Microlens
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorTimofei N. Kroupenkine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fiber assembly has a microlens joined to the face of an optical fiber. The microlens is made from a material which, when liquid, adheres to the face. The microlens can have a focal point which defines an optical path between the surface of the microlens and the optical fiber's core. This assembly can be formed by applying liquid such a pre-dispensed droplets of liquid to the optical fiber so that the liquid adheres to the optical fiber as a droplet at the face, and solidifying the droplet to form the microlens. The droplet's shape can be altered as it solidifies.
Claims18
An optical fiber assembly, comprising:
- an optical fiber with at least a portion thereof surrounded by a ferrule, said optical fiber and ferrule having a common face;
- and a microlens joined to the face of the optical fiber and ferrule, the microlens being made from a pre-dispensed droplet of a liquid which adheres to the face such that a focal point of said microlens is located at a predetermined point with respect to said face.
A method of preparing an optical fiber assembly, comprising the steps of:
- applying a pre-dispensed liquid droplet to an optical fiber having a face, the droplet adhering to the optical fiber at the face;
- and solidifying the droplet to form a microlens joined to the face of the optical fiber, the method further comprising the step of altering a shape of the droplet at least one of before or during the step of solidifying by:
- applying a charge to the pre-dispensed liquid droplet;
- and generating an electric field around the droplet, wherein the electric field interacts with the charge on droplet to apply force to the droplet, thereby altering the shape of the droplet.
A method of preparing an optical fiber assembly, comprising the steps of:
- applying a pre-dispensed liquid droplet to an optical fiber having a face, the droplet adhering to the optical fiber at the face;
- and solidifying the droplet to form a microlens joined to the face of the optical fiber, the method further comprising the step of altering a shape of the droplet at least one of before or during the step of solidifying by generating an electric field around the pre-dispensed droplet, wherein the electric field interacts with the droplet to apply force to the droplet, thereby altering the shape of the droplet.
A method of preparing an optical fiber assembly comprising the steps of:
- applying a pre-dispensed liquid droplet to an optical fiber having a face, the droplet adhering to the optical fiber at the face, said droplet being pre-dispensed in an amount selected to form a microlens upon solidification thereof having a focal point at a predetermined point with respect to the face of said optical fiber;
- and
- solidifying the droplet to form a microlens joined to the face of the optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.