Optical communication arrangement

• US 6,956,995 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Corporation (SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Corporation (SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Carlisle, Clinton B., Shafaat, Syed Tariq, Hartranft, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suchecki, Krystyna
• Application Number:
  US10/232,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 385/39, 385/88, 385 92- 94, 385/33, 385/52, 385/89
• US Class Current: 385/39
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections

Abstract

An arrangement for optical communication comprises an optical coupler, an opto-electronic board, and an optical fiber. The optical fiber comprises a first refraction surface, a second refraction surface, and an internal reflector. The first refraction surface has a first finite focal length. The second refraction surface has a second finite focal length. In operation, an optical signal enters the first refraction surface, couples from the first refraction surface to the second refraction surface via the internal reflector, and exits the second refraction surface, where the optical signal defines a light path. The light path optically couples the opto-electronic board to the optical fiber.

Claims

1. An optical communication arrangement comprising:

a. an optical coupler comprising a first refraction surface having a first finite focal length, a second refraction surface having a second finite focal length, and an internal reflector such that in operation a first optical signal enters the first refraction surface, couples from the first refraction surface to the second refraction surface via the internal reflector, and exits the second refraction surface, the first optical signal thereby defining a light path;

b. an opto-electronic component optically coupled to the light path of the optical coupler; and

c. an optical fiber optically coupled to the light path of the optical coupler;

wherein;

i. the opto-electronic component comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, the opto-electronic component optically couples to the first refraction surface of the optical coupler;

ii. the optical fiber optically couples to the second refraction surface of the optical coupler;

iii. the first optical signal couples from the opto-electronic component to the optical fiber via the optical coupler;

iv. a second optical signal couples from the optical fiber to the second refraction surface, couples from the second refraction surface to the first refraction surface via the internal reflector, and couples from the first refraction surface to the opto-electronic component; and

v. the opto-electronic component further comprises a transceiver, the transceiver comprising the vertical cavity surface emitting laser and a photo-diode.

2. An optical communication arrangement comprising:

a. an optical coupler comprising an internal reflector and first through fourth refraction surfaces having first through fourth finite focal lengths, respectively;

b. a light source optically coupled to the first refraction surface of the optical coupler such that in operation the light source emits a first optical signal and further such that in operation the first optical signal enters the first refraction surface of the optical coupler, couples from the first refraction surface to the second refraction surface via the internal reflector, and exits the second refraction surface;

c. a first optical fiber optically coupled to the second refraction surface of the optical coupler such that in operation the first optical signal couples to the first optical fiber;

d. a light detector optically coupled to the third refraction surface of the optical coupler; and

e. a second optical fiber optically coupled to the fourth refraction surface of the optical coupler such that in operation the second optical fiber emits a second optical signal and further such that in operation the second optical signal enters the fourth refraction surface, couples from the fourth refraction surface to the third refraction surface via the internal reflector, exits the third refraction surface, and couples to the light detector.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the internal reflector comprises a total internal reflection surface.

4. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the internal reflector comprises a metal reflector.

5. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the internal reflector comprises a multilayer dielectric reflector.

6. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the light source comprises a laser.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein the laser comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 therein the light detector comprises a photodiode.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 further comprising an opto-electronic board, wherein the vertical cavity surface emitting laser and the photodiode mechanically couple to the opto-electronic board.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 further comprising an optical fiber connector, wherein the first and second optical fibers mechanically couple to the optical fiber connector.

11. The arrangement of claim 10 further comprising a heat sink mechanically coupled to the opto-electronic board.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein the optical coupler further comprises alignment features, the alignment features aligning the optical fiber connector to the optical coupler and aligning the optical connector to the opto-electronic board via the heat sink.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the alignment features of the optical coupler comprise an optical fiber connector mating surface, a heat sink mating surface, and a pair of first alignment holes through the optical coupler.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein the optical fiber connector comprises a pair of second alignment holes into the optical fiber connector.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the heat sink further comprises a pair of alignment pins, the pair of alignment pins extending through the pair of first alignment holes through the optical coupler and extending into the pair of second alignment holes into the optical fiber connector.

16. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein the heat sink comprises a pair of second alignment holes into the heat sink.

17. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the optical fiber connector further comprises a pair of alignment pins, the pair of alignment pins extending through the pair of first alignment holes through the optical coupler and extending into the pair of second alignment holes into the heat sink.

18. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein the optical coupler further comprises alignment features, the alignment feature aligning the optical fiber connector to the optical coupler and aligning the optical connector to the opto-electronic board.

19. An arrangement for optical communication comprising:

a. an optical coupler comprising;

i. a plurality of first refraction surfaces each having a first finite focal length and a first optical axis;

ii. an internal reflector folding the first optical axes of the plurality of first reflection surfaces, thereby forming a plurality of second optical axes;

iii. a plurality of second refraction surfaces optically aligned to the plurality of second optical axes, each second refraction surface having a second finite focal length; and

iv. a body comprising first and second alignment surfaces and first and second alignment holes;

b. a laser source optically coupled to one of the plurality of first refraction surfaces;

c. a photodiode optically coupled to another of the plurality of first refraction surfaces;

d. an opto-electronic board mechanically coupled to the laser source and the photodiode;

e. an optical fiber connector assembly comprising a plurality of optical fibers and an optical fiber connector, the plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to the plurality of second refraction surfaces, the first alignment surface and the first and second alignment holes of the optical coupler aligning the plurality of optical fibers to the plurality of second refraction surfaces via the optical fiber connector; and

f. a heat sink mechanically coupled to the opto-electronic board and the optical coupler, the second alignment surface and the first and second alignment holes of the optical coupler aligning the laser source and the photodiode to the plurality of first refraction surfaces.

20. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the internal reflector comprises a total internal reflection surface.

21. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the internal reflector comprises a metal reflector.

22. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the internal reflector comprises a multilayer dielectric reflector.

23. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the first refraction surfaces comprise aspherical refraction surfaces.

24. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the first refraction surfaces comprise spherical refraction surfaces.

25. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the second refraction surfaces comprise aspherical refraction surfaces.

26. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein the second refraction surfaces comprise spherical refraction surfaces.