Multichannel optical demultiplexer with varying angles of incidence to the light bandpass filters

• US 7,092,587 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Canada Limited (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Denis, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US10/222,467
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 385/24, 385/31, 385/42, 385/37, 385/14, 385/129, 385/130, 385/131, 385/52, 398/83, 398/84, 398/85, 398/82
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29365 in a multireflection configuration, i.e. beam following a zigzag path between filters or filtering operations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2938 for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM

Abstract

An optical demultiplexer includes a first light bandpass filter that receives an input light beam at a first angle of incidence, passes a first light wavelength, and reflects a reflected beam, and a second light bandpass filter that receives the reflected beam at a second angle of incidence and passes a second light wavelength. A beam redirection element such as a reflective surface receives the reflected beam from the first light bandpass filter and redirects the reflected beam toward the second light bandpass filter at the second angle of incidence.

Claims

1. An optical demultiplexer comprising:

a first light bandpass filter that receives an input light beam at a first angle of incidence, passes a first light wavelength, and reflects a reflected beam;

a second light bandpass filter that receives the reflected beam at a second angle of incidence and passes a second light wavelength, wherein the second angle of incidence is different from the first angle of incidence;

a beam redirection element that receives the reflected beam from the first light bandpass filter and redirects the reflected beam toward the second light bandpass filter at the second angle of incidence;

a first alignment reference surface, wherein exactly two of the first light bandpass filter, the second light bandpass filter, and the beam redirection element are positioned relative to the first alignment reference surface; and

a second alignment reference surface, wherein exactly one of the first light bandpass filter, the second light bandpass filter, and the beam redirection element is positioned relative to the second alignhment reference surface, wherein the first alighment reference surface and the second alignment reference surface are planar but not parallel to each other.

2. An optical demultiplexer comprising:

a first light bandpass filter that receives an input light beam at a first angle of incidence, passes a first light wavelength, and reflects a reflected beam;

a second light bandpass filter that receives the reflected beam at a second angle of incidence and passes a second light wavelength, wherein the second angle of incidence is different from the first angle of incidence;

a beam redirection element that receives the reflected beam from the first light bandpass filter and redirects the reflected beam toward the second light bandpass filter at the second angle of incidence;

a first alignment reference surface, wherein exactly two of the first light bandpass filter, the second light bandpass filter, and the beam redirection element is positioned relative to the second alignment reference surface, wherein both the first alignment reference surface and the second alignment reference surface are nonplanar.

3. An optical demultiplexer comprising:

a first light bandpass filter that receives an input light beam at a first angle of incidence, passes a first light wavelength, and reflects a reflected beam, wherein the first light bandpass filter comprises one of a first set of light bandpass filters, each of which passes a different wavelength of light at the first angle of incidence;

a second light bandpass filter that receives the reflected beam at a second angle of incidence and passes a second light wavelength, wherein the second angle of incidence is different from the first angle of incidence, and wherein the second light bandpass filter comprises one of a second set of light bandpass filters, each of which passes a different wavelength of light at the second angle of incidence; and

a beam redirection element that receives the reflected beam from the first light bandpass filter and redirection the reflected beam toward the second light bandpass filter at the second angle of incidence.

4. The optical demultiplexer of claim 3, wherein

the beam redirection element is a mirror disposed between the first set of light bandpass filters and the second set of light bandpass filters.

5. The optical demultiplexer of claim 3, wherein all of the first set of light bandpass filters are of the same construction, and all of the second set of light bandpass filters are of the same construction.