Patent ID: 6993220
Filing Date: 2006-01-31
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical fiber component comprising: an optical fiber including a Bragg grating formed on part of said optical fiber, said Bragg grating having a predetermined light-reflecting characteristic; a temperature compensating device for suppressing temperature dependency of the light-reflecting characteristic of said Bragg grating, said compensation device including an outer periphery, a first base comprising first and second ends and configured to support said optical fiber by one supporting point located at said first end of said first base, said first base being extended along said optical fiber and having a bonding portion for fixing said optical fiber and said first base to each other at the supporting point, and a second base extending along said optical fiber from said second end of said first base beyond said first end of said first base and having said second end of said second base fixed to said second end of said first base in a state in which said first and second bases are permitted to thermally expand and contract independently of each other, said second base configured to support said optical fiber by another supporting point, said second base further having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from that of said first base, and having a bonding portion for fixing said optical fiber and said second base to each other at the another supporting point, said Bragg grating being positioned between the supporting points and having a predetermined tension applied thereto; and a covering device for covering said temperature compensating device and permitting said optical fiber to be guided out of said optical fiber component, said covering device including an outer package which has an inner peripheral surface surrounding said temperature compensating device, a heat insulating layer defined between the outer periphery of said temperature compensating device and the inner peripheral surface of said outer package, said heat insulating layer extending along a whole length of said temperature compensating device, and a support fitted into at least a part of said heat insulating layer, for supporting said temperature compensating device on the inner peripheral surface of said outer package.