Fiber optics couplers

Claim 1

An optical demultiplexer comprising: a first spherical reflective surface having a focal plane containing the centre of curvature of the first spherical reflective surface; a first optical port located in the said focal plane; and a second optical port located in the focal plane such that the said centre of curvature is on the straight line joining the first and second ports and is equidistant from each is characterised in that a second spherical reflective surface (315) is disposed between the first spherical reflective surface (313) and the said focal plane, the second spherical reflective surface (315) having its centre of curvature located in the said focal plane, and a third optical port (325a) is located in the said focal plane such that the centre of curvature of the second spherical reflective surface (315) is located on the straight line joining the first (325b) and third (325a) ports and is equidistant from each, the second spherical reflective surface being dichroic so that light will be reflected from the first port (325b) to the third port (325a) only if it is of a wavelength (21) reflected by the second spherical reflective surface (315).

Claim 3

A device for permitting multiple optical signals of differing wavelengths to be transmitted simultaneously in a first optical path and to be transmitted separately in at least second and third optical paths comprising: means defining a first spherical reflective surface characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane; first position defining means for registering an end of a first optical fiber to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of a second optical fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a first radial axis and displaced equal distance from said first radial axis such that the center of curvature of said first spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that light at said first location is imaged by said first spherical reflective surface at said second location; means defining a second spherical reflective surface disposed between said first spherical reflective surface and said first location, said second spherical reflective surface defining means having the properties that a point source of light within a ) first selected wavelength range and in said focal plane is imaged by a dichroic medium in said focal plane, and that a point source of light outside of said selected wavelength range and in said focal plane passes through said second spherical reflective surface defining means and is imaged in said focal plane by said first spherical reflective surface defining means; third position defining means for registering an end of a third optical fiber to a third location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and third locations being on opposite sides of a second radial axis and displaced equal distance from said second radial axis such that the center of curvature of said second spherical reflective surface lies in a straight line between said first and third locations, whereby said third location is optically complementary to said third location so that light at said first location is imaged by said second spherical reflective surface at said third location; and optically transparent means disposed between said first spherical reflective surface and said second spherical reflective surface for maintaining alignment of said first reflective surface, said second reflective surface and said first, second and third locations.

Claim 4

A device for permitting multiple optical signals of differing wavelengths to be transmitted simultaneously in a first optical path and to be transmitted separately in at least second and third optical paths comprising: means defining a first spherical reflective surface characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane; first position defining means for registering an end of a first optical fiber to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of a second optical fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a first radial axis and displaced equal distance from said first radial axis such that the center of curvature of said first spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that light at said first location is imaged by said first spherical reflective surface at said second location; means defining a second spherical reflective surface disposed between said first spherical reflective surface and said first location, said second spherical reflective surface defining means having the properties that a point source of light within a ) first selected wavelength range and in said focal plane is imaged by a dichroic medium in said focal plane, and that a point source of light outside of said selected wavelength range and in said focal plane passes through said second spherical reflective surface defining means and is imaged in said focal plane by said first spherical reflective surface defining means; third position defining means for registering an end of a third optical fiber to a third location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and third locations being on opposite sides of a second radial axis and displaced equal distance from said second radial axis such that the center of curvature of said second spherical reflective surface lies in a straight line between said first and third locations, whereby said third location is optically complementary to said third location so that light at said first location is imaged by said second spherical reflective surface at said third location; and optically transparent means disposed between said first spherical reflective surface and said second spherical reflective surface for maintaining alignment of said first reflective surface, said second reflective surface and said first, second and third locations.

Claim 7

A device for permitting multiple wavelength optical signals to be transmitted simultaneously in a first optical path and to be transmitted separately in at least second, third, fourth and fifth optical paths comprising: means defining a first spherical reflective surface, means defining a second spherical reflective surface, means defining a third spherical reflective surface, and means defining a fourth spherical reflective surface, said first, second, third and fourth spherical reflective surfaces being characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane; said second spherical reflective surface being transmissive of a second wavelength signal and reflective of a first wavelength signal; said fourth sperical reflective surface being transmissive of a fourth wavelength signal and reflective of a third wavelength signal; means defining a first planar reflective surface disposed between said first, second, third and fourth spherical reflective surfaces and said focal plane, said first planar reflective surface being reflective of said first and second wavelength signals and transmissive of said third and fourth wavelength signals; first position defining means for registering an end of a first optical fiber to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of a second optical fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a first radial axis of said first spherical reflective surface formed by a reflection upon said first planar reflective surface, said first and second locations being displaced equal distance from said first radial axis such that the center of curvature of said first spherical reflective surface as reflected lies on a straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that light of said first wavelength at said first location is imaged by said first spherical reflective surface and said first planar reflective surface at said second location; third position defining means for registering an end of a third optical fiber to a third location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and third locations being on opposite sides of a second radial axis of said second spherical reflective surface formed by a reflection upon said first planar reflective surface, said second spherical reflective surface being reflective of second wavelength signals and transmissive of first wavelength signals, said first and third locations being displaced equal distance from said second radial axis such that the center of curvature of said second spherical reflective surface, as reflected by said first planar reflective surface, lies on a straight line between said first and third locations, whereby said third location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said second wavelength at said first location is imaged by said second spherical reflective surface and said first planar reflective surface at said third location; fourth position defining means for registering an end of a fourth optical fiber to a fourth location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and fourth locations being on opposite sides of a third radial axis of said third spherical reflective surface, said first and fourth locations being displaced equal distance from said third radial axis such that the center of curvature of said third spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and fourth locations, whereby said fourth location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said fourth wavelength at said first location is imaged by said third spherical reflective surface at said fourth location; and fifth position defining means for registering an end of a fifth optical fiber to a fifth location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and fifth locations being on opposite sides of a fourth radial axis of said fourth spherical reflective surface, said first and fifth locations being displaced equal distance from said fourth radial axis such that the center of curvature of said fourth spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and fifth locations, whereby said fifth location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said third wavelength at said first location is imaged by said fourth spherical reflective surface at said fifth location.

