Optical interface device having a curved waveguide using laser writing and methods of forming
AssigneeCorning Optical Communications LLC
InventorJames Scott Sutherland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical interface device for optically connecting photonic devices to optical device along with methods of making. The method includes providing a glass support member that is either monolithic or laminated. A laser beam is used to write cores in the body of the support member. The support member includes a bend section and the cores generally follow the bend section and serve to define curved optical waveguides. The cores provide strong out-of-plane optical confinement, thereby allowing for strong bends and therefore a compact design for the optical interface device.
Claims35
A method of forming an optical interface device for optically connecting at least one photonic device to at least one optical device via at least one optical fiber, comprising:
- providing a support member having glass body with a refractive index nb, a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, wherein the glass body includes a bend section that includes a curved portion of the outer surface, with the curved portion of the outer surface being interfaced with either air or a dielectric coating having a refractive index n1<nb;
- laser writing at least one core in the glass body, the at least one core having a refractive index nc>nb and an outer edge closest to the outer surface and that resides within 10 microns of the curved portion of the outer surface;
- and
- wherein the at least one core defines at least one curved optical waveguide.
The method according to claim 13, further comprising optically coupling the at least one optical fiber to the at least one optical device.
An optical interface device product formed by the process comprising:
- providing a support member having glass body with a refractive index nb, a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, wherein the glass body includes a bend section that includes a curved portion of the outer surface;
- scanning a laser beam having a focus spot over the outer surface so that the focus spot resides within the glass body to form within the glass body a core having a refractive index nc>nb, a curved section within the bend section, and an outer edge closest to the outer surface and that resides within 10 microns of the curved portion of the outer surface, wherein a medium having a refractive index less than the refractive index nb resides adjacent the outer surface;
- and
- wherein the core defines at least one curved optical waveguide.
An optical interface device for optically connecting at least one photonic device to at least one optical device via at least one optical fiber, comprising:
- a support member having a body made of a single glass material and having a refractive index nb, a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, wherein the glass body includes a bend section that includes a curved portion of the outer surface, with the curved portion of the outer surface being interfaced with a medium having a refractive index n1<nb;
- at least one core within the body and defined by at least one locally densified portion of the single glass material of body, the at least one core having a refractive index nc>nb and an outer edge closest to the outer surface and that resides within 10 microns of the curved portion of the outer surface;
- and
- wherein the at least one core defines at least one curved optical waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.