Collimators and collimator arrays employing ellipsoidal solid immersion lenses

Abstract

An ellipsoidal solid immersion lens (ESIL) for use as a collimator for a waveguide. The ESIL has a refractive index n, an ellipsoidal surface portion defining a geometrical ellipsoid with geometrical foci F1, F2 along a major axis of length M. The ESIL has an attachment surface portion for joining to the waveguide. The attachment surface portion passes near or through the second geometrical focus F2. The geometrical foci F1, F2 are separated by a distance S=M/n, such that a substantially collimated light beam exhibiting a Gaussian type intensity profile propagating along the major axis M and entering the ESIL through the ellipsoidal surface portion converges to a Gaussian beam waist substantially at the second geometrical focus F2. The ESIL, or more generally any SIL, may be incorporated into a collimated array of lenses within a monolithic body having a substrate with a substantially uniform index of refraction and a pedestal comprising an attachment surface portion for attaching waveguides to the SIL.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.