Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.

Corning Incorporated

Andy Fenglei Zhou

Yao Li

Dong Gui

Qijun Xiao

Shudong Xiao

Ximao Feng

Xiaotao Peng

Daoyi Wang

Xinzhong Wang

Wen-Lung Kuang

Pushkar Tandon

Scott Robertson Bickham

Yu Huang

Kevin Wallace Bennett

Ruchi Sarda Tandon

Chun He

Wei-Shin Tsay

Xuan Wang

Bruce Peng

Bryan William Wakefield

Shiping Zhang

Chen Xia

Zilong Jiang

Fenfei Liu

Kuofu Hsu

Yuanji Tang

Chunlei He

Chia-Hang Chang

Disclosed herein are wavelength-division multiplexing devices using different angles of incidence (AOIs) at the WDM filters to provide for variable placement and orientation of WDM filters and channel ports, thereby decreasing the device footprint and allowing for shorter overall optical signal paths to increase signal performance and reliability. Also disclosed are stacked WDM filters for increased signal isolation.

Wavelength-division multiplexing devices with modified angles of incidence

In various embodiments, free-space optical collimator and multi-channel wavelength division multiplexers including free-space optical collimators are provided. In one embodiment, for example, a free-space optical collimator includes a base having a length, a generally flat bottom surface and a top surface. A groove is disposed along the top surface of the base extending through the length of the base. A lens is disposed within the groove of the base and a fiber optic pigtail is disposed generally adjacent to a focal point of the lens. The lens and fiber optic pigtail are aligned within the groove to reduce an off-angle offset of an optical light signal propagating through the free-space optical collimator. In other embodiments, a process of producing a free-space optical collimator is also provided.

Free-space optical collimator

Disclosed herein are multi-layer wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) devices that include a first optical signal router to route first demultiplexed signals from a common layer to a first channel layer and a second optical signal router to route second demultiplexed signals from the common layer to a second channel layer.

Multi-layer wavelength-division multiplexing devices

The high-density FAU comprises a support substrate having a grooved front-end section that supports glass end sections of the small diameter low-attenuation optical fibers. A cover is disposed on the front-end section and secured thereto to hold the glass end sections in place. The substrate and the cover can be made of the same glass or glasses having about the same CTE. The glass end sections have a diameter d4 so that the pitch P2 of the fibers at the front end of the FAU can be equal to or greater than d4, wherein d4=2r, with rbeing the radius of the glass end section as defined by the optical fiber cladding. The glass end section has a radius rless than 45 microns, allowing for a high-density FAU and a high-density optical interconnection device.

High-density FAUs and optical interconnection devices employing small diameter low attenuation optical fiber

A fiber array unit (FAU) includes a substrate, a cover element, and a plurality of optical fibers each including a splice joint connecting fibers of different mode-field diameters with a recoating material arranged over at least a portion of the fibers overlapping the substrate, wherein stripped portions of the fibers are arranged in grooves between the substrate and the cover element. A method for fabricating a compact FAU includes splicing ends of stripped sections of first and second optical fiber segments of different mode-field diameters, applying a recoating material over at least portions of the stripped sections, positioning portions of stripped sections of the second optical fiber segments in grooves defined in a substrate, and arranging a cover over the grooves. Certain embodiments include stripping recoating material portions of the second optical fiber segments before they are placed in the grooves.

Fiber array units with mode-field diameter conversion, and fabrication method

Disclosed herein is a wavelength-division multiplexing device with a unified passband. In particular, disclosed is a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device with at least a common port, a channel port, and a WDM filter. The common port is configured for optical communication of a multiplexed signal to the WDM filter. A demultiplexed signal of the multiplexed signal includes a first secondary demultiplexed signal within a first wavelength range and a second secondary demultiplexed signal within a second wavelength range, which are separated from each other by a third wavelength range. The first WDM filter has a single unified passband including the first wavelength range, the second wavelength range, and the third wavelength range, such that the first WDM filter is configured to pass the first secondary demultiplexed signal and the second secondary demultiplexed signal to the first channel port.

Wavelength-division multiplexing device with a unified passband

A fiber array unit (FAU) connector includes a support substrate having a rear-end section and an elevated front-end section. The front-end section has a top surface with fiber grooves that support bare glass sections of optical fibers, which have respective fiber end faces that reside at a front end face defined by the front-end section. Two alignment pins reside in parallel alignment pin channels on opposite sides of the fiber grooves. The alignment pin channels terminate at respective front-end recessed surfaces that are axially spaced from the front end face. The alignment pins extend from the alignment pin channels to be even with the front end face. A cover secured to the front-end section holds the bare glass sections of the optical fibers and the alignment pins in place. Alignment sleeves are used to establish pin-to-pin alignment of confronting FAU connectors.

