# US 2014/0193116 A1 · Optical substrate having a plurality of staggered light redirecting features on a major surface thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193116 A1 - Document ID: US20140193116A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/236,341 - Filed: 2012-09-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-26 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: James R. Bylander; Ding Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193116A1 ## CPC - 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 6/26: Optical coupling means (G02B6/36, G02B6/42 take precedence) - G02B 6/3829: {Bent or angled connectors (G02B6/3827 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/4206: {Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence)} - G02B 6/4249: {comprising arrays of active devices and fibres} - G02B 6/32: having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} - G02B 6/322: {and having centering means being part of the lens for the self-positioning of the lightguide at the focal point, e.g. holes, wells, indents, nibs} - G02B 6/3652: {the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers} - G02B 6/3672: {with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array} - G02B 6/3839: {for a plurality of light guides} - G02B 6/3853: {Lens inside the ferrule (lensed connectors G02B6/32)} - G02B 6/3885: {Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates a unitary substrate comprising a plurality of staggered light redirecting features on an input surface there of directing incoming light from optical fibres through the substrate towards optical elements to be coupled with. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A unitary substrate comprising: a first major surface comprising a plurality of staggered light redirecting features; and an opposing second major surface comprising a plurality of staggered microlenses, each light redirecting feature corresponding to a different microlens and comprising: an input surface for receiving light from an optical waveguide; and a light redirecting surface for redirecting the received light to the corresponding microlens through the substrate, the light redirecting surface making an oblique angle with the input surface; wherein the substrate and the pluralities of the microlenses and the light redirecting features form a unitary construction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the staggered light redirecting features form spaced apart rows of light redirecting features. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The unitary substrate of claim 2, wherein the light redirecting features in a row are spaced apart along the row, the spaces being adapted to receive optical waveguides that couple light to the light directing features in another row. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide comprises optical fibers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the staggered microlenses form spaced apart rows of microlenses. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the light redirecting feature comprises a prism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the light redirecting feature comprises a planar surface disposed at an angle between about 40 degrees and about 45 degrees to the optical fiber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the redirecting occurs by total internal reflection (TIR). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, wherein the redirecting occurs by reflection from a mirror. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The unitary substrate of claim 4, wherein the microlens diameter is greater than a separation distance between adjacent optical fibers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The unitary substrate of claim 1, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on at least one of the input surface, an end of the optical waveguide, and a surface of the microlenses. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An optical construction, comprising: the unitary substrate of claim 1; and a plurality of optical fibers, each of the plurality of optical fibers having an end face that faces an input face of a different discrete light redirecting feature in the plurality of staggered light redirecting features. ### Claim 13 A unitary substrate comprising: a first major surface comprising a plurality of spaced apart discrete light redirecting features disposed along a first row and adapted to redirect light exiting a first plurality of optical fibers and a continuous light redirecting feature spaced apart from the first row adapted to redirect light exiting a second plurality of optical fibers, each space between the plurality of discrete spaced apart light redirecting features in the first row being adapted to receive a corresponding different optical fiber from the second plurality of optical fibers; and a second major surface opposite the first major surface and comprising a plurality of staggered microlenses forming first and second rows of microlenses, each microlens in the first row being adapted to receive light that is redirected by a corresponding different discrete light redirecting feature in the first row of spaced apart discrete light redirecting features, and each microlens in the second row being adapted to receive light that is redirected from the continuous light redirecting feature, wherein the substrate, the plurality of spaced apart discrete light redirecting features, the continuous light redirecting feature, and the pluralities of staggered microlenses form a unitary construction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The unitary substrate of claim 13, wherein the second major surface comprises a first channel that comprises the first row of microlenses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The unitary substrate of claim 13, wherein each light redirecting feature comprises an input surface for receiving light from an optical fiber, and a light redirecting surface for redirecting the received light to the corresponding microlens through the unitary substrate, the light redirecting surface making an oblique angle with the input surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The unitary