BENT OPTICAL FIBER COUPLERS AND OPTO-ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLIES FORMED THEREFROM
First Claim
1. An optical coupler comprising:
- an upper fiber alignment member having a concave surface;
a lower fiber alignment member having a convex surface and a bottom surface defining a coupler output end, wherein the lower and upper fiber alignment members are arranged to form a first fiber guide channel defining a first coupler input/output (I/O) end, and a central curve defined by said convex and concave surfaces; and
at least one optical fiber having an end portion with a proximal end face, wherein at least a portion of the at least one optical fiber is held within and supported by the first fiber guide channel so as to form a bend in the at least one optical fiber corresponding to the central curve, and to position the proximal fiber end face at or near the bottom surface of the lower fiber alignment member so as to define a second coupler I/O end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bent optical fiber coupler (100) that employs at least one optical fiber (10) is disclosed. The coupler includes a curved optical fiber guide channel (200) having a strong curve. The optical fiber(s) held within the optical fiber guide channel have a bend corresponding to the guide channel curve. The fiber end portions are optionally disposed within a straight fiber guide (160) at a coupler input/output end, which is preferably configured to have a standard connector geometry. Use of nanostructured fibers for the at least one optical fiber allows for strong bends having tight radii of curvature without imparting significant attenuation. Coupler assemblies that include the coupler optically coupled to at least one opto-electronic device (310) are also disclosed.
93 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An optical coupler comprising:
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an upper fiber alignment member having a concave surface; a lower fiber alignment member having a convex surface and a bottom surface defining a coupler output end, wherein the lower and upper fiber alignment members are arranged to form a first fiber guide channel defining a first coupler input/output (I/O) end, and a central curve defined by said convex and concave surfaces; and at least one optical fiber having an end portion with a proximal end face, wherein at least a portion of the at least one optical fiber is held within and supported by the first fiber guide channel so as to form a bend in the at least one optical fiber corresponding to the central curve, and to position the proximal fiber end face at or near the bottom surface of the lower fiber alignment member so as to define a second coupler I/O end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of forming an optical coupler comprising:
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providing at least one optical fiber having an end portion with a proximal end face; holding the at least one optical fiber between respective concave and convex surfaces of upper and lower fiber alignment guides so as to form and support a bend in the at least one optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An optical coupler comprising:
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a coupler body having a top surface, bottom surface and a central fiber guide channel formed in the top surface, the central fiber guide channel sized to accommodate a fiber ribbon and having a convex curved surface and input and output ends; an optical fiber guide formed integral with the coupler body and arranged at the channel output end of central fiber guide channel and having a plurality of holes open to the bottom surface and defining an input/output (I/O) end; a fiber ribbon comprising a plurality of optical fibers with respective end portions and proximal end faces, with the fiber ribbon disposed in the central fiber guide channel so as to have a bend, and to position end portions of the optical fibers within the fiber guide holes so that the fiber end faces are disposed at the coupler I/O end; and a clamp having a concave surface that covers the fiber ribbon within the central fiber guide channel and that serves to secure the fiber ribbon therein. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of producing an optical coupler, comprising:
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providing an optical fiber with an end portion; disposing the optical fiber in a central fiber guide channel of a coupler body so as to form a bend in the optical fiber; positioning the fiber end portion within a hole of an end fiber guide of the coupler body so that the fiber end portion extends from an end of the end fiber guide; and laser processing the fiber end portion that extends from the end of the end fiber guide to form a fiber end face. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification