Free-space optical interconnection arrangement
First Claim
1. A single substrate monolithic optical structure comprisinga plurality of optical microlenses formed on surfaces of said monolithic structure, at least one microlens includingrefractive means located on a first surface of said structure for substantially collimating light rays impinging on said first surface of said structure anddiffractive means located on a second surface of said structure for deflecting said substantially collimated light rays at a predetermined angle to said second surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diffractive and a refractive microlens component are combined into a doublet lens to obtain imaging properties that are improvements over those achievable using separate components. In one application, diffractive/refractive microlens arrays are arranged to provide a free-space optical permutation interconnect arrangement.
46 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A single substrate monolithic optical structure comprising
a plurality of optical microlenses formed on surfaces of said monolithic structure, at least one microlens including refractive means located on a first surface of said structure for substantially collimating light rays impinging on said first surface of said structure and diffractive means located on a second surface of said structure for deflecting said substantially collimated light rays at a predetermined angle to said second surface.
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5. An optical signal interconnection structure for interconnecting a plurality of external light sources with a plurality of external light destinations, said arrangement comprising
a first monolithic optical structure containing a plurality of optical microlenses, at least one microlens including refractive means located on a first surface of said structure for collimating substantially light rays received from one of said plurality of light sources on said first surface and diffractive means located on a second surface of said first structure for deflecting said collimated light rays at a predetermined angle to said second surface; - and
a second monolithic optical structure having a predetermined free-space alignment to said first structure and containing a plurality of optical microlenses, at least one microlens including diffractive means located on a first surface of said second structure for receiving said deflected collimated light rays and refractive means for focusing said received collimated light rays on one of said plurality of light destinations. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A single substrate monolithic optical structure comprising
a plurality of optical microlenses formed on surfaces of said monolithic structure, at least one microlens including refractive means located between a first and a second surface of said structure for substantially collimating light rays impinging on said first surface of said structure and diffractive means located on said second surface of said structure for deflecting said substantially collimated light rays at a predetermined angle to said second structure.
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12. An optical interconnection structure for interconnecting a plurality of external light sources with a plurality of external light destinations, said arrangement comprising
a first monolithic optical structure containing a plurality of optical microlenses, at least one microlens including refractive means located between a first and a second surface of said structure for collimating substantially light rays received from one of said plurality of light sources on said first surface and diffractive means located on said second surface of said first structure for deflecting said collimated light rays at a predetermined angle to said second surface; - and
a second monolithic optical structure having a predetermined free-space alignment to said first structure and containing a plurality of optical microlenses, at least one microlens including diffractive means located on a first surface of said second structure for receiving said deflected collimated light rays and refractive means for focusing said received collimated light rays on one of said plurality of light destinations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification