Agilent Technologies, Inc.

David Washburn

Benno M Guggenheimer

John Bernard Medberry

William P Kennedy

James D Adams

An optical system for detecting and coupling light to optical devices, and a method for aligning and calibrating the system. The system includes positioning stages and fiber sensors. The fiber sensors are used to detect the positions of calibration pieces and other sensors in a variety of configurations. From these detected positions, any misalignment of the sensors or positioning stages may be calculated and corrected for. The fiber sensors calibrate the system.

Method for the calibration and alignment of multiple multi-axis motion stages for optical alignment to a planar waveguide device and system

A system and method for finding the position of a waveguide in a planar optical device that has application to the coupling of light to a planar optical waveguide without connectors. The system comprises input and output optical fiber probes, a light source, a photo or light detector and a optical power meter. The light detector is positioned at the exit of the optical waveguide of interest. Typically, the position of the waveguide will be known with some window of uncertainty. Assuming that the photo detector is a photodiode, the area of the photodiode is preferably large enough that the exit of the waveguide can be assumed to lie within the detection area of the photodiode. The input optical fiber probe is coupled to the light source and is moved across the uncertainty window of the entry to the waveguide. The light transmitted through the waveguide to the photo detector is measured and used to find the position of the entry to the way guide. The input fiber probe is then positioned at the entry to the waveguide. The output fiber probe is then coupled to the optical power meter and used to scan for the exit for the waveguide.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

David Washburn