Interlocking waveguide and method of making
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Lebby, Christopher K. Y. Chun, Davis H. Hartman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjoining waveguide and optical connector is provided. A waveguide including a first end surface, a second end surface, and an adjoining surface is formed. The adjoining waveguide further includes a core region that extends from the first end surface to the second end surface and a cladding region that surrounds the core region. The first end surface and the second end surface of the waveguide exposes a portion of the core region that is used for optical coupling. The joining surface forms an interconnecting surface for another waveguide.
Claims19
An adjoining waveguide comprising:
- an optical waveguide including a first end surface, a second end surface, a joining surface, a core region, and a cladding region, the cladding region surrounds the core region with the first end surface exposing a first portion of the core region and a first portion of the cladding region and the second end surface exposing a second portion of the core region and a second portion of the cladding region with the core region extending from the first end surface to the second end surface of the waveguide;
- and
- the joining surface being positioned between the first end surface and the second end surface with an interlocking surface being positioned between the first end surface and the second end surface.
An interlocking waveguide comprising:
- a plastic optical waveguide having a first end surface, a second end surface, a joining surface, a core region, and a cladding region, the cladding region surrounds the core region with the first end surface exposing a portion of the core region and a portion of the cladding region and with the core region extending from the first end surface to the second end surface, and
- the joining surface located between the first end surface and the second end surface having an interlocking surface for detachably affixing another optical waveguide thereto;
- an electrically conductive member having a contact integrated into the cladding region with the contact being positioned adjacent to the core region and being exposed on the first end surface of the optical waveguide for electrically conducting signals;
- and
- a photonic device with a working portion and a contact, the working portion of the photonic device operably coupled to the exposed portion of the first end surface and the contact of the photonic device operably coupled to the electrically conductive member.
A method for making an adjoining waveguide comprising the steps of:
- forming an optical waveguide including a first end surface, a second end surface, a joining surface, a core region, and a cladding region, the cladding region surrounds the core region with the first end surface exposing a portion of the core region and a portion of the cladding region and the core region extending from the first end surface to the second end surface of the optical waveguide;
- the joining surface having an interlocking surface being positioned between the first end surface and the second end surface for interlocking another waveguide.
A method for making an adjoining waveguide where, in the step of forming an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide is formed by molding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.