Seagate Technology Incorporated

Adc Telecommunications, Inc.

Iolon, Inc.

Ronald Evan Gerber

Edward Charles Gage

Timothy S Gardner

Kevin D Batko

James E Durnin

Lori Grace Swanson

George R Gray

Nicholas Jordache

Thomas J Schmitt

Jeffrey Peter Treptau

Ghanim A Al-Jumaily

Shubhagat Gangopadhyay

John F Heanue

John H Jerman

Karl Arnold Belser

John C Holman

Gregory S Mowry

Jerry E Hurst, Jr

Christina L Hutchinson

Alexander Tselikov

Eric Karl Lindmark

Jill D Berger

Daniel E Glumac

Craig A Parsons

Steve C Dohmeier

Steven C Dohmeier

Tim Gardner

Ghamin A Al-Jumaily

John J Taranto

A compact, in-line polarization combiner uses a folded, reflective optical path from a first fiber to a second fiber. The combiner includes first and second fibers at one end of an in-line package, and a third fiber at the other end of the in-line package. A first polarization-dependent optical path is defined between the first and second fibers for light in a first polarization state. A second polarization-dependent path is defined between the first and third fibers for light in a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. A polarizer is disposed between the ends of the combiner and reflects light on the first path between the first and second fibers and transmits light on the second path between the first and third ports, A reflector is disposed on the first path to reflect light to the polarizer.

Lossless beam combination in a dual fiber collimator using a polarizing beamsplitter

An improved fiber optic tap monitor has characteristics that are flatter over the wavelength range of interest. The polarization dependence of the characteristics of the tap monitor is reduced, and the package for the tap monitor is smaller. The tap monitor reduces the amount of light reflected back to the source. The tap monitor is also assembled in a manner to improve temperature stability, so that its characteristics over a range of temperatures are more nearly constant.

Fiber optic tap

The invention relates to an approach to angle tuning a thin film, interference filter device in which light is delivered to the filter from a fiber lying off-axis relative to the filter, and to a method of optically coupling such a device. The optical device comprises a lens unit having an optical axis and an adjustable effective focal length. The device also includes a first port disposed on a first side of the lens unit and on a first side of the optical axis, and an optical element disposed on the second side of the lens unit. The optical element has an optical characteristic that is dependent on the angle of incidence on the optical element. The lens unit has an adjustable focal length so light from the first port is incident on the optical element at a desired angle.

Angle tuning wavelength sensitive filters using a variable focal length lens

Two sub-assemblies in a fiber optic device are fitted to mounting faces of a central section. The mounting faces are typically flat and mutually orthogonal, thus permitting the adjustment of the two sub-assemblies in decoupled degrees of freedom. This results in a simpler adjustment procedure for aligning the two sub-assemblies. Furthermore, the mounting of the sub-assemblies using the orthogonal mounting faces permits the use of relatively thin layers of adhesive that reduce misalignment problems arising from mismatched thermal expansion when the temperature changes.

Compact optical module with adjustable joint for decoupled alignment

Generally, the present invention relates to a fiber optic device that is easier to align than conventional devices, and to a method for aligning such devices. An embodiment of the invention includes a first focusing element having an optical axis and a first focal length, and a first optical fiber optically coupled to a first side of the first focusing element. The first optical fiber is disposed at a first transverse distance from the optical axis so that light from the first optical fiber propagates on a second side of the first focusing element as a substantially collimated beam at a first angle to the optical axis. A wedged optical element is optically coupled to the second side of the first focusing element and deviates the substantially collimated beam so as to propagate in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.

Dual fiber collimator assembly pointing control

A particular focusing arrangement in a dual fiber collimator improves the transmission efficiency and ease of alignment of the collimator. In particular, the collimator includes two optical fibers mounted in a dual-fiber ferrule. The fiber end-faces are co-planar with the angle-polished end-face of the ferrule and displaced along the optical axis of the ferrule. The collimator unit also includes a first focusing element centered along the optical axis of the ferrule and positioned such that its back front focal point is between the two end faces of the fibers. An advantage provided by this arrangement is that by changing the fiber polish angle and polish azimuth, relative to a line connecting the fiber centers, superior coupling from one fiber to the other can be achieved, even with different working distances and at various wavelengths.

Optical device for compensation of multiple wavelengths and working distances in dual-fiber collimators

A laser source is located in a relatively cool accessible location. Because there is adequate heat dissipation for the laser source, changes in the laser wavelength that arise from laser temperature changes are minimized. The invention described here includes the use of optical fiber to deliver light from the laser source. The laser reliability is improved because of reduced temperature and temperature fluctuations are experienced by the laser source. Because the laser source can be placed outside the drives hermetic seal, the laser can be easily replaced in the field, if required.

