Collimator array and method and system for aligning optical fibers to a lens array

A system for aligning optical fibers to a lens array comprising:

• a lens array on a substrate having a back surface and a front surface providing a plurality of lenses in an array;
• a plurality of optical fibers each having two ends in which one of said ends is positioned in a ferrule;
• a reference member having a planar reflective surface facing said front surface of said lens array;
• means for individually locating each of said fibers at their ferrule adjacent said back surface of said lens array to face a different one of said lenses of said array;
• means for each of said fibers when located adjacent said lens array for propagating light through the fiber and said lens facing the fiber to said planar reflective surface, and receiving returned reflected light from said reflective surface of said reference member through the fiber and the lens facing the fiber;
• means for each of said fibers when located adjacent said lens array for adjusting the position of the end of the fiber to change the amount of returned reflected light received by the fiber to determine when the fiber is at a position which provides a maximum amount of said returned reflected light;
• and
• means for attaching the end of said fibers to said lens array at said position which provides a maximum amount of said returned reflected light.

A system for aligning optical fibers to a lens array comprising:

• a lens array on a substrate having a back surface and a front surface providing a plurality of lenses in an array;
• a plurality of optical fibers each having one end for attachment to the lens array;
• a reference member having a reflective surface facing said front surface of said lens array;
• means for locating the one end of each of said fibers adjacent said back surface of said lens array to face a different one of said lenses of said array;
• means for each of said fibers when located adjacent said lens array for propagating light through the fiber and said lens facing the fiber to said reflective surface, and receiving returned reflected light from said reflective surface of said reference member through the fiber and the lens facing the fiber;
• means for each of said fibers when located adjacent said lens array for adjusting the position of the end of the fiber to change the amount of returned reflected light received by the fiber to determine when the fiber is at a position which provides a maximum amount of said returned reflected light;
• and
• means for attaching the end of said fibers to said lens array at said position which provides a maximum amount of said returned reflected light.

A collimator array comprising:

• an array of a plurality of lenses located on a substrate having a back surface;
• a plurality of optical fibers each having one end coupled by adhesive to said back surface of said substrate in optical communication to a different one of said lenses;
• and
• a ferrule at said one end of each of said fibers having at least one region for retaining excess of said adhesive joining said the fiber to said lens array to avoid the adhesive protruding upon said back surface of said substrate.

A system for attaching optical fibers to a lens array comprising:

• a lens array on a substrate having a back surface and a front surface providing a plurality of lenses in an array;
• a plurality of optical fibers each having one end for attachment to the lens array;
• a holder for retaining the end of each one of the fibers for attachment to the lens array having stages for moving the holder, in which said holder is located adjacent said back surface of said lens array to face one of said lenses of said array;
• a reference member having a reflective surface facing said front surface of said lens array;
• a source for illumination and optics for illuminating the one of said fibers in said holder with illumination from said source and receiving returned illumination from the one of said fibers in said holder from said reflective surface of said reference member via one of said lenses of the lens array;
• a detector for receiving at least the returned illumination from said optics and measuring the amount of the returned illumination;
• each of said fibers when retained in said holder is located using one of more of said stages to a position enabling a maximum amount of said returned illumination at said detector in which said returned illumination propagated through the fiber through one of said lenses of the array from the reflective surface;
• and
• adhesive material located between each of said fibers when retained in said holder and the back surface of said lens array capable of attaching the fiber to the lens array when the fiber is at the position providing maximum amount of said returned illumination at said detector.