EP0958520A1 - Agencement de commutation pour commuter et coupler un faisceau de lumiere dans au moins une fibre de sortie - Google Patents

Agencement de commutation pour commuter et coupler un faisceau de lumiere dans au moins une fibre de sortie

Info

Publication number
EP0958520A1
EP0958520A1 EP98913546A EP98913546A EP0958520A1 EP 0958520 A1 EP0958520 A1 EP 0958520A1 EP 98913546 A EP98913546 A EP 98913546A EP 98913546 A EP98913546 A EP 98913546A EP 0958520 A1 EP0958520 A1 EP 0958520A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
switching arrangement
arrangement according
optics
output
deflection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98913546A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Steffen Glöckner
Rolf GÖRING
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung eV
Original Assignee
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung eV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung eV filed Critical Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung eV
Publication of EP0958520A1 publication Critical patent/EP0958520A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/351—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements
    • G02B6/3524—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/351—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements
    • G02B6/3524—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive
    • G02B6/3526—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being refractive the optical element being a lens
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/354—Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types
    • G02B6/3554—3D constellations, i.e. with switching elements and switched beams located in a volume
    • G02B6/3558—1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs

Definitions

  • Switching arrangement for switching and coupling a light bundle into at least one output fiber
  • the invention relates to a switching arrangement for switching and coupling a light beam into at least one output fiber according to the preamble of the main claim.
  • Mono odefaserschalter are important components for optical communications and 'optical metrology.
  • a fiber switch is used to couple light that is emitted from one or more input single-mode fibers into different output single-mode fibers, with an adjusting mechanism ensuring that the light can be switched into the different output channels or fibers.
  • Various configurations are conceivable for the arrangement of the input single-mode fibers and output single-mode fibers, for example with an MxN Fiber switch M input channels switchable into N output channels.
  • US Pat. No. 5,479,541 An improvement is described in US Pat. No. 5,479,541, the same structure being chosen and only each fiber additionally being provided with a collimation lens. It has been shown that the required adjustment tolerances of the output modules, ie the output fibers with collimation optics, are more favorable, which enables more cost-effective production. Otherwise, the disadvantages described above remain.
  • US Pat. No. 5,434,936 discloses a switching arrangement in which the input fiber is connected to a rotating mechanism and the longitudinal fiber axis lies parallel to the rotating axis, but is offset laterally to the rotating axis. The output fibers are arranged in the same way.
  • each output fiber is additionally provided with a permanent magnet, which is intended to ensure that the optimal position of the fibers relative to one another is set and maintained when switching to the corresponding output fiber.
  • the number of output fibers is very limited, essentially due to the actuation mechanism and the greatly increasing manufacturing effort when adding further output fibers.
  • the invention is therefore based on the object of providing a switching arrangement for switching and coupling a light bundle emitted by at least one input fiber into an output fiber of a plurality of output fibers, which ensures a large number of output channels, short switching times and simple and therefore inexpensive installation , where it should also be as compact as possible.
  • the travel ranges required are extremely short and thus enable short switching times (typically 1 ms) and it can be built very simply and compactly.
  • the deflected optical beams are processed in such a way that they can be efficiently coupled into the output fibers by means of deflecting optics and separate focusing optics.
  • the switching arrangement according to the invention forms a microsystem, in which each output fiber has a separate coupling optics, all of which Coupling optics (focusing optics and deflection optics) are at least partially arranged in the array.
  • Coupling optics focusing optics and deflection optics
  • the possibility of using lens and / or fiber arrays with equidistant spacing of the fibers or lenses is made possible by the deflecting optics, which deflect the collimated deflected bundle back into the original direction. Due to the design as a microsystem, the lens defects are so small that no complicated objectives are necessary, but "single lenses" can be used with limited diffraction. According to the invention, all individual lenses in the system have small lateral dimensions (beam deflection and collimation optics, focusing optics).
  • Inexpensive piezo actuators that are commercially available in large variations of the performance features can be used as control elements.
