Hugh A Mckay, 501326 Bay Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

8159742, Apr 17, 2012

Dec 17, 2009

12/641262

Liang Dong - Ann Arbor MI, US
Jun Li - Traverse City MI, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Libin Fu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Andrius Marcinkevicius - Saline MI, US

IMRA America, Inc. - Ann Arbor MI

H04B 10/17
G02B 6/02

3593411, 385123, 385125

Embodiments of optical fiber may include cladding features that include a material (e. g. , fluorine-doped silica glass) that may produce a very low relative refractive index difference with respect to cladding material in which the cladding features are disposed. This relative refractive index difference may be characterized by (n−n)/n, where nis the index of refraction of the cladding material in which the cladding features are included, and nis the index of refraction of the cladding features. In certain embodiments, the relative refractive index difference may be less than about 4. 5×10. In various embodiments, the configuration of the cladding features including, for example, the size and spacing of the cladding features, can be selected to provide for confinement of the fundamental mode yet leakage for the second mode and higher modes, which may provide mode filtering, single mode propagation, and/or low bend loss.

8213077, Jul 3, 2012

Mar 26, 2009

12/412225

Liang Dong - Ann Arbor MI, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US

IMRA America, Inc. - Ann Arbor MI

H04B 10/17
G02B 6/036

3593411, 385126, 385127

Multi-clad optical fibers and fiber amplifiers are disclosed. Various embodiments include multi-clad, large core fiber amplifiers. In various implementations mixing of pump modes is enhanced relative to that obtainable with conventional double-clad fibers. In some embodiments end terminations are provided with increased length of end-cap fiber. In at least one embodiment a multi-clad fiber is provided, with a pump cladding formed by stacking a layer of low index rods in the preform. Various embodiments include a multi-clad fiber amplifier system. The system includes a pump source to pump said fiber amplifier. The system also includes an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, wherein the cladding includes a pump cladding having a corrugated boundary. In various embodiments the pump cladding is formed by rods in a preform, which are disposed to mix the pump modes and/or scatter or reflect pump energy into the core.

8498046, Jul 30, 2013

Dec 3, 2009

12/630550

Liang Dong - Ann Arbor MI, US
Martin E. Fermann - Dexter MI, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Libin Fu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Shigeru Suzuki - Ann Arbor MI, US

IMRA America, Inc. - Ann Arbor MI

H01S 3/067
H04B 10/17
C03C 4/12
C03C 13/04
C03C 3/095
C03C 3/097
H01S 3/16
G02B 6/036
G02B 6/12

3593415

Various embodiments described herein comprise a laser and/or an amplifier system including a doped gain fiber having ytterbium ions in a phosphosilicate glass. Various embodiments described herein increase pump absorption to at least about 1000 dB/m-9000 dB/m. The use of these gain fibers provide for increased peak-powers and/or pulse energies. The various embodiments of the doped gain fiber having ytterbium ions in a phosphosilicate glass exhibit reduced photo-darkening levels compared to photo-darkening levels obtainable with equivalent doping levels of an ytterbium doped silica fiber.

2012018, Jul 26, 2012

Apr 5, 2012

13/440215

Liang Dong - Clemson SC, US
Jun Li - Traverse City MI, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Libin Fu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Andrius Marcinkevicius - Saline MI, US

IMRA AMERICA, INC. - Ann Arbor MI

H01S 3/067
G02B 6/028
G02B 6/036

3593413, 385126, 385124

Embodiments of optical fiber may include cladding features that include a material (e.g., fluorine-doped silica glass) that may produce a very low relative refractive index difference with respect to cladding material in which the cladding features are disposed. This relative refractive index difference may be characterized by (n−n)/n, where nis the index of refraction of the cladding material in which the cladding features are included, and nis the index of refraction of the cladding features. In certain embodiments, the relative refractive index difference may be less than about 4.5×10. In various embodiments, the configuration of the cladding features including, for example, the size and spacing of the cladding features, can be selected to provide for confinement of the fundamental mode yet leakage for the second mode and higher modes, which may provide mode filtering, single mode propagation, and/or low bend loss.

