Slot-coupling of optical waveguide to optical waveguide devices

Claim 2

An optical waveguide device adaptable to be connected to a matching similar optical waveguide device, comprising: a pair of opposite surfaces; an enclosed waveguide having a center-axis, an end point and a guiding direction, the waveguide being positioned equidistantly between the opposite surfaces; a through-slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the waveguide, so that when the through-slot of the optical waveguide device is coupled with a similar slot of a second similar device, the end-points of the respective waveguides come in contact, and the center-axes of the waveguides substantially coincide.

Claim 3

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of the through-slot is substantially equal to the thickness of the matching device.

Claim 4

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of the through-slot is adequately smaller in a trapezoidal manner than the thickness of the matching device, so that when the optical waveguide device is connected to the matching device through coupling of their respective through-slots, a tight and secure fit is created.

Claim 5

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 1, comprising a laminate of a middle photopolymer layer containing the waveguide, and two external photopolymer layers having the same thickness.

Claim 6

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 1, coupled with a second similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 7

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 3, coupled with the matching similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 8

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 4, coupled with the matching similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 9

An optical waveguide device adaptable to be connected to a matching similar optical waveguide device, comprising: a terminal edge; a first pair of opposite external surfaces, substantially parallel to each other, and extending away from the terminal edge; and a waveguide positioned equidistantly between the first pair of the opposite external surfaces, and having an end point and a center axis, the center axis forming an angle greater than zero with the terminal edge; the device also having a through-slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the guiding direction of the waveguide, the through-slot starting at the terminal edge and extending within the device so as to meet the end of the waveguide, the through-slot having a center axis coinciding with the center axis of the waveguide, the through-slot confined by a second pair of opposite side surfaces, substantially parallel to each other and to the center axis of the waveguide, and substantially perpendicular to the first pair of surfaces with the requirement that the width of the through-slot is substantially the same as the thickness of the matching device, and an internal surface meeting with and being substantially perpendicular to the first and the second pairs of surfaces, the internal surface having a center point, the center point coinciding with the end of the waveguide, so that when the through-slot of the optical waveguide device is coupled with a similar slot of a second similar device, the ends of the respective waveguides come in contact, and the center axes of the waveguides substantially coincide.

Claim 10

An optical waveguide device adaptable to be connected to a matching similar optical waveguide device, comprising: a terminal edge; a first pair of opposite external surfaces, substantially parallel to each other, and extending away from the terminal edge; and a waveguide positioned equidistantly between the first pair of the opposite external surfaces, and having an end point and a center axis, the center axis forming an angle greater than zero with the terminal edge; the device also having a through-slot extending in a direction substantially parallel to the guiding direction of the waveguide, the through-slot starting at the terminal edge and extending within the device so as to meet the end of the waveguide, the through-slot having a center axis coinciding with the center axis of the waveguide, the through-slot confined by a second pair of opposite side surfaces, substantially parallel to each other and to the center axis of the waveguide, and substantially perpendicular to the first pair of surfaces with the requirement that the width of the through-slot is substantially the same as the thickness of the matching device, and an internal surface meeting with and being substantially perpendicular to the first and the second pairs of surfaces, the internal surface having a center point, the center point coinciding with the end of the waveguide, so that when the through-slot of the optical waveguide device is coupled with a similar slot of a second similar device, the ends of the respective waveguides come in contact, and the center axes of the waveguides substantially coincide.

Claim 11

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 8, wherein the angle formed by the center axis of the through-slot and the terminal edge is a substantially right angle.

Claim 12

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 8, wherein the width of the through-slot is slightly smaller, with a trapezoidal geometry, than the thickness of the matching device, so that when the optical waveguide device is connected to the matching device through coupling of their respective through-slots, a secure fit is accomplished.

Claim 13

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 8, comprising a laminate of a middle photopolymer layer containing the waveguide, and two external photopolymer layers having the same thickness.

Claim 14

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 8, coupled with a second similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 15

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 10, coupled with the matching similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 16

An optical waveguide device as defined in claim 11, coupled with the matching similar device through an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 19

A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the forming step of the through-slot is conducted by ablating with a laser.

Claim 20

A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the laser is an excimer laser.

Claim 21

A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the width of the through-slot of each device is substantially equal to the thickness of the respective device.

Claim 22

A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the width of the through-slot of each device is adequately smaller than the thickness of the respective device, so that when the two optical waveguide devices are coupled, a tight and secure fit is created.

Claim 23

A method as defined in claim 15, wherein at least one of the optical waveguide devices comprises a laminate of a middle photopolymer layer containing the waveguide, and two external photopolymer layers having the same thickness.

Claim 24

A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 25

A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 26

A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 29

A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the forming step of the through-slot is conducted by ablating with a laser.

Claim 30

A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the laser is an excimer laser.

Claim 31

A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the angle formed by the center axis of the through-slot and the terminal edge is a substantially right angle.

Claim 32

A method as defined in claim 24, wherein he width of the through-slot of each device is substantially equal to the thickness of the respective device.

Claim 33

A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the width of the through-slot of each device is adequately smaller than the thickness of the respective device in a trapezoidal manner, so that when the two optical waveguide devices are coupled, a tight and secure fit is created.

Claim 34

A method as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one of the optical waveguide devices comprises a laminate of a middle photopolymer layer containing the waveguide, and two external photopolymer layers having the same thickness.

Claim 35

A method as defined in claim 24, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 36

A method as defined in claim 29, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.

Claim 37

A method as defined in claim 30, further comprising the step of adhering the respective waveguide ends of the two devices to each other with an adhesive photopolymer composition.