X-cube integrated solid optics component

Details X-cube integrated solid optics component X-cube integrated solid optics component

2000-02-29

2002-03-26

Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2872)

Optical waveguides

With optical coupler

Input/output coupler

C385S025000, C385S018000, C359S199200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06363186

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an X-cube integrated solid optics component, and more particularly pertains to an X-cube integrated solid optics component which comprises an assembly of four right-angle roof-top prisms positioned with the apex of each roof-top prism at the center of the assembly. The assembly defines two mutually orthogonal and intersecting internal planes which intersect at the center of assembly to form four sections of the intersecting internal planes. The four plane sections form up to four or more primary optical channel paths having up to four or more potential inputs I
AI
, I
BI
, I
CI
, I
DI
and four or more potential outputs I
AO
, I
BO
, I
CO
, and I
DO
, and the outputs depend upon functionalities provided by the four sections of the intersecting internal planes.
Concepts of space-filling solid optics have been introduced in the past few years to address packaging concerns of opto-electronic systems [M. P. Schamschula, H. J. Caulfield, and A. Brown, “Space filling modular optics,” Opt. Lett., 19 (1994) 689-691; M. P. Schamschula, P. Reardon, H. J. Caulfield, C. F. Hester, “Regular geometries for folded optical modules,” Appl. Opt. 34 (1995) 816-827; J. Jahns, “Planar packaging of free-space optical interconnection,” Proc. IEEE, 82 (1994) 1623-1631]. Instead of having to use separate mountings for various discrete optical components, solid optics modules integrate these components together to form a single compact unit.
The present invention concerns a new type of solid optics module, an X-cube, for effective beam splitting and optical filtering. Such beam splitting and filtering functions are becoming integral parts of future local optical interconnections using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) techniques. In fact, as technology migrates from 1 Gb/s Ethernet to 10-Gb/s Ethernet environments in the near future, methods for handling 4×2.5 Gb/s WDM channels are actively being researched [H. Nakano, S. Tsuji, S. Sasaki, K. Uomi, and K. Yamashita, “10-Gb/s, 4-channel WDM fiber transmission using semiconductor optical amplifier modules”, IEEE J. Lightwave Tech., 11 (1993) 612-618]. Four-channel fiber-based optically functional components and devices will become an active research and development area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an X-cube integrated solid optics component for optical beam splitting and/or optical filtering. The X-cube component comprises an assembly of four right-angle roof-top prisms positioned with the apex of each roof-top prism at the center of the assembly, such that the assembly defines two mutually orthogonal and intersecting internal planes which intersect at the center of assembly, to form four sections of the intersecting internal planes. The four plane sections form up to four or more primary optical channel paths having up to four or more potential inputs I
AI
, I
BI
, I
CI
, and I
DI
and four or more potential outputs I
AO
, I
BO
, I
CO
and I
DO
, and the outputs depend upon functionalities provided by the four sections of the intersecting internal planes.
Denoting intensity transmission coefficients which can be functionally static or dynamic with respect to time, of the four sections of the intersecting internal planes as t
a
, t
b
, t
c
, and t
d
and assuming ideal lossless conditions at the intersecting internal planes, the integrated solid optical module defines the following set of input-output relations,
I
AO
=I
AI
(1−t
a
)(1−t
d
)+I
BI
t
a
(1−t
d
)+I
CI
t
c
t
d
+I
DI
(1−t
c
)t
d
I
BO
=I
AI
t
a
(1−t
b
)+I
BI
(1−t
a
)(1−t
b
)+I
cI
(1−t
c
)t
b
+I
DI
t
c
t
b
I
CO
=I
AI
t
a
t
b
+I
BI
(1−t
a
)t
b
+I
CI
(1−t
c
)(1−t
b
)+I
DI
t
c
(1−t
b
)
I
DO
=I
AI
(1−t
a
)t
d
+I
BI
t
a
t
d
+I
CI
t
c
(1−t
d
)+I
DI
(1−t
c
)(1−t
d
)
Depending upon the transmission coefficients, the X-cube component and the four outputs are used for different applications.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6018418 (2000-01-01), Pan
patent: 6019474 (2000-02-01), Doany
patent: 6097544 (2000-08-01), Edinger
patent: 6275312 (2001-08-01), Derks
patent: 05-27136 (1993-05-01), None
M.P. Schamschula et al., “Space filling modular optics”, Optics Letters, 19 (1994) 689-691.
M.P. Schamschula et al., “Regular geometries for folded optical module, ” Applied Optics 34 (1995) 816-827.
J. Jahns, “Planar packaging of free-space optical interconnections,” Proc. IEEE, 82 (1994) 1623-1631.
H Nakano et al., 10-Gb/s, 4-channel WDM fiber transmission using semiconductor optical amplifier modules, IEEE J. Lightwave Tech., 11 (1993) 612-618.
Y. Tachikawa et al., “Lightwave transrouter based on array-waveguide grating multiplexer, ” Electronic Letter, 30(1994) 1504-1506.
K.-P. Ho et al., “Eight-channel bi-directional WDM add/drop multiplexer, ” Electronic Letter, 34 (1998) 947-948.

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