Dual refraction index collimator for an optical switch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an array of two or more optical fibers having an output;
a spacer coupled with at least one of the two or more optical fibers to receive a light beam from the output of at least one of the optical fibers having a first refraction index; and
an array of two or more lenses coupled with the spacer and having an input to receive the light beam from the spacer and an output to output the light beam, said two or more lens having a second refraction index.
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising an optical fiber array, a spacer to receive a light beam from the optical fiber array, and a lens array having an input to receive the light beam from the spacer and an output to output the light beam is disclosed. The spacer has a first refraction index and the lens has a second refraction index.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an array of two or more optical fibers having an output;
a spacer coupled with at least one of the two or more optical fibers to receive a light beam from the output of at least one of the optical fibers having a first refraction index; and
an array of two or more lenses coupled with the spacer and having an input to receive the light beam from the spacer and an output to output the light beam, said two or more lens having a second refraction index. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
an epoxy between the optical fiber and the spacer.
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6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the epoxy has a refraction index that approximately matches the refraction index of the spacer.
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7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens array comprises silicon, Callium Arsenide, Indium Phosphide, Fused silicon, high index glass, epoxy, and photoresist.
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8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first refraction index of the spacer is approximately the same as the effective refractive index of the optical fiber.
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9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises glass.
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10. An optical switch comprising:
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an input port having an array of bi-directional optical fibers;
a spacer coupled with the optical fibers to receive light beams, the first array of optical fiber input ports having a first refraction index;
a first array of lenses coupled with the spacer to collimate the light beams from the spacer, said lens having a second refraction index;
a second array of lenses to collimate the light beams from the first array of lenses;
an output port having an array of bi-directional optical fibers to receive the light beams from the second array of lenses; and
a plurality of mirrors to optically connect an optical fiber in the input port to an optical fiber in the output port. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An optical switch comprising:
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an input port having an array of bi-directional optical fibers;
a spacer to receive light beams the first array of optical fiber input ports having a first refraction index;
a first array of silicon lenses to collimate the light beams from the spacer, said lens having a second refraction index;
a second array of silicon lenses to collimate the light beams from the first array of lenses;
an output port having an array of bi-directional optical fibers to receive the light beams from the second array of lenses; and
a plurality of mirrors to optically connect an optical fiber in the input port to an optical fiber in the output port. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first optical fiber having a first index of refraction;
a first spacer coupled with the first optical fiber, the spacer having a second index of refraction approximately equal to the first index of refraction of the first optical fiber; and
a first lens coupled with the first spacer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
a second optical fiber having the first index of refraction and disposed in a fiber array with the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber coupled with the first spacer; and
a second lens disposed in a lens array with the first lens, the second lens coupled with the first spacer.
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26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second lenses have a third index of refraction higher than the first index of refraction of the first and second optical fibers.
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27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are each coupled to the first spacer at an angle.
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28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the angle is non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal direction of travel of light beams in the first and second fibers.
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29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first and second lenses have a third index of refraction higher than the first index of refraction of the first and second optical fibers.
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30. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
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a second optical fiber having the first index of refraction and disposed in a fiber array with the first optical fiber;
a second spacer coupled with the second optical fiber, the second spacer having the second index of refraction; and
a second lens disposed in a lens array with the first lens, the second lens coupled with the second spacer.
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31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first and second lenses have a third index of refraction higher than the first index of refraction of the first and second optical fibers.
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32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first and second optical fibers are coupled to the first and second spacers, respectively, at an angle.
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33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the angle is non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal direction of travel of light beams in the first and second fibers.
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34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the first and second lenses have a third index of refraction higher than the first index of refraction of the first and second optical fibers.
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35. An apparatus, comprising:
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an optical fiber;
a lens; and
first means for outputting light from the optical fiber to the lens without a significant amount of back reflection of light into the optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification