Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Particular coupling structure
Patent
1995-06-07
1999-07-20
Lee, John D.
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Particular coupling structure
385 52, 385 15, G02B 630
Patent
active
059265949
ABSTRACT:
An input optical fiber (22), an output optical fiber (24, 26) and a waveguide (14) in an integrated optic chip (IOC) (12) intermediate the fibers are coupled together using service and alignment robots (42; 48, 50, 52). The service robot (42) establishes the three dimensional position of the waveguide. The alignment robots (48, 50, 52) three dimensionally and angularly align the input and output fibers respectively to the input and output legs (16; 18, 20) of the waveguide. An adhesive applying tool (46) coupled with the service robot adheres the input and output fibers respectively to their waveguide input and output legs. Included are specifics for an optical fiber clamp (110) capable of maintaining the orientation of a fiber while it is moved to another location, a vacuum holder (210) for holding and rotating an optical fiber for polarization purposes, goniometer mapping and positioning of an optical fiber with respect to the pivotal axis of the goniometer (324), initial light launching of an optical fiber to a waveguide using the fiber (422) in its cladding mode, planar and angular position alignment of optical fibers to optical waveguides, an alignment procedure for establishing a gap between waveguides, and attaching optical waveguides together.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4744619 (1988-05-01), Cameron
patent: 4836645 (1989-06-01), Lefevre et al.
patent: 4976506 (1990-12-01), Pavlath
patent: 5107535 (1992-04-01), Hakogi
patent: 5278934 (1994-01-01), Jordan
patent: 5317452 (1994-05-01), Prentiss et al.
patent: 5381494 (1995-01-01), O'Donnell et al.
patent: 5604832 (1997-02-01), Hall et al.
Journal of Optical Communications, vol. 10, No. 2, Jun. 1989, pp. 54-55, Bahadori et al.: "Automated Fiber-Waveguide Array Alignment".
IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 6, No. 6, Jun. 1994, New York, US, pp. 728-729 Caponio et al.: "A Simple Angular Alignment Technique for a Polarization-Maintaining-Fiber".
N.E.C. Research and Development, No. 60, Jan. 1981, Tokyo, Japan, pp. 15-18, Naruse et al.: "Automatic Optical Axes Manipulating System for Optical Fiber Communication Devices".
Applied Optics, vol. 23, No. 15, Aug. 1, 1984, Washington, US, pp. 2643-2648, Fujise et al.: "Core Alignments by a Simple Local Monitoring Method".
Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 17, No. 2, Feb. 1987, New York, US, pp. 264-266, Zolotov et al.: "Rigid Contact Between a Channel LiNbO.sub.3 :Ti Waveguide and Single-Mode Fiber Waveguides".
Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. LT-5, No. 12, Dec. 1987, New York, US, pp. 1716-1720, Yamada et al.: "Single-Mode Optical Fiber Connection to High-Silica Waveguide with Fiber Guiding Groove".
United Technologies Photonics, Bloomfield, CT, Data Sheet (4 pages), Mar. 1993: "APE.TM. Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG) Circuit".
Photonics Spectra, Aug. 1994, p. 126, referencing (1) a Melles Griot "NanoTrak.TM. Automatic Fiber Alignment" (see sheet attached to cited document) and (2) a Newport Corporation "AutoAlign.TM. Positioning System" and its patent 5,278,934 (referenced above and submitted herewith).
The 1994 Newport Catalog, No Month 1994, Title page, page with "Certificate No.: FM 27207," pp. 3.20 and 6.16-6.18, and "Ordering Information" page.
Publication "Nanopositioning Guide" of Melles Griot Inc., No Month 1993, front cover, backside of front cover, pp. D.7-1 through D.7-10 relating to "NanoTrak.TM. Autoalignment" and back cover.
Abbink Henry C.
Choi Youngmin A.
Council Clifton T.
Council Thomas G.
Hatch Richard D.
Kang Ellen E.
Lee John D.
Litton Systems Inc.
Sternfels Lewis B.
LandOfFree
System and method for aligning and attaching optical fibers to o does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for aligning and attaching optical fibers to o, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for aligning and attaching optical fibers to o will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1329742