Microreplicated optical module

Claim 2

An article for interconnecting at least one optical fiber with at least one other optical fiber, comprising: an optical element comprising a bottom plate and a top plate, said optical element having first and second ends and at least one waveguide channel therein filled with an optically transmissive material, said waveguide channel having first and second ends; first splice means, integrally formed in said optical element, for receiving a first optical fiber at said first end of said optical element, and aligning the first optical fiber with said first end of said waveguide channel; second splice means, integrally formed in said optical element, for receiving a second optical fiber at said second end of said optical element, and aligning the second optical fiber with said second end of said waveguide channel; and a jacket having a longitudinal slot for receiving said optical element and first and second wedges, said jacket including first and second caps for receiving said first and second ends, respectively, of said optical element and retaining said first and second wedges in said jacket.

Claim 3

The article of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes means adapted to provide one of a plurality of different functions selected from the group consisting of a coupler, a splitter, a star coupler, a wavelength division multiplexer, an attenuator, an optical filter, a phase modulator or an optical tap.

Claim 4

The article of claim 1 wherein said first splice means receives the first optical fiber in a remateable fashion.

Claim 5

The article of claim 1 wherein said material filling said waveguide channel is selected from the group consisting of polymers, halogenated polymers, polymer/ceramic composites, or ceramics.

Claim 6

The article of claim 1 wherein said optical element is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, halogenated polymers, polymer/ceramic composites, or ceramics.

Claim 7

The article of claim 1 wherein said optical element has at least one fiber alignment groove at each of said ends, and a central portion with said at least one waveguide channel, said first and second ends of said waveguide channel aligned, respectively, with said fiber alignment grooves.

Claim 8

The article of claim 2 wherein: said first splice means includes n fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said optical element, and n fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said n fiber-receiving grooves, respectively; said second splice means includes m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said second end of said optical element, and m fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said m fiber-receiving grooves, respectively; and said optical element comprises an n×m coupler, and includes n waveguide channels which divide or converge into m waveguide channels, said n waveguide channels being generally aligned with said second ends of said n fiber alignment grooves, respectively, and said m waveguide channels being generally aligned with said second ends of said m fiber alignment grooves, respectively, where n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1,024 inclusive.

Claim 9

The article of claim 4 wherein said material filling said waveguide channel is a transparent, optical quality glass.

Claim 10

The article of claim 5 wherein said material forming said optical element is a transparent, optical quality glass.

Claim 11

The article of claim 1 wherein said jacket includes first and second end covers attached to said first and second caps, respectively.

Claim 12

The article of claim 6 further comprising at least one fiber stub located on said optical element, said fiber stub having first and second ends, said first end of said fiber stub being aligned with said first end of said waveguide channel, and said second end of said fiber stub being aligned with a respective one of said fiber alignment grooves.

Claim 13

The article of claim 6 further comprising a cover plate interposed between said bottom and top plates, said top plate having a recess for receiving said cover plate.

Claim 14

The article of claim 6 wherein: one of said fiber alignment grooves has an alignment axis; and said bottom plate has a surface formed at an interface between said one fiber groove and said waveguide channel, said surface being oriented at an angle which is not orthogonal with said alignment axis.

Claim 15

The article of claim 7 wherein: said waveguide channels define an upper surface; and said fiber-receiving grooves have a height which extends above said upper surface of said waveguide channels such that a core of each waveguide channel is aligned with a center of its respective fiber-receiving groove.

Claim 16

The article of claim 12, wherein said wedges cause said bottom plate to be forcibly urged against said top plate when said wedges are in an actuated state.

Claim 17

The article of claim 12 wherein said bottom and cover plates are adhered to each other by a polymerizable material which also forms a core of said waveguide channel.

Claim 18

The article of claim 15 wherein: said fiber alignment grooves and said waveguide channel define respective fiber/channel interfaces; and said wedges apply more clamping force at said fiber/channel interfaces than at said central portion of said optical element.

Claim 19

An optical coupler comprising: an optical element having first and second ends, and a central portion; an optical waveguide integrally formed on said central portion of said optical element, said waveguide including n waveguide channels which divide or converge into m waveguide channels, all of said channels being filled with an optically transmissive material, where n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1,024 inclusive; first splice means, integrally formed on said optical element at said first end thereof, for receiving at least a first optical fiber, and aligning the first optical fiber with one of said n waveguide channels, said first splice means including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said optical element, and n fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said n fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said n fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said n waveguide channels; second splice means, integrally formed on said optical element at said second end thereof, for receiving at least a second optical fiber, and aligning the second optical fiber with one of said m waveguide channels, said second splice means including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said optical element, and m fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said m fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said m fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said m waveguide channels; and a jacket having a longitudinal slot for receiving said optical element and first and second wedges, said jacket including first and second caps for receiving said first and second ends, respectively, of said optical element and retaining said first and second wedges in said jacket.

