Patentamt JEuropa i s c h .

e Patent s Office J European Office europeen des brevets @ Publication number: 0 1 1 9 ^ ^ 3 5 6

EUROPEAN

PATENT A P P L I C A T I O N Int. CI.3: G 01 B 11/08, G 01 M 1 1 / 0 2

Application number: 83307743.1 Date of filing: 20.1 2.83

<) Priority: 24.12.82 GB 8236784

@ Applicant: PLESSEY OVERSEAS LIMITED, Vicarage Lane, llford Essex IGI 4AQ (GB)

^|?^P"W^onofaPP|lcat,on:2ft-0M4 Bulletin 84/39

@ Inventor: Stewart, William James, The Manor House, Blakesley Northants (GB)

@ Designated Contracting States : AT BE CH DE FR IT LI LU NL SE

Representative : Goodman, Christopher, The Plessey Company pic, Beeston Nottingham NG9 1LA (GB)

Apparatus for measuring parameters of optical fibres. Apparatus for measuring the spot size of light emerging from an optical fibre comprises a rotating radial grating which is moved relative to a monochromatic beam of light, passing through the fibre, to vary the spatial frequency of the light entering a photodetector situated at the output end of the optical fibre, thereby obtaining a variation in the modulation amplitude of the light received by the detector allowing measurement of the spot size to be obtained.

The apparatus measuring

present and the

invention

relates to

to an

optical apparatus

fibre for

more spot fibres

particularly size of of the by a

light

guiding guiding

fibre. type have a

Optical core region the from is

light

surrounded measurement the core the at

a cladding. of the of of the spot such the

This size a of

invention light By spot from for index of

concerns emerging size the it core

region

fibre.

meant

diameter end of

light

emerging

region to the

the

fibre

measured, the

example, step light diffuse It the spot at

the 1 points. intensity Although e2 the c o r e r e g i o n maybe w e l l d e f i n e d from the out. of the present from invention an optical there size fibre will almost

patch

emerging and is

certainly .

spread an object of to

to

measure fibre.

size

light the for optical for

emerging present

According provided emerging including of a fibre at the

invention the of beam the of spot

is of light type end

apparatus from an

measuring fibre a

light light

guiding into one means to

means to be

imaging

examined, other of end light

light of the

detection fibre, the

situated modulate means for

the

means

beam to the

entering of of said

detection

means, means

connected

the

output

detection

measuring

amplitude

said

modulated

beam

of

light

and the said light

including modulated modulated emerging

means beam beam from of

for of of the the

varying to to to

the

spatial the the

frequency amplitude spot size of

of

light light fibre

change enable be

of

derived. will now be in

Embodiments described which:Figure guiding type with

present to the

invention

reference

accompanying

drawings

1 shows

an

optical the fibre of

fibre

of

the of 1

light output light

illustrating 2 shows the

dispersion of Figure

Figure the-intensity fibre end, Figure spot size

illustrating from the

distribution

light

emerging

3 shows according 4 shows according 5 shows of spot

a first to the

apparatus present

for

measuring

the , the

invention. for measuring

Figure spot size Figure calculation Figure modulated detector

a second to the

apparatus

present

invention, the

waveforms size, a graph of

illustrating

6 shows transmitted

the

amplitude the

of

the sensitive lateral

intensity the

from

phase of the of size, 6 for

of

Figure distance the

3 against of the

inverse grating spot

translation illustrating Figure of the

radial of of the

Figure 3

calculation the graph

7 shows in

Figure

movement

grating

the

Z direction,

Figure grating of

8 shows Figure

in

greater

detail

part

of

the

radial

3 and diagramatically size according circuitry to the for the

Figure calculation invention.

9 shows of spot

present

Referring optical core is 12 fibre and

now of the

to

Figure light l4

1 of guiding

the

drawings 10

an a 16

type the as in

comprises Light and 2. the The

cladding the

surrounding of 18 the is of fibre

core. shown

output

from of of

core

intensity diameter is 2a.

the the

light

shown the

Figure to

intensity

light

the 1 e12

point

Referring a fibre 10 from 22

now

to

Figure

3 the to

apparatus receive lens 24 beam 28 on

comprises the 20. is 22 light A beam directed is is able

under an oil

test

positioned

output of light

immersion by

objective

generated by

a monochromator 26. The

onto

the

objective by

a mirror radial by

modulated to of be the

a rotating

grating movement

which the

laterally arrow

translated suitable reference of fibre

direction

X by with

mechanical to 10 by first Figure is

means 9.

