Oplink Communications, Inc.

Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.

Steven Guoxin Zhu

Chun He

Yu Zheng

Feng Quan Liu

Yao Li

Jingyu Xu

Jason Li

Chuying Chen

Techniques for packaging in an optical device and an opto-electrical conversion device are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the optical device is packaged in a piece of tubing and the opto-electrical conversion device is packaged in a TO-can. While the optical device and the opto-electrical conversion device are coaxially aligned, the tube and the TO-can are integrated by a certain amount of epoxy that is later cured by a UV light or heat. As a result, an integrated optical device is formed and enjoys features of small footprint, better alignment, enhanced impact performance, lower cost in addition to easier manufacturing process and environmental-safe.

Solder-free packaging for integrated fiber optics device

Techniques for designing optical couplers are disclosed. According to one aspect of the optical couplers, different from the prior art couplers, a holding tube (a sub-assembly) for holding an optical lens (e.g., a GRIN lens) and an optical filter (e.g., a thin film filter) is formed by concatenating two single tubes, one for accommodating the optical lens and the other for accommodating the optical filter. The two tubes are not required to have an identical dimension. As a result, inherent flexibilities are provided in the holding tube, especially the optical filter often comes in different sizes. Further, when the sub-assembly is inserted in a sleeve, only either one of the two tubes is secured to the sleeve so as to reduce a risk that, during a thermal condition change, any metal and glass material expansion will not cause the sub-assembly to be under stress that would otherwise be present when both of the tubes are secured to the sleeve. To reduce stress-related optical loss of the optical couplers, an epoxy adhesive is applied onto only a portion of an optical lens and a portion of a tube.

Cost-effective packaging of fiber optical devices

New designs of optical devices, particularly for adding or dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical filter is positioned a distance from a first lens to form an assembly with a mechanical axis. The optical filter is configured at a selected wavelength and reflecting light beams at wavelengths other than the selected wavelength and transmitting a light beam at the selected wavelength. The distance is obtained with respect to a reflection measurement of a light beam at a wavelength other than the selected wavelength such that the reflection measurement is minimized. A second lens is initially positioned towards the optical filter. Before being fixed with respect to the assembly, the second lens is laterally shifted from the mechanical axis of the assembly to collect with a minimum loss a light beam refracted from the assembly. Such lateral shift also benefits when a light beam comes out from the second lens.

Optical add/drop apparatus and the method for making the same

This invention discloses a method for detecting a leak from a sealed optical device. The method includes steps of: A) injecting a target gas with no performance interference to the sealed optical device for leak detection followed by sealing the sealed optical device. B) placing the sealed device in a leak testing chamber and measuring a background level of the target gas in the leak testing chamber. C) heating the sealed device to a gas-expelling temperature for expelling the target gas from the leak in the sealed optical device. And, D) detecting the target gas in a one-part-per million (PPM) range in the leak-detecting chamber for an comparing with the background level of the target gas for determining the leak in the sealed optical device.

Leak detector for sealed optical devices

This invention provides a novel class of fiber-optic couplers that enable fiber-optic elements in an angled-axis alignment to be coupled in a secure and reliable manner. The fiber-optic couplers of the present invention further permit a variable gap between two successive optical elements that are coupled. This has an important practical application, for it allows GRIN lenses with a pitch less than a quarter-pitch to be employed. By cascading and/or telescoping a plurality of these fiber-optic couplers, the present invention further provides an assembly of fiber-optic systems that can be utilized as wavelength division multiplexers and de-multiplexers. An important advantage of the fiber-optic couplers of the present invention is that they allow fiber-optic elements to be arranged in various ways, yet still attaining secure and reliable coupling. Another advantage of the fiber-optic couplers of the present invention is that the coupling is less susceptible to extraneous effects such as temperature variations and moisture erosion. Further advantages of the fiber-optic couplers of the present invention include their simple assembly, versatility, and adaptability for a variety of applications.

Angled-axis fiber-optic couplers

A system and method for providing a wavelength division multiplexer is disclosed. In one aspect, the system and method include providing a housing for the wavelength division multiplexer. The housing includes a first port having a first aperture therein, a second port having a second aperture and a first plurality of apertures therein, and a third port having a third aperture and a second plurality of apertures therein. The second and third apertures are coupled to the first aperture. The first plurality of apertures are disposed symmetrically around the second aperture. The second plurality of apertures are disposed symmetrically around the third aperture. In another aspect, the method and system include providing a wavelength division multiplexer. The wavelength division multiplexer includes a first port including a first collimator, a second port coupled to the first port, and a third port coupled to the first port. The second port includes a second collimator and a first plurality of joints for affixing the second collimator. The first plurality of joints is disposed symmetrically around the second collimator. The third port includes a third collimator and a second plurality of joints for affixing the third collimator. The second plurality of joints is disposed symmetrically around the third collimator.

Method and system for providing an improved three port wavelength

A system and method for providing an optical collimator is disclosed. The collimator includes a lens, a pigtail, and a holder. The method and system include aligning the lens and the pigtail, affixing a position of the lens with respect to a position of the pigtail, and placing the lens and the pigtail in the holder. The alignment is carried out in three dimensions.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Steven Guoxin Zhu