US 12,372,765 B2Granted

Method for designing an expanded compound parabolic concentrator (ECPC) correctable for collecting light in the near-field

AssigneeOledcomm

InventorsJuan Camilo Valencia-Estrada, Alejandro Espinoza-Garcia

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Abstract

A compound parabolic concentrator includes a coupling surface for positioning on a sensitive surface of a photodetector of a receiving device, a collecting surface for receiving optical signals, and a side surface located between the coupling surface and the collecting surface, the side surface including two inclined and symmetrical parabolic portions when viewed in a cross-sectional plane passing through a reference axis of the compound parabolic concentrator, wherein the side surface is defined by an equation using input parameters including a dimension of the sensitive surface of the photodetector, an acceptance angle, a first refractive index of a medium in which the compound parabolic concentrator is to be immersed, a second refractive index of a material used to manufacture the compound parabolic concentrator, and a diametrical expansion factor.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A compound parabolic concentrator for integration into an optical signal receiving device used to implement optical wireless communication, the compound parabolic concentrator comprising a coupling surface for positioning on a sensitive surface of a photodetector of the receiving device, a collecting surface for receiving optical signals, and a side surface located between the coupling surface and the collecting surface, the side surface comprising two inclined and symmetrical parabolic portions when viewed in a cross-sectional plane passing through a reference axis of the compound parabolic concentrator, wherein the side surface zl in a cylindrical coordinate system (r,z) is defined by the following equation:

z
l
=
(
d
o
(
1
2
+
n
β
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
)
-
(
r
-
sign
⁡
(
r
)
⁢
Δ
⁢
d
2
)
2
)
⁢
n
β
2
-
n
α
2
⁢
sin
2
⁢
α
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
-
n
β
⁢
d
o
(
n
β
+
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
)
⁢
(
n
β
⁢
d
o
-
2
⁢
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
⁡
(
r
-
sign
⁡
(
r
)
⁢
Δ
⁢
d
2
)
2
)
(
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
)
2
,
said equation using input parameters including do which is a diameter of the sensitive surface of the photodetector, α which is an acceptance angle, nα which is a first refractive index of a medium wherein the compound parabolic concentrator is to be immersed, nβ which is a second refractive index of a material used to manufacture the compound parabolic concentrator, and ƒe which is a diametrical expansion factor of the compound parabolic concentrator allowing an overall diameter of the compound parabolic concentrator to be increased without increasing its height nor changing the shape of the inclined and symmetrical parabolic portions, with Δd which is such that:
Δd=do(ƒe−1).

114 more elements

A method for manufacturing a compound parabolic concentrator intended to be integrated into an optical signal receiving device used to implement optical wireless communication, the compound parabolic concentrator comprising a coupling surface to be positioned on a sensitive surface of a photodetector of the receiving device, a collecting surface for receiving the optical signals, and a side surface located between the coupling surface and the collecting surface, the side surface comprising two inclined and symmetrical parabolic portions when viewed in a cross-sectional plane passing through a reference axis of the compound parabolic concentrator, the side surface being defined by an equation using input parameters comprising a diameter do of the sensitive surface of the photodetector, an acceptance angle α, a first refractive index nα of a medium wherein the compound parabolic concentrator is to be immersed, a second refractive index nβ of a material used to manufacture the compound parabolic concentrator, and a diametrical expansion factor ƒe of the compound parabolic concentrator to increase an overall diameter of the compound parabolic concentrator without increasing its height nor changing the shape of the inclined and symmetrical parabolic portions, wherein the method comprises the following successive phases:

a first phase comprising the step of defining the input parameters;
a second phase comprising the step of determining, from the input parameters, output parameters comprising an optimal diameter of the collecting surface, an optimal height of the compound parabolic concentrator, the equation for defining the side surface zl in a cylindrical coordinate system (r,z) that uses the input parameters being as follows:
Z
l
=
(
d
o
(
1
2
+
n
β
n
a
⁢
sin
⁢
a
)
-
(
r
⁢
sign
⁡
(
r
)
⁢
Δ
⁢
d
2
)
2
)
⁢
n
β
2
-
n
α
2
⁢
sin
2
⁢
α
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
-
n
β
⁢
d
o
⁢
(
n
β
+
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
)
⁢
(
n
β
⁢
d
o
-
2
⁢
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
⁡
(
r
-
sign
⁡
(
r
)
⁢
Δ
⁢
d
2
)
2
)
(
n
α
⁢
sin
⁢
α
)
2
,
with Δd such that Δd=do(ƒe−1), and a gain of the compound parabolic concentrator, the output parameters providing the compound parabolic concentrator with an optimal overall size for concentrating maximum radiant flux on the photodetector and optimizing its acceptance angle α,
prior to the manufacture of the composite parabolic concentrator;
and
a last phase of manufacturing the composite parabolic concentrator compliant with the output parameters.

119 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/247,024Filed 21 Sep 2021
Priority: FR 201000430 Sep 2020
Published: US 2023/0375814 A123 Nov 2023
Granted: 29 Jul 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G02B 19/0028
Characterised by the optical means employed: refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
G02B 19/0076
Characterised by the use: for use with a detector
H04B 10/116
Indoor or close-range type systems: visible light communication
G02B
Optical elements, systems or apparatus