US 12,265,261 B2
Optical fibers fusion-splicing to waveguides
Bruno Sfez, Yavne (IL); Neta Arad-Vosk, Yavne (IL); and Netanel Malka, Yavne (IL)
Assigned to Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Nahal Soreq (IL)
Appl. No. 17/787,365
Filed by Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne (IL)
PCT Filed Dec. 20, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/062262
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 20, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/124302, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/950,191, filed on Dec. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0019700 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/255 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/2551 (2013.01) 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for attaching an optical fiber to an optical waveguide comprising:
positioning a distal end of at least one optical fiber in spaced-apart alignment with a facet of at least one optical waveguide, there being a gap between said distal end and said facet;
illuminating and heating said distal end of at least one optical fiber with a laser beam;
heating said facet of said at least one optical waveguide, wherein said facet reaches its softening point temperature; and
pressing said distal end of said at least one optical fiber against said facet of said at least one optical waveguide until said at least one optical fiber is welded to said at least one optical waveguide,
wherein heating said distal end of said at least one optical fiber comprises placing more than one reflector on a side of said at least one optical fiber opposite to said laser beam, so that an entire perimeter of said at least one optical fiber is heated by said laser beam, the entire perimeter comprising first and second portions, wherein the first portion is heated by direct impingement from said laser beam and the second portion is heated by reflection of said laser beam from said reflectors, and wherein said reflectors are placed symmetrically on opposite sides of a diameter of said at least one optical fiber and said reflectors are tilted towards each other.