Back to results
US 9,435,958 B2Granted
Optical demultiplexing system
AssigneeNewport Corporation
InventorJamie Knapp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Demultiplexing systems and methods are discussed which may be small and accurate without moving parts. In some cases, demultiplexing embodiments may include optical filter cavities that include filter baffles and support baffles which may be configured to minimize stray light signal detection and crosstalk. Some of the demultiplexing assembly embodiments may also be configured to efficiently detect U.V. light signals and at least partially compensate for variations in detector responsivity as a function of light signal wavelength.
Claims21
An optical demultiplexing device, comprising:
- an array of photo detector elements;
- a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a bandpass reflector, a bandpass filter and an active portion of the array of photo detector elements;
- and
- a demultiplexing assembly which is optically coupled to the array of photo detector elements, the demultiplexing assembly comprising a baffle assembly that includes:
- a plurality of filter cavities with each filter cavity corresponding to one of the plurality of optical channels,
- a support baffle corresponding to each filter cavity, each support baffle including an output aperture and a support surface disposed about the output aperture which is configured to provide a ledge for engaging and supporting a respective bandpass filter of the plurality of optical channels such that a bottom surface of the respective bandpass filter is in contact with the support surface of the support baffle, and
- a filter baffle that light cannot pass through disposed between adjacent bandpass filters with a bottom edge of each filter baffle being disposed on a top surface of a corresponding support baffle with no gap between the corresponding support baffle and filter baffle and wherein each filter baffle extends vertically above an input surface of each adjacent corresponding bandpass filter.
4 more elements
An optical demultiplexing device, comprising:
- an array of photo detector elements;
- a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a bandpass reflector, a bandpass filter and an active portion of the array of photo detector elements;
- and
- a demultiplexing assembly which is optically coupled to the array of photo detector elements, the demultiplexing assembly comprising a baffle assembly that includes:
- a plurality of filter cavities with each filter cavity corresponding to one of the plurality of optical channels,
- a support baffle corresponding to each filter cavity, each support baffle including an output aperture and a support surface disposed about the output aperture which is configured to provide a ledge for engaging and supporting a respective bandpass filter of the plurality of optical channels such that a bottom surface of the respective bandpass filter is in contact with the support surface of the support baffle, and
- a filter baffle that light cannot pass through disposed between adjacent bandpass filters with a bottom edge of each filter baffle being disposed on a top surface of a corresponding support baffle with no gap between the corresponding support baffle and filter baffle;
- and
- wherein a band wavelength of each optical channel increases as a function of increased distance from an input aperture of the demultiplexing assembly to compensate for lower responsivity of the photo detector elements as a function of shorter wavelength.
6 more elements
An optical demultiplexing device, comprising:
- a continuous linear array of photo detector elements with each photo detector element thereof being disposed in contact or near contact with adjacent photo detector elements of the continuous linear array of photodetector elements;
- and
- a demultiplexing assembly which is optically coupled to the array, the demultiplexing assembly comprising a baffle assembly that includes a continuous monolithic structure formed from a single piece of material and the demultiplexing assembly further comprising multiple optical channels, each optical channel formed from at least one bandpass reflector and at least one optical filter, each bandpass reflector being disposed substantially along an input signal axis of the demultiplexing assembly and each channel configured to transmit an optical signal within a selected wavelength range to an active portion of the array of photo detector elements.
An optical demultiplexing device, comprising:
- an array of photo detector elements;
- a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel including a bandpass reflector, a bandpass filter and an active portion of the array of photo detector elements;
- and
- a demultiplexing assembly which is optically coupled to the array of photo detector elements, the demultiplexing assembly including a baffle assembly that comprises a continuous monolithic structure formed from a single piece of material and the baffle assembly further comprises:
- a plurality of filter cavities with each filter cavity corresponding to one of the plurality of optical channels,
- a support baffle corresponding to each filter cavity, each support baffle including an output aperture and a support surface disposed about the output aperture which is configured to provide a ledge for engaging and supporting a respective bandpass filter of the plurality of optical channels such that a bottom surface of the respective bandpass filter is in contact with the support surface of the support baffle, and
- a filter baffle that light cannot pass through disposed between adjacent bandpass filters with a bottom edge of each filter baffle being disposed on a top surface of a corresponding support baffle with no gap between the corresponding support baffle and filter baffle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.