Instrument and method for aligning optical collimators

An instrument for aligning an optical collimator having a glass ferrule grasping a fiber, a GRIN lens and a glass tube, wherein one end of the GRIN lens for emitting light beam mounts a pinion, said instrument comprising:

• a frame base having a clamp for clipping the glass tube of the optical collimator;
• a first axis stage fixed to the frame base and having a first spindle which moves along the first axis;
• a second axis stage fixed to the first spindle of the first axis stage and having a second spindle which moves along the second axis, wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis and the first axis is parallel to the cylindrical axis of the glass tube of the optical collimator;
• and
• a rack engaging the pinion and fixed to the second spindle of the second axis stage,
• wherein the first axis stage drives the second axis stage, rack and the GRIN lens to move along the first axis, so as to align the GRIN lens and the glass ferrule in the cylindrical axis of the glass tube, and
• the second axis stage drives the rack to move along the second axis and the rack drives the pinion to rotate around the cylindrical axis of the glass tube, so as to align the two adjacent end surfaces of the GRIN lens and the glass ferrule.