Waveguides and manufacturing methods thereof

12050,392

18/072196

November 30, 2022

A waveguide including: a first section, the first section configured to generate, by a non-linear optical process, a broadened wavelength spectrum of pulsed radiation provided to an input end of the waveguide; a second section, the second section including an output end of the waveguide, the second section configured to exhibit a larger absolute value of group velocity dispersion than the first section; wherein a length of the second section is configured to reduce a peak intensity of one or more peaks in the broadened wavelength spectrum by at least 20%.

ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. (Veldhoven, NL)

ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. (Veldhoven, NL)

1. A waveguide comprising: a first section configured to generate, by a non-linear optical process, a broadened wavelength spectrum of pulsed radiation provided to an input end of the waveguide; and a second section comprising an output end of the waveguide, the second section configured to exhibit a larger absolute value of group velocity dispersion than the first section, wherein a length of the second section is between 0.5 cm and 20 cm and configured to reduce a peak intensity of one or more peaks in the broadened wavelength spectrum by at least 20%.

2. The waveguide according to claim 1 , wherein the second section is configured to exhibit normal group velocity dispersion.

3. The waveguide according to claim 1 , further comprising a core extending axially along the first and second sections of the waveguide, and wherein a diameter of the core in the second section is greater than a diameter of the core in the first section.

4. The waveguide according to claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the core in the second section is essentially constant over the length of the second section.

5. The waveguide according to claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the core in the second section increases with increasing distance from the first section over at least a portion of the second section.

6. The waveguide according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of anti-resonant elements surrounding the core in the first section, wherein the plurality of anti-resonant elements surround the core in at least a portion of the second section, and wherein a cross-sectional area of each of the anti-resonant elements decreases in the second section with increasing distance from the first section.

7. The waveguide according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of anti-resonant elements surrounding the core in the first section, and wherein the second section is provided without any anti-resonant elements.

8. The waveguide according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber.

9. The waveguide according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a solid-core optical fiber.

10. The waveguide according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the second section is configured to reduce a power of the broadened radiation spectrum by less than 6 dB.

11. The waveguide according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the second section is less than 10 cm.

12. A method of manufacturing a waveguide, the method comprising: forming a first section of the waveguide, the first section configured to broaden, by a non-linear optical process, a wavelength spectrum of pulsed radiation provided to an input end of the waveguide; and forming a second section of the waveguide, the second section comprising an output end of the waveguide and the second section configured to exhibit a larger absolute value of group velocity dispersion than the first section, wherein a length of the second section is between 0.5 cm and 20 cm and configured to reduce a peak intensity of one or more peaks in the broadened wavelength spectrum by at least 20%.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein forming the first and second sections of the waveguide comprises: receiving a waveguide; and modifying a section of the waveguide comprising the output end of the waveguide.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein forming the second section of the waveguide comprises attaching the second section to the first section.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second sections of the waveguide comprise a plurality of anti-resonant elements surrounding a core, and wherein forming the second section comprises collapsing the plurality of anti-resonant elements in the second section.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein collapsing the plurality of anti-resonant elements in the second section comprises: heating the second section; and elongating the second section by applying a pulling force.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the waveguide is a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the waveguide is a solid core optical fiber.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the second section is configured to exhibit normal group velocity dispersion.

20. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the length of the second section reduces a power of the broadened radiation spectrum by less than 6 dB.

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R. Pennetta, et al., “Fabrication and non-destructive characterization of tapered single-ring hollow-core photonic crystal fiber,” APL Photonics 4(5):056105 (2019). cited by applicant
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