Claim 8

A device for permitting multiple wavelength optical signals to be transmitted simultaneously in a first optical path and to be transmitted separately in at least second, third, fourth and fifth optical paths comprising: means defining a first spherical reflective surface, means defining a second spherical reflective surface, means defining a third spherical reflective surface, and means defining a fourth spherical reflective surface, said first, second, third and fourth spherical reflective surfaces being characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane; said second spherical reflective surface being transmissive of a second wavelength signal and reflective of a first wavelength signal; said fourth sperical reflective surface being transmissive of a fourth wavelength signal and reflective of a third wavelength signal; means defining a first planar reflective surface disposed between said first, second, third and fourth spherical reflective surfaces and said focal plane, said first planar reflective surface being reflective of said first and second wavelength signals and transmissive of said third and fourth wavelength signals; first position defining means for registering an end of a first optical fiber to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of a second optical fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a first radial axis of said first spherical reflective surface formed by a reflection upon said first planar reflective surface, said first and second locations being displaced equal distance from said first radial axis such that the center of curvature of said first spherical reflective surface as reflected lies on a straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that light of said first wavelength at said first location is imaged by said first spherical reflective surface and said first planar reflective surface at said second location; third position defining means for registering an end of a third optical fiber to a third location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and third locations being on opposite sides of a second radial axis of said second spherical reflective surface formed by a reflection upon said first planar reflective surface, said second spherical reflective surface being reflective of second wavelength signals and transmissive of first wavelength signals, said first and third locations being displaced equal distance from said second radial axis such that the center of curvature of said second spherical reflective surface, as reflected by said first planar reflective surface, lies on a straight line between said first and third locations, whereby said third location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said second wavelength at said first location is imaged by said second spherical reflective surface and said first planar reflective surface at said third location; fourth position defining means for registering an end of a fourth optical fiber to a fourth location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and fourth locations being on opposite sides of a third radial axis of said third spherical reflective surface, said first and fourth locations being displaced equal distance from said third radial axis such that the center of curvature of said third spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and fourth locations, whereby said fourth location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said fourth wavelength at said first location is imaged by said third spherical reflective surface at said fourth location; and fifth position defining means for registering an end of a fifth optical fiber to a fifth location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and fifth locations being on opposite sides of a fourth radial axis of said fourth spherical reflective surface, said first and fifth locations being displaced equal distance from said fourth radial axis such that the center of curvature of said fourth spherical reflective surface lies on a straight line between said first and fifth locations, whereby said fifth location is optically complementary to said first location, so that light of said third wavelength at said first location is imaged by said fourth spherical reflective surface at said fifth location.

Claim 10

A device for coupling the output from a source of light to an end of an optical fiber comprising: means defining a spherical reflective surface characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane, said reflective surface being characterized by a coefficient of reflection sufficiently less than unity to permit a detectable fraction of light incident in said reflective surface to pass therethrough; first position defining means for registering said source of light to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of said fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a radial axis, being displaced equal amounts from said radial axis such that the center of curvature of said spherical reflective surface lies on the straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that said light source, when positioned at said first location, is imaged on said end of said fiber at said second location; and a photodetector on the side of said reflective surface remote from said focal plane for providing a signal representative of the intensity of said light source when said light source is positioned at said first location, wherein said spherical reflective surface defining means comprises means forming a cavity having at a margin opposing said first location a spherical reflective surface and at said first location means juxtaposed to said fiber end for matching the index of refraction of said fiber end to the index of refraction of a medium between said fiber end and said reflective surface.

Claim 11

A device for coupling the output from a source of light to an end of an optical fiber comprising: means defining a spherical reflective surface characterized by a focal plane having the property that a point source of light in said focal plane is imaged in said focal plane, said reflective surface being characterized by a coefficient of reflection sufficiently less than unity to permit a detectable fraction of light incident in said reflective surface to pass therethrough; first position defining means for registering said source of light to a first location within said focal plane; second position defining means for registering an end of said fiber to a second location within said focal plane and separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a radial axis, being displaced equal amounts from said radial axis such that the center of curvature of said spherical reflective surface lies on the straight line between said first and second locations, whereby said second location is optically complementary to said first location so that said light source, when positioned at said first location, is imaged on said end of said fiber at said second location; and a photodetector on the side of said reflective surface remote from said focal plane for providing a signal representative of the intensity of said light source when said light source is positioned at said first location, wherein said spherical reflective surface defining means comprises means forming a cavity having at a margin opposing said first location a spherical reflective surface and at said first location means juxtaposed to said fiber end for matching the index of refraction of said fiber end to the index of refraction of a medium between said fiber end and said reflective surface.