Transceiver interface having staggered cleave positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588301-B2
Application number	US-201615130125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2016
Priority date	Sep 26, 2011
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers such as in optical fiber ribbon cables. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates an optically transmissive substrate combining the features of optical fiber alignment, along with redirecting and shaping of the optical beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical construction comprising:
a plurality of optical waveguides with angle cleaved end faces;
an optically transmissive substrate comprising:
a first major surface comprising a plurality of waveguide alignment features, each optical waveguide in the plurality of optical waveguides received by a different waveguide alignment feature in the plurality of waveguide alignment features;
an opposing second major surface comprising a plurality of microlenses staggered relative to one another;

wherein the plurality of optical waveguides are disposed such that the angle cleaved end faces are staggered relative to one another, the angle cleaved end face of each optical waveguide in the plurality of optical waveguides corresponding to a different microlens and being oriented so that light exiting each optical waveguide is directed by the angle cleaved end face to the corresponding microlens through the substrate.

2. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein the first major surface comprises a raised portion, the raised portion comprising the plurality of waveguide alignment features.

3. The optical construction of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of waveguide alignment features comprise a first plurality of alignment features ending along a first row and a second plurality of alignment features ending along a different second row, the first and second rows substantially parallel to each other and disposed substantially in a same plane.

4. The optical construction of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of features comprise a first plurality of grooves, and the second plurality of features comprise a second plurality of grooves.

5. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein the angle cleaved end faces comprise a first plurality of end faces disposed along a first row and a second plurality of end faces disposed along a second row, the first and second rows spaced apart from one another and disposed substantially in a same plane.

6. The optical construction of claim 5 , wherein the first major surface comprises a raised portion, the raised portion comprising the plurality of waveguide alignment features, the first plurality of end faces disposed in recessed areas defined by the raised portion.

7. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein the second major surface defines a recessed area, the recessed area comprising the plurality of microlenses.

8. The optical construction of claim 7 , wherein each microlens in the plurality of microlenses has an apex disposed within a volume defined by the recessed area.

9. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microlenses form spaced apart first and second rows of microlenses and the angle cleaved end faces form spaced apart first and second rows of angle cleaved end faces.

10. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguides comprise optical fibers, and a ribbon cable comprises the optical fibers.

11. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a total internal reflection (TIR) surface.

12. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein each of the angle cleaved end faces comprise a reflective material coating.

13. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein each microlens has a diameter greater than a separation distance between adjacent optical waveguides.

14. The optical construction of claim 1 , further comprising an antireflective coating disposed on each microlens.

15. The optical construction of claim 1 , wherein a ribbon cable comprises the plurality of optical waveguides, the plurality of optical waveguides having a fiber-to-fiber separation in the ribbon cable, each microlens being configured such that an optical bean diameter of light exiting the microlens is greater than the fiber-to-fiber separation.

16. An optical connector comprising the optical construction of claim 1 .

17. A transceiver comprising the optical construction of claim 1 .

18. An optical construction comprising:
a plurality of optical waveguides, each optical waveguide comprising an angle cleaved end face;
an optically transmissive substrate comprising:
a first major surface comprising a plurality of waveguide alignment features, each waveguide alignment feature receiving an optical waveguide in the plurality of optical waveguides, the optical waveguides in one-to-one correspondence with the waveguide alignment features;
an opposing second major surface comprising a plurality of microlenses staggered relative to one another;

wherein the plurality of optical waveguides are disposed such that the angle cleaved end faces are staggered relative to one another, the angle cleaved end face of each optical waveguide in the plurality of optical waveguides corresponding to a different microlens and being oriented so that light exiting each optical waveguide is directed by the angle cleaved end face to the corresponding microlens through the substrate.

19. The optical construction of claim 18 , wherein the angle cleaved end faces comprise a first plurality of end faces disposed along a first row and a second plurality of end faces disposed along a second row, the first and second rows spaced apart from one another and disposed substantially in a same plane.

20. The optical construction of claim 19 , wherein the first major surface comprises a raised portion, the raised portion comprising the plurality of waveguide alignment features, the first plurality of end faces disposed in recessed areas defined by the raised portion.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Bylander James R
• Wang Ding

Classifications

• G02B6/3839

  for a plurality of light guides · CPC title

• G02B6/3822 Primary

  with beveled fibre ends · CPC title

• G02B6/3672

  with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array · 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

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title