Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Particular coupling structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-09
2003-02-11
Ullah, Akm E. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Particular coupling structure
C385S039000, C385S114000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06519393
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improved optical waveguide devices capable of being coupled with each other through matching slots on each device. The incorporation of a mirror or a partially reflective surface within the device facilitates cascading the device with other waveguide structures to form an optical bus structure. The instant invention also relates to methods of making such optical devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Optical communication systems offer several advantages over other wire-based communication systems for transmitting messages. These advantages include greatly increased bandwidth and channel capacity of communication and the ability to use lower cost, smaller, lighter weight materials compared to large, heavy, expensive copper cables.
As the development of optical circuits proceeded, it became necessary to have optical waveguide devices which could couple, divide, switch and modulate the optical waves from one optical fiber to another, or from one waveguide device to another. For example devices see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,689,264, 4,609,252 and 4,637,681.
Connecting optical devices to one another has traditionally been a problem. One method is to fuse or melt fibers or other waveguide configurations, for example, together so that light from one fiber or waveguide can pass to the connected fibers or waveguides. However, in such a fusion process it is difficult to control the extent of fusion and the exact geometry and reproducibility of the final structure. Significant loss of signal can result.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,620 teaches a method of fabricating buried waveguides in a laminated multi-layered polymer structure, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,495 discloses optical waveguide connectors for coupling light signals between multiple waveguides in one or more stacked planar multilayer polymer waveguide structures using the fabrication method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,620.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,681 utilizes matching slots, symmetrically disposed around waveguides formed in a generally planar multilayer polymer structure to precisely couple waveguides to optical devices, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is directed to improved optical waveguide devices of the type capable of being coupled with each other through matching slots on each device. In each embodiment of the present invention the optical waveguide device preferably comprises a laminate of a middle photopolymer layer containing a waveguide, and at least one pair of external photopolymer layers each having the same thickness.
A first embodiment comprises a twisted multi-ribbon waveguide connector assembly having slots for connection to a corresponding slotted waveguide device. In the first embodiment multiple parallel waveguides are formed in a laminated multi-layer planar structure and slots are ablated symmetrically about one end of each waveguide. The multi-layer planar waveguide structure is then slit into individual ribbons in the vicinity of the slotted ends to form a first group of ribbons, so that each ribbon contains at least one waveguide. The slotted end of each ribbon is then twisted ninety degrees and inserted into a cavity in a housing, such that each slotted end protrudes out of the housing, to form an optical connector. Each ribbon is attached to the housing by suitable attachment means. A photo-curable adhesive or a molding resin is preferably injected into the cavity of the housing and cured. Alternatively, the housing may be configured to clamp the slotted ends of the ribbons in place in the housing. The spacing of the slotted ends in the connector is chosen to match the spacing of corresponding slotted waveguide ends in a second connector having a group of waveguides that are arranged in a generally planar array. The slotted ends of the first group of waveguides in the optical connector may then be joined to the corresponding slotted ends of waveguides of the second group. The corresponding slotted ends facilitate the alignment of the waveguides of the first group with the waveguides of the second group.
More particularly, this first embodiment of the invention pertains to a first slotted optical waveguide device comprising an interior portion and a first plurality of exterior ribbon portions, each ribbon having a central axis therethrough and containing a waveguide along the ribbon axis, the ribbon being adaptable to be connected to a second slotted optical waveguide device, each ribbon portion of the first device comprising: a terminal edge; a first pair of opposite external surfaces, substantially parallel to each other, and extending away from the terminal edge; and a waveguide positioned equidistantly between the first pair of the opposite external surfaces, the waveguide having an end point and a center axis, the center axis coinciding with the central axis of the ribbon, the center axis forming a substantially right angle to the terminal edge; the ribbon also having a thickness, and a through-slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the waveguide, the through-slot starting at the terminal edge and extending adequately within the ribbon as to meet the end of the waveguide, the through-slot having a width, and a center axis coinciding with the center axis of the waveguide, the through-slot confined by a second pair of opposite side surfaces, substantially parallel to each other and to the center axis of the waveguide, and substantially perpendicular to the first pair of surfaces with the requirement that the width of the through-slot is not excessively smaller than the thickness of the second matching optical waveguide device; and an internal surface meeting with and being substantially perpendicular to the first and the second pairs of surfaces, the internal surface having a center point, the center point coinciding with the end of the waveguide, the terminal edge end of the ribbon being twisted substantially ninety degrees from the interior portion so that when the through-slot of the optical waveguide device is coupled with a similar slot of the second device, wherein the slots of the second device lie in a common plane (i.e., not twisted), the ends of the respective waveguides come in contact, and the center axes of the waveguides substantially coincide.
Preferably, the width of the through-slot is adequately smaller than the thickness of the device, so that when the optical waveguide device is connected to a similar device through coupling of their respective through-slots, a tight and secure fit is created.
A second embodiment of the waveguide device of the present invention is a waveguide connector assembly, arranged for coupling both to a second waveguide device and to a third waveguide device. In the second embodiment a waveguide is formed in a laminated multi-layer planar structure which is generally rectangular in shape, the waveguide being comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments being disposed substantially orthogonal to each other.
The first waveguide segment has a first terminal end and a second interior end, the second segment has a first terminal end and a second interior end. A central mirror is positioned so that light from the interior end of the first waveguide segment is reflected into interior end of the second waveguide segment. A slot cavity is formed in a central region of the device, preferably by ablation, the cavity being positioned so that a first planar surface of the cavity intersects each of the two waveguide segments at an acute angle, preferably at about a forty five degree angle. A mirror may be inserted into the cavity at the surface of the cavity that intersects the waveguides. Alternatively the surface of the cavity that intersects the waveguides may be coated with a suitable material to form a mirror. Each terminal end of the waveguide segments is slotted, the slotted ends being disposed substantially orthogonal to each other.
The s
Booth Bruce Lee
Furmanak Robert J.
Ryan Danahey
Lin Tina M
Ullah Akm E.
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