[54] OPTICAL FIBER WAVEGUIDE WITH
EFFECTIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX PROFILE
[75] Inventor: Charles K. Kao, Roanoke, Va.
[73] Assignee: International Telephone and
Telegraph Corporation, New York,
N.Y.
[21] Appl. No.: 968,326
[22] Filed: Dec. 11,1978
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 904,092, May 8, 1978, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 632,046, Nov. 14, 1975, abandoned.
[51] Int.C1.3 G02B5/14
[52] U.S. Q 350/96.33
[58] Field of Search 350/96.31, 96.33
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,000,416 12/1976 Goell 350/96.33
4,070,091 1/1978 Taylor et al 350/96.33
4,149,772 4/1979 Iyengar et al 350/96.33
Primary Examiner—Stewart J. Levy
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—John T. O'Halloran; Peter C.
Van Der Sluys
[57] ABSTRACT
An effective graded index profile optical fiber waveguide comprises alternating regions of high and low indexes of refraction of controlled thickness. The effective refractive index of the fiber has a graded profile of decreasing refractive index when the regions of high index have either a constant or decreasing thickness and the low index regions increase outwardly from the center. The effective refractive index has a particular graded profile of refractive index when the thicknesses of the regions of low refractive index and the high refractive index are appropriately chosen.
9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
