Optical coupling and alignment device
AssigneeFitel Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichikazu Kosuge, Hirokazu Tamura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical device, such as optical coupling devices, optical switches, optical isolators, optical attenuators, laser diodes, photo diodes are provided having a substrate with a groove in order to locate a optical fiber. A lens, such as a graded index lens, is secured to the end of the optical fiber, with the lens located outside the groove, thereby avoiding difficulties with axial alignment of the lens caused by the interface of the optical fiber to the lens. In one implementation, the groove in the prototype is a V-groove, thereby providing stable positioning of the optical fiber within the groove.
Claims9
An optical switch, comprising:
- a substrate having a first groove;
- a first optical fiber, located in said first groove;
- a first lens mounted, at a first end, to an end of said first optical fiber, such that said first lens is located out of said groove and a space between said first lens and said substrate is formed;
- and
- a first mirror, coupled to said substrate and selectively located to obliquely face said first lens to be adapted to selectively redirect light traveling from said first lens
- wherein said first lens is a graded index lens.
A method of manufacturing an optical switch, comprising:
- preparing a substrate having a first groove;
- preparing a first optical fiber having a first lens at an end,
- wherein said first lens is a graded index lens;
- locating said first optical fiber in said first groove;
- locating said first lens out of said substrate, such that a spacing between said first lens and said substrate is formed;
- and
- preparing a first mirror coupled to said substrate and selectively located to obliquely face said lens to be adapted to selectively redirect light traveling from said first lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.