substrate of claim 15, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on at least one of the input surface, an end of the optical fiber, and a surface of the microlenses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) An optical construction comprising: the unitary substrate of claim 13; a first plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having an end face that faces an input face of a different discrete light redirecting feature in the plurality of spaced apart discrete light redirecting features; and a second plurality of optical fibers, each fiber being disposed in a corresponding different space between the plurality of spaced apart discrete light redirecting features, each fiber having an end face that faces an input face of the continuous light redirecting feature. ### Claim 18 A unitary substrate comprising: a first major side comprising a first floor surface; a first staircase formed on the first floor surface and comprising at least a first step comprising a first tread; a first plurality of staggered light redirecting features disposed on the first floor surface and forming rows of light redirecting features; a second plurality of staggered light redirecting features disposed on the first tread of the first staircase and forming rows of light redirecting features; a second major side opposite the first major side and comprising a second floor surface; a second staircase formed on the second floor surface and comprising at least a first step comprising a first tread; a first plurality of staggered microlenses disposed on the second floor surface and forming rows of microlenses, each microlens corresponding to a different light redirecting feature on the first floor; and a second plurality of staggered microlenses disposed on the first tread of the second staircase and forming rows of microlenses, each microlens corresponding to a different light redirecting feature on the first tread of the first staircase; wherein the substrate, the first and second staircases, the light redirecting features, and the microlenses form a unitary construction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The unitary substrate of claim 18, wherein a separation distance between each light redirecting feature and the corresponding microlens is a constant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The unitary substrate of claim 18, wherein each light redirecting feature comprises an input surface for receiving light from an optical fiber, and a light redirecting surface for redirecting the received light to the corresponding microlens through the unitary substrate, the light redirecting surface making an oblique angle with the input surface. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The unitary substrate of claim 20, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on at least one of the input surface, an end of the optical fiber, and a surface of the microlenses. ### Claim 22 A unitary substrate comprising: a first major surface comprising a plurality of staggered light redirecting features, each light redirecting feature comprising: an input surface for receiving light from an optical waveguide; a light redirecting surface for redirecting the received light as a collimated light or a focused light through the substrate, the light redirecting surface including a shaped reflector; and an opposing second major surface, wherein the substrate and the pluralities of the light redirecting features form a unitary construction. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The unitary substrate of claim 22, wherein the staggered light redirecting features form spaced apart rows of light redirecting features. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The unitary substrate of claim 23, wherein the light redirecting features in a row are spaced apart along the row, the spaces being adapted to receive optical waveguides that couple light to the light directing features in another row. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The unitary substrate of claim 22, wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibers. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The unitary substrate of claim 22, wherein the opposing second major surface includes a plurality of staggered microlenses in alignment with and corresponding to the staggered light redirecting features. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The unitary substrate of claim 22, wherein the shaped reflector comprises a parabolic reflector, a spherical reflector, or an elliptical reflector. ### Claim 28 A unitary substrate comprising: a first major side comprising a first floor surface; a first staircase formed on the first floor surface and comprising at least a first step comprising a first tread; a first plurality of light redirecting features and a first waveguide alignment feature disposed on the first floor surface, the first waveguide alignment feature capable of positioning a first plurality of optical waveguides to inject light into the first plurality of light redirecting features; a second plurality of light redirecting features and a second waveguide alignment feature disposed on the first tread of the first staircase, the second waveguide alignment feature capable of positioning a second plurality of optical waveguides to inject light into the second plurality of light redirecting features; a second major side opposite the first major side and comprising a second floor surface; a second staircase formed on the second floor surface and comprising at least a first step comprising a first tread; a first plurality of microlenses disposed on the second floor surface, each microlens corresponding to a different light redirecting feature on the first floor; and a second plurality of microlenses disposed on the first tread of the second staircase, each microlens corresponding to a different light redirecting feature on the first tread of the first staircase; wherein the substrate, the first and second staircases, the light redirecting features, and the microlenses form a unitary construction. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) An optical connector comprising: an optical fiber ribbon cable; and the unitary substrate of claim 1.