Nec Research Institute, Inc.

Other

Nec Laboratories America, Inc.

Nec Usa, Inc.

Yao Li

Ting Wang

Kenneth W Fasanella

Jan Popelek

Ray T Chen

Richard A Linke

Jacob Sharony

Jun Ai

Keiichi Kubota

Tineke Thio

Kenichi Kasahara

Shigeru Kawai

Kojiro Watanabe

Allan Schweitzer

Satish B Rao

Hadi F Ghaemi

Ichiro Fujieda

Berlin Ha

Yuh-Dauh Lyuu

Tao Jiang

A unidirectional and bidirectional optical fiber couplers using polymer optical fibers having mirrors formed within the polymer optical fibers for reflecting optical signals. The mirrors comprise a notch having at least one surface angled with respect to the central axis of the optical fiber for reflecting the optical signal perpendicular to its central axis. A unidirectional embodiment allows input optical signals to be coupled from any combination of input optical fibers and transmitted into any combination of output optical fibers. A bidirectional embodiment allows optical signals from tapping fibers to be reflected in opposite directions along a first, or BUS optical fiber. Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus and method for controlling the depth of the notch by monitoring residue power through the optical fibers while the notch is being cut.

Cost-effective side-coupling polymer fiber optics for optical interconnections

An X-cube integrated solid-optics component which can perform beam-splitting and filtering functions among four input beams. The X-cube component can also be used for various wavelength-division multiplexing communication and interconnection applications, such as star-coupling, wavelength routing, and add/drop multiplexing. The X-cube component comprises an assembly of four right-angle roof-top prisms positioned with the apex of each roof-top prism at the center of the assembly, such that assembly defines two mutually orthogonal and intersecting internal planes which intersect at the center of assembly to form four sections of the intersecting internal planes. The four plane sections form up to four or more primary optical channel paths having up to four or more potential inputs I , I , I , I and four or more potential outputs I , I , I , and I , and the outputs depend upon functionalities provided by the four sections of the intersecting internal planes.

X-cube integrated solid optics component

Accordingly, a beam-splitting ball lens is provided. The beam-splitting ball lens has: a ball lens; and a beam-splitter filter disposed within the ball lens. The ball lens preferably has first and second portions wherein the beam-splitter filter is disposed at a junction between the first and second portions. The beam-splitting ball lens can further have a mid-plane optical element disposed at the junction such as, a wavelength selective filter, a polarization component, an amplitude modulation mask, a phase modulation mask, a hologram and/or a grating. Also provided is a method for fabricating the beam-splitting ball lens of the present invention. The method includes the steps of: providing the ball lens; and disposing the beam-splitter filter within the ball lens. Preferably the disposing step includes: dividing the ball lens into first and second portions; and disposing the beam-splitter filter at the junction between the first and second portions. Also provided is a mount for the beam-splitting ball lens of the present invention. The mount has a body, the body having screws to retain the beam-splitting ball lens therein. The body further having access holes for two inputs and two outputs corresponding to the two inputs. The access holes being aligned with the beam-splitter filter such that light inputted to the inputs are directed to corresponding outputs.

Beam splitting ball lens, method for its manufacture, and apparatus for its packaging

Beam splitting ball lens method for its manufacture and apparatus for its packaging

A hand-held optical scanner for reading color images formed on a document. The scanner head is all-optical and contains no electronics. Optical fiber bundles couple the scanner head to a remote opto-electronic module containing a linear or a 2D sensor array for converting optical signals, reflected from the document, to electrical signals for transmission to a computer display, etc. By using side coupling, the transmitted and reflected light for each pixel travels through the same optical fiber without the need for a beam splitter. The optical fibers are used for the functions of image scanning, position encoding, and signaling a computer which assigns each one of incoherently arranged optical fibers to one of the functions.

