Optical fiber having tapered end and optical connector with reciprocal opening
First Claim
1. An optical assembly comprising:
- a base having a first channel and a waveguide therein, said waveguide being optically accessible through the first channel, said first channel having tapered opposing sidewalls and a horizontal first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls;
at least one optical fiber having a first end section including a tip of the fiber, said first end section having tapered opposing sidewalls extending to said tip and a planar first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls, wherein the taper of the sidewalls of the first channel matches with the taper of the sidewalls of the first end section of the optical fiber, and the first end section of the optical fiber is in the first channel so that the sidewalls of the first end section of the fiber abut the sidewalls of the channel, the first surface of the first end section of the fiber abuts the first surface of the first channel, and the tip of the fiber is positioned for optical communication with the waveguide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for connecting optical fibers to waveguides and other optical elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber is modified so as to have opposing orthogonal tapered sidewalls that taper toward a tip of the fiber. An optical connector for the fiber includes a base having a receiving section and a waveguide formed therein. The receiving section is a flared channel having opposing orthogonal tapered sidewalls and a horizontal bottom surface perpendicular to the sidewalls. The waveguide is optically accessible at a narrow inner end of the channel. The angle of taper of the sidewalls of the channel matches the angle of taper of the sidewalls of the optical fiber. When the optical fiber is inserted into the open end of the channel and is moved toward the narrow inner end of the channel, the sidewalls of the fiber and channel come into contact with each other. In addition, a bottom surface of the fiber rests on the horizontal bottom surface of the channel. The tip of the fiber is positioned adjacent to the waveguide in precise alignment along the x, y, and z axes. The optical fiber is thereby positioned for optical communication through the waveguide with another optical fiber, a light source, or a light receiving element positioned at an opposite end of the waveguide.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An optical assembly comprising:
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a base having a first channel and a waveguide therein, said waveguide being optically accessible through the first channel, said first channel having tapered opposing sidewalls and a horizontal first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls;
at least one optical fiber having a first end section including a tip of the fiber, said first end section having tapered opposing sidewalls extending to said tip and a planar first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls, wherein the taper of the sidewalls of the first channel matches with the taper of the sidewalls of the first end section of the optical fiber, and the first end section of the optical fiber is in the first channel so that the sidewalls of the first end section of the fiber abut the sidewalls of the channel, the first surface of the first end section of the fiber abuts the first surface of the first channel, and the tip of the fiber is positioned for optical communication with the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical fiber comprising:
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a core surrounded by a cladding; and
a first end section including a tip, wherein the cladding of said first end section has opposing sidewalls tapering inwardly toward the core and a planar first surface perpendicular to said sidewalls and extending from one said tapered sidewall to the opposite said tapered sidewall. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of making an optical assembly comprising:
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providing a base having a first channel and a waveguide therein, said waveguide being optically accessible through the first channel, said first channel having tapered opposing sidewalls and a planar first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls;
providing an optical fiber having a first end section including a tip of the fiber, said first end section having tapered opposing sidewalls extending to said tip and a planar first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls, wherein the taper of the sidewalls of the first channel matches with the taper of the sidewalls of the first end section of the optical fiber; and
inserting the first end section of the optical fiber into the first channel so that the sidewalls of the first end section of the fiber abut the sidewalls of the channel, the first surface of the first end section of the fiber abuts the first surface of the first channel, and the tip of the fiber is positioned for optical communication with the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An optical fiber comprising:
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a core surrounded by a cladding; and
a first end section including a tip, wherein the cladding of said first end section has opposing sidewalls tapering inwardly toward the core and a planar first surface perpendicular to the sidewalls, said first surface extending inward from said tip and from a first one of the sidewalls to the opposite sidewall. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
wherein the taper of the sidewalls of the first channel matches with the taper of the sidewalls of the first end section of the optical fiber, and the first end section of the optical fiber is in the first channel so that the opposed sidewalls of the first end section of the fiber abut the sidewalls of the channel, and the planar first surface of the first end section of the fiber abuts the planar first surface of the first channel.
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20. The optical fiber of claim 19, further comprising a cover coupled to the base, wherein the first channel of the base and the cover enclose the first end section of the optical fiber.
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21. The optical fiber of claim 19, wherein said base includes a waveguide accessible through the first channel, and said tip is disposed for optical coupling to said wave guide.
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22. The optical fiber of claim 19, wherein said first end section further comprises a planar second surface opposite said planar first surface, said planar second surface also extending inward from said tip and from the first one of the sidewalls to the opposite sidewall.
Specification