Achieving improved radial alignment in an optical package

Claim 1

A method of achieving radial alignment and attachement between an optical device subassembly and an optical fiber subassembly, both subassemblies comprising essentially identical outer diameters, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the total number of attachments (WC) desired and dividing said total into 360 to determine the position increments to be used for locating each site; (b) measuring and recording the initial throughput efficiency (CP(0)) between said optical device subassembly and said optical fiber subassembly and defining a certain percentage of said initial throughput efficiency as a threshold value (Th); (c) locating a pair of flush point (FP1,FP2) where the edges of said subassemblies coincide; (d) attaching said subassemblies at said pair of flush points; (e) measuring and recording the throughput efficiency (CP(1), CP(2)) after each attachment performed in step (d); (f) comparing the value of CP(1) to the quantity CP(2)-Th and proceeding to step (g) as long as CP(1) is at least equal to the quantity CP(2)-Th, otherwise, proceeding to step(j); (g) attaching said subassemblies at a pair of symmetric attachment sites on either side of a first flush point (FP1) of said pair of flush points at loations determined by the position increment defined in step (a); (h) measuring and recording the current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) between said subassemblies; (i) comparing the current throughput efficiency measured in step (h) with the last recorded throughput efficiency (CP(WC-2)) and returning to step (g) as long as said current efficiency CP(WC) is at least equal to said last recorded efficiency minus said threshold value (CP(WC-2)-Th), otherwise proceeding to step (j) as long as the total number of attachments (WC) as defined in step (a) have not been made, the alignment and attachment process being completed if the total number of attachments has been reached; (j) attaching said subassemblies at a pair of symmetric locations on either side of a second flush point (FP2) of said pair of flush points, at locations determined by the position increment defined in step (a); (k) measuring and recording the current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) between said subassemblies; (l) comparing the current throughput efficiency measured in step (k) with the last recorded throughput efficiency (CP(WC-2)) and returning to step (j) as long as said current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) is at least equal to said last recorded efficiency minus said threshold value (CP(WC-2)-Th), otherwise returning to step (g) as long as the total number or attachments as defined in step (a) has not been made, the alignment and attachment process being completed if the total number of attachments has been reached.

Claim 2

A method of achieving radial alignment and attachement between an optical device subassembly and an optical fiber subassembly, both subassemblies comprising essentially identical outer diameters, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the total number of attachments (WC) desired and dividing said total into 360 to determine the position increments to be used for locating each site; (b) measuring and recording the initial throughput efficiency (CP(0)) between said optical device subassembly and said optical fiber subassembly and defining a certain percentage of said initial throughput efficiency as a threshold value (Th); (c) locating a pair of flush point (FP1,FP2) where the edges of said subassemblies coincide; (d) attaching said subassemblies at said pair of flush points; (e) measuring and recording the throughput efficiency (CP(1), CP(2)) after each attachment performed in step (d); (f) comparing the value of CP(1) to the quantity CP(2)-Th and proceeding to step (g) as long as CP(1) is at least equal to the quantity CP(2)-Th, otherwise, proceeding to step(j); (g) attaching said subassemblies at a pair of symmetric attachment sites on either side of a first flush point (FP1) of said pair of flush points at loations determined by the position increment defined in step (a); (h) measuring and recording the current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) between said subassemblies; (i) comparing the current throughput efficiency measured in step (h) with the last recorded throughput efficiency (CP(WC-2)) and returning to step (g) as long as said current efficiency CP(WC) is at least equal to said last recorded efficiency minus said threshold value (CP(WC-2)-Th), otherwise proceeding to step (j) as long as the total number of attachments (WC) as defined in step (a) have not been made, the alignment and attachment process being completed if the total number of attachments has been reached; (j) attaching said subassemblies at a pair of symmetric locations on either side of a second flush point (FP2) of said pair of flush points, at locations determined by the position increment defined in step (a); (k) measuring and recording the current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) between said subassemblies; (l) comparing the current throughput efficiency measured in step (k) with the last recorded throughput efficiency (CP(WC-2)) and returning to step (j) as long as said current throughput efficiency (CP(WC)) is at least equal to said last recorded efficiency minus said threshold value (CP(WC-2)-Th), otherwise returning to step (g) as long as the total number or attachments as defined in step (a) has not been made, the alignment and attachment process being completed if the total number of attachments has been reached.