Optical connector

• US 5,859,944 A
• Filed: 11/20/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyajima, Yoshiaki, Inoue, Akira, Ito, Masumi, Iwashima, Toru, Furukawa, Shin-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Application Number:
  US08/754,500
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 385/37, 385/73, 385/77, 385/78, 385/80, 385/85, 385/88, 385/60, 385/10, 385/14, 385/59, 385/71, 385/72
• US Class Current: 385/73
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02076 Refractive index modulation gratings, e.g. Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/021 characterised by the core or cladding or coating, e.g. materials, radial refractive index profiles, cladding shape
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02209 Mounting means, e.g. adhesives, casings G02B6/02171 and G02B6/02195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/243 as light absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2848 having refractive means, e.g. imaging elements between light guides as splitting, branching and/or combining devices, e.g. lenses, holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3818 of a low-reflection-loss type G02B6/3813 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3845 ferrules comprising functional elements, e.g. filters

Abstract

The optical connector according to the present invention comprises, at least, an optical filter with a waveguide structure having a grating with a predetermined reflection wavelength and a plug attached to a tip of the optical filter. The grating is disposed at a tip portion of the optical filter and accommodated in the plug attached to the tip portion of the optical filter. Further, the optical connector has various light-blocking structures for preventing unnecessary light from traveling a filter region of the optical filter including the grating.

Claims

1. An optical connector for constituting a part of a transmission line, comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of said transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprising a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a tip portion, at least one end face, and a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a plug, attached to said optical filter, defining a space for accommodating at least said tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter, wherein said tip portion of said filter containing said grating is accommodated in the space of said plug.

2. An optical connector according to claim 1, wherein said optical connector has a light-blocking structure for preventing, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated form said grating to said cladding from traveling from a filter region of said optical filter in which said grating is disposed toward said one end face of said optical filter.

3. An optical connector according to claim 2, wherein said plug includes:

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating at least a part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said tip portion, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof; and

a flange to which one end of said ferrule is attached, said flange having a hollow portion for accommodating at least a remaining part of said tip portion of said optical filter which is not accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule, and

wherein said grating is located at a predetermined position of said remaining part of said tip portion which is accommodated in said hollow portion of said flange.

4. An optical connector according to claim 3, wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter and an inner wall of said hollow portion of said flange is filled with an adhesive having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

5. An optical connector according to claim 3, wherein, in a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter and an inner wall of said hollow portion of said flange, a tubular member surrounding said filter region in a state where said optical filter penetrates therethrough is accommodated, said tubular member having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

6. An optical connector according to claim 5, wherein at least a space defined by said outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter and an inner wall of said tubular member is filled with an adhesive having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

7. An optical connector according to claim 3, wherein at least an outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter is covered with a coating which surrounds said grating.

8. An optical connector according to claim 7, wherein said coating has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

9. An optical connector according to claim 2, wherein said plug comprises a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said tip portion of said optical filter, while accommodating at least said part of said tip portion of said optical filter, and

wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

10. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein said ferrule comprises a light-transmitting material which transmits therethrough light of a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

11. An optical connector according to claim 10, wherein said light-transmitting material has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

12. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein said ferrule has a light-absorbing structure for absorbing light of a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating, said light-absorbing structure being disposed in a region where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

13. An optical connector according to claim 12, wherein said ferrule comprises a light-absorbing material which absorbs light of a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

14. An optical connector according to claim 12, wherein a light-absorbing layer including a material which absorbs light of a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating is provided on an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule.

15. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein a predetermined portion of said tip portion of said optical filter which is accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule and where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component reflected from said grating to said cladding reaches has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of a remaining portion of said tip portion of said optical filter, and

wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said predetermined portion of said tip portion of said optical filter and an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule is filled with a light-absorbing material which absorbs light of a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

16. An optical connector according to claim 15, wherein said light-absorbing material has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

17. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein said plug has a structure for restricting a light-emitting opening positioned at said one end face of said optical filter to a size smaller than the size of a cross section of said optical filter perpendicular to an optical axis of said optical filter.

