Corning Incorporated

Jds Uniphase Corporation

Steve Chakmakjian

Nestor O Farmiga

Daniel Henri Raguin

Eliseo R Ranalli

Dale A Buralli

Theodore J Tiberio

Bradley John Ward

Christopher Brophy

An multiport, multi-wavelength optical switch having and array of angular beam-directing devices employs an anamorphic optical system that transforms a beam corresponding to a given wavelength of a given multi-wavelength input channel into a beam, at a plane of the angular beam-directing device array, having an elliptical Gaussian-beam waist in the angular-directing direction of the beam-directing device and in the orthogonal direction, with the waist in the angular-direction being larger than the waist in the orthogonal direction. Planar and non-planar emitter/receivers for use with the switch are disclosed.

Multiport wavelength-selective optical switch

A method for aligning optical fibers to a lens array is provided, including, providing a planar reflective surface facing the front surface of lens array, locating one end of a fiber adjacent the back surface of the substrate upon which the lens array is formed or integrated to face one of the lenses of the array, propagating light through the fiber and the lens facing the fiber to the planar reflective surface, receiving returned reflected light from the reflective surface through the fiber and the lens facing the fiber, and then adjusting the position of the fiber to change the amount of the returned reflected light received by the fiber to determine when the fiber is at a position which provides a maximum amount or power of the returned reflected light, thereby aligning the end of the fiber to the focal point of the lens. The fiber is attached to the substrate at that position, such as by an adhesive material, and the method repeated for each fiber to a different lens of the array. A ferrule may be provided about each end of the fibers attached to the substrate. The ferrule may have one or more regions for retaining excessive adhesive joining the fiber to the lens array to avoid adhesive protruding upon the back surface of the substrate and interfering with placement of other fibers to the lens array. Manual and automated systems in accordance with this method are provided. A collimator array is further provided having a lens array with aligned attached optical fibers.

Collimator array and method and system for aligning optical fibers to a lens array

Growing community of inventors

Honeoye Falls, NY, United States of America

Steve Chakmakjian