Optical Fiber Connecting Structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022229240-A1
Application number	US-201917615417-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Jul 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical fiber connection structure according to the present invention includes a fiber support member configured to support an optical fiber to be optically connected to an optical waveguide device, a stopper configured to restrict movement in an axial direction of the optical fiber supported by the fiber support member, and a lens disposed on an optical axis between an end surface of the optical waveguide device and the optical fiber.

First claim

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . An optical fiber connection structure comprising:
a fiber support member configured to support an optical fiber to be optically connected to an optical waveguide device; a stopper configured to restrict movement in an axial direction of the optical fiber supported by the fiber support member; and a lens disposed on an optical axis between an end surface of the optical waveguide device and the optical fiber.

10 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 9 , wherein:
the fiber support member includes:
a connection portion configured to connect to the end surface of the optical waveguide device; and
a guide portion configured to guide the optical fiber; and
the stopper and the lens are disposed on the connection portion.

11 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a lens support member configured to connect to a waveguide substrate of the optical waveguide device and configured to support the lens, wherein the fiber support member includes:
a connection portion configured to connect to the end surface of the optical waveguide device; and
a guide portion configured to guide the optical fiber, wherein the lens is supported by the lens support member, and wherein the stopper is disposed on the connection portion or the lens support member.

12 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim ii, wherein the guide portion forms a guide hole into which the optical fiber is inserted, and wherein a center of an inscribed circle of the guide hole is coincident with an optical axis of the lens.

13 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 12 , wherein the guide portion comprises an elastically deformable material, wherein an inscribed circle of the guide hole is smaller than an outer diameter of the optical fiber to be inserted in at least a first region in a longitudinal direction of the guide hole.

14 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 9 , wherein the fiber support member includes a lens housing inside which the lens is housed and a portion of which to be connected to the end surface of the optical waveguide device is open, and wherein the lens is disposed inside the lens housing.

15 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 9 , wherein the lens is one of a plurality of lenses configured to constitute a single-lens system, a two-lens system, or a four-lens system, and a layer having a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the plurality of lenses is disposed between the end surface of the optical waveguide device and a first lens of the plurality of lenses, the first lens facing the end surface of the optical waveguide device and between the optical fiber and a second lens of the plurality of lenses facing an end surface of the optical fiber.

16 . The optical fiber connection structure according to claim 9 , wherein:
the lens is one of a plurality of lenses configured to constitute a two-lens system; a first lens and a second lens configured to constitute the two-lens system are configured to connect to the end surface of the optical waveguide device and an end surface of the optical fiber, respectively, via a no air layer; and a layer having a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the plurality of lenses is disposed between the first lens and the second lens.

17 . A method comprising:
supporting, by a fiber support member, an optical fiber to be optically connected to an optical waveguide device; and restricting, by a stopper, movement in an axial direction of the optical fiber supported by the fiber support member, wherein a lens is disposed on an optical axis between an end surface of the optical waveguide device and the optical fiber.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein:
the fiber support member includes:
a connection portion configured to connect to the end surface of the optical waveguide device; and
a guide portion configured to guide the optical fiber; and
the stopper and the lens are disposed on the connection portion.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a lens support member configured to connect to a waveguide substrate of the optical waveguide device and configured to support the lens, wherein the fiber support member includes:
a connection portion configured to connect to the end surface of the optical waveguide device; and
a guide portion configured to guide the optical fiber, wherein the lens is supported by the lens support member, and wherein the stopper is disposed on the connection portion or the lens support member.

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Shikama Kota
• Endo Jun
• Aratake Atsushi

Classifications

• G02B6/3652

  the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers · CPC title

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B6/30 Primary

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

• G02B7/021

  for more than one lens · CPC title

• G02B6/3616 Primary

  Holders, macro size fixtures for mechanically holding or positioning fibres, e.g. on an optical bench (supporting carriers of a microbench type G02B6/3648; micromanipulators B25J7/00; cassettes, bobbins G02B6/4439) · CPC title