Claim 20

An optical coupler comprising: an optical element having first and second ends, and a central portion; an optical waveguide integrally formed on said central portion of said optical element, said waveguide including n waveguide channels which divide or converge into m waveguide channels, all of said channels being filled with an optically transmissive material, where n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1,024 inclusive; first splice means, integrally formed on said optical element at said first end thereof, for receiving at least a first optical fiber, and aligning the first optical fiber with one of said n waveguide channels, said first splice means including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said optical element, and n fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said n fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said n fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said n waveguide channels; second splice means, integrally formed on said optical element at said second end thereof, for receiving at least a second optical fiber, and aligning the second optical fiber with one of said m waveguide channels, said second splice means including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said optical element, and m fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said m fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said m fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said m waveguide channels; and a jacket having a longitudinal slot for receiving said optical element and first and second wedges, said jacket including first and second caps for receiving said first and second ends, respectively, of said optical element and retaining said first and second wedges in said jacket.

Claim 21

The optical coupler of claim 18 wherein: said first splice means receives the first optical fiber in a remateable fashion; and said second splice means receives the second optical fiber in a remateable fashion.

Claim 22

The optical coupler of claim 18 wherein each of said waveguide channels are formed by microreplication of said optical element.

Claim 23

The optical coupler of claim 20 wherein said optical element comprises a first plate having first and second ends, and further comprising: a second plate; a third plate interposed between said first and second plates, said second plate having a recess for receiving said third plate; and wherein said wedges cause said second plate to be forcibly urged against said first plate when said wedges are in an actuated state.

Claim 24

The optical coupler of claim 21 wherein said first and third plates are adhered to each other by a polymerizable material which also forms a core of each of said waveguide channels.

Claim 25

A microreplicated optical module comprising: a first plate having first and second ends, and a central portion; an optical waveguide element integrally formed on said central portion of said first plate, said waveguide element including n waveguide channels which divide or converge into m waveguide channels, all of said channels being filled with an optically transmissive material, where n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1,024 inclusive, each of said waveguide channels being formed by microreplication of said waveguide element; a first splice element, integrally formed on said first plate at said first end thereof, for receiving at least a first optical fiber in a remateable fashion, and aligning the first optical fiber with one of said n waveguide channels, said first splice element including n fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said first plate, and n fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said n fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said n fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said n waveguide channels; a second splice element, integrally formed on said first plate at said second end thereof, for receiving at least a second optical fiber in a remateable fashion, and aligning the second optical fiber with one of said m waveguide channels, said second splice element including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said first plate, and m fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said m fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said m fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said m waveguide channels; a second plate; a third plate interposed between said first and second plates, said second plate having a recess for receiving said third plate, and said first and third plates being adhered to each other by a polymerizable material which also forms a core of each of said waveguide channels; a housing surrounding said first, second and third plates, said waveguide element, and said first and second splice elements; and first and second means, attached to said housing, for independently actuating said first and second splice elements, respectively, said actuating means causing said second plate to be forcibly urged against said first plate when said actuating means is in an actuated state, thereby clamping any fiber positioned in said fiber-receiving grooves.

Claim 26

A microreplicated optical module comprising: a first plate having first and second ends, and a central portion; an optical waveguide element integrally formed on said central portion of said first plate, said waveguide element including n waveguide channels which divide or converge into m waveguide channels, all of said channels being filled with an optically transmissive material, where n and m are, independently, integers from 1 to 1,024 inclusive, each of said waveguide channels being formed by microreplication of said waveguide element; a first splice element, integrally formed on said first plate at said first end thereof, for receiving at least a first optical fiber in a remateable fashion, and aligning the first optical fiber with one of said n waveguide channels, said first splice element including n fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said first plate, and n fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said n fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said n fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said n waveguide channels; a second splice element, integrally formed on said first plate at said second end thereof, for receiving at least a second optical fiber in a remateable fashion, and aligning the second optical fiber with one of said m waveguide channels, said second splice element including m fiber-receiving grooves formed at said first end of said first plate, and m fiber alignment grooves having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being generally aligned with said m fiber-receiving grooves, respectively, and said second ends of said m fiber alignment grooves being generally aligned with said m waveguide channels; a second plate; a third plate interposed between said first and second plates, said second plate having a recess for receiving said third plate, and said first and third plates being adhered to each other by a polymerizable material which also forms a core of each of said waveguide channels; a housing surrounding said first, second and third plates, said waveguide element, and said first and second splice elements; and first and second means, attached to said housing, for independently actuating said first and second splice elements, respectively, said actuating means causing said second plate to be forcibly urged against said first plate when said actuating means is in an actuated state, thereby clamping any fiber positioned in said fiber-receiving grooves.