Back to results
US 2015/0316724 A1Published application
Optical interconnect
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsDing Wang, Terry L. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons and embedded optical waveguides, and optical interconnects useful for connecting multiple optical waveguides such as in optical fiber ribbon cables and printed circuit boards (PCBs) having optoelectronic capabilities. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical waveguide connector that incorporates microlenses and re-directing elements which combine the features of optical waveguide alignment, along with redirecting and shaping of the optical beam.
Claims20
An optical interconnect assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of first optical waveguides, each first optical waveguide comprising a first light extractor, the first light extractors being staggered relative to one another;
- a plurality of second optical waveguides, each second optical waveguide comprising a second light extractor, the second light extractors being staggered relative to one another, each second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides corresponding to a different first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides;
- a plurality of first microlenses staggered relative to one another, each first microlens in the plurality of first microlenses corresponding to a different first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides;
- and
- a plurality of second microlenses staggered relative to one another, each second microlens in the plurality of second microlenses corresponding to a different second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides,
- the first light extractor of each first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides and the second light extractor of the corresponding second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides being so oriented that light traveling within the first optical waveguide enters the second optical waveguide after being redirected by the first light extractor of the first optical waveguide, exiting the first optical waveguide, traveling through the first microlens in the plurality of first microlenses corresponding to the first optical waveguide, traveling through the second microlens in the plurality of second microlenses corresponding to the second optical waveguide, and being redirected by the second light extractor of the second optical waveguide.
3 more elements
An optical interconnect assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of first optical waveguides disposed in a first plane, each first optical waveguide comprising a first light extractor, the first light extractors being staggered relative to one another;
- a plurality of second optical waveguides disposed in a second plane different from the first plane, each second optical waveguide comprising a second light extractor, the second light extractors being staggered relative to one another, each second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides corresponding to a different first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides;
- a plurality of first microlenses staggered relative to one another, each first microlens in the plurality of first microlenses corresponding to a different first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides;
- and
- a plurality of second microlenses staggered relative to one another, each second microlens in the plurality of second microlenses corresponding to a different second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides,
- the first light extractor of each first optical waveguide in the plurality of first optical waveguides and the second light extractor of the corresponding second optical waveguide in the plurality of second optical waveguides being so oriented that light traveling within the first optical waveguide enters the second optical waveguide after being redirected by the first light extractor of the first optical waveguide, exiting the first optical waveguide, traveling through the first microlens in the plurality of first microlenses corresponding to the first optical waveguide, traveling through the second microlens in the plurality of second microlenses corresponding to the second optical waveguide, and being redirected by the second light extractor of the second optical waveguide.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.