Optical coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11099328-B2
Application number	US-201916699514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An optical coupler including a first surface intended to receive a light beam and a second surface intended to supply at least part of the light beam, and a lateral wall connecting the first surface to the second surface, the lateral wall successively including, between the first and second surfaces, a first concave portion and a first convex portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an optical coupler comprising a first surface intended to receive a light beam and a second surface intended to supply at least part of the light beam, and a lateral wall connecting the first surface to the second surface, the lateral wall successively comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a first concave portion and a first convex portion, the method comprising the steps of:
a) determining, for a first profile of the lateral wall, the position along the axis of the first profile of the point at which a light beam escapes from the coupler through the lateral wall; and
b) determining a second profile by modifying the first profile by drawing away the lateral wall from the axis at said position with respect to the first profile.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first profile is a tapered profile.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein steps a) and b) are repeated at least twice, the second profile obtained at the first iteration of step b) being used as the first profile at the second iteration of step a).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second concave portion, the first convex portion being interposed between the first concave portion and the second concave portion.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second convex portion, the second concave portion being interposed between the first convex portion and the second convex portion.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a third concave portion, the second convex portion being interposed between the second and third concave portions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the areas of the cross-sections of the first and second surfaces are different.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coupler has a symmetry of revolution.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the area of the first surface to the area of the second surface is in the range from 10 to 300.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces are parallel.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces are planar.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces each have a radius in the range from 1 mm to 100 mm.

13. An optical coupler comprising a first surface intended to receive a light beam and a second surface intended to supply at least part of the light beam, and a lateral wall connecting the first surface to the second surface, the lateral wall successively comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a first concave portion and a first convex portion;
the optical coupler being manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
a) determining, for a first profile of the lateral wall, the position along the axis of the first profile of the point at which a light beam escapes from the coupler through the lateral wall; and
b) determining a second profile by modifying the first profile by drawing away the lateral wall from the axis at said position with respect to the first profile;
the optical coupler further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second concave portion, the first convex portion being interposed between the first concave portion and the second concave portion;
the optical coupler further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second convex portion, the second concave portion being interposed between the first convex portion and the second convex portion;
the optical coupler further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a third concave portion, the second convex portion being interposed between the second and third concave portions.

14. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the areas of the cross-sections of the first and second surfaces are different.

15. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the coupler has a symmetry of revolution.

16. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the ratio of the area of the first surface to the area of the second surface is in the range from 10 to 300.

17. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the first and second surfaces are parallel.

18. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the first and second surfaces are planar.

19. The optical coupler of claim 13 , wherein the first and second surfaces each have a radius in the range from 1 mm to 100 mm.

20. An optoelectronic device comprising an optical coupler comprising a first surface intended to receive a light beam and a second surface intended to supply at least part of the light beam, and a lateral wall connecting the first surface to the second surface, the lateral wall successively comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a first concave portion and a first convex portion,
the optical coupler being manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
a) determining, for a first profile of the lateral wall, the position along the axis of the first profile of the point at which a light beam escapes from the coupler through the lateral wall; and
b) determining a second profile by modifying the first profile by drawing away the lateral wall from the axis at said position with respect to the first profile,
the optoelectronic device further comprising a waveguide in contact with the second surface, wherein the waveguide comprises a bundle of optical fibers.

21. The optical coupler of claim 20 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second concave portion, the first convex portion being interposed between the first concave portion and the second concave portion.

22. The optical coupler of claim 20 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a second convex portion, the second concave portion being interposed between the first convex portion and the second convex portion.

23. The optical coupler of claim 20 , further comprising, between the first and second surfaces, a third concave portion, the second convex portion being interposed between the second and third concave portions.

24. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the areas of the cross-sections of the first and second surfaces are different.

25. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the coupler has a symmetry of revolution.

26. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the ratio of the area of the first surface to the area of the second surface is in the range from 10 to 300.

27. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the first and second surfaces are parallel.

28. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the first and second surfaces are planar.

29. The optical coupler of claim 20 , wherein the first and second surfaces each have a radius in the range from 1 mm to 100 mm.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Le Blevennec Gilles
• Consonni Marianne

Classifications

• G02B6/30

  for use between fibre and thin-film device · CPC title

• G02B6/262 Primary

  Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/04

  formed by bundles of fibres (G02B6/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4206 Primary

  Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B19/0028

  refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems · CPC title