Receptacle ferrule assemblies with gradient index lenses and fiber optic connectors using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638873-B2
Application number	US-201213353768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2012
Priority date	Jan 20, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A receptacle ferrule assembly for a fiber optic receptacle connector. The receptacle ferrule assembly comprises a first lens with first second optical surfaces and a receptacle ferrule body having first and second ends. At least one monolithic optical system is formed in a monolithic receptacle ferrule body and includes a lens formed at the second end of monolithic receptacle ferrule body and an optical surface formed at the first end of monolithic receptacle ferrule body. The optical surface is situated adjacent to, and mated to the second optical surface of the first lens The monolithic optical system is configured, in conjunction with the first lens, to define a receptacle optical pathway from the second end of the monolithic optical system to the first surface of the first lens. According to some embodiments the first lens is a gradient index lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A receptacle ferrule assembly for a fiber optic receptacle connector for mating with a fiber optic plug connector having a plug ferrule assembly with a plug optical pathway, the receptacle ferrule assembly comprising:
(i) a gradient index lens having a first planar optical surface and a second planar optical surface;
(ii) a monolithic receptacle ferrule body having first and second ends, with a bore formed at the first end, wherein the bore has an end within the monolithic receptacle body and the gradient index lens resides at least partially and closely within the bore; and
(iii) at least one monolithic optical system formed in a monolithic receptacle ferrule body, and comprising
a) a lens formed at the second end of monolithic receptacle ferrule body, and
b) an optical surface defined by the end of the bore, the optical surface being situated adjacent to and mated to the second optical surface of the gradient index lens; wherein

the at least one monolithic optical system being structured, in conjunction with said gradient index lens, to define a receptacle optical pathway from the second end of the monolithic optical system to the first surface of the gradient index lens.

2. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 in which the length of the receptacle optical pathway is between 0.3 mm and 12 mm.

3. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ferrule body is formed from material that transmits light having a wavelength in the range from 850 nm to 1550 nm.

4. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a corresponding plurality of monolithic optical systems.

5. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 wherein said gradient index lens has a length L longer than 0.25P, wherein P is the pitch of the gradient index lens.

6. The receptacle ferrule assembly according to claim 1 wherein:
the monolithic receptacle ferrule body has opposite back and front ends.

7. The receptacle ferrule assembly for a fiber optic receptacle connector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the monolithic receptacle ferrule body has top and bottom surfaces and the lens is formed at the bottom surface, and the monolithic optical system further includes a mirror formed at the back end.

8. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 7 , wherein said gradient index lens has a center refractive index Nc and an edge refractive index Ne, and 1.015Ne≦Nc≦1.035Ne.

9. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lens formed at the bottom surface includes a refractive surface with radius of curvature and a vertex, and an active device is situated at a distance of 0.145 mm to 0.185 mm from the vertex of the lens formed at the bottom surface, and the radius of curvature for said lens is 0.43 mm to 0.65 mm, and said lens has a has a conic constant C of −12 to −18.

10. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 9 , wherein (i) said gradient index lens has a center refractive index Nc and an edge refractive index Ne, and 1.015Ne<Nc<1.035Ne; and/or (ii) the diameter of the gradient index lens is between 250 μm and 600 μm.

11. An assembly, comprising:
the receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 ; and
an active device arranged adjacent the lens formed at the second end of the monolithic receptacle ferrule body.

12. A connector assembly comprising:
the receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gradient index lens constitutes a receptacle gradient index lens; and
a plug ferrule with a plug gradient index lens, said plug assembly matingly engaged to the receptacle ferrule assembly so that the plug and receptacle gradient index lenses define an interface between the plug and receptacle optical pathways.

13. A connector assembly comprising:
the receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 ; and
a plug ferrule, said plug assembly matingly engaged to the receptacle ferrule assembly.

14. The receptacle ferrule assembly of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic receptacle ferrule body is formed from material that transmits light having a wavelength in the range from 850 nm to 1550 nm.

15. A receptacle ferrule assembly for a fiber optic receptacle connector for mating with a fiber optic plug connector having a plug ferrule assembly with a plug optical pathway, the receptacle ferrule assembly comprising:
a gradient index lens having a first planar optical surface and a second planar optical surface;
a monolithic receptacle ferrule body having first and second ends, wherein the first end includes a bore with a planar end, and wherein the gradient index lens resides closely within the bore so that the monolithic ferrule body at least partially surrounds an outside portion of the gradient index lens;
at least one monolithic optical system formed in a monolithic receptacle ferrule body and including
a) a lens formed at the second end of monolithic receptacle ferrule body, and
b) the planar end of the bore defining a planar optical surface that is in contact with the second optical surface of the gradient index lens; and

wherein the at least one monolithic optical system being configured, in conjunction with said gradient index lens, to define a receptacle optical pathway from the second end of the monolithic optical system to the first surface of the gradient index lens wherein the gradient index lens has a first mating geometry and is configured to form with the fiber optic plug connector a substantially solid-solid contact at an interface with the fiber optic plug connector, wherein said substantially solid-solid contact is sufficient to substantially expel liquid from the interface such that the plug optical pathway is optically coupled through said interface with the receptacle optical pathway.

16. A receptacle ferrule assembly for a fiber optic receptacle connector for mating with a fiber optic plug connector having a plug ferrule assembly with a plug optical pathway, the receptacle ferrule assembly comprising:
a gradient index lens having a first optical surface and a second optical surface;
a monolithic receptacle ferrule body having first and second ends, with a bore formed in the first end, with the bore having a planar end within the monolithic receptacle ferrule body, and the gradient index lens disposed closely within the bore such that the monolithic ferrule body surrounds at least an outside portion of the gradient index lens;
at least one monolithic optical system formed in a monolithic receptacle ferrule body and including
a) a lens formed at the second end of monolithic receptacle ferrule body, and
b) the planar bore end defining an optical surface situated adjacent to and mated to the second optical surface of the gradient index lens; and

wherein the at least one monolithic optical system is configured, in conjunction with said gradient index lens, to define a receptacle optical pathway from the second end of the monolithic optical system to the first surface of the gradient index lens wherein the first optical surface of the lens is situated a distance of not more than 200 μm from a directly opposing optical surface of said fiber optic plug connector, such that the plug optical pathway is optically coupled through said interface with the receptacle optical pathway, and said distance is being sufficient to substantially small to expel liquid from the interface.

17. A connector assembly comprising:
a receptacle ferrule assembly comprising
a receptacle gradient index lens having a first optical surface and a second optical surface;
a monolithic receptacle ferrule body having first and second e

Assignees

• Bhagavatula Venkata Adiseshaiah
• Demeritt Jeffery Alan
• Fortusini Davide Domenico
• Gollier Jacques
• Luther James Phillip
• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Bhagavatula Venkata Adiseshaiah
• Demeritt Jeffery Alan
• Fortusini Davide Domenico
• Gollier Jacques
• Luther James Phillip

Classifications

• G02B6/4214 Primary

  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

• G02B6/4206

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

• G02B6/02385

  Comprising liquid, e.g. fluid filled holes · CPC title

• G02B6/3817

  containing optical and electrical conductors (cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence) · 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