# US 10,481,334 B2 · Fiber to chip optical coupler

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- Number: US 10,481,334 B2
- Document ID: US10481334B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/797,792
- Filed: 2017-10-30
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-08
- Assignees: Teramount Ltd.
- Applicants: Teramount Ltd.
- Inventors: Abraham Israel; Hesham Taha
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481334B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/30: for use between fibre and thin-film device
- 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 6/3692: {with surface micromachining involving etching, e.g. wet or dry etching steps (surface micromachining involving subtractive techniques B81C1/00055)}
- G02B 6/4214: {the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence)}
- G02B 6/4243: {Mounting of the optical light guide into a groove (mounting optical light guides into a groove in general G02B6/3636)}
- G02B 6/4246: {Bidirectionally operating package structures}
- G02B 6/4259: {of the transparent type}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

An optical connector for optical coupling a plurality of optical fibers to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprises a plurality of fiber trenches; a plurality of tiled flat mirrors; and a plurality of optical focusing elements; wherein each of the plurality of fiber trenches adjoins a corresponding titled flat mirror of the plurality of titled flat mirrors; and wherein each of the plurality of titled flat mirrors is placed in proximity to a corresponding optical focusing element of the plurality of optical focusing elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical connector for optical coupling a plurality of optical fibers to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), comprising:
a plurality of linear fiber trenches;
a plurality of tilted flat mirrors;
a plurality of optical focusing elements; and
a spacer between the optical fibers and PIC;
wherein each of the plurality of linear fiber trenches adjoins a corresponding tilted flat mirror of the plurality of tilted flat mirrors; and
wherein each of the plurality of tilted flat mirrors is placed in proximity to a corresponding optical focusing element of the plurality of optical focusing elements; and
wherein the plurality of linear fiber trenches, the plurality of tilted flat mirrors, and the plurality of optical focusing elements are fabricated on different substrates for achieving high signal efficiency and relaxed alignment tolerances.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is disposed in a respective one of the linear fiber trenches.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical connector of claim 2, wherein each of the optical focusing elements is placed at a predefined lateral distance from a corresponding optical fiber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of linear fiber trenches is shaped at least as a V-groove.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of linear fiber trenches is shaped as any one of: a square, a cylinder, and a diamond.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tilted flat mirrors is tilted at a predefined angle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the optical focusing elements is at least a curved mirror.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the optical focusing elements is designed to convert a parallel light beam to a focused light beam directed to a drain at the PIC.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical fibers includes a laser.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the tilted flat mirrors is utilized to direct a light beam from a respective one of the optical fibers disposed in a corresponding respective one of the linear fiber trenches.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The optical connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the optical fibers is a light drain.