Fiber array fabrication
AssigneeZygo Corporation
InventorsGeoffrey Kaiser, John S. Berg, Mark Steinback
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber-locating structure for aligning an optical fiber includes opposed first and second faces. A first wall, defining a funnel, extends from the first face toward the second face; while a second wall, defining a tunnel, extends from the second face toward the first face. The first and second walls are disposed such that the funnel and the tunnel meet to form a continuous passageway between the first face and the second face.
Claims30
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a fiber-locating structure having
- a first face;
- a second face opposite said first face;
- a first wall defining a funnel extending from said first face toward said second face;
- and
- a second wall defining a tunnel extending from said second face toward said first face;
- said first and second walls being disposed such that said funnel and said tunnel meet to form a continuous passageway between said first face and said second face,
- wherein said fiber-locating structure comprises:
- a stop layer having a first face and a second face opposed to said first face;
- a first layer bonded to said first face of said stop layer;
- and
- a second layer bonded to said second face of said stop layer.
A method of aligning an optical fiber, said method comprising:
- providing a fiber-locating structure having a first face and a second face;
- forming a funnel in said fiber-locating structure, said funnel extending from said first face toward said second face;
- and
- forming a tunnel extending from said second face toward said first face, said tunnel intersecting said funnel to form a continuous passageway between said first face and said second face,
- wherein providing said fiber-locating structure comprises:
- providing a stop layer having a first side and a second side opposed to said first side,
- providing a first layer bonded to said first side of said stop layer, and
- providing a second layer bonded to said second side of said stop layer.
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a fiber-locating structure having
- a first face;
- a second face opposite said first face;
- a first wall defining a funnel extending from said first face toward said second face;
- and
- a second wall defining a tunnel extending from said second face toward said first face;
- said first and second walls being disposed such that said funnel and said tunnel meet to form a continuous passageway between said first face and said second face,
- wherein said second wall defines a tunnel having a cross-section in which a plurality of protrusions extend radially inward toward a center of said tunnel.
A method of aligning an optical fiber, said method comprising:
- providing a fiber-locating structure having a first face and a second face;
- forming a funnel in said fiber-locating structure, said funnel extending from said first face toward said second face;
- and
- forming a tunnel extending from said second face toward said first face, said tunnel intersecting said funnel to form a continuous passageway between said first face and said second face,
- wherein forming a tunnel comprises selecting a cross-section of said tunnel to include a plurality of radially extending protrusions for fixing a location of said optical fiber in said tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.