EP0413489A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical assembly comprising optical fiber coupling means
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1990-08-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-08-06
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a novel "hermetic" optical assembly. A radiation-transmissive member (10) seals an aperture (22) in the assembly housing. The member comprises two major surfaces and a recess (12) that extends from one surface towards the other, with a "septum" (14) between the bottom of the recess and the other surface. An optical or opto-electronic device (23) typically is mounted on the inside surface of the member, and the end of an optical fiber is maintained outside of the assembly in coupling relationship with the device. In a currently preferred embodiment the recess extends from the outward-facing surface of the member and serves to position the end of the optical fiber with respect to a device mounted in a "well" (11) in the inward-facing surface of the member. In another embodiment, the outward facing surface of the member comprises geometrical features (e.g., recesses) that mate with corresponding features (e.g., protrusions) on a guide plate that serves to position the ends of a multiplicity of fibers with respect to devices mounted on the bottom of a recess extending from the inward-facing surface of the radiation-transmissive member. In all embodiments radiation is transmitted through the septum. In preferred embodiments the radiation-transmissive member is (100) Si, with the recess (and other features) produced by means comprising photolithography and anisotropic etching.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Joseph Pimpinella
- 👤 John Maurice Segelken
- 👤 King Lien Tai
- 👤 Ross Job Thompson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:48
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4292; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4202; G02B6/4204; G02B6/421
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
An optical assembly comprising a) a member (20) having at least one aperture (22) therein; b) at least one optical or electro-optical device (23) (collectively "device"); and c) optical fiber connector means (10) adapted for sealing the aperture, for receiving the end of an optical fiber, and for maintaining the end of the fiber in optical coupling relationship with respect to the device; CHARACTERISED IN THAT the optical fiber connector means comprise a radiation-transmissive member (10) attached to the housing such that it seals the aperture in the housing; wherein the radiation-transmissive member has a first (16) and a second surface, with the first surface (16) facing the first member (20), the radiation-transmissive member comprising a recess (12) that extends from one (16) of the surfaces towards the other surface, leaving a "septum" (14) of material between the bottom of the recess and the other surface; the device (23) being maintained in predetermined position with respect to the recess; the connector means further comprising means (41) for holding the end of the optical fiber in optical coupling relationship with the device, with the radiation to be transmitted through the septum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
An optical assembly comprising a) a member (20) having at least one aperture (22) therein; b) at least one optical or electro-optical device (23) (collectively "device"); and c) optical fiber connector means (10) adapted for sealing the aperture, for receiving the end of an optical fiber, and for maintaining the end of the fiber in optical coupling relationship with respect to the device; CHARACTERISED IN THAT the optical fiber connector means comprise a radiation-transmissive member (10) attached to the housing such that it seals the aperture in the housing; wherein the radiation-transmissive member has a first (16) and a second surface, with the first surface (16) facing the first member (20), the radiation-transmissive member comprising a recess (12) that extends from one (16) of the surfaces towards the other surface, leaving a "septum" (14) of material between the bottom of the recess and the other surface; the device (23) being maintained in predetermined position with respect to the recess; the connector means further comprising means (41) for holding the end of the optical fiber in optical coupling relationship with the device, with the radiation to be transmitted through the septum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the radiation-transmissive member comprises single crystal Si, with the first surface being substantially parallel with a (100) crystal plane, and further comprising an antireflection coating on at least one side of the septum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Assembly according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein the recess extends from the first surface towards the second surface, and the device (23) is mounted on the second surface of the radiation-transmissive member, or is formed in the radiation-transmissive member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Assembly according to claim 3, wherein the second surface comprises a depression, termed a "well", with the device mounted in the well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
Assembly according to claim 3, wherein the means for holding the end of the optical fiber in optical coupling relationship with the device comprise the recess (12).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
Assembly according to claim 5, wherein the end of the optical fiber is to extend into the recess and to be positioned thereby with respect to the device, or wherein focusing means (50) are positioned between the septum and the end of the optical fiber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recess extends from the second surface towards the first surface, and the device is mounted on the bottom of the recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
95 words
Assembly according to claim 7, wherein the means for holding the end of the optical fiber in optical coupling relationship with the device comprise a first geometrical feature on the first surface of the radiation-transmissive member and a corresponding second geometrical feature on a surface of a guide member, the guide member comprising a through-aperture, the end of the optical fiber to be held within the through-aperture, the second geometrical feature adapted for mating with the first geometrical feature, whereby the end of the optical fiber is maintained in optical coupling relationship with the device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
160 words
Assembly according to claim 3, wherein the means for holding the end of the optical fiber in coupling relationship with the device comprise i) a first basically cylindrical "plug" (70) with an axial through-bore therein, the first plug attached to the member (20) such that the through-bore is essentially co-axial with the aperture in the member (20); ii) a length of optical fiber held within the through-bore and extending towards the recess, an end of the length of fiber being in optical coupling relationship with the device; iii) an alignment sleeve (72) substantially surrounding a part of the first plug and extending beyond the first plug; and iv) connector housing means (71) also attached relative to the member (20), substantially surrounding the first plug and the alignment sleeve, and comprising means for engaging an opposing optical fiber connector means such that an optical fiber in the opposing connector means is in optical coupling relationship with the length of optical fiber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
Assembly according to claim 7, wherein the means for holding the end of the optical fiber in coupling relationship with the device comprise the radiation-transmissive member and a guide member that comprises a first and a second surface and a multiplicity of through-apertures extending between the first and second surfaces of the guide member, each through-aperture adapted for receiving therein an end of an optical fiber, the guide member furthermore comprising at least one protrusion positioned and shaped so as to matingly engage with a corresponding depression in the first surface of the radiation-transmissive member, the guide member also comprising single crystal Si, with a (100) crystal plane being substantially parallel to the first surface of the guide member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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