SPHERICALLY TAPERED OPTICAL FIBER, ITS MANUFACTURE, AND OPTICAL COUPLING SYSTEM USING SAME

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain such a spherically tapered optical fiber that light projected by the spherically tapered optical fiber is reflected by a photodetection surface and does not enter the optical fiber again by making the tapered tip sphere part which decrease in diameter continuously from the main body part eccentric with the center part of the main body part. CONSTITUTION:The tapered tip spherical part 6 which decreases in diameter continuously from the main body part 4 is eccentric with the center line 5 of the main body part 4, and consequently the light projected from the tapered tip sphere part 6 travels in a different direction from the center line. Therefore, light which is reflected by the photodetection surface 10 of the photodetecting element 8 having the photodetection surface 10 at right angles to the center line 5 of the main body part 4 is prevented from entering the spherically tapered optical fiber (THF). The taper tip sphere part 6 is supported slantingly to the perpendicular direction of the optical fiber, drawn while heated partially between support parts, and separated at its drawn part to make the taper tip sphere part 6 eccentric with the center line 5 of the main body part by gravitation.