Fiber optic header for an edge emitting laser
AssigneeHoneywell Inc.
InventorPing Zhou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical header for coupling an edge emitter light source to an optical fiber is disclosed. The header preferably includes a ceramic or silicon substrate that has a recess for an edge emitting laser. An optical fiber is preferably attached to a substrate and terminates at a light source. The optical fiber is oriented such that the elliptical beam of light produced is situated such that the longer axis of the elliptical beam is orthogonal to the optical fiber. The header is particularly useful when used in conjunction with an optical receiver to form a bidirectional optical transceiver.
Claims20
A header for use in an optical system, the header comprising:
- an edge emitting light source producing a light in an elliptical pattern, the elliptical pattern having a longer axis and a shorter axis;
- and
- an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis, the optical fiber being situated proximate to the edge emitting light source such that the light impinges upon the optical fiber;
- wherein the edge emitting laser and the optical fiber are situated such that the longer axis of the elliptical pattern and the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber are perpendicular to each other.
A header for use in a bidirectional optical communications system, the header comprising:
- an edge emitting light source producing a light in an elliptical pattern, the elliptical pattern having a longer axis and a shorter axis;
- an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and a partially reflective end, the partially reflective end being situated proximate to the edge emitting light source such that the light impinges upon the optical fiber and such that the longer axis of the elliptical pattern and the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber are perpendicular to each other;
- a first detector opposite the optical fiber from the edge-emitting light source for receiving a control portion of the light;
- and
- a second detector in optical communication with the optical fiber for receiving optical signals emanating from the optical fiber.
A method of aligning an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis to a light source configured to produce an elliptical light emission pattern having a long axis and a short axis, the method comprising:
- placing the light source in an optical header;
- creating a groove in the optical header such that the groove is aligned to the light source;
- placing an optical fiber in the groove such that the long axis of the elliptical light emission pattern is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber;
- and
- moving the optical fiber axially along the groove until an end of the optical fiber is
- substantially aligned with the light source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.