Optomechanical components for use as optical interconnects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical component for use as a modular building block in an optical network including a plurality of optical components, the optical component comprising:
- at least one prism-shaped element of a material that is optically transparent and amenable to being shaped to a high degree of accuracy and including a pair of substantially similar input and output surfaces and a third surface, at least one of the input and output surfaces including a central inset opening; and
a combination of female and male mating means, separate from said central inset opening, provided on one or more of the surfaces of each prism-shaped element to permit the coupling together with a high degree of alignment of each prism-shaped element with at least one other said prism-shaped element such that light may be accurately directed between the at least one prism-shaped element and at least one other coupled prism-shaped element.
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Abstract
Optical components that are designed to be coupled together in modular fashion to form an optical network. The components are shaped so that a plurality of components can be coupled together to form a light cube. The components are provided with mating means to permit easy coupling. The preferred form of component is a right-angled triangular prism that can be coupled together with a similar prism to form a cube.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An optical component for use as a modular building block in an optical network including a plurality of optical components, the optical component comprising:
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at least one prism-shaped element of a material that is optically transparent and amenable to being shaped to a high degree of accuracy and including a pair of substantially similar input and output surfaces and a third surface, at least one of the input and output surfaces including a central inset opening; and a combination of female and male mating means, separate from said central inset opening, provided on one or more of the surfaces of each prism-shaped element to permit the coupling together with a high degree of alignment of each prism-shaped element with at least one other said prism-shaped element such that light may be accurately directed between the at least one prism-shaped element and at least one other coupled prism-shaped element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical network comprising:
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a plurality of prism-shaped elements of a material that is optically transparent and amenable to being shaped to a high degree of accuracy and each of said elements including a pair of substantially similar input and output surfaces and a third surface, at least one of the input and output surfaces including a central inset opening; and each of said elements having a combination of female and male mating means, separate from said central inset opening provided on one or more of the surfaces for coupling together said plurality of elements with a high degree of alignment such that light may be accurately directed between coupled prism-shaped elements. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An optical component for use as a modular building block in an optical network including a plurality of said optical components, the optical component comprising:
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at least one prism-shaped element of a material that is optically transparent and amenable to being shaped to a high degree of accuracy and including a pair of substantially similar input and output surfaces and a third surface, at least one of the input and output surfaces including a central inset opening, wherein at least one of the input and output surfaces includes in the inset an array of microlenses focused to the third surface; and a combination of female and male mating means provided on one or more of the surfaces of each prism-shaped element to permit the coupling together with a high degree of alignment of each prism-shaped element with at least one other said prism-shaped element. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification