JP2001274489A - Heat dissipating device for optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat dissipating device for an optical fiber whose temperature can be controlled easily in such a way that the temperature of the optical fiber becomes constant near the room temperature. SOLUTION: The optical fiber 101 is doped with rare-earth elements or the like so as to be used as a fiber optical amplifier or a fiber laser. In a state that the optical fiber 101 is sandwiched between metal plates 104, 105 composed of a high-thermal-conductivity material, gaps in the metal plates 104, 105 are filled with flexible and high-thermal-conductivity greases 106, 107. As a result, the temperature of the optical fiber 101 can be kept near at the room temperature.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat radiating device for an optical fiber in which a rare earth element or the like is added to an optical fiber to be used as a fiber type optical amplifier or a fiber type laser.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is known that when a rare-earth element or the like is added to an optical fiber and used as a fiber-type optical amplifier or a fiber-type laser, the gain of optical amplification changes depending on the temperature of the optical fiber (for example, Shoichi Sudo). "Erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier" Optronics, Inc. 199
9/11). Therefore, in order to obtain a stable optical output, it is desirable to keep the temperature of the optical fiber constant.

A conventional example of controlling the temperature of an optical fiber is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-11794. In this publication, a fiber-type optical amplifier uses a Peltier element to cool an optical fiber or blows cool air.

Another conventional example is disclosed in JP-A-2-3007.
No. 27 publication. In this publication, a material having an expansion coefficient close to that of the optical fiber is used for the coating material of the optical fiber, and then cooled. Cooling is performed by filling the inside of the thermostat with liquid nitrogen and immersing the optical fiber therein.

[0005]

Incidentally, the above-mentioned fiber type optical amplifier or fiber type laser may be operated at room temperature. In this case, when temperature control is performed by the above-described method, there are problems such as a need to supply power, a high cost of the device, and difficulty in packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber heat radiating device capable of performing simple temperature control such that the optical fiber becomes constant near room temperature.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an optical fiber heat radiating device in which an optical fiber is wound with a certain diameter or more, and the wound optical fiber is made of a heat conductive material. While being sandwiched between high members, the gap between the optical fiber and the heat conductive member is filled with a material having high heat conductivity and high flexibility.

Accordingly, the heat generated in the optical fiber is
It propagates to the plate through the member of the heat conductive grease or the heat conductive sheet, and can be released from the surface of the plate to the outside air.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded perspective views for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled state.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 101 denotes an optical fiber doped with a rare earth element. The optical fiber 101 has a diameter which is not damaged and has no trouble, and is wound so as to be laminated in a radial direction. It is in. At both ends of the optical fiber 101,
Optical connectors 102 and 103 are attached. 104,1
05 is a metal plate having a high thermal conductivity and a similar shape. On one surfaces of the metal plates 104 and 105, flexible heat conductive materials 106 and 107 are applied, respectively.
The holding portions 108a and 108b formed by cutting the metal plates 104 and 105, respectively,
For holding the fittings 109a, 10
9b is for fitting and holding the optical connector 103.

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical connector 102 is sandwiched between holding portions 108a and 108b, and the optical connector 103 is sandwiched between holding portions 109a and 109b.
05 can be held together. At this time,
The optical fiber 101 is surrounded by flexible heat conductive materials 106 and 107.

Incidentally, the optical fiber 101 includes, in addition to the optical fiber itself doped with rare earth, a fiber-shaped optical component necessary for operating as an optical amplifier or a fiber laser, such as a fiber grating. As the optical connectors 102 and 103, FC or S
There is a so-called C type.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a connection for inputting light or signal light from an external pumping light source to an optical fiber, and reference numeral 103 denotes an optical fiber.
01 is used for connection for outputting the wavelength converted or amplified light to the outside.

As the metal plates 104 and 105 having high thermal conductivity, there are copper and aluminum alloys, and their surfaces may be subjected to an alumite film treatment in order to enhance corrosion resistance, weather resistance or heat radiation effect. Flexible heat conductive materials 106, 10
As No. 7, there is a thermally conductive grease obtained by mixing a highly thermally conductive metal with a fluid grease, or a thermally conductive sheet (gap filler) in which a metal is filled in silicone.

In general, a material having a high thermal conductivity also has a high electrical conductivity. Therefore, when a thermally conductive grease or the like is used for an electronic component, the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive grease is suppressed. When used, there is no problem even if the electric conductivity increases. Therefore, it is desirable to increase the amount of metal mixed with grease to increase the thermal conductivity.

In this embodiment, the metal plates 104, 10
By applying a heat conductive material 106 to the surface of the optical fiber 101 on the side of the optical fiber 101, the optical fiber 101 and the metal plate 104,
The gap between the optical fiber 101 is filled with the heat conductive material 106 so that the heat generated by the optical fiber 101 is
By efficiently transmitting the heat to the metal plates 104 and 105 via the heat sink 6, efficient heat radiation can be performed.

The optical fiber 101 is connected to a metal plate 104,
If the optical fiber is directly sandwiched by 105, pressure may be applied to the optical fiber and the optical fiber may be damaged, but the heat conductive material 106 also functions to prevent this.

When the amount of heat radiation from the metal plates 104 and 105 is large, it is desirable to increase the heat radiation area. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of fins 301 and 302 may be formed on the metal plates 104 and 105 to increase the heat radiation area.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining an example of a manufacturing procedure of the heat radiating device shown in FIG. 3 in a case where a thermally conductive grease is used as a flexible thermally conductive material. Note that FIG. 4 shows only the cross section taken along the line AB in FIG. 3, and the same components as those in FIG.

