US5457759A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Monolithic optical system and method of making same including improved coupling means between an optical fiber and a phototransducer
Assignee: Orange SA
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Filing: 1993-12-14
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Granted: 1995-10-10
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Expires: 2013-12-14
Abstract
Abstract An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber, and a microlens.
Inventors
- 👤 Ndiata Kalonji
- 👤 Jack Semo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:16
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/255; G02B6/2552; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4202; G02B6/4203
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber, said piece of graded index multimode fiber being designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber being designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, and a microlens fixed to a cleaved end face of said piece of step index multimode fiber, in regard of said phototransducer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber, said piece of graded index multimode fiber being designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber being designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, and a microlens fixed to a cleaved end face of said piece of step index multimode fiber, in regard of said phototransducer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the microlens is constituted by a multiple lens having a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is designed to match the beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the piece of step index multimode fiber is designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of making a microlens in an optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer by means of an assembly comprising in succession a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber and a microlens between said monomode fiber and the phototransducer, wherein the microlens is obtained by the following sequence of steps: a) stretching a piece of optical fiber; b) aligning the resulting tip on the axis of a cleaved surface of said piece of step index multimode fiber, with contact being obtained under a small amount of pressure; c) welding the contacting tip to the surface; d) leaving behind a calibrated needle by applying traction to the tip; and e) forming a microlens by controlled melting of the needle obtained in this way.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of making a microlens in an optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer by means of an assembly comprising in succession a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber and a microlens between said monomode fiber and the phototransducer, wherein the microlens is obtained by the following sequence of steps: a) stretching a piece of optical fiber; b) aligning the resulting tip on the axis of a cleaved surface of said piece of step index multimode fiber, with contact being obtained under a small amount of pressure; c) welding the contacting tip to the surface; d) leaving behind a calibrated needle by applying traction to the tip; and e) forming a microlens by controlled melting of the needle obtained in this way.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein a multiple lens is obtained by reiterating the above-specified steps.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said microlens comprises at least two lenses of different diameters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said microlens comprises a number of lenses which is greater than two.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said microlens has a radius which lies in the range 10 μm to 100 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the length of the piece of graded index multimode optical fiber is of the order of [1/4+1/2n] times pitch with n =0, 1, 2, . . .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is of a length less than [n+1] times pitch/2 with n =0, 1, 2, . . . , whereas the piece of step index multimode fiber is of a length that is less than pitch/4.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said piece of graded index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber and is designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber and said piece of step index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and is designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said multiple lens has a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said microlens has a radius which lies in the range 10 μm to 100 μm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the length of the piece of graded index multimode optical fiber is of the order of (1/4+1/2n) times pitch with n=0, 1, 2, . . .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is of a length less than (n+1) times pitch/2 with n=0, 1, 2, . . . , whereas the piece of step index multimode fiber is of a length that is less than pitch/4.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
168 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber, said piece of graded index multimode fiber being designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber being designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and a microlens fixed to a cleaved end face of said piece of step index multimode fiber, in regard of said phototransducer, said microlens being constituted by a multiple lens having a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
168 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber, said piece of graded index multimode fiber being designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber being designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and a microlens fixed to a cleaved end face of said piece of step index multimode fiber, in regard of said phototransducer, said microlens being constituted by a multiple lens having a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein said microlens comprises at least two lens of different diameters.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein said microlens comprises a number of lenses which is greater than two.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein said microlens has a radius which lies in the range 10 μm to 100 μm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein the length of the piece of graded index multimode optical fiber is of the order (1/4+1/2n) times pitch with n=0, 1, 2, . . .
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is of a length less than (n+1) times pitch/2 with n=0, 1, 2, . . . , whereas the piece of step index multimode fiber is of a length that is less than pitch/4.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
76 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber, and a microlens and wherein the length of the piece of graded index multimode optical fiber is of the order of (1/4+1/2n) times pitch with n=0, 1, 2, . . .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
76 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber, and a microlens and wherein the length of the piece of graded index multimode optical fiber is of the order of (1/4+1/2n) times pitch with n=0, 1, 2, . . .
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 23, wherein the microlens is constituted by a multiple lens having a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system according to claim 23, wherein said piece of graded index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber and is designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and is designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber, and the microlens is fixed to a cleaved end face of the piece of step index multimode fiber.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 23, wherein said microlens comprises at least two lenses of different diameters.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 23, wherein said microlens comprises a number of lenses which is greater than two.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 23, wherein said microlens has a radius which lies in the range of 10 μm to 100 μm.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber, and a microlens and wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is of a length less than (n+1) times pitch/2 with n=0, 1, 2, . . . , whereas the piece of step index multimode fiber is of a length that is less than pitch/4.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optical system comprising a monomode main optical fiber coupled to a phototransducer, by means of an assembly between the monomode optical fiber and the phototransducer, which assembly comprises, in succession: a piece of graded index multimode fiber, a piece of step index multimode fiber, and a microlens and wherein the piece of graded index multimode fiber is of a length less than (n+1) times pitch/2 with n=0, 1, 2, . . . , whereas the piece of step index multimode fiber is of a length that is less than pitch/4.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 29, wherein the microlens is constituted by a multiple lens having a radius of curvature that increases with increasing distance from the phototransducer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system according to claim 29, wherein said piece of graded index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the monomode fiber and is designed to match an angular opening of a light beam to the mode specific to the monomode optical fiber, said piece of step index multimode fiber is spliced to a cleaved end face of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and, is designed to match the diameter of the light beam to the working diameter of the piece of graded index multimode fiber and the microlens is fixed to a cleaved end face of the piece of step index multimode fiber.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 29, wherein said microlens comprises at least two lenses of different diameters.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 29, wherein said microlens comprises a number of lenses which is greater than two.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 29, wherein said microlens has a radius which lies in the range 10 μm to 100 μm.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-10-09 | 1999-04-10 | 1999-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-10-09 | 2003-04-10 | 2003-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-10-09 | 2007-04-10 | 2007-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |