130 ), devoid of the first resin ( 132 );   the cladding ( 120 ) further comprises a second resin ( 134 ), having a second-resin refractive index;   the second resin ( 134 ) contacts the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ); and   the second-resin refractive index is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         9 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the second resin ( 134 ) covers the first resin ( 132 ). 
     
     
         10 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral surface ( 152 ) has a surface roughness that is selected such that when the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) enters the optical core ( 146 ) via at least one of the first end face ( 148 ), the second end face ( 150 ), or the peripheral surface ( 152 ), at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ). 
     
     
         11 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the optical waveguide ( 108 ) is devoid of any cladding that covers the optical core ( 146 ). 
     
     
         12 . The optical waveguide ( 108 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the surface roughness of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) creates regions of internal reflection of the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) within the optical core ( 146 ) and creates other regions where the electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ) is permitted to escape the optical core ( 146 ). 
     
     
         13 . A method ( 400 ) of modifying an optical fiber ( 126 ) to create an optical waveguide ( 108 ), the optical fiber ( 126 ) comprising an optical core ( 146 ), having an optical-core refractive index, and a cladding ( 120 ), comprising at least a first resin ( 132 ), having a first-resin refractive index that is lower than the optical-core refractive index, the cladding ( 120 ) covering a peripheral surface ( 152 ) of the optical core ( 146 ) and extending between a first end face ( 148 ) and a second end face ( 150 ) of the optical core ( 146 ), the method ( 400 ) comprising a step of:
 removing portions ( 128 ) of the cladding ( 120 ) to expose regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) such that at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), entering the optical core ( 146 ) via at least one of the first end face ( 148 ), the second end face ( 150 ), or the peripheral surface ( 152 ), exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ).   
     
     
         14 . The method ( 400 ) according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step of:
 applying a second resin ( 134 ) to contact the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ); and   wherein the second resin ( 134 ) has a second-resin refractive index that is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         15 . The method ( 400 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of applying the second resin ( 134 ) to contact the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) comprises covering the first resin ( 132 ) with the second resin ( 134 ). 
     
     
         16 . A method ( 500 ) of modifying an optical core ( 146 ) to create an optical waveguide ( 108 ), the optical core ( 146 ) comprising a first end face ( 148 ), a second end face ( 150 ), opposite the first end face ( 148 ), and a peripheral surface ( 152 ), extending between the first end face ( 148 ) and the second end face ( 150 ), the method ( 500 ) comprising a step of:
 applying a first resin ( 132 ) to the peripheral surface ( 152 ) of the optical core ( 146 ) so that regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) remain uncovered by the first resin ( 132 ); and   wherein:
 the first resin ( 132 ) has a first-resin refractive index; 
 the optical core ( 146 ) has an optical-core refractive index that is greater than the first-resin refractive index; and 
 at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), entering the optical core ( 146 ) via at least one of the first end face ( 148 ), the second end face ( 150 ), or the peripheral surface ( 152 ), exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ). 
   
     
     
         17 . The method ( 500 ) according to  claim 16 , further comprising a step of:
 applying a second resin ( 134 ) to contact the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) to create with the first resin ( 132 ) a cladding ( 120 ) that covers the peripheral surface ( 152 ) of the optical core ( 146 ); and   wherein the second resin ( 134 ) has a second-resin refractive index that is greater than the first-resin refractive index.   
     
     
         18 . The method ( 500 ) according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of applying the second resin ( 134 ) to contact the regions ( 130 ) of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) comprises covering the first resin ( 132 ) with the second resin ( 134 ). 
     
     
         19 . A method ( 600 ) of modifying an optical core ( 146 ) to create an optical waveguide ( 108 ), the optical core ( 146 ) comprising a first end face ( 148 ), a second end face ( 150 ), opposite the first end face ( 148 ), and a peripheral surface ( 152 ), extending between the first end face ( 148 ) and the second end face ( 150 ), the method ( 600 ) comprising a step of:
 increasing surface roughness of all or portions of the peripheral surface ( 152 ) of the optical core ( 146 ) so that at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation ( 118 ), entering the optical core ( 146 ) via at least one of the first end face ( 148 ), the second end face ( 150 ), or the peripheral surface ( 152 ), exits the optical core ( 146 ) via the peripheral surface ( 152 ).   
     
     
         20 . The method ( 600 ) according to  claim 19 , further comprising a step of:
 applying a cladding ( 120 ) to cover the peripheral surface ( 152 ); and   wherein:
 the optical core ( 146 ) has an optical-core refractive index; 
 the cladding ( 120 ) has a cladding refractive index; and 
 the optical-core refractive index is lower than the cladding refractive index.