Optical: systems and elements – Lens – Spherical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-09-04
Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Lens
Spherical
C359S819000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285508
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beam splitting devices and, more particularly, to a beam splitting ball lens, a method for its manufacture, and an apparatus for its packaging.
2. Prior Art
Recent advances of technologies have lead to successful deployments of optics to cost-sensitive local area networking environments. To meet rapidly increasing bandwidth requirements for future multimedia computing and communications, planning for 10 Gb/s Ethernet is already underway. As technologies become gradually matured, optics will be used for even shorter data links, from inter-computer distances to intra-computer distances. Innovative, compact, and cost-effective packaging methods of optical components are actively being researched.
FIG.
1
(
a
) illustrates a conventional beam splitter
106
and method to perform image relay and split. The beam-splitter
106
is shown surrounded by two pairs of imaging lenses
102
,
104
. Out of the four possible ports
108
,
110
,
112
,
114
are two-input
108
,
114
and two-output
110
,
112
ports where input and split/combined output images are located. Such a system has been used to facilitate optical branching functions for parallel array of FIG.
1
(
a
) is bulky, not to mention potential alignment and packaging complexities resulting therefrom. Thus, conventional beam-splitters
106
do not lend themselves to packaging methods of optical components that will be needed for future multimedia computing and communications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a beam-splitting ball lens which is more compact than conventional beam-splitters.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a beam-splitting ball lens which is more easily aligned with other optical components than conventional beam-splitters.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a beam-splitting ball lens which is packaged more easily than conventional beam-splitters.
Accordingly, a beam-splitting ball lens is provided. The beam-splitting ball lens comprises: a ball lens; and a beam-splitter filter disposed within the ball lens. The ball lens preferably comprises first and second portions wherein the beam-splitter filter is disposed at a junction between the first and second portions. The beam-splitting ball lens can further comprise a mid-plane optical element disposed at the junction, such as, a wavelength selective filter, a polarization component, an amplitude modulation mask, a phase modulation mask, a hologram and/or a grating.
Also provided is a method for fabricating the beam-splitting ball lens of the present invention. The method comprises the steps of: providing a ball lens; and disposing a beam-splitter filter within the ball lens. Preferably the disposing step comprises: dividing the ball lens into first and second portions; and disposing the beam-splitter filter at a junction between the first and second portions.
Also provided is a mount for the beam-splitting ball lens of the present invention. The mount comprises a body, the body having a means to retain the beam-splitting ball lens therein. The body further having access holes for two inputs and two outputs corresponding to the two inputs. The access holes being aligned with the beam-splitter filter such that light inputted to the inputs are directed to corresponding outputs.
Also provided is an add/drop multiplexer for downloading information of a predetermined wavelength from a plurality of wavelengths. The add/drop multiplexer comprises: a ball lens; a wavelength filter disposed within the ball lens for transmitting the predetermined wavelength, and reflecting the plurality of wavelengths except for the predetermined wavelength; an input port for transmitting the plurality of wavelengths to the ball lens; an output port for transmitting the plurality of wavelengths from the ball lens; a drop port for transmitting the transmitted predetermined wavelength from the ball lens; and an add port for adding the predetermined wavelength to the reflected wavelengths. Wherein the input, output, drop, and add ports are arranged about the ball lens such that the reflected wavelengths are transmitted to the output port, the transmitted wavelength is transmitted to the drop port, and the added predetermined wavelength is transmitted to the output port
REFERENCES:
patent: 4290667 (1981-09-01), Chown
patent: 5323268 (1994-06-01), Kikuchi
Ai Jun
Chen Ray T.
Li Yao
Popelek Jan
Radiant Research Inc.
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
Sugarman Scott J.
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