as described

hereinafter The the output of

other light which

end is is

positioned

such 30

that the

detected fed 32. to a

a photodetector input of

output

a phase detector of the 32

sensitive has

detector

The phase provided the output by

sensitive the of

a reference grating

input 28 and

rotation the phase

radial

sensitive

detector

can

be to

used

as

described the to spot

in

greater

detail

hereinafter With configured performing same be

determine now is

size. 4, an of alternatively the apparatus given (which 24 a and the can is

reference apparatus similar

Figure

shown, to

parts

functions

Figure

3 being light

reference red) by a

numerals. is provided lens 42 is

Monochromatic by

infra

a monochromator 40 to onto

focussed 10. the in The radial the

simple beam 28

arrangement arranged as in

fibre

output

illuminate 3 is rotating of two low to the

grating

which, The

Figure of

direction 28 is not

shown. critical the

speed is must of

rotation by

grating

but

governed be

functions. avoid grating plate any

Firstly mechanical is

speed

sensibly the

problems for

mounting

radial a glass

which with the the

normally

practical

purposes on such it. that the

appropriate of

pattern is

printed chosen is

Secondly

speed of the

rotation

the

periodicity acceptable detector light 30. The of Figure 32

output range the via

waveform of signal the

within

frequency to is which passed

phase formed lens

sensitive by 44 the and chopped detector

beam

focussing

advantage 4 over system

of that is

the of

arrangement Figure less 3 is

of that

the the

apparatus optical In particular

focussing

slightly

complex.

the using

oil immersion the In system

objective of Figure in of

lens 4. Figure

20

is

eliminated

by

the of

arrangement movement be

4 the is

preferred in the Z

direction direction,

the

grating

to

described to Figure as

hereinafter. 5 the shown radial in grating (a). is output as 28

Referring represents However distorted to the as a

now square

wave light in

waveform the The

actual shown spot

output

from (b).

grating required waveform

waveform is and a thus an

calculated in

size (c) (b) 9).

sinusoidal can be

shown passing filter

waveform waveform

produced low

by pass

through The (c)

appropriate sensitive a be full wave

(see this

Figure

phase into can

detector 32 rectified in for

converts form as

waveform in (d)

shown

which

averaged Figure 9).

example with the from of The

a digital reference of

voltmeter now to

(see Figure

6 a graph

is

shown

of

amplitude the phase of

the

modulated

transmitted 32 in versus the

intensity the inverse

sensitive the radial is

detector grating

movement curve so

X direction. transfer 8 it in may the to be X the

formed

called also grating frequency

a modulation to 28 Figure is

function. seen that

With as the of the the

reference radial

moved is

direction inverse

spatial

which

equal

measurement

P is

increased:-

P = r

tan

spatial

frequency

= 1 P

= 1 r 1 tan = 1 @ which is the point at

spot

size

(a)

where

which

the

modulation wavelength of the

transfer of light

function reaches

intensity the 1

for

the

particular (=60.65% With Figure Although the from spot the

level

original now is

level). to Figure in not 7 the vary in the embodiment of

reference grating distance

4 the the will end

moved

Z direction. the 28 diameter is moved effect but of away is to

P does as the

increase 42 of the

grating 10. in Thus

fibre

the

change manner

the as

spatial the

frequency in in the this

a similar

inverse

movement

X direction. case is the Period in P is the Z

The

relationship to the

proportional direction Thus

inverse

of

the

distance

and As

spatial for Figure

frequency 6 the

spot

size Z is calculated from the

1 point e2 of the

original

level

of

output

PSD

and

the

distance

Z1

is

therefore The practical reference performing given the

a measure process of

of

the

spot

size. the measurement described of in the Zl in a

obtaining will 9 in now which

embodiment to Figure

be

with apparatus 4 are

parts those

similar same

functions

to

Figure

reference the

numerals. description Figure used a to 4 it of may operation be seen for in is that the the

Although green for the

following of be

embodiment can

a similar embodiment X direction described. In between for

operation of Figure

give

results movement as now

3 by

translation Z direction

rather than

the

Figure two

9 the 50,

fibre 52

10 in

is for

held

by

clamping a "V" 42 the groove is face of 28 is

blocks

example of the

acurate

alignment. positioned grating detector low pass 28. 30. filter as

The close Light The 54

end as

fibre to the

initially the radial the a

possible by

chopped output to the of

grating 30

enters fed via

detector

phase

sensitive

detector The standard of the

32. phase output low by by of pass sensitive level filter by 54 detector comparing with a 32 the is set output up to a

frequency

reference 56 which from being

waveform produces the an

provided output fingers

a reference light

detector

receiving

reflected grating

reflective

grating .28,

the

illuminated

from a up and with for

source each

58. reading

The by

phase

sensitive the be

detector phase done of

is the

set input

equalising This can

reference

waveforms. available of the of

automatically

commercially The output 56

detectors. 32 is an fed output on said is to a digital signal meter set at is 100% 32 and the

detector providing voltage The

voltmeter during between to equal

capable whilst levels. first the is set of 58 wheel the the fibre the 62

a period preset the when level

level

first

level from to equal the

output fibre at the is

level

detector grating

obtained second

closest to

the the

60.65% digital of

The stepper via

output motor

voltmeter which

level. 1 e2 56 i s f e d to a rack of 60 the

output which

drives

a pinion of to the

provides in the 42.

