US 6,981,804 B2Granted

Vertically integrated optical devices coupled to optical fibers

AssigneeArrayed Fiberoptics Corporation

InventorBenjamin B. Jian

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Abstract

Integrated optical devices in which one or more optical fibers are vertically integrated with other optical components in a multilayer arrangement. Optical components include lenses, etalons that may be passive or actuable, WDM filters and beamsplitters, for example. One vertically integrated optical device comprises a fiber socket layer comprising a plurality of sockets including a first socket and second socket arranged proximate to each other, and a lens that has a central axis offset from the cores of the first and second fibers. Optical devices include filters, variable optical attenuators, and switches, for example. A component layer may comprise a spacer layer that provides a predetermined opening that is hermetically sealed to protect sensitive components, such as MEMS devices. Also, a method of forming a socket layer using a two-sided etching process is disclosed. Furthermore, an integrated laser device is disclosed that includes a laser layer.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A vertically integrated optical device, comprising:

a first fiber socket layer having a plurality of sockets including a first socket and a second socket arranged proximate to each other, wherein said first socket is configured to receive a first optical fiber and second socket is configured to receive a second optical fiber;
a plurality of component layers coupled to said fiber socket layer including a first component layer that includes a first optical component and a second component layer that includes a second optical component;
wherein said first and second optical components are arranged to optically couple said first optical fiber with said second optical fiber via said first and second optical components;
and
a second fiber socket layer coupled to said component layers and situated so that the first and second component layers are arranged between said first and second fiber socket layers, said second fiber socket lay comprising a third fiber socket;
said third fiber socket arranged to receive a third optical fiber, wherein at least one of the said first and second optical components is arranged to optically couple said third optical fiber with at least on of said first and second optical fibers.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/147,155Filed 15 May 2002 · continuation in part
Priority: 8 Jun 1998
Published: US 2003/0002809 A12 Jan 2003
Granted: 3 Jan 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G02B 6/423
Passive alignment, i.e. without a detection of the degree of coupling or the position of the elements: using guiding surfaces for the alignment
G02B 6/4204
Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details: the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms
G02B 6/4206
The coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms: optical features
G02B 6/4224
Involving a visual detection of the position of the elements, e.g. by using a microscope or a camera: using visual alignment markings, e.g. index…

Family

Application60/088,374Us provisional application · filed 8 Jun 1998
Application60/098,932Us provisional application · filed 3 Sep 1998
Application09/327,826Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Jun 1999
Application60/291,169Us provisional application · filed 15 May 2001
Application09/995,214Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Nov 2001
US 6,328,482 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Dec 2001
US 2003/0002809 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Jan 2003
US 6,527,455 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application09/995,214Parent of this continuation
US 2002/0054737 A1Published application
US 6,981,804 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.