Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited

Minoru Taniyama

Shigeo Kittaka

Takashi Fukuzawa

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Yasuyuki Watanabe

Satoshi Taniguchi

Takahiro Hashimoto

Takeshi Ishimaru

Takeshi Morita

Hideshi Nagata

Tatsuhiro Nakazawa

Hiroshi Koshi

Yasuji Sasaki

Yoshiro Sato

Ikuto Ohyama

Yoshihide Yasuda

An optical module includes at least one optical fiber, a gradient index rod lens, and an optical element. The rod lens is placed at a position separated from an end surface of the optical fiber by a space. The optical element is separated from the rod lens. Outgoing light from the single optical fiber is inputted to the optical element via the rod lens, and light reflected by the optical element is coupled to the optical fiber via the rod lens. When a distance between the rod lens and the optical element is longer than a predetermined value, and a lens length optimized for the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined pitch, the rod lens has end surfaces perpendicular to an optical axis.

Optical module using gradient index rod lens

An optical fiber collimator including a microlens array and single mode optical fibers. Microlens elements are formed in two surfaces of the transparent substrate. Two opposing microlens elements each function as a collimator lens. The single mode optical fiber is optically coupled to the collimator lens.

Optical fiber collimator

A method of measuring a radial index distribution of a rod lens has the steps: (1) the rod lens is processed so that the length is approximately P/2 (where P is pitch length) or an integer multiple thereof and so end surfaces parallel, (2) a patterned surface is set as an object surface in the proximity of one end surface, and an image surface is formed in the proximity of the other end surface by irradiating the patterned surface with condensed monochromatic light, (3) the positions of paraxial focal points and the curves of curvature of field are obtained by observing the image surface, and (4) higher-order index distribution coefficients are calculated back by a fitting process on the basis of the positions of paraxial focal points and the curves of curvature of field.

Method for measuring gradient index distribution of rod lens

Two lenses are used for forming a collimator parallel pair, in which the distance between the two lenses is substantially made coincident with the maximum distance allowing beam waists to be formed at equal distances from the two lenses respectively.

Optical coupling system and optical device using the same

An optical module which satisfies a required insertion loss and can be easily assembled with high productivity. The optical module includes first optical fiber, a first lens, an optical device, a second lens, and second optical fiber. The first lens receives an incident light from the first optical fiber and converts the incident light into a parallel light. The optical device receives the parallel light and performs predetermined optical processing on the parallel light. The second lens receives a transmitted parallel light from the optical device and converge the transmitted parallel light to produce an outgoing light. The second optical fiber receives the outgoing light. An optical axis of the first lens and an optical axis of the second lens are substantially coincident with each other. An optical axis of the first optical fiber and an optical axis of the second optical fiber are substantially parallel with each other and substantially parallel to the optical axes of the first and the second lenses.

Optical module and method for assembling the same

A collimator array includes a plurality of collimators. Each collimator includes a lens and an optical fiber optically coupled to the lens. The lens is arranged so that its optical axis is parallel to one another. In each collimator, a core axis of the optical fiber is positioned relative to the optical axis of the lens so that an optical beam is emitted from a predetermined position at a predetermined angle.

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Osaka, Japan

Minoru Taniyama