Variable optical attenuator with MEMS devices

• US 6,915,061 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oplink Communications
• Original Assignee: Oplink Communications
• Inventors: Wang, Wenhui, Li, Wei-Zhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL SHAMMAA, MARY A
• Application Number:
  US10/407,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20040091229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16, 385/18, 385/31, 385/32, 385/33, 385/36, 385/140
• US Class Current: 385/140
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/266 the optical element being an attenuator

Abstract

A variable optical attenuator includes a first lens, a MEMS device, a second lens, and a wedge. The first lens is configured to collimate an input light received on a first port and focus an output light on a focus point proximate to a second port. The MEMS device includes a reflection surface having a tilting angle thereof controllable by a control variable. The second lens has a focus point positioned proximate to the reflection surface of the MEMS device. The wedge is positioned between the first lens and the second lens and is configured to refract the input light received from the first lens to enter the second lens and refract the output light received from the second lens to enter the first lens.

Claims

1. A variable optical attenuator comprising:

a first lens configured to collimate an input light received on a first port and focus an output light on a focus point proximate to a second port;

a MEMS device including a reflection surface having a tilting angle thereof controllable by a control variable, the MEMS device being operable to variably attenuate an amount of light exiting the variable optical attenuator including adjusting the tilting angle;

a second lens having a focus point positioned proximate to the reflection surface of the MEMS device; and

a wedge positioned between the first lens and the second lens and configured to refract the input light received from the first lens to enter the second lens and refract the output light received from the second lens to enter the first lens.

2. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the first port receives an end of an input fiber and the second port receives an end of an output fiber.

3. The variable optical attenuator of claim 2 further comprising a holder for holding the input fiber and the output fiber.

4. The variable optical attenuator of claim 3 wherein the holder is a capillary.

5. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the reflection surface of the MEMS device is configurable to be in a first position such that substantially all of the output light from the first lens enters the second port.

6. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the reflection surface of the MEMS device is configurable to be in a second position such that part of the output light from the first lens enters the second port.

7. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the first lens is a GRIN lens.

8. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the second lens is a GRIN lens.

9. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the first lens having a focus length selected to optimize an attenuation curve.

10. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the second lens having a focus length selected to optimize an attenuation curve.

11. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the tilting angle of the reflection surface on the MEMS device is controllable by a voltage.

12. The variable optical attenuator of claim 1 wherein the tilting angle of the reflection surface on the MEMS device is controllable by a current.

13. A method for manufacturing a variable optical attenuator comprising:

configuring a first lens to collimate an input light exiting from a first port and focus an output light on a focus point proximate to a second port;

providing a MEMS device that includes a reflection surface having a tilting angle thereof controllable by a control variable, the MEMS device being operable to variably attenuate an amount of light exiting the variable optical attenuator including adjusting the tilting angle;

configuring a second lens to have a focus point thereof positioned proximate to the reflection surface of the MEMS device; and

positioning a wedge between the first lens and the second lens; and

configuring the wedge to refract the input light received from the first lens to enter the second lens and refract the output light received from the second lens to enter the first lens.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising positioning the end of an input fiber as a first port and positioning the end of an output fiber as a second port.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising configuring a holder to hold the input fiber and the output fiber.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of configuring a holder includes configuring a capillary to hold the input fiber and the output fiber.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising configuring the reflection surface of the MEMS device operable in a first position such that substantially all of the output light from the first lens enters the second port.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising configuring the reflection surface of the MEMS device operable in a second position such that a portion of the output light from the first lens enters the second port.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a GRIN lens as the first lens.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a (GRIN lens as the second lens.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a focus length of the first lens to optimize an attenuation curve.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a focus length of the second lens to optimize an attenuation curve.

23. A method for changing an attenuation of light traveling from a first port to a second port in a variable optical attenuator, the method comprising:

providing a MEMS device that includes a reflection surface having a tilting angle thereof controllable by a control variable;

collimating an input light received from the first port;

refracting the input light after collimating the input light;

focusing the input light on the reflection surface of the MEMS device after refracting the input light;

reflecting an attenuated amount of the input light with the MEMS device as the output light including adjusting the tilting angle, the attenuation being a ratio between a power of the output light in a second port and a power of an input light in the first port;

collimating the output light received from the MEMS device;

refracting the output light after collimating the output light; and

focusing the output light on a focus point proximate to the second port after refracting the output light.

24. The method of claim 23 farther comprising configuring the reflection surface of the MEMS device in a first position such that substantially all of the output light enters the second port after focusing the output light on a focus point proximate to the second port.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising configuring the reflection surface of the MEMS device in a second position such that a portion of the output light enters the second port after focusing the output light on a focus point proximate to the second port.