FAU connectors and assemblies employing pin-to-pin alignment

A polarization maintaining fiber array includes a substrate, a cover, and at least two polarization maintaining optical fibers. The substrate includes at least two main grooves, a first additional groove, and a second additional groove, wherein the main grooves are positioned between the first additional groove and the second additional groove. The fiber array includes at least two polarization maintaining optical fibers positioned in the at least two main grooves, a first dummy fiber positioned in the first additional groove, and a second dummy fiber positioned in the second additional groove. The cover is positioned such that it contacts the polarization maintaining optical fibers, the first dummy fiber, and the second dummy fiber.

Polarization maintaining fiber array with increased polarization extinction ratio and method of making

A wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical assembly with multiple collimator sets is disclosed herein. The WDM optical assembly includes a WDM optical core subassembly including at least one optical signal router, at least one WDM filter, and a first and second WDM collimator sets. The first WDM collimator set includes a first common optical collimator and at least two channel collimators and the second WDM collimator set includes a second common optical collimator and at least two channel collimators. At least a portion of the first WDM collimator set is optically positioned on a first surface of at least one substrate, and at least a portion of the second WDM collimator set is optically positioned on a second surface of the at least one substrate opposite the first surface. The WDM optical core subassembly increases lane density while decreasing size and minimizing complexity by using a plurality of WDM common ports.

Wavelength-division multiplexing optical assembly with multiple collimator sets

Disclosed is a compact device for wavelength-division multiplexing applications. In particular, disclosed is a device that includes a housing and a core at least partially positioned within the housing. The core includes a first single fiber stub, a second single fiber stub, and at least one functional layer positioned between a first fiber of the first single fiber stub and a second fiber of the second single fiber stub. The at least one functional layer is configured to: (i) permit routing of a transmission signal of a multiplexed signal along an optical path from the first fiber stub to the second fiber stub, and (ii) prevent routing of a non-transmission signal of the multiplexed signal along the optical path from the first fiber stub to the second fiber stub. A distance between a first ferrule of the first fiber stub and a second ferrule of the second fiber stub is less than about 0.05 mm.

Compact devices for multiplexing applications

Disclosed herein is a routing band-pass filter for routing optical signals between multiple optical channel sets. In particular, disclosed is a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical assembly including a first WDM filter, a second WDM filter, and a first routing filter. The first and second WDM filter are in communication with first and second sets of channel ports, respectively. The routing filter has a routing passband and forms a primary routing optical path for signals outside the routing passband between the first WDM filter and a common port. The routing filter also forms a secondary routing optical path for signals within the routing passband between the second WDM filter and the common port. The routing band-pass filter increases the number of channel ports in optical communication with a common port while maintaining signal integrity and increasing speed.

Routing band-pass filter for routing optical signals between multiple optical channel sets

A wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical assembly with increased lane density is disclosed herein. The WDM optical assembly includes a WDM optical core subassembly including an optical signal router for routing an optical signal between a first side and a second side of a substrate. The WDM optical core subassembly further includes a first WDM filter having a first passband and a second WDM filter having a second passband. The WDM optical core subassembly forms a first optical path between a first common port, the first WDM filter, and a first channel port, and to form a second optical path between the second WDM filter, a second common port, and a second channel port. The WDM optical core subassembly increases lane density while decreasing size and complexity by including a plurality of common ports in optical communication with the same plurality of WDM filters.

Wavelength-division multiplexing optical assembly with increased lane density

Disclosed herein is wavelength-division multiplexer with an internal optical signal tuned by a mounted signal pitch router. In particular, disclosed is a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical assembly including an optical signal router, a WDM filter, and a signal pitch router. The WDM filter has a wavelength selective surface positioned proximate the second side of the optical signal router. The signal pitch router has a transmissive surface positioned proximate to a side of the optical signal router, and a second reflective surface opposite the transmissive surface. A depth of the signal pitch router establishes and tunes a pitch of a routing optical path within the optical signal router. This provides for easier, faster, more reliable, and more cost effective manufacturing and assembly of the WDM optical assembly.

Passive optical subassembly with a signal pitch router

Two-port optical retro-reflectors with high isolation and high return loss are described. Such retro-reflectors are designed to increase the number of optical filtering using one or more filters uniquely disposed to increase the isolation and return loss.

High isolation and high return loss 2-port optical retro-reflector

A multiplexer/demultiplexer is provided comprising a capillary filter block, a capillary adhesive, a signal-routing block, and an index-matching adhesive. The capillary adhesive resides in the capillary interstices of the capillary filter block and the index-matching adhesive forms an optical and mechanical interface between the signal-routing block and the capillary filter block. The layer thickness of the index-matching adhesive accommodates for extra-planar surface irregularities in the bonding face of the signal routing block and extra-planar variations along the proximal ends of the component filter blocks of the capillary filter block. The capillary filter block can be formed from a plurality of component filter blocks by dicing multiple component filter blocks from a filter block substrate, placing the component filter blocks adjacent to one another, and using capillary force to draw adhesive between adjacent sidewalls of component filter blocks.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Andy Fenglei Zhou