# US 2014/0193124 A1 · Optical Connector Having A Plurality Of Optical Fibres With Staggered Cleaved Ends Coupled To Associated Microlenses > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193124 A1 - Document ID: US20140193124A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/236,353 - Filed: 2012-09-12 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-26 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properiteis Company - Inventors: James R. Bylander; Ding Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193124A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3822: {with beveled fibre ends} - G02B 6/262: {Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements} - G02B 6/264: {with optical elements between opposed fibre ends which perform a function other than beam splitting (having lens focusing means G02B6/32; utilising prism or grating G02B6/34)} - 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 6/325: {comprising a transparent member, e.g. window, protective plate} - G02B 6/3636: {the mechanical coupling means being grooves (G02B6/3652 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/38: having fibre to fibre mating means - G02B 6/3829: {Bent or angled connectors (G02B6/3827 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/3839: {for a plurality of light guides} - 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 6/4206: {Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence)} - G02B 6/4208: {using non-reciprocal elements or birefringent plates, i.e. quasi-isolators (optical isolators per se G02F1/093, G02F1/0955)} - 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 6/4246: {Bidirectionally operating package structures} - G02B 6/26: Optical coupling means (G02B6/36, G02B6/42 take precedence) - 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 6/3853: {Lens inside the ferrule (lensed connectors G02B6/32)} - 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 to other optical fibres or optical devices. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact and reliable optical fiber connector (100) that incorporates an optically transmissive substrate (120) receiving the optical fibers (132) in V-grooves on a first major surface thereof with their angle cleaved ends (126) arranged in a staggered arrangement so as to redirect light to an associated microlens (128) at the opposite surface of the transparent substrate (120). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical construction comprising: an optically transmissive substrate comprising: a first major surface comprising a plurality of waveguide alignment features; an opposing second major surface comprising a plurality of microlenses staggered relative to one another; and a plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces disposed adjacent the first major surface, the angle cleaved end faces being staggered relative to one another, the angle cleaved end face of each optical waveguide in the plurality of optical waveguides corresponding to a different microlens and being oriented so that light exiting each optical waveguide is directed by the angle cleaved end face to the corresponding microlens through the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein the waveguide alignment features comprise parallel grooves. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein the staggered microlenses form spaced apart first and second rows of microlenses and the staggered angle cleaved end faces form spaced apart first and second rows of angle cleaved end faces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a total internal reflection (TIR) surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a reflective material coating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical construction of claim 6, wherein the reflective material coating comprises a metal or a metal alloy. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, wherein each microlens includes a diameter greater than a separation distance between adjacent optical waveguides. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical construction of claim 1, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on each microlens. ### Claim 10 An optical construction comprising: a first major surface comprising a first plurality of waveguide alignment features; a first plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces disposed adjacent the first major surface, the angle cleaved end faces being staggered relative to one another; a second major surface opposite the first major surface and comprising a second plurality of waveguide alignment features; and a second plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces disposed adjacent the second major surface, the angle cleaved end faces being staggered relative to one another; wherein each optical waveguide in the first plurality of optical waveguides corresponds to a different optical waveguide in the second plurality of optical waveguides, the angle cleaved faces of corresponding optical waveguides being so oriented that light exiting one optical waveguide enters the corresponding optical waveguide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein the waveguide alignment features comprise parallel grooves. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein corresponding optical waveguides are associated with one or more corresponding microlenses for directing light between the angle cleaved end faces of the corresponding optical waveguides. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein the staggered angle cleaved end faces of each of the first and second pluralities of optical waveguides form spaced apart first and second rows of angle cleaved end faces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a total internal reflection (TIR) surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a reflective material coating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical construction of claim 16, wherein the reflective material coating comprises a metal or a metal alloy. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, wherein each microlens includes a microlens diameter greater than a separation distance between adjacent optical waveguides. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The optical construction of claim 10, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on each microlens. ### Claim 20 An optical construction, comprising: an optically transmissive 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 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; a second plurality of staggered microlenses disposed on the first tread of the second staircase and forming rows of microlenses, wherein the substrate, the first and second staircases and the microlenses form a unitary construction; a first plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces disposed on the first floor surface, the angle cleaved end faces being staggered relative to one another; and a second plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces disposed on the first tread of the first staircase, the angle cleaved end faces being staggered relative to one another, wherein each angle cleaved end face of an optical waveguide in the first and the second plurality of optical waveguides corresponds to a different microlens so that light exiting each optical waveguide is directed by the angle cleaved end face to the corresponding microlens through the substrate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, wherein the waveguide alignment features comprise parallel grooves. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibers. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, wherein a separation distance between each angle cleaved end face of the optical waveguide and the corresponding microlens is a constant. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a total internal reflection (TIR) surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a reflective coating. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The optical construction of claim 25, wherein the reflective material coating comprises a metal or a metal alloy. . ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The optical construction of claim 20, further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on a surface of the microlenses. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1, 10, 20) An optical connector comprising the optical construction of claim 1, claim 10, or claim 20 ### Claim 29 (depends on 1, 10, 20) A transceiver comprising the optical construction of claim 1, claim 10, or claim 20.