First, in FIG. 4A, two metal plates 104 and 105 formed in advance are prepared. On one metal plate 104, a groove 401 for winding and storing the optical fiber 101 with a certain diameter or more is formed. The shape of the groove 401 is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a V groove or a semicircle. (B)
In FIG. 7, the metal plate 104 having the groove 401 formed therein is filled with a thermally conductive grease 402 in the groove. On the metal plate 105 having no groove, the heat conductive grease 403
Is applied. In (c), the optical fiber 101 is arranged along the groove 401 of the metal plate 104.

In (d) and (e), the metal plate 105 shown in FIG.
And the metal plates 104 and 105 and the optical fiber 10
1 is filled with the heat conductive greases 402 and 403. In this state, the metal plates 104 and 105 are fixed by screws (not shown) or the like.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a manufacturing procedure of the heat radiating device of FIG. 2 when a heat conductive sheet is used as a flexible heat conductive material. In FIG. 5, FIG.
Only the cross section indicated by AB is shown, and the same components as those in FIG.

In FIG. 5A, two metal plates 104 and 105 which are formed in advance are prepared. In (b), the heat conductive sheets 501,
Lay 502. In (c), the optical fiber 101 is arranged on the heat conductive sheet 501.

5 (d) and 5 (e), the metal plate 105 shown in FIG.
The gaps between the metal plates 104 and 105 and the optical fiber 101 are filled with the heat conductive sheets 501 and 502. In this state, the metal plates 104 and 105 are fixed by screws (not shown) or the like.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 60
1 is an optical fiber, 602 and 603 are optical connectors, 60
4,605 is a metal plate, and 606 is a flexible heat conductive material.

An optical fiber 601 is wound around an outer cylindrical portion of the inner cylindrical metal plate 604, and an outer cylindrical metal plate 605 is wound.
Between the two. Optical fiber 601 and metal plate 604
The gap with the heat conductive material 605 is filled with the heat conductive material 606.

In this embodiment, since the optical fiber is wound around the cylindrical metal plate, not only the management of the diameter of the optical fiber can be easily controlled, but also the work of storing the optical fiber in the groove. Becomes easy.

As shown in FIG. 7, the outer metal plate 60
Fins 701 may be formed on the surface of No. 4 to increase the heat radiation area.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a manufacturing procedure of the heat radiating device shown in FIG. 7 in a case where a thermally conductive grease is used for a flexible thermally conductive material. FIG. 8 shows only the CD section of FIG.

In FIG. 8A, an inner metal plate 604 and an outer metal plate 605 formed into a cylindrical shape are prepared. A groove 801 is formed in the inside metal plate 604 to accommodate the optical fiber 601. In (b), the inside of the metal plate 604 is provided with a heat conductive grease
Fill. The heat conductive grease 803 is applied to the inner surface of the outer metal plate 605. In (c), the optical fiber 601 is wound so as to fit in the groove 801 of the metal plate 604.

8D and 8E, the metal plate 60
4,605, and the gap between the metal plates 604, 605 and the optical fiber 601 is made of heat conductive grease 802, 80.
Fill with 3 In this state, the metal plates 604 and 605 are fixed with screws or the like.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. If the conductive member for dissipating the heat of the optical fiber is a relatively hard material, the conductive member may be coated or attached. The conductive metal plate may be omitted.

[0033]

As described above, according to the optical fiber heat radiating apparatus of the present invention, when the rare earth element or the like is added to the optical fiber and the optical fiber is operated at around room temperature as a fiber type optical amplifier or a fiber type laser, it is simple. In addition, the temperature of the optical fiber can be kept constant near room temperature.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining an assembled state of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a modification of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for describing a procedure for manufacturing the optical fiber heat radiating device of FIG. 2 when a flexible heat conductive material is a heat conductive grease.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a procedure for manufacturing the optical fiber heat radiating device of FIG. 2 when a flexible heat conductive material is used as a heat conductive sheet.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view for explaining a modification of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining a procedure for manufacturing the optical fiber heat radiating device of FIG. 7 when a flexible heat conductive material is a heat conductive grease.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 601: optical fiber, 102, 103, 60
2,603 ... optical connector, 104,105,604,6
05: metal plate, 106, 107: heat conductive material, 301,
302,701 ... fin, 401,801 ... groove, 40
2,403,802,803 ... thermally conductive grease, 50
1,502: thermal conductive sheet.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Masanobu Kimura 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term (reference) 2H038 CA35 5F072 AB07 AK06 FF09 JJ20 TT22 TT30 YY17

Claims (4)

[Claims] An optical fiber is wound in a circular shape, and a gap between the optical fiber and the first and second members is flexible while the optical fiber is sandwiched between the first and second members made of a material having high thermal conductivity. An optical fiber radiator filled with a material having high heat conductivity and high heat conductivity. 2. An optical fiber heat radiator wherein an optical fiber is wound in a circular shape and the optical fiber is sandwiched between first and second members made of a material having high flexibility and high thermal conductivity. 3. A circular groove is formed in a plate made of a material having high thermal conductivity, an optical fiber is housed in the groove, and a gap between the optical fiber and the groove is formed of a material having fluidity and high thermal conductivity. An optical fiber heat dissipation device characterized by filling. 4. A groove is formed on the outside or inside of a cylinder made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, an optical fiber is housed in the groove, and a gap between the optical fiber and the groove is formed by a flowable heat conductive material. An optical fiber radiator filled with a high material.