Optical coupling systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018372956-A1
Application number	US-201816014998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical coupling system includes a first waveguide that includes a first waveguide end, a second waveguide end. The optical coupling system includes a first lens that is aligned with a first optical fiber. The optical coupling system includes a first lens holder that retains the first lens. The lens holder includes a waveguide retention portion on which the first waveguide end is positioned such that the first waveguide end is aligned with the first lens. The optical coupling system includes a second lens that is aligned with a first optical component. The optical coupling system includes a second lens holder that retains the second lens. The second lens holder includes a waveguide retention portion on which the second waveguide end is positioned such that the second waveguide end is aligned with the second lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical coupling system comprising:
a first waveguide that includes a first waveguide end, a second waveguide end, and a waveguide core; a first lens that is positioned relative to a first optical fiber such that a core of the first optical fiber is aligned with the first lens; a first lens holder that includes:
a lens retention portion that retains the first lens, the lens retention portion being configured such that an optical signal is transmissible through the lens retention portion; and
a waveguide retention portion on which the first waveguide end of the first waveguide is positioned such that the first waveguide end is adjacent to the lens retention portion and the waveguide core is aligned with the first lens;
a second lens that is aligned relative to a first optical component; and a second lens holder that includes:
a lens retention portion that retains the second lens, the lens retention portion being configured such that the optical signal is transmissible through the lens retention portion; and
a waveguide retention portion on which the second waveguide end of the first waveguide is positioned such that the second waveguide end is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the second lens holder and the waveguide core is aligned with the second lens.

2 . The optical coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second waveguide that includes a first waveguide end, a second waveguide end, and a waveguide core; a third lens retained by the lens retention portion of the first lens holder relative to a second optical fiber such that a core of the second optical fiber is aligned with the third lens; and a fourth lens retained by the lens retention portion of the second lens holder such that the fourth lens is aligned with a second optical component; wherein:
the first waveguide end of the second waveguide is positioned on the waveguide retention portion of the first lens holder such that the first waveguide end of the second waveguide is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the first lens holder and the waveguide core of the second waveguide is aligned with the third lens; and
the second waveguide end of the second waveguide is positioned on the waveguide retention portion of the second lens holder such that the second waveguide end of the second waveguide is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the second lens holder and the waveguide core of the second waveguide is aligned with the fourth lens.

3 . The optical coupling system of claim 2 , wherein:
the first optical fiber includes a first end; the second optical fiber includes a first end; the first optical fiber is aligned with the first lens at the first end; the second optical fiber is aligned with the third lens at the first end; the first end of the first optical fiber is separated from the first end of the second optical fiber by a first distance in a first direction; the first optical component is separated from the second optical component by a second distance in a second direction; the second distance is different from the first distance; and the second direction is different from the first direction.

4 . The optical coupling system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first waveguide is comprised of a printable polymer; the first waveguide includes a core diameter of about 60 microns (μm) at the first waveguide end and about 40 μm at the second waveguide end; and the core of the first optical fiber is about 50 μm.

5 . The optical coupling system of claim 1 , wherein:
the waveguide retention portion defines a V-groove that is configured to receive the first waveguide end and align the first waveguide end relative to the first lens; and the first waveguide end is secured in the V-groove by an epoxy.

6 . The optical coupling system of claim 1 , wherein:
the lens retention portion of the second lens holder comprises a first surface which is adjacent to the waveguide retention portion of the second lens holder, and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface; and the second lens is positioned on the first surface.

7 . The optical coupling system of claim 1 , wherein:
the lens retention portion of the second lens holder comprises a first surface which is adjacent to the waveguide retention portion of the second lens holder and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface; and the second lens is positioned on the second surface.

8 . A board-mounted optical engine comprising the optical coupling system of claim 1 .

9 . An optical module that includes the optical coupling system of claim 1 .

10 . An optical module comprising:
a flex/stiffener; a first active optical component that is positioned on the flex/stiffener; a first waveguide that includes a first waveguide end, a second waveguide end, and a waveguide core; a first lens that is positioned relative to a first optical fiber such that a core of the first optical fiber is aligned with the first lens; a first lens holder that includes a lens retention portion that retains the first lens and a waveguide retention portion on which the first waveguide end is positioned such that the first waveguide end is adjacent to the lens retention portion and the waveguide core is aligned with the first lens; a second lens that is aligned relative to the first active optical component; and a second lens holder that includes a lens retention portion that retains the second lens and a waveguide retention portion on which the second waveguide end is positioned such that the second waveguide end is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the second lens holder and the waveguide core is aligned with the second lens.

11 . The optical module of claim 10 , further comprising a module housing, wherein at least one dimension of the module housing is substantially compliant with C form factor pluggable multi-source agreement (MSA).

12 . The optical module of claim 10 , further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein:
the flex/stiffener that is oriented substantially parallel to the printed circuit board; the lens retention portion of the first lens holder is substantially perpendicular to the flex/stiffener; and the lens retention portion is configured such that an optical signal is transmissible through the lens retention portion.

13 . The optical module of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second active optical component that is positioned on the flex/stiffener; a second waveguide that includes a first waveguide end, a second waveguide end, and a waveguide core; a third lens retained by the lens retention portion of the first lens holder relative to a second optical fiber such that the waveguide core of the second optical fiber is aligned with the third lens; and a fourth lens retained by the lens retention portion of the second lens holder such that the fourth lens is aligned with the second active optical component.

14 . The optical module of claim 13 , wherein:
the first waveguide end of the second waveguide is positioned on the waveguide retention portion of the first lens holder such that the first waveguide end of the second waveguide is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the first lens holder and the waveguide core of the second waveguide is aligned with the third lens; the second waveguide end of the second waveguide is positioned on the waveguide retention portion of the second lens holder such that the second waveguide end of the second waveguide is adjacent to the lens retention portion of the second lens holder and the waveguide core of the second waveguide is aligned wi

Assignees

• Finisar Corp

Inventors

• Chen Jiashu
• Zhou Yuxin

Classifications

• G02B6/421

  the intermediate optical component consisting of a short length of fibre, e.g. fibre stub · CPC title

• G02B6/30 Primary

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

• G02B6/4246 Primary

  Bidirectionally operating package structures · CPC title

• G02B6/4214

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4204

  the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208) · CPC title