2012025, Oct 11, 2012

Jun 11, 2012

13/493199

Liang Dong - Clemson SC, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US

IMRA AMERICA, INC. - Ann Arbor MI

H01S 3/067
G02B 6/036

3593413, 385126

Multi-clad optical fibers and fiber amplifiers are disclosed. Various embodiments include multi-clad, large core fiber amplifiers. In various implementations mixing of pump modes is enhanced relative to that obtainable with conventional double-clad fibers. In some embodiments end terminations are provided with increased length of end-cap fiber. In at least one embodiment a multi-clad fiber is provided, with a pump cladding formed by stacking a layer of low index rods in the preform. Various embodiments include a multi-clad fiber amplifier system. The system includes a pump source to pump said fiber amplifier. The system also includes an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, wherein the cladding includes a pump cladding having a corrugated boundary. In various embodiments the pump cladding is formed by rods in a preform, which are disposed to mix the pump modes and/or scatter or reflect pump energy into the core.

2013030, Nov 14, 2013

Jul 16, 2013

13/943582

Martin E. Fermann - Dexter MI, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Libin Fu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Shigeru Suzuki - Ann Arbor MI, US

H04B 10/2507
G02B 6/00
H01S 3/14

3593375, 3593415, 385141, 385142

Various embodiments described herein comprise a laser and/or an amplifier system including a doped gain fiber having ytterbium ions in a phosphosilicate glass. Various embodiments described herein increase pump absorption to at least about 1000 dB/m-9000 dB/m. The use of these gain fibers provide for increased peak-powers and/or pulse energies. The various embodiments of the doped gain fiber having ytterbium ions in a phosphosilicate glass exhibit reduced photo-darkening levels compared to photo-darkening levels obtainable with equivalent doping levels of an ytterbium doped silica fiber.

2017032, Nov 9, 2017

Mar 24, 2017

15/468520

- Ann Arbor MI, US
Jun Li - Harrisburg PA, US
Hugh McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Libin Fu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Andrius Marcinkevicius - Saline MI, US

G02B 6/028
H01S 3/091
H01S 3/067
G02B 6/028
G02B 6/02
G02B 6/02
G02B 6/02
G02B 6/02
G02B 6/02
H01S 3/11
G02B 6/02
H01S 3/067
G02B 6/14

Embodiments of optical fiber may include cladding features that include a material (e.g., fluorine-doped silica glass) that may produce a very low relative refractive index difference with respect to cladding material in which the cladding features are disposed. This relative refractive index difference may be characterized by (n−n)/n, where nis the index of refraction of the cladding material in which the cladding features are included, and nis the index of refraction of the cladding features. In certain embodiments, the relative refractive index difference may be less than about 4.5×10. In various embodiments, the configuration of the cladding features including, for example, the size and spacing of the cladding features, can be selected to provide for confinement of the fundamental mode yet leakage for the second mode and higher modes, which may provide mode filtering, single mode propagation, and/or low bend loss.

2016024, Aug 25, 2016

May 4, 2016

15/146693

- Ann Arbor MI, US
Hugh A. McKay - Ann Arbor MI, US
Martin E. Fermann - Dexter MI, US

G02B 6/024
G02B 6/036
G02B 6/02

This disclosure relates to polarizing optical fibers and polarization maintaining optical fibers, including active and/or passive implementations. An embodiment includes a polarizing (PZ) optical fiber that includes stress applying parts (SAPs) disposed in a first cladding region, the SAPs comprising a material with a thermal expansion coefficient, α. A core region is at least partially surrounded by cladding features and the SAPs. The core includes glass with a thermal expansion coefficient, α. The arrangement of the SAPs satisfies: R=d/D, where Dis the SAP center to core center distance, and dis the average SAP diameter, and dα=|α−α|, and where Rsc and dα may be sufficiently large to induce stress birefringence into the core and to provide for polarized output. Active fibers in which a portion of the fiber is doped may be implemented for application in fiber lasers, fiber amplifiers, and/or optical pulse compressors.