Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Joseph M Harkenrider

Gregory Douglas Goodno

James G Ho

Dustin Guenther

A method for assembling a beam combiner array including providing an array block having a back wall, a front surface and a plurality of aligned channels extending from the back wall to the front surface, where a bore extends through the back wall and into each channel, and providing a lens array including a plurality of lenses. The method further includes securing the lens array to the front surface of the block so that one of the lenses is aligned with each channel and threading a separate hollow core fiber through one of the bores in the back wall so that an end of the fiber is positioned within the channel. The method also includes aligning each fiber to the lens array so that a beam that propagates down the fiber is emitted into the channel, focused by the lens and emitted from the array as a collimated beam.

Method for assembling a hollow core optical fiber array launcher

A beam combiner array assembly including an array block having a back wall and a front surface and a plurality of aligned and sealed channels extending from the back wall to the front surface. A lens array including a plurality of lenses is secured to the front surface of the block so that one of the lenses is aligned with each channel, and a plurality of fiber flanges are secured to the back wall of the block so that a separate one of the flanges is aligned with each channel. A hollow core fiber extends through each flange and the back wall so that an end of the fiber is positioned within one of the channels. A beam that propagates down each fiber is emitted into the channel, focused by the lens and emitted from the assembly as a collimated beam.

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Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Joseph M Harkenrider