US 2003/0169422 A1 · Dynamic alignment of optical fibers to optical circuit devices such as planar lightwave circuits

Abstract

An improved method and system of aligning an optical fiber or optical fiber array to an optical circuit device couples an optical signal source and an optical measuring device to the optical fiber array, the other side of which array is coupled to the same side of the optical circuit device, thereby forming an initial U-shaped optical path from the optical signal source to the optical fiber array to the optical circuit device to the optical fiber array and to the optical measuring device. The optical path is adjusted until the optical measuring device finds a characteristic of the optical signal to be satisfactory. At that time, the final alignment may be fixed or made permanent. The characteristic of the optical signal may include, for example, the intensity of the optical signal, which is preferably at a maximum or the insertion loss which is preferably at a minimum.

Claims96

Dependent claims

A method of aligning an optical fiber array relative to an optical circuit device, the optical fiber array being coupled to the optical circuit device, the method comprising:

coupling an optical signal source to one end of the optical fiber array, the other end of the optical fiber array being coupled to a side of the optical circuit device, the optical signal source adapted to transmit an optical signal to the optical fiber array;
coupling an optical measuring device to the one end of the optical fiber array, the other end of the optical fiber array being coupled to the same side of the optical circuit device, the optical measuring device adapted to measure a characteristic of an optical signal received from the optical fiber array;
establishing an initial optical path from the optical signal source to the optical fiber array to the optical circuit device to the optical fiber array and to the optical measuring device;
measuring the characteristic of an optical signal received by the optical measuring device from the optical fiber array;
and
moving the relative position of the optical fiber array and the optical circuit device to change the optical path until the measured characteristic indicates that the alignment of the optical path is satisfactory.

3 more elements

A system adapted to align a first and second light-guiding element, the system comprising:

an optical signal source coupled to transmit an optical signal to the first light-guiding element, the first light-guiding element being coupled to and adapted to propagate the transmitted optical signal to an input of the second light-guiding element, the second light-guiding element being adapted to propagate the transmitted optical signal from its output to the first light-guiding element, the input and output of the second light-guiding element being located on the same side of the second light-guiding element;
an optical measuring device coupled to receive the transmitted optical signal from the first light-guiding element, thereby forming an optical path from the optical signal source to the first light-guiding element to the input of the second light-guiding element to the output of the second light-guiding element to the first light-guiding element and to the optical measuring device, the optical measuring device being adapted to measure a characteristic of the received optical signal;
wherein the relative positions of the first and second light-guiding elements may be changed to alter the optical path until the optical measuring device determines that the characteristic of the received optical signal is satisfactory.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic alignment of optical fibers to optical circuit devices such as planar lightwave circuits

Life of this patent

Dynamic alignment of optical fibers to optical circuit devices such as planar lightwave circuits

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims96