The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 23, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2001
W. Royall Cox, Plano, TX (US);
Chi Guan, Richardson, TX (US);
MicroFab Technologies, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
Collimating microlenses are “printed” from optical polymeric materials on the ends of optical fibers using ink-jet technology. In one embodiment the optical fibers are inserted into a collet, a stand-off distance from the open upper end of the collet. The open upper end is filled with optical fluid and a microlens is formed thereon to collimate light exiting the fiber through the microlens. In another embodiment optical fibers from a “ribbon” are separated and installed into a ferrule having multiple openings therethrough. In the same manner as in the collet embodiment, the ferrule openings serve as a mold for the lens formation with the end of the fiber being located at the focal distance of the lenslet formed in an on the ferrule. A non-wetting coating can serve to control spreading of the fluid optical material and allow lens radius control as well. The microlenses are hardened after formation.