Field serviceable laser pen for optical disk drives

The present invention provides a hard disk drive laser assisted magnetic recording system including a semiconductor laser and magnetic write coil integrally formed into a slider. The slider preferably includes a perpendicular magnetic recording section adjacent a laser section. The laser section may form an air bearing surface of the slider. During recording operations, laser radiation from the laser section heats a region of the magnetic recording media in order to reduce its coercivity.

Laser assisted magnetic recording apparatus and method

An optical head for performing optical data operations relative to a medium includes a slider body and at least one lens. Positioned between the slider body and the lens is an aperture stop for blocking the transmittance of light. The aperture stop includes an opaque layer that circumscribes a transparent region.

Aperture stop for a flying optical head

A fiber collimator device includes polarization controlling optics to simplify the manufacture of fiber collimators that use polarization maintaining fiber. In particular, the use of the polarization control optics in a fiber collimator reduces the need to align the polarization axis of the polarization maintaining fiber, thus reducing the time spent on fabricating the device. This is useful where the collimation device includes a polarization mode combiner.

Polarization controlling optics in fiber collimator assemblies

Two sub-assemblies in a fiber optic device are fitted to respective end faces of a central section, along a longitudinal axis. The end faces of the central section are non-parallel. Butting the sub-assemblies to respective ends of the central section permits relative adjustment of the two sub-assemblies in substantially decoupled degrees of freedom. This results in a simpler adjustment procedure for aligning the two sub-assemblies. Furthermore, the mounting of the sub-assemblies using angled faces permits the use of relatively thin layers of adhesive that reduce misalignment problems arising from mismatched thermal expansion when the temperature changes.

Compact optical module with adjustable miter joint for decoupled alignment

An optical data storage system that includes an optical source and an optical storage medium. The system includes a plurality of armatures positioned adjacent to the optical storage medium. Mounted on each armature are elements that perform functions such as beam-splitting, beam-shaping, relaying and fine tuning to collectively form an armature-mounted optical coupling system. An optical switch couples the optical source to each of the armature-mounted optical coupling systems. This configuration of an optical data storage system ensures that one optical source can be utilized for a plurality of optical detection systems.

Single source optical disc data storage system

An optical data storage system includes an optical disc and an armature adjacent the disc. An optical transducer mounted on the arm provides an optical beam output directed parallel to the plane of the disc. An optical actuator mounted on the arm and positioned in the optical beam adjusts the direction of the optical beam and a mirror is positioned to direct the optical beam in a direction perpendicular to the disc and toward the disc. An optical head is positioned at a distal end of the arm and is adapted to couple the optical beam to the optical disc. An arm actuator is coupled to the arm to move the arm relative to the disc and provide coarse positioning of the optical head relative to tracks on the disc. The optical actuator provides fine adjustment of the optical beam between tracks on the disc which are proximate the optical head due to the coarse adjustment by the arm actuator.

Optical disc data storage system

A focus and tracking error system in which a light source such as a laser diode, a beam splitter, a collimating lens, a focussing lens, a 3-beam splitter, a beam diverter, and an optical detector pass a beam to a data media track, with the beam reflecting from the track into a 3-beam splitter, such as a Wollaston prism, through a beam diverter, such as a bi-wedge into an optical detector to form a pair of differential signals for the focussing error, and positioning, reflectivity data signals, and magneto-optical signals.

Dual half-aperture focusing and push-pull tracking using a 3-beam wollaston prism for magneto-optical data storage

The present invention is an apparatus for generating the focus, tracking, and data signals for a magneto-optical data storage device, using a Wollaston prism and a photodetector having four subdetectors. A reflected beam from a disk is directed into the Wollaston prism and is split into two beams, with the beams oriented substantially parallel to the in-track direction. The beams from the prism are collected asymmetrically by both subdetectors of first and second pairs of subdetectors, so that one subdetector in each pair collects more light than the other, and two diagonally opposite subdetectors receive more light than the other two subdetectors. Two focus composite signals are generated by adding the signals from diagonally opposite subdetectors, and the focus error signal is generated by subtracting one focus composite signal from the other. Two tracking composite signals are generated by adding the signals from adjacent subdetectors such that one subdetector is in the first pair and the other is in the second pair, and the tracking error signal is generated by subtracting one tracking composite signal from the other. Two magneto-optical composite signals are generated by adding the signals from the subdetectors of the first and second pair, respectively, and the magneto-optical data signal is generated by subtracting one magneto-optical composite signal from the other. The reflectivity data signal is generated by adding the signals from both pairs of subdetectors.

Growing community of inventors

Richfield, MN, United States of America

Ronald Evan Gerber