Optical fiber wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer

• US 6,160,933 A
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Highwave Optical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Laude, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Application Number:
  US09/100,242
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 385/24, 385/31-36, 385/39, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2931 Diffractive element operating in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2938 for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM

Abstract

An optic fiber wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer comprising a dispersing system (1) exhibiting a dispersing plane, at least one input fiber (2) with an output face, at least one output fiber (3) with an input face, and a device (4) for optic matching of the output face of the input fiber with the input face of the output fiber. The dispersing system and the matching means form an optic system with multiple transversal focuses (6) in the dispersing plane.

Claims

1. An optic fiber wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer comprising a dispersing system (1) exhibiting a dispersing plane, at least one input fiber (2) with an output face, at least one output fiber (3) with an input face, means (4) for optic matching of the output face of the input fiber with the input face of the output fiber,

characterized in that the dispersing system and the matching means form an optic system with multiple transversal focuses (6) in the dispersing plane.

2. An optic fiber wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a partial mirror (M₂) placed in front of a complete mirror (M₁).

3. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 2, characterized in that the partial mirror (M₂) is a skylight mirror.

4. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 2, characterized in that the partial mirror (M₂) is a partially reflecting mirror, uniformly over its whole surface.

5. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to any of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the partial mirror (M₂) and the complete mirror (M₁) are spherical mirrors, of the same focus, offset in relation to one another, transversally with respect to their optic axes.

6. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to any of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the partial mirror (M₂) and the complete mirror (M₁) are spherical mirrors, of the same focus, whereas the optic axis of one of them forms a small angle α

with the optic axis of the other.

7. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an optic element with multiple transversal focuses co-operating in transmission.

8. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 7, characterized in that this optic element is a lens (4) with multiple transversal focuses.

9. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 7, characterized in that this optic element is semi-prismatic (p₁).

10. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a multiple step network.

11. A multiplexer-demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a variable step network.