Chromux Technologies, Inc.

Tallis Y Chang

Leo K Lam

Graham J Martin

David Barnett Hall

Dong-il Cho

Fritz Strohkendl

A collimator array is disclosed that carries forward its alignment characteristics to optical devices that incorporate it. Little, if any active alignment need be performed in the manufacturing of such optical devices, such as switching arrays and optical add/drop arrays that employ a plurality of such collimator arrays in each device. The collimator array includes a fiber array having a plurality of regularly spaced optical fibers such that an output axis of each optical fiber has a predetermined spatial position and orientation with respect to a reference edge of the fiber array. The collimator array also includes an array of lenses separated from the fiber array by an air gap and aligned with the fiber array at an alignment position. The aligned position is such that collimated light exiting each lens has a predetermined position and direction with respect to the reference edge of the fiber array.

Multiple channel optical assembly and method of manufacture

A tap coupler device for an optical array is formed either in a waveguide structure or in a V block in which a fiber array may be mounted. The tap coupler device may include a substrate with main and tap waveguides formed therein, and waveguide tap couplers formed in the substrate for diverting a portion of the optical signal from the main waveguides to corresponding tap waveguides. Another variation includes a substrate including waveguides, with the surface of the substrate where the waveguides end inclined to reflect a portion of the signals in the waveguides toward the top surface of the substrate. Yet another variation includes an input V block having input fibers. The surface of the V block where the input fibers terminate is inclined to reflect a portion of light signals from the input fibers toward the top surface of the V block.

Tap couplers for fiber optic arrays

An assembly that could be used either as a switch or an attenuator includes two or more optical channels defined by lithography within a substrate. The two or more optical channels are positioned so that the ends of the optical channels are at or near an edge of the substrate. A moveable MEMS mirror is positioned near the edge of the substrate and the openings, with the face of the mirror positioned to receive an optical signal from one of the optical channels. The mirror can direct an optical signal from one of the optical channels into another of the optical channels. Mirror position can be changed to alter the path of the optical signal and to change the coupling between the optical channels. In this way, the assembly of optical channels within the substrate and the MEMS mirror can act as a switch or as an attenuator.

Switch and variable optical attenuator for single or arrayed optical channels

An optical ON/OFF switch includes a micro-mechanical shutter formed on a silicon substrate using micro-mechanical fabrication techniques. The switch selectively opens and closes an optical path between two fibers with the micro-mechanical shutter. A micro-mechanical latch latches the shutter open or closed and remains in this state until electrical signals disengage the latch. Incoming and outgoing fibers are coupled to the shutter within the switch so that, when the shutter and the switch are ON (open) light couples between the ends of the two fibers. The fibers are positioned within stepped channels that hold each fiber along two edges within the channels so that the fibers are held in fixed alignment and relation. The fibers are laterally offset with respect to each other and the faces of the fibers are angled to limit back reflections from the shutter while still obtaining good coupling between the fibers.

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Northridge, CA, United States of America

Tallis Y Chang