adjustment

position relative between In moved achieve phase as

radial end of

grating the 42 fibre

Z direction The distance 30 is end the is fixed.

end the

and

the

detector 28

operation close as

radial to

grating the

initially 42 to The is 56.

possible light

fibre

a maximum sensitive to

output 32 on

through an output in The the

grating. which the

detector equal 28 of light the a 100% is

gives the

output of the

normalised The away from

voltmeter

grating the of end the as

then

moved

+Z

direction

the

fibre. onto is

modulation detector in the received 30

amplitude will

input grating

decrease +Z

moved in

direction

giving

reduction

voltage

at

the

digital

voltmeter move the on

56. grating

This via

can

be

used

to 58 of

automatically until its the

stepper drops the to

motor

reading value, is of

the

voltmeter that

60.65%

original 32

providing the automatic be

phase

sensitive The moving in

detector operation the the each

adjusting done of the

type. by

can

alternatively

manually of the

grating

a discrete and

number

steps

motor at

Z direction sample point

recording

voltage

reading of the

following

normalisation

phase

detector. Either adjustment desired The fall level in to a by the automatic of the Zi voltage graphs system or by manual be taken 6 and for the using if 7.

series

readings shown by the 100% the in

can

produce

Figures 28 to

distance output be

covered from

grating level size

the 60.65% the

voltage used to

the

can

calculate

spot

equation

a = T21. P This d i s t a n c e on the of for the steps rack steps

can 60 or

be

measured

directly by a

by

linear from

scale the

indirectly by of can the the be

conversion motor in the 58. X the

number

taken

stepper grating

Similarly direction number the level of

translation spot size by

calculated motor the

from in

taken

the the TZ X'

stepper 100% to

reducing (11 e2)

voltage using

output the

from

60.65%

equation

tan

As radial and used.

an

alternative a

to

modulation cylindrical

of

the

light with

by

the

grating

rotating bars may in be the

drum

opaque may the on the be

transparent The fibre

the

cylindrical to being

surface illuminate positioned can be

positioned detector of

cylindrical opposite by moving

surface

side. the

Variation drum.

modulation

obtained

1.

Apparatus from

for an

measuring fibre

the of

spot the of

size light light

of

light type end

emerging including of a fibre

optical for

guiding onto means to one

means to at the be

imaging

a beam light

examined, other of end light

detection fibre, the

situated modulate means for

the

of

the

means

beam to

entering of of for beam beam from said

detection

means, means

connected

the

output

detection

measuring and

the amplitude means

said

modulated the to to to

beam

of

light,

including of of of the said light

varying of of the light

spatial change enable be the the

frequency amplitude spot size

modulated modulated emerging

light fibre

derived. 2. Apparatus in claim for measuring which the the the spot means size for of of light as the

claimed spatial includes 3.

1 in of

varying light

frequency a radial for

modulated

beam

grating. measuring in which end of the the the spot radial fibre size of light is the as

Apparatus in at

claimed situated light 4.

claim 2 the

grating to

input the for

modulate

entering Apparatus in at claim the

fibre. measuring which end the the of spot radial the fibre size of light is the as

claimed situated

2 in output

grating to

modulate

light 5.

output Apparatus in

from for

the

fibre. the the and spot size of light as

measuring which

claimed a phase

claim

2 in

detection

means

includes the

sensitive

detector

a photodetector, to receive phase of the

photodetector light output being and

being from

positioned the fibre to means and the

modulated

the

sensitive the the a photooutput of

detector detector the phase

connected including

output

for to

measuring determine said by

sensitive

detector in

predetermined decrease spatial 6. in

decrease output being of

output, produced modulated the the by

predetermined the variation of light. of light as of of

frequency for

the

beam spot

Apparatus in

measuring 5, in is which varied

size

claimed the

claim

spatial moving to the

frequency the end radial of the

modulated

light

grating fibre. 7.

orthogonally

with

respect

Apparatus in claim light

for

measuring which by

the the

spot spatial

size

of

light of

as the

claimed modulated

5 in is

frequency radial of the

varied respect

moving to the

the end

grating fibre.

longitudinally

with