Optical fiber array alignment unit
AssigneeTrex Enterprises Corp.
InventorsMatthew Last, Yoshinao Taketomi
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Abstract
An optical fiber alignment unit for the easy precise alignment of optical fibers in and array. In a preferred embodiment the positioning array is incorporated twice in an all optical cross connect switch utilizing MEMS mirrors for cross connecting optical fibers in a first set of optical fibers to optical fibers in a second set of optical fibers. The optical fibers are preferably arranged in rectangular arrays. These arrays include array sizes such as 4×8, 16×16 and 8×16. A preferred embodiment built and tested by Applicants is a modular optical switch in which an input 8×16 array of optical fibers from sixteen eight-fiber ribbons are cross-connected into an output 8×16 array of optical fibers also from sixteen eight-fiber ribbons.
Claims14
A fiber-microlens positioning array comprising;
- A) a plurality of optical fibers at least partially contained in a smaller plurality of fiber optic ribbons,
- B) a mounting plate adapted to permit the passage through the mounting plate of said optical fibers extending from said fiber optic ribbons,
- C) a positioning plate comprised of a single silicon plate mounted on said mounting plate comprising a two dimensional array of lithographically-defined V-grooves for alignment of said plurality of optical fibers extending from said fiber optic ribbons to provide an array of optical fiber beam exit and/or entrance apertures, wherein each of said V-grooves are positioned in said single plate both horizontally and vertically with sub-micron accuracy, and wherein said plurality of optical fibers extending from said plurality of fiber optic ribbons are fixedly positioned in the V-grooves and
- D) a microlens array comprised of a plurality of microlenses positioned to align a microlens with each optical fiber beam exit and/or entrance aperture in said array of optical fiber beam exit and/or entrance apertures.
A method for forming an array of optical fibers comprising:
- A) providing a mounting plate adapted to permit the passage through the mounting plate of said optical fibers extending from fiber optic ribbons,
- B) mounting on said mounting plate a positioning plate comprised of a single silicon plate comprising an array of lithographically-defined V-grooves positioned with sub-micron accuracy,
- C) inserting optical fibers extending from said fiber optic ribbons through said mounting plate and into the V-grooves,
- D) fixing the fibers in the V-grooves, and
- E) positioning a microlens array comprised of a plurality of microlenses to align a microlens with each optical fiber beam exit and/or entrance aperture in said array of optical fiber beam exit and/or entrance apertures to provide a fiber-micro lens positioning array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.