Hermetic high pressure fiber optic bulkhead penetrator

摘要

A method and apparatus of transmitting optical data through a wall separating a first fiber in a first medium from a second fiber in a higher pressure medium assures optical information transfer. A bore is provided in the wall having an inwardly extending annularly rim. A cylindrically-shaped optical glass plug is sized to fit within the bore and configured to abut the annular rim and a hard solder seal, a ceramic seal or a fused frit is disposed between the bore and the glass plug to hermetically seal one side of the wall from the other. A quarter-pitch graded-index of refraction rod lens contacts opposite sides of the optical glass plug and the first and second optical fiber are held in an aligned relationship with the rod lenses and glass plug to assure bidirectional transmission of optical data. The apparatus and method assure reliable optical transmission with long term stabilities in high pressure differentials.