WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING

• US 20110182586A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Oplink Communications, LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ji, Guijun, Sun, Yanlin
• Granted Patent: US 9,057,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/88
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2937 In line lens-filtering-lens devices, i.e. elements arranged along a line and mountable in a cylindrical package for compactness, e.g. 3- port device with GRIN lenses sandwiching a single filter operating at normal incidence in a tubular package
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2938 for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Technologies relating to wavelength division multiplexing are provided. In one implementation, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler is provided. The WDM coupler includes an input block including a first tube, the first tube holding an input dual fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding an input fiber and a reflection fiber, a center block including a center tube holding a first inner tube and a second inner tube, the first inner tube holding a first lens within the first inner tube and the second inner tube holding a second lens within the second inner tube, the center block further including a WDM filter positioned between the first lens and the second lens and secured to the end surface of the first inner tube, and an output block including a second tube holding an output single fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding a transmission fiber.

Claims

1. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler comprising:

an input block including a first tube, the first tube holding an input dual fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding an input fiber and a reflection fiber;

a center block including a center tube holding a first inner tube and a second inner tube, the first inner tube holding a first lens within the first inner tube and the second inner tube holding a second lens within the second inner tube, the center block further including a WDM filter positioned between the first lens and the second lens and secured to the end surface of the first or second inner tube; and

an output block including a second tube holding an output single fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding a transmission fiber,

where the coupler inputs a signal from the input fiber, and outputs the transmitted signal through the transmission fiber and the reflected signal through the reflection fiber.

2. The coupler of claim 1, where the input capillary, the output capillary, the first lens, and the second lens have different rotational orientations about an optical axis.

3. The coupler of claim 1, where the first and second lenses are selected from a group consisting of C-lens, GRIN lens, D-lens, and lenses geometrically configured to fit within the lens holding inner tube.

4. The coupler of claim 1, where the WDM filter includes a first side including one or more film coatings and a second side and where the first or second side of the WDM filter is secured to the end surface of the first inner tube.

5. The coupler of claim 4, the center block further comprising an optical component coupled between the WDM filter and the second inner tube.

6. The coupler of claim 1, where the WDM filter includes a first side including one or more film coatings and a second side and where the first or second side of the WDM filter is secured to the end surface of the second inner tube.

7. The coupler of claim 6, the center block further comprising an optical component coupled between the first inner tube and the WDM filter.

8. The coupler of claim 5, where the optical component is a second WDM filter.

9. The coupler of claim 5, where the optical component is an optical isolator.

10. The coupler of claim 1, where the first lens or second lens includes an angle-polished flat surface.

11. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler, comprising:

an input block including a first tube, the first tube holding an input dual fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding an input fiber and a reflection fiber;

a center block including a center tube holding a first lens, a second lens, and a filter assembly, the filter assembly including an inner tube and a WDM filter where the WDM filter is secured to an end surface of the inner tube, the filter assembly positioned between the first lens and the second lens; and

an output block including a second tube holding an output single fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding a transmission fiber.

12. The coupler of claim 11, where the input capillary, the output capillary, the first lens, and the second lens have different rotational orientations about an optical axis.

13. The coupler of claim 11, where the first lens, the second lens, and the filter assembly are positioned in the center tube without contacting each other.

14. The couple of claim 11, the filter assembly further comprising an optical component.

15. The coupler of claim 14, where the optical component is a second WDM filter.

16. The coupler of claim 14, where the optical component is an optical isolator.

17. The coupler of claim 11, where the first and second lenses include an angle-polished flat surface.

18. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler comprising an input capillary and an output capillary, where the input capillary holds a plurality of input and reflection fibers, and the output capillary holds a plurality of transmission fibers.

19. The coupler of claim 18, where each set of input, reflection, and output fibers are in separate planes.

20. The coupler of claim 18, where all fibers are substantially in the same plane.

21. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler comprising an input capillary and an output capillary, where the input capillary holds first and second input fibers and first and second reflection fibers, and the output capillary holds first and second transmission fibers.

22. The coupler of claim 21, where a first input fiber and a first reflection fiber are in a first plane, and a second input fiber and a second reflection fiber are in a second plane where the first plane is substantially perpendicular to the second plane.

23. The coupler of claim 22, where the first transmission fiber is in a first plane and the second transmission fiber is in a second plane where the first plane is substantially perpendicular to the second plane.

24. The coupler of claim 21, where all fibers are substantially in the same plane.

25. A method comprising:

positioning a first lens within a first tube;

positioning a second lens within a second tube;

securing a filter to an end surface of the first tube or the second tube; and

positioning the first tube and the second tube within a center tube including adjusting the relative positions of the first tube and the second tube, the adjusting including rotating the position of the first tube and the second tube to distinct orientations relative to an optical axis.