US 6,982,996 B1
Large diameter optical waveguide, grating, and laser
Martin A. Putnam, Cheshire, Conn. (US); Robert N. Brucato, Waterbury, Conn. (US); Paul E. Sanders, Madison, Conn. (US); Timothy J. Bailey, Longmeadow, Mass. (US); James M. Sullivan, Manchester, Conn. (US); and Alan D. Kersey, South Glastonbury, Conn. (US)
Assigned to Weatherford/Lamb, Inc., Houston, Tex. (US)
Filed on Dec. 06, 1999, as Appl. No. 9/455,868.
Int. Cl. H01S 3/30 (2006.01); G02B 6/16 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 372—6 94 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical waveguide having outer dimensions along perpendicular longitudinal and transverse directions, the optical waveguide, comprising:
an outer cladding;
a single inner core disposed in said outer cladding, said inner core propagating light in substantially a few spatial modes; and
at least one end surface adapted to optically couple with an optical fiber having a substantially smaller diameter than the end surface;
wherein at least a portion of the optical waveguide has a transverse cross-section that comprises substantially the same material and has an outer transverse dimension greater than about 0.5 mm; and
at least a portion of said optical waveguide is a non-planar waveguide.