Alignment and imaging system for writing Bragg gratings

1. A method for precise and repeatable location of one or more Bragg gratings in a large diameter optical waveguide having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, comprising the steps of:

defining a reference location on a fixed placement datum arranged on a waveguide fixture device;

defining one or more desired locations on a large diameter optical waveguide arranged on the waveguide fixture device in relation to the reference location; and

writing one or more Bragg gratings in the large diameter optical waveguide at the one or more desired locations based on the reference location on the fixed placement datum.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of defining the reference location includes:

marking the fixed placement datum with a scribe mark thereon; and

securing the fixed placement datum in a groove in a waveguide fixture device.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of defining one or more desired locations includes:

abutting an end surface of the large diameter optical waveguide against a corresponding end surface of the fixed placement datum.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the. step of defining the reference location includes:

viewing the reference location on the fixed placement datum with a camera;

aligning a crosshair of the camera on the reference location; and

clicking an icon on a computer program screen to store coordinates of the reference location.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of defining the reference location includes:

centering axially an intersection of two writing beams on the reference location along the X, Y and Z axis at an inner core of the large diameter optical waveguide; and

determining a desired intersection based on the brightness of an illuminated oval.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of defining the one or more desired locations includes:

viewing the one or more desired locations on the large diameter optical waveguide with a camera;

aligning a crosshair of the camera on the one or more desired locations; and

clicking an icon on a computer program screen to store coordinates of the one or more desired locations.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of defining the one or more desired locations includes:

centering axially an intersection of two writing beams on the reference location along the X, Y and Z axis at an inner core of the large diameter optical waveguide; and

determining a desired intersection based on the brightness of an illuminated oval.

8. The optical waveguide of claim 1 , wherein said outer dimension of said optical waveguide in the transverse direction is greater than about the dimension selected from the group consisting of 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.8 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.7 mm, 2.9 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.3 mm, 3.6 mm, 3.9 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.2 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.7 mm, 5.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 9.0 mm, 1.0 cm, 5.0 cm, 10.0 cm and 20.0 cm.

9. The optical waveguide of claim 1 , wherein said length of said optical waveguide along the longitudinal direction is greater than about the dimension selected from the group consisting of 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm, 16 mm, 18 mm, 20 mm, 21 mm, 23 mm, 25 mm, 27 mm, 29 mm, 30 mm, 32 mm, 34 mm, 36 mm, 38 mm, 40 mm, 45 mm, 50 mm, 55 mm, 60 mm, 65 mm, 70 mm, 75 mm, 80 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm, 95 mm, 100 mm, 20 cm, 30 cm, 40 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm.