EP0457484A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tunable optical filter
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-05-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-05-08
Abstract
Abstract A tunable fiber Farby-Perot interferometer includes two aligned ferrule assemblies (22-22) having adjacent end faces separated by a gap. Each assembly includes a mirror (40) disposed transverse to a longitudinal axis (28) of the assembly and embedded internally therein adjacent to the exposed end surfaces which defines the gap. Each ferrule assembly is held in a sleeve (74) disposed in an end fixture (70) with a piezoelectric transducer system (44) extending between end fixtures. Means (82-82) are provided in each end fixture for deforming slightly the sleeve to cause the ferrule assembly disposed therein to be moved into alignment with the other. The transducer system is operated to adjust the length of the gap between the exposed adjacent end faces. Also, the facilities including the transducer system are provided such that a portion or portions of it may be operated selectively to fine tune further the alignment between the fibers.
Inventors
- 👤 Jane B. Clayton
- 👤 Muhammad Ali El
- 👤 Lucius J. Freeman
- 👤 Calvin Max Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:11
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3845; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/12; G01J3/26; G02B26/00; G02B26/001; G02B6/26; G02B6/264; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29346; G02B6/29358; G02B6/29359; G02B6/29379; G02B6/29395; G02B6/3834; G02B6/3843; G02B6/3854
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A tunable optical filter which is capable of having a desired bandwidth, said filter comprising: a first ferrule assembly having aligned passageway portions for receiving optical fiber, the passageway portions being spaced apart by a mirror which is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the passageway portions and which is substantially closer to one end of said first ferrule assembly than to an opposite end thereof; and a second ferrule assembly having aligned passageway portions for receiving optical fiber, the passageway portions in said second ferrule assembly being spaced apart by a mirror which is normal to a longitudinal axis of said passageway portions in said second ferrule assembly, and which is substantially closer to one end of said second ferrule assembly than to an opposite end thereof, with optical fiber positioned in each passageway portion of each ferrule assembly, said tunable optical filter being characterized by supporting means for holding said first and second ferrule assemblies with the axes of the passageways aligned and with said one end of said first ferrule assembly being adjacent to said one end of said second ferrule assembly; and adjustable means for causing adjacent said one ends of the ferrule assemblies to have a predetermined axial spacing and a suitably low loss alignment of the optical fibers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The filter of claim 1, which includes means connected to said supporting means for adjusting electronically the axial spacing of the fibers in said first and second ferrule assemblies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The filter of claim 2, wherein said means for adjusting electronically includes piezoelectric transducers which are disposed equiangularly circumferentially about said ferrule assemblies and wherein voltage may be impressed selectively on said transducers to cause the fibers to be aligned.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The filter of claim 3, wherein said supporting means includes two sleeves each for holding one of said ferrule assemblies to align approximately the optical fibers within said ferrule assemblies; and means for securing said ferrule assemblies in said sleeves; and wherein said adjustable means includes separate means disposed within said supporting means for deforming slightly each said sleeve to align accurately the fibers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The filter of claim 4, wherein said supporting means includes two end fixtures each of said end fixtures including a hub having a plurality of arms extending radially therefrom with a transducer extending between an arm of one end fixture and an aligned arm of the other end fixture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The filter of claim 5, wherein each end fixture includes four arms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The filter of claim 5, wherein said hub of each end fixture includes a bore formed therethrough and said filter includes a stepped sleeve which is received in each said bore, each said stepped sleeve having a passageway formed therethrough for receiving a ferrule assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The filter of claim 7, wherein each said end fixture for holding a ferrule assembly includes a plurality of mounting set screws which extend through said hub and through a flange which is connected to a small diameter portion of said sleeve to engage said ferrule assembly disposed in said sleeve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The filter of claim 7, wherein said separate means includes a plurality of alignment set screws which are turned threadably through said hub to engage an outer surface of a small diameter portion of said stepped sleeve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The filter of claim 9, wherein said plurality of alignment set screws are disposed in a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of said sleeve and are spaced equally circumferentially about said sleeve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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