18. An optical connector according to claim 17, wherein an opening of said through-hole of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating is covered with a first light-blocking member having an opening with a size smaller than that of said one end face of said optical filter.

19. An optical connector according to claim 17, wherein a first opening of said through-hole of said ferrule which is positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating has a size smaller than that of a second opening of said through-hole of said ferrule which is positioned opposite to said first opening with respect to said grating.

20. An optical connector according to claim 17, wherein a second light-blocking member having an opening with a size smaller than that of said cross section of said optical filter is attached to said one end face of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule, said second light-blocking member being provided in said through-hole of said ferrule.

21. An optical connector according to claim 17, wherein the restricted light-emitting opening of said optical filter has a diameter greater than 1.14 times that of a mode field diameter in said optical filter but smaller than an outer diameter of said cladding of said optical filter.

22. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein said ferrule has a structure for exposing a region of an outer peripheral surface of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

23. An optical connector according to claim 22, wherein said ferrule has a cutout portion extending from an outer side surface of said ferrule to said through-hole accommodating said tip portion of said optical filter or a window communicating said outer side surface of said ferrule to an inner wall of said through-hole accommodating said tip portion of said optical filter.

24. An optical connector according to claim 23, wherein the exposed region of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule is covered with a refractive-index matching material having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

25. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein said grating positioned in said through-hole of said ferrule is spaced from said one end face of said optical filter by at least 3 mm.

26. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein a region of said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of an opening of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating.

27. An optical connector according to claim 9, wherein a groove is provided in at least a region of an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

28. An optical connector according to claim 27, wherein said groove extends along a center axis of said through-hole from a first end portion of said ferrule to a second end portion opposite to said first end portion.

29. An optical connector according to claim 27, wherein said groove is provided along a circumferential direction of a cross section of said through-hole perpendicular to a center axis of said through-hole.

30. An optical connector according to claim 27, wherein said groove spirally extends about a center axis of said through-hole from a first end portion of said ferrule to a second end portion opposite to said first end portion.

31. An optical connector according to claim 27, wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule and said groove disposed in said inner wall of said through-hole is filled with a refractive-index matching material having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

32. An optical connector according to claim 27, wherein said groove is provided in at least a region of said inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating, excluding an end portion of said ferrule.

33. An optical connector according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter is substantially covered by a single material member, and a stress distribution in a longitudinal direction in said filter region is in uniform state.

34. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a plug which has a space for accommodating at least a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter, said plug including;

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof; and

a flange to which one end of said ferrule is attached, said flange having a hollow portion for accommodating at least a remaining part of said tip portion of said optical filter which is not accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule, and

wherein said grating is located at a predetermined position of said remaining part of said tip portion which is accommodated in said hollow portion of said flange.

35. An optical connector according to claim 34, wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of a filter region of said optical filter in which said grating is disposed and an inner wall of said hollow portion of said flange is filled with an adhesive having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

36. An optical connector according to claim 34, wherein, in a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of a filter region of said optical filter in which said grating is disposed and an inner wall of said hollow portion of said flange, a tubular member surrounding said filter region in a state where said optical filter penetrates therethrough is accommodated, said tubular member having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

37. An optical connector according to claim 36, wherein at least a space defined by said outer peripheral surface of said filter region of said optical filter and an inner wall of said tubular member is filled with an adhesive having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

38. An optical connector according to claim 34, wherein at least an outer peripheral surface of a filter region of said optical filter in which said grating is disposed is covered with a coating which surrounds said grating.

39. An optical connector according to claim 38, wherein said coating has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

40. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, said ferrule comprising a light-transmitting material which transmits therethrough light having a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

41. An optical connector according to claim 40, wherein said light-transmitting material has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

42. An optical connector according to claim 40, wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

43. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, said ferrule having a light-absorbing structure for absorbing light having a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating, said light-absorbing structure being disposed in a region where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

44. An optical connector according to claim 43, wherein said ferrule comprises a light-absorbing material which absorbs light having a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

45. An optical connector according to claim 44, wherein a light-absorbing layer including a material which absorbs light having a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating is provided on an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule.

