Optical coupling arrangement
AssigneeJDS Uniphase Corporation
InventorsJames Arthur O'Neill, Chenjun Fan, Steven Harold Moffat, Ray Robert LaPierre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical coupler and method of making an optical filter is disclosed wherein a compound lens having two separate movable lenses are disposed between input/output ports and a filter element, such as a dichroic filter element. The filter is tuned during assembly by varying the gap between the movable lenses. Once it is established that optimum coupling is achieved and a desired wavelength response is achieved, the two lenses are fixed in place.
Claims13
An optical filter comprising:
- a first optical waveguide;
- an optical filter element disposed to receive light from the first optical waveguide;
- a first lens and a second lens disposed between the first optical waveguide and the optical filter, such that a beam of light exiting the first optical waveguide destined for the optical filter traverses the first lens and the second lens and is substantially collimated at the optical filter;
- and,
- a second optical waveguide for receiving at least a portion of the beam of light after it impinges upon the optical filter, wherein said first lens and said second lens have respective focal lengths f1 and f2 and are spaced a distance d apart, the distance being less than the sum of the focal lengths f1 and f2.
A method of manufacturing an optical filter having an optical filter tube housing ends of two optical fibres in a fixed relative relationship, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) optically coupling the optical fibre ends with an optical filter element;
- b) providing a compound lens including at least two spaced lenses, the spaced lenses having each a focal length, and disposing the compound lens between the optical fibre ends and the optical filter element;
- c) varying a gap between the two spaced lenses until a desired wavelength response is achieved for light propagating from one of the ends of the two optical fibres through the filter, the gap being smaller than the sum of the focal lengths of the spaced lenses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.