Small form factor all-polymer optical device with integrated dual beam path based on total internal reflection optical turn
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsEric Vancoille, Adrianus J. P. Van Haasteren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monolithic optical module of injection-molded high temperature polymeric resin combines an optical turn of typically 90 degrees together with dual or triple beam paths. No additional piece parts are necessary for achieving the optical turn, since this occurs by total internal reflection (TIR), and no additional piece parts are necessary for dual monitoring, which is realized by means of an air-gap functioning as a dual beam-splitter plate. The monolithic optical module further includes integrally surfaces for accurate alignment of the module with external optical elements, and can additionally include integral optical elements, for example lenses and thin film coatings.
Claims27
A monolithic optical module for an optical assembly, said optical module comprising:
- a total internal reflection (TIR) interface surface turning an incident optical beam through a predetermined angle;
- at least one beam splitter surface adjacent an air gap, said beam splitter surface partially reflecting an incident optical beam to provide a partially reflected beam and partially refracting said incident optical beam to provide a partially refracted beam;
- and
- at least one integral surface providing accurate alignment of said monolithic optical module with elements of said optical assembly external to said monolithic optical module.
A method of operating a monolithic optical module for an optical assembly, said method comprising:
- obtaining an input optical beam;
- turning said input optical beam by total internal reflection from a total internal reflection (TIR) interface surface integral with said monolithic optical module to provide a reflected beam;
- splitting said reflected beam by a beam splitter surface adjacent an air gap integral with said monolithic optical module to provide a partially reflected beam and a partially refracted beam;
- and
- focusing an output beam selected from the group consisting of said partially reflected beam and said partially refracted beam onto an optical fiber using a lens integral with said monolithic optical module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.