46. An optical connector according to claim 43, wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

47. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof,

wherein a predetermined portion of said tip portion of said optical filter which is accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule and where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of a remaining portion of said optical filter, and

wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said predetermined portion of said tip portion and an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule is filled with a light-absorbing material which absorbs light having a wavelength corresponding to the reflection wavelength of said grating.

48. An optical connector according to claim 47, wherein said light-absorbing material has a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

49. An optical connector according to claim 47, wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

50. An optical filter comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a plug having a space for accommodating at least a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said space, said plug having a structure for restricting a light-emitting opening in said one end face of said optical filter to a size smaller than the size of a cross section of said optical filter perpendicular to an optical axis of said optical filter.

51. An optical connector according to claim 50, wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

52. An optical connector according to claim 51, wherein said plug includes a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating said part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said tip portion, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, and

wherein an opening of said through-hole of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating is covered with a first light-blocking member having an opening with a size smaller than that of said cross section of said optical filter.

53. An optical connector according to claim 51, wherein said plug includes a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating said part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said tip portion, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, and

wherein a first opening of said through-hole of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating has a size smaller than that of a second opening of said through-hole of said ferrule which is positioned opposite to said first opening with respect to said grating.

54. An optical connector according to claim 50, wherein said plug includes a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating said part of said tip portion of said optical filter and being attached to said tip portion, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, and

wherein a second light-blocking member having an opening with a size smaller than that of said cross section of said optical filter is attached to said one end face of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule, said second light-blocking member being provided in said through-hole of said ferrule.

55. An optical connector according to claim 50, wherein said plug restricts said light-emitting opening in said one end face of said optical filter to a size greater than 1.14 times that of a mode field diameter in said optical filter but smaller than an outer diameter of said cladding of said optical filter.

56. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole thereof, said ferrule having a structure for exposing a region of an outer peripheral surface of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

57. An optical connector according to claim 56, wherein said ferrule has a cutout portion extending from an outer side surface of said ferrule to said through-hole accommodating said tip portion of said optical filter or a window communicating an outer side surface of said ferrule to an inner wall of said through-hole accommodating said tip portion of said optical filter.

58. An optical connector according to claim 56, wherein the exposed region of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule is covered with a refractive-index matching material having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

59. An optical connector according to claim 56, wherein said grating is located in said through-hole of said ferrule.

60. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

an accommodating member having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole,

wherein said grating is accommodated in said through-hole of said accommodating member and is spaced from said one end face of said optical filter by at least 3 mm.

61. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole,

wherein a region of said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of an opening of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating.

62. An optical connector comprising:

an optical filter, as at least a part of a transmission line, having a waveguide structure comprised of a core having a predetermined refractive index and a cladding which covers an outer periphery of said core and has a lower refractive index than said core, said optical filter having a grating for reflecting light of a predetermined wavelength, said grating being provided at a predetermined position of said optical filter; and

a ferrule having a through-hole for accommodating a part of a tip portion of said optical filter including one end face of said optical filter and being attached to said optical filter, while accommodating said part of said tip portion in said through-hole,

wherein a groove is disposed in at least a region of an inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule where, of light to be reflected by said grating, a light component radiated from said grating to said cladding reaches.

63. An optical connector according to claim 62, wherein said groove extends along a center axis of said through-hole from a first end portion of said ferrule to a second end portion of said ferrule opposite to said first end portion.

64. An optical connector according to claim 62, wherein said groove is provided along a circumferential direction of a cross section of said through-hole perpendicular to a center axis of said through-hole.

65. An optical connector according to claim 62, wherein said groove spirally extends about a center axis of said through-hole from a first end portion of said ferrule to a second end portion of said ferrule opposite to said first end portion.

66. An optical connector according to claim 62, wherein a space defined by an outer peripheral surface of said tip portion of said optical filter accommodated in said through-hole of said ferrule and said groove provided in said inner wall of said through-hole is filled with a refractive-index matching material having a refractive index substantially the same as or higher than that of said cladding of said optical filter.

67. An optical connector according to claim 62, wherein said groove is provided at least a region of said inner wall of said through-hole of said ferrule positioned on said one end face side of said optical filter with respect to said grating, excluding an end portion of said ferrule.