# US 10,310,195 B2 · Adiabatic optical coupling systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,195 B2 - Document ID: US10310195B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/591,615 - Filed: 2017-05-10 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-13 - Assignees: Corning Optical Communications LLC - Applicants: Corning Optical Communications LLC - Inventors: Adam Kent Collier; Ying Geng; Ming-Jun Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310195B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/4204: {the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208)} - G02B 6/0288: {Multimode fibre, e.g. graded index core for compensating modal dispersion} - G02B 6/262: {Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements} - G02B 6/305: {and having an integrated mode-size expanding section, e.g. tapered waveguide} - G02B 6/4292: {the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical coupling system includes a tapered coupling element having a first end opposite a second end, a core having a core diameter that is larger at the first end than at the second end, and a cladding layer that is coupled to and circumscribes the core. An optical pathway is disposed within the core and that extends between the first end and the second end. The tapered coupling element is tapered from the first end to the second end such that the core diameter adiabatically transitions a light beam traveling along the optical pathway from a first beam size at the first end to a second beam size at the second end. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical coupling system comprising: a tapered coupling element comprising; a first end opposite a second end; a core comprising a core diameter that is larger at the first end than at the second end; a cladding layer coupled to and circumscribing the core; and an optical pathway disposed within the core and extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the tapered coupling element is tapered from the first end to the second end such that the core diameter adiabatically transitions a light beam traveling along the optical pathway from a first beam size at the first end to a second beam size at the second end; wherein a slope of the core diameter of the tapered coupling element is determined by a relationship dD dz ≤ D λ ⁢ ( n m - n m ′ ) , where: D is the core diameter at a location along a length of the tapered coupling element; λ is a wavelength of the light beam; nm is an effective index of a first mode group; nm′ is the effective index of a second mode group, and z is the distance along the length of the tapered coupling element, wherein the first mode group and the second mode group comprise adjacent mode groups of the light beam at the location along the length of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical coupling system of claim 1, wherein: the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element has one of one or more desired modes; and the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is one of the one or more desired modes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical coupling system of claim 1, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode of the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is the same as a mode of the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical coupling system of claim 1, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam along the optical pathway such that a propagation loss within the tapered coupling element is less than 1 dB. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical coupling system of claim 1, wherein: the core comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index raising dopants Ge, P, Al, and Ti; and the cladding layer comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index decreasing dopants F and B. ### Claim 6 An optical coupling system comprising: a light source optically coupled to a first end of a tapered coupling element, wherein the light source is configured to generate a light beam; a lens system disposed within an optical pathway between the light source and the first end of the tapered coupling element, the tapered coupling element comprising: the first end opposite a second end; a core comprising a core diameter that is larger at the first end than at the second end; a cladding layer coupled to and circumscribing the core; and the optical pathway disposed within the core and extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the tapered coupling element is tapered from the first end to the second end such that the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam traveling along the optical pathway from a first beam size at the first end to a second beam size at the second end; and a receiving fiber optically coupled to the second end of the tapered coupling element; wherein a slope of the core diameter of the tapered coupling element is determined by a relationship dD dz ≤ D λ ⁢ ( n m - n m ′ ) , where: D is the core diameter at a location along a length of the tapered coupling element; λ is a wavelength of the light beam; nm is an effective index of a first mode group; nm′ is the effective index of a second mode group, and z is the distance along the length of the tapered coupling element, wherein the first mode group and the second mode group comprise adjacent mode groups of the light beam at the location along the length of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein: the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element has one of one or more desired modes; and the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is one of the one or more desired modes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode of the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is the same as a mode of the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam along the optical pathway such that a propagation loss within the tapered coupling element is less than 1 dB. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein: the core comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index raising dopants Ge, P, Al, and Ti; and the cladding layer comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index decreasing dopants F and B. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein the lens system comprises at least one of a collimating lens, a spherical lens, an aspheric lens, a cylindrical lens, an anamorphic lens, a gradient index lens, a diffractive lens, or a reverse tapered coupling element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein the receiving fiber comprises a single mode optical fiber, multimode optical fiber, or multimode multi-core optical fiber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical coupling system of claim 12, wherein an optical core diameter of the receiving fiber is substantially equivalent to the core diameter at the second end of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The optical coupling system of claim 6, wherein the second end of the tapered coupling element is optically coupled to the receiving fiber by fusion coupling. ### Claim 15 An optical coupling system comprising: a light source connector comprising a light source housing and a light source disposed within the light source housing and optically coupled to a first end of a tapered coupling element, wherein the light source is configured to generate a light beam; a lens system disposed within an optical pathway between the light source and the first end of the tapered coupling element; a tapered coupling element connector comprising a tapered coupling element housing, wherein the tapered coupling element is disposed within the tapered coupling element housing, the tapered coupling element comprising: the first end opposite a second end; a core comprising a core diameter that is larger at the first end than at the second end; a cladding layer coupled to and circumscribing the core; and the optical pathway disposed within the core and extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the tapered coupling element is tapered from the first end to the second end such that the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam traveling along the optical pathway from a first beam size at the first end to a second beam size at the second end; and a receiving fiber connecter comprising a receiving fiber housing and a receiving fiber disposed within the receiving fiber housing and optically coupled to the second end of the tapered coupling element; wherein a slope of the core diameter of the tapered coupling element is determined by a relationship dD dz ≤ D λ ⁢ ( n m - n m ′ ) , where: D is the core diameter at a location along a length of the tapered coupling element; λ is a wavelength of the light beam; nm is an effective index of a first mode group; nm′ is the effective index of a second mode group, and z is the distance along the length of the tapered coupling element, wherein the first mode group and the second mode group comprise adjacent mode groups of the light beam at the location along the length of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein: the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element has one of one or more desired modes; and the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is one of the one or more desired modes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam such that a mode of the light beam at the second end of the tapered coupling element is the same as a mode of the light beam at the first end of the tapered coupling element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein the core diameter adiabatically transitions the light beam along the optical pathway such that a propagation loss within the tapered coupling element is less than 1 dB. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein: the core comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index raising dopants Ge, P, Al, and Ti; and the cladding layer comprises silica with zero or more of refractive index decreasing dopants F and B. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein the lens system comprises at least one of a collimating lens, a spherical lens, an aspheric lens, a cylindrical lens, an anamorphic lens, a gradient index lens, or a reverse tapered coupling element. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The optical coupling system of claim 15, wherein the receiving fiber comprises a single mode optical fiber, multimode optical fiber, or multimode multi-core optical fiber. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The optical coupling system of claim 21, wherein an optical core diameter of the receiving fiber is substantially equivalent to the core diameter at the second end of the tapered coupling element.