Hand-held plastic optical fiber linear scanner for reading color images

Cost-effective side-coupling polymer fiber optics for optical

A low-cost star-coupler assembly primarily for use in optical data networks is fabricated from three modular components. The first component is a support plate having at least two sets of grooves into which polymer optical fibers may be placed and a central aperture. The second component is a waveguide plate which is designed to fit in the aperture. The third component is a cover plate having alignment means for aligning the components in fixed relationship and for holding polymer optical fibers in the grooves securely in place. The coupling structure is most useful with large-core polymer optical fibers. The modular design facilitates replacement of fibers. The components may be fabricated by injection molding thereby reducing the cost.

Low-cost planar star-coupling structure for large-core polymer optical

A subwavelength-resolution optical imaging device is provided for conveying light having a wavelength .lambda. that is emitted, reflected or transmitted by a sample. The device comprises a coherent fiber bundle, which itself comprises a plurality of optical fibers disposed substantially coaxially along their lengths. Each optical fiber also comprises a core having an index of refraction n.sub.1 and a cladding having an index of refraction n.sub.2 thereby providing a value .DELTA., where: ##EQU1## Light is effectively confined within the core of each fiber without need for a separate coating applied to the fibers by selecting the values of n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 for each optical fiber so as to provide a value for .DELTA. which permits at least a predetermined fraction of the light launched into each optical fiber at the sampling end of the coherent fiber bundle to be conveyed through the optical fiber to the observation end of the coherent fiber bundle, and which restricts crosstalk between adjacent optical fibers of the coherent fiber bundle to a predetermined level.

Tapered coherent fiber bundle imaging device for near-field optical

A switching network that utilizes at least three degrees of freedom, time, wavelength and space. In one embodiment that involves point-to-point switching, each space channel between an input and an output is assigned a time slot and wavelength coordinate characteristic of the output and the input transmitter and output receiver are tuned to the appropriate time and wavelength coordinates and selective switching is used to complete the space channel between the input and output. In another embodiment for generalized switching, each input channel is assigned a set of space, time slot and wavelength coordinates and an input signal is broadcast to all of the outputs which selectively makes connection to those inputs with an appropriate set of coordinates.

Multidimensional switching networks

A multi-mode oriented polynomial transformation based defuzzification strategy uses a Kalman filter in a parameter leaning procedure defuzzification application where two or more distinct possibility peaks exist in its membership function distribution.

Defuzzification strategy and parameter learning process

A point-to-point optical network for interconnecting processing elements uses a two-dimensional array of chips, each of which includes a two-dimensional array of lasers that are used to target a two-dimensional array of photodetectors. A two-dimensional array of lenslets together with a spherical lens are used to focus light from a laser in the j, k position in any one of the laser arrays in any one of the chips on the particular photodetector in the j,k position in the photodetector array.

Free-space angle-multiplexed optical interconnect network

A method and apparatus for tapping and distributing light propagating through a polymer optical fiber (POF). Within the polymer optical fiber, one or more mirrors are constructed. At a point in the POF where an internal mirror is constructed, light traversing the POF is efficiently diverted out of the polymer optical fiber upon striking the mirror. The light so diverted passes through a dispersing region such that only diffuse light is emitted and may be put to an advantageous use. Alternatively, a controllable shutter is placed within the polymer optical fiber such that light traversing the POF is diverted out of the polymer optical fiber upon striking the mirror when the controllable shutter so permits. The controllable shutter is variable so that variable amounts of light may be selectively emitted from the POF.

Light dispersive optical fiber

A method and apparatus for tapping and distributing light propagating through a polymer optical fiber (POF). Within the polymer optical fiber, one or more mirrors are constructed. At a point in the POF where an internal mirror is constructed, light traversing the POF is efficiently diverted out of the polymer optical fiber upon striking the mirror. As such, the light which is diverted is effectively tapped off and may be put to an advantageous use.

Bi-directional light port for injecting light into and tapping light

A fiber image guide is used for establishing bit-parallel computer data communications. A fiber image guide is located between an input laser array driven by a first electrical circuit or computer chip and a receive detector array coupled to a second electrical circuit or computer chip for transmitting bit-parallel data from the first electrical circuit or computer chip to the second electrical circuit or computer chip.

Growing community of inventors

Monmouth Junction, NJ, United States of America

Yao Li