Integrated optical fiber coupler and method of making same

Claim 2

An integrated n×m optical coupler comprising a polymeric housing which is a unitary structure formed by joining a substrate and a covering which encloses (a) n input optical fibers, (b) n waveguide entry channels formed in at least one of said substrate and said covering, which divide or converge into m waveguide exit channels, also formed in at least one of said substrate and said covering, and (c) m output optical fibers, wherein n and m are, independently, integers between 1 and 1024 inclusive, each of said n waveguide entry channels being aligned to the core of the respective n input optical fibers and each of said m waveguide exit channels being aligned to the core of the respective m output optical fibers by means of precisely aligned grooves in said housing, said waveguide channels being filled by at least one polymerizable monomer which is capable of being cured to provide waveguiding cores.

Claim 3

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein n is 1 and m is 2.

Claim 4

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein said n input optical fibers and m output optical fibers support a single mode.

Claim 5

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein said at least one monomer has been polymerized so as to form waveguiding cores.

Claim 6

The optical coupler of claim 4 wherein said n input optical fibers and m output optical fibers directly contact said waveguiding cores.

Claim 7

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein the polymer of said polymeric housing is selected from the group consisting of epoxies, poly(meth)acrylates, poly(vinyl azlactones), poly(urethanes), and poly(ureas).

Claim 8

The optical coupler of claim 6 wherein said polymer comprises at least one of fluorine and deuterium atoms.

Claim 9

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein said at least one monomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, (meth)acrylate, vinyl azlactone, urea, and urethane monomers, or precursors thereof, with the proviso that the refractive index of said at least one monomer, upon curing, is from 0.002 to 0.5 greater than the refractive index of the polymer of said polymeric housing.

Claim 10

The optical coupler of claim 8 wherein said at least one monomer comprises at least one of fluorine and deuterium atoms.

Claim 11

The optical coupler of claim 5 wherein said waveguiding cores have refractive indices substantially the same as that of the cores of said n and m optical fibers.

Claim 12

The optical coupler of claim 10 wherein said housing has a refractive index substantially the same as that of the cladding of said n and m optical fibers.

Claim 13

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein a portion of said grooves tapers, from the exterior of said optical coupler toward the interior of said optical coupler, in at least one of the planar and vertical directions.

Claim 14

The optical coupler of claim 1 wherein said housing is attached to a backing.

Claim 15

The optical coupler of claim 13 wherein said backing is a polymer.

Claim 16

The optical coupler of claim 14 wherein said polymer backing has been treated with oxygen plasma to make said backing more adhesive to said optical coupler.

Claim 17

A polymeric housing for enclosing and prealigning optical fibers and channel waveguide cores comprising (a) a substrate comprising (i) a first portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n grooves for holding n input optical fibers, (ii) a second portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n waveguide entry channels which divide or converge into m waveguide exit channels, and (iii) a third portion, one horizontal surface of which contains m grooves for holding m output optical fibers, and (b) a covering comprising (i) a first portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n grooves for securing n input optical fibers, (ii) a second portion, one horizontal surface of which is substantially flat, and (iii) a third portion, one horizontal surface of which contains m grooves for securing m output optical fibers, wherein n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1024, said n grooves and m grooves being fashioned so that the cores of optical fibers to be held therein will be properly aligned with the ends of said corresponding waveguide channels, said substrate and covering being formed in such a way so that the two members can be adhesively joined together to form a housing which is substantially unitary.

Claim 18

A polymeric housing for enclosing and prealigning optical fibers and channel waveguide cores comprising (a) a substrate comprising (i) a first portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n grooves for holding n input optical fibers, (ii) a second portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n waveguide entry channels which divide or converge into m waveguide exit channels, and (iii) a third portion, one horizontal surface of which contains m grooves for holding m output optical fibers, and (b) a covering comprising (i) a first portion, one horizontal surface of which contains n grooves for securing n input optical fibers, (ii) a second portion, one horizontal surface of which is substantially flat, and (iii) a third portion, one horizontal surface of which contains m grooves for securing m output optical fibers, wherein n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1024, said n grooves and m grooves being fashioned so that the cores of optical fibers to be held therein will be properly aligned with the ends of said corresponding waveguide channels, said substrate and covering being formed in such a way so that the two members can be adhesively joined together to form a housing which is substantially unitary.

Claim 19

The polymeric housing of claim 16 further comprising at least one monomer filling said waveguide channels and at least partially filling said grooves.

Claim 20

The polymeric housing of claim 17 wherein said monomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, meth(acrylate), vinyl azlactone, urea, and urethane monomers, or precursors thereof.

Claim 21

The polymeric housing of claim 18 wherein said monomer comprises at least one of fluorine and deuterium atoms.

Claim 22

The polymeric housing of claim 18 wherein said monomer further comprises colloidal silica.

Claim 23

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein n is 1 and m is 2.

Claim 24

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said grooves have a depth of 50 to 500 μm.

Claim 25

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said grooves have a depth of 60 to 200 μm.

Claim 26

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said grooves have a depth of 62.5 μm.

Claim 27

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said waveguide channels have widths and depths of 1 to 200 μm.

Claim 28

The polymeric housing of claim 25 wherein said waveguide channels have widths and depths of 5 to 100 μm.

Claim 29

The polymeric housing of claim 26 wherein said waveguide channels have widths and depths from about 5 μm to 8 μm.

Claim 30

The polymeric housing of claim 17 further comprising a means for collecting excess of said at least one monomer.

Claim 31

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein a portion of said n and m grooves in said substrate and covering tapers, from the exterior of said housing toward the interior of said housing, in at least one of the planar and vertical directions.

Claim 32

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said horizontal surface of said second portion of said covering further contains n entry waveguide entry channels which divide or converge into m waveguide exit channels.

Claim 33

The polymeric housing of claim 30 wherein said substrate and said covering further comprise complementary means for fastening said substrate and said covering, said fastening means being designed so that, when engaged, said waveguide channels in said covering are aligned with said waveguide channels in said substrate.

Claim 34

An integrated optical coupler mold on which is formed the polymeric housing of claim 16.

Claim 35

The mold of claim 32 comprising nickel.

Claim 36

A master tool on which is electroplated the mold of claim 32.

Claim 37

The master tool of claim 34 comprising at least one of silicon, an oxide of silicon on silicon, and a polymer film on silicon.

Claim 40

A method of assembling an integrated optical coupler comprising the steps: a) inserting n input optical fibers and m output optical fibers into the respective n and m grooves in the substrate of the polymeric housing of claim 16; b) applying polymerizable monomer to the top surface of said substrate so as to surround said fibers and fill the waveguiding channels thereof and, upon polymerization, form waveguiding cores; c) placing the cover of said polymeric housing on said substrate and compressing the whole between flat plates so as to form the complete housing; and d) curing said housing.

Claim 41

A method of assembling an integrated optical coupler comprising the steps: a) applying polymerizable monomer to the top surface of the substrate of the polymeric housing of claim 16 so as to fill the waveguiding channels thereof and, upon polymerization, form waveguiding cores; b) inserting n input optical fibers and m output optical fibers into the respective n and m grooves in said substrate, said grooves being at least partially filled with said polymerizable monomer; c) placing the cover of said polymeric housing on said substrate and compressing the whole between flat plates so as to form the complete housing; and d) curing said housing.

Claim 42

The polymeric housing of claim 16 wherein said substrate and said covering further comprise complementary means for fastening said substrate and said covering, said fastening means being designed so that, when engaged, said covering and substrate are aligned in registry.

Claim 43

The optical coupler of claim 6 wherein the monomer mixture from which said polymer is formed further comprises colloidal silica.