Expanded beam connector system
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsSoren Grinderslev, Randy Marshall Manning, James David Kevern
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Abstract
A method of coupling a high-power optical signal between an optical fiber and a mating optical component, said optical signal having a first diameter while propagating in a mode field within said fiber, said method comprising: (a) converting said high-power optical signal between said first diameter in said fiber and a second diameter using a collimator optically coupled to said fiber, said second diameter being significantly greater than said first diameter, and (b) while said high-power optical signal is at said second diameter, optically coupling it between said lens and said mating optical component.
Claims46
A method of coupling a high-power optical signal between an optical fiber and a mating optical component, said optical signal having a first diameter while propagating in a mode field within said fiber, said method comprising:
- converting said high-power optical signal between said first diameter in said fiber and a second diameter using a collimator optically coupled to said fiber, said second diameter being significantly greater than said first diameter;
- and
- while said high-power optical signal is at said second diameter, optically coupling it between said lens and said mating optical component.
A method of coupling an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber with a mating optical component, said optical signal having a first diameter while propagating in a mode field within said fiber, said method comprising the steps of:
- expanding said optical signal from said first diameter to a second diameter, said second diameter being significantly greater than said first diameter;
- and
- while said optical signal is expanded to said second diameter, coupling it to said mating optical component such that the insertion loss of the coupling is less than 0.3 dB and the back reflection at the coupling is less than −50 dB.
A cable assembly for coupling an optical signal propagating in an optical fiber to a mating optical component, said optical signal having a first diameter while propagating in a mode field within said fiber, said connector assembly comprising:
- a fiber;
- and
- a collimator fused to said fiber, said collimator converting said optical signal between said first diameter in said fiber and a second diameter, said second diameter being significantly greater than said first diameter, said collimator also having a first coupling surface for optically coupling with a second coupling surface of said mating component while said signal is at said second diameter.
A method of manufacturing a cable assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
- fusing a collimator to an end of a fiber, said collimator having essentially the same diameter as said fiber;
- inserting said fiber with said lens fused thereto into a ferrule borehole such that an end surface of said collimator is substantially planar with an end face of said ferrule;
- and
- polishing said ferrule and said collimator until the desired end face geometry and finish is achieved.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.