Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Michelle M Hazard

Dean Tran

Christian L Marquez

Edward A Rezek

John C Brock

James A Hathaway

David M Hernandez

Jack S McLaren

Sonny D Le

The invention relates to an optical, integrated alignment device for accurately aligning and efficiently coupling energy between in-plane optical devices. A semiconductor substrate is etched to include a groove for an optical fiber and a lens for passing an optical signal from a cut fiber to a photodetector. The etched semiconductor substrate may be used to pass an optical signal from a surface light emitting device to a cut fiber. The end of the optical fiber is cut at a slant that redirects an optical signal from the fiber through the lens or vice-versa. The lens focuses the optical signal onto a target.

Integrated aspheric optical coupler for RF planarized automatic photonics packaging

A process for fabricating a photonics package includes securing a ferrule to an optical fiber, inserting the ferrule through a movable flange into a photonics housing containing a photodiode, adjusting the ferrule longitudinally within the flange to position the end of the optical fiber with respect to the surface of the photodiode and welding the ferrule to the flange. Thereafter, the ferrule and flange assembly is adjusted laterally with respect to the photodiode and the lower end of the flange is secured to the housing using hot gas injection or laser soldering which allows lateral adjustment of the fiber during the solder cooling process for final positioning with respect to the photodiode.

Process for fabricating a photonics package and for aligning an optical fiber with a photodetector surface during fabrication of such a package

A cold welding technique for securing a fiber optic cable ( ) to a ferrule ( ). The fiber optic cable ( ) is inserted into a sleeve ( ). The fiber cable and sleeve assembly is then slid into a sleeve bore ( ) through one end of the ferrule ( ) so that the fiber ( ) extends out of an opposite end ( ) of the ferrule ( ). The sleeve ( ) is then retracted from the ferrule ( ). A cold electroplating process is performed so that a layer ( ) of a suitable plating material is deposited over the end ( ) of the ferrule ( ) through which the fiber ( ) extends so that the fiber cable ( ) is held within the ferrule ( ) and the ferrule opening is hermetically sealed. The sleeve ( ) is then slid back into the ferrule ( ) and is soldered to the ferrule to hold it in the desired location.

Cold welding process for fiber optic/ferrule attachment

Growing community of inventors

Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Michelle M Hazard