People know that optical fused couplers are one of the important parts or elements of many fiber-optic setups. They even know that these couplers improve the efficiency of work and increase the overall productivity of the organization. But, the shocking part is that many of them don’t know the actual use of the optical fused couplers. They don’t know when and how to implement the features of optical fused couplers so that they get the most out of them. As a result, they only invest but get nothing in return.
In this post, we will discuss a few common applications of optical fused couplers. If you think these applications are related to you, use the couplers accordingly. But before that, we would like to brief you about optical fused couplers.
Basically, the optical fused couplers are defined with two different meanings. And these two meanings are applicable in different situations.
First, the coupler acts as an optical fiber device with one or more input fibers and one or several output fibers. Light from an input fiber appears at one or more outputs with the power distribution potentially depending on the wavelength and polarization.
Second, the coupler acts as a device for coupling or launching light from free space into a fiber.
Generally, the first meaning of the optical fused couplers is considered. These couplers are fabricated in different ways such as two or more fibers are thermally tapered or fused so that their cores come into intimate contact over some length, use of side-polished fibers, and so on.
Applications of optical fused couplers
Cable TV system– The optical fiber couplers are used in a cable TV system in which they send the powerful signal from one transmitter to an optical fiber splitter. Thereafter, the splitter distributes the power over a large number of output fibers for different customers.
Fiber interferometers– In different ways or for different things, the optical fused couplers are used in fiber interferometers. But, the common use is for optical coherence tomography or OCT. For this purpose, specially designed broadband couplers are preferred.
Resonator of a fiber laser– A dichroic optical fused coupler is used within the resonator of a fiber laser to inject pump light. Another fiber coupler is used as the output coupler. Particularly, this technique is used in fiber ring lasers with no resonator ends where light could be injected.
Fiber amplifiers and lasers– Even in fiber amplifiers and lasers, dichroic couplers are used. These couplers inject pump light or eliminate residual pump light from the signal output.
High-power fiber lasers and amplifiers– Different from others, the multimode optical fused couplers are used in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers. These couplers combine the radiation of several laser diodes and send them into the inner cladding of the active fiber or a double-clad fiber.
These are just a few applications of optical fused couplers. To know more about their uses, you should connect with professionals and seek their help in their implementation in your organization.