Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Input/output coupler
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-07-17
Lee, John D. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Input/output coupler
C385S033000, C385S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263132
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to optical signal transmission. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for steering or redirecting light beams within optical communications systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Redirecting or steering an optical signal or beam within an optical communications system is accomplished by many conventional devices and for many different reasons. Often, optical signals are redirected to better align them with one or more components within the system. For example, optical signals often are redirected to better align with a detector or receiver after having passed through various system components. Also, because optical sources such as an edge or surface emitting laser or a light emitting diode (LED) and optical detectors such as semiconductor photodetectors and photodiodes often are oriented differently with respect to the path of light travel into or out of the particular device or package, optical beams often must be redirected for better alignment therewith.
Also, in many optical communications systems, optical sources and detectors are packaged together as part of a transceiver or as part of multiple source/detector arrangements. In a typical transceiver configuration, the optical source and its corresponding detector often are side by side, with the distance between respective central axes thereof on the order of 5 millimeters (mm). In a typical optical communications system arrangement, at least a portion of an optical signal transmitted from an optical source of a first transceiver is transported to various system components including an optical receiver or detector from, e.g., a second transceiver, while another optical signal is transported from a source of the second transceiver to, e.g., the optical receiver/detector of the first transceiver.
Conventional beam steering devices include devices that actively change the direction of transmitted or reflected beams using, e.g., movable lens or mirror arrangements. Such active beam steering devices include, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,961,627 and 5,600,741. However, active beam steering devices often are relatively expensive and bulky, as they typically require some mechanical means for providing translational or rotational motion to the lenses, mirrors and/or prisms. Such devices typically are geared toward applications that require relatively precise alignment tolerances.
Conventional beam steering devices also include passive devices, such as substrates with grooves and reflective surfaces formed therein for aligning, e.g., optical fibers and other waveguide structures for steering beams. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,003, which is assigned to the assignee of this application, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,741.
Although many conventional devices and techniques exist for actively and passively steering beams of optical signal through optical communications systems, it is desirable to have available a relatively simple, efficient and inexpensive apparatus and method for passively redirecting optical beams. Also, it is desirable to have available a passive beam steering device with the flexibility to be useful in many different beam steering applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is embodied in an optical communications system including an apparatus and method for laterally displacing or otherwise steering optical signals passing therethrough. The system comprises a launching device for launching or transmitting an optical signal, a receiving device for receiving an optical signal, and at least one optical guiding element. The optical guiding element is a transmission medium that captures and transmits optical information therethrough and is configured, e.g., via end geometries, to redirect a portion of light propagating in a first direction and entering the first end substantially along its transmission axis and to redirect light propagating along the transmission axis out of the second end in a desired direction, e.g., a second direction laterally displaced from the first direction. For example, the ends of the optical guiding element are angled faces with or without a reflective coating formed thereon. Also, e.g., lenses are coupled to the ends opposite the angled faces. For endfaces angled at approximately 45 degrees, the transmission axis of the optical beam entering the optical guiding element and the optical beam exiting the optical guiding element are substantially parallel.
In one embodiment, the transmission axis of an optical beam coupled to the first end of an optical guiding element is laterally displaced to an optical element, e.g., an optical fiber, coupled to the second end of the optical guiding element. Alternatively, a pair of optical guiding elements aligned substantially coaxial and coupled at their first ends to an optical element, e.g., an optical source, work to increase the distance between the transmission axes of the launched and received optical signals. Such beam steering is advantageous, e.g., in aligning beams launched into and out of source/detector packages with other components, including optical fibers.
In alternative embodiments, the optical communications system includes a power splitting arrangement comprising an optical signal launching device such as a single or multi-element optical source, a plurality of receiving devices such as optical fibers, and a plurality of optical guiding elements coupled between the launching device and the plurality of optical receiving devices. The power splitting arrangement couples the launching device to, e.g., the first ends of the optical guiding elements and couples the plurality of receiving devices to, e.g., the second ends of the plurality of optical guiding elements. In this manner, the optical information launched from the launching device is split into a plurality of signals for transmission through the optical guiding elements and on to, e.g., the receiving devices.
In another alternative embodiment, the optical communications system includes a multiplexing arrangement comprising a plurality of optical guiding elements coupled between an optical receiving device such as an optical fiber and a plurality of optical signal launching devices such optical sources. The multiplexing arrangement couples the receiving device to, e.g., the first ends of the optical guiding elements and couples the plurality of launching devices to, e.g., the second ends of the plurality of optical guiding elements. In this manner, the optical signals passing (e.g., at different wavelengths) from the plurality of launching optical sources are multiplexed into a composite optical signal that subsequently is coupled to the receiving device via the first ends of the optical guiding elements. The multiplexed optical signal is received by the receiving device.
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Doan Jennifer
Harman John M.
Lee John D.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
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