  • a measuring device connected to a processing unit can be provided, which measures the position of the respective deflected beam in relation to the optimal position for coupling into the respective output fiber, and the processing unit generates a control signal for the steep elements. This ensures that the individual positions of the output fibers can be approached with high precision and thus guarantees the stability of the optical parameters in the event of changing environmental conditions, such as temperature and air humidity.
  • arrays of optical and electronic components can be used, which are inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, as well as the large number of Further promote output channels.
  • Very simple micro-optical components such as microlenses, microlens arrays, prism arrays, which can be produced with comparatively little effort, can be used.
  • the optical functioning of the micro-optical components is diffraction-limited, which enables efficient coupling into the output fibers (losses ⁇ 1 dB).
  • the adjustment paths of the control elements are in the range of a few 10 ⁇ m, so that switching times in the range of
  • the switching arrangement according to the invention is functional in any wavelength ranges, the materials used here having to be adapted to the corresponding wavelength ranges with regard to their properties, such as transparency and refractive index.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the switching arrangement according to the invention in different positions of the deflection and collimation optics with respect to the input fiber,
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
  • Fig. 3 is a view of a plurality of quadrant detectors in one two-dimensional array are arranged
  • FIG 4 shows schematic views for the adjustment possibilities of the input fiber and the deflection and collimation optics relative to one another.
  • a 1 ⁇ N switching arrangement which has an input fiber 2 and a plurality of output fibers 6.
  • the output fibers 6 are arranged two-dimensionally in accordance with FIG. 2 and, forming a two-dimensional array, are mounted and fastened in a holder 11.
  • a lens 1 is arranged in front of the input fiber 2 as a deflection and collimation optics, which lens is arranged in two directions, for example x- and y-direction, in relation to the input fiber 2 via an adjusting element 10, the adjustment directions of which are indicated by the arrows 12 , is movable.
  • the lens is preferably designed as a microlens with a small focal length, for example 1 mm with a diameter of 0.5-1 mm.
  • a detector device 7 for determining the position of the respective deflected beam relative to the optimal coupling position into the output fibers 6 is one Downstream deflection optics 4 and a subsequent focusing optics arrangement 5 are provided, which consists of a plurality of focusing optics assigned to the respective output fiber, both the individual focusing optics and the output fibers in the same lateral Chen distance from each other.
  • the deflecting optics 4 and the focusing optics arrangement 5, as can be seen in FIG. 2, are designed as prism arrays and microlens arrays.
  • the lens array as focusing optics 5 has a numerical aperture adapted to the output fibers.
  • FIG. 3 shows the detector arrangement 7, which has a plurality of quadrant detectors arranged in rows and columns, consisting of four
  • the detector device 7 is connected to a processing unit (not shown) which, depending on the output signals of the respective quadrant detector, generates a control or regulating signal to the actuating element 10 designed as a piezo element. Depending on the control signal, the deflection and collimation optics are adjusted in two directions relative to the input fiber 2.
  • the adjusting element designed as a piezo actuator, the electronic processing unit and the detector arrangement form the adjusting device for the lens 1, which is shown as a “control loop”.
  • the detector arrangement 7 as a measuring device for the position of the beam can be dispensed with and only the processing unit can be provided, so that the actuating device consists of an actuating element and processing unit or a control unit, the processing or control unit being the control signal as a control signal for the actuating element is generated depending on the position of the output fiber and the position of the lens and / or the input fiber.
  • the switching arrangement works as follows.
  • the input single-mode fiber 2 emits a beam 15 at its end.
  • the processing unit (not shown) supplies an actuating signal to the piezo actuator 10, which laterally shifts the lens 1 connected to it relative to the input fiber 2.
  • 1 shows three different beam paths for coupling into three different output fibers 6.
  • the lens 1 serves both as collimation optics and as a beam deflector.
  • the individual deflected and collimated beams 15 are after the route
  • Lens 1 is removed, the detector device 7 is arranged and the bundles can be transformed according to the output channels or output fibers 6 separately.
  • the individual prisms 4a, 4b of the prism array which are designed differently from one another
  • the subsequent lens array 5 with the numerical aperture adapted to the output fibers 6 focuses the individual bundles on the output fibers 6 in each case.
  • the respective quadrant detector of the detector arrangement 7 measures and determines the position of the respective deflected bundle and delivers the measurement signal to the processing unit (not shown). In this unit it is determined whether the measured beam is in an optimal position relative to the respective output fiber 6 and accordingly a control signal for controlling the actuating element is tes 10 generated.
  • the adjusting element 10 adjusts the lens 1 until it deflects the beam in accordance with the optimal position.
  • the prism array 4 and the lens array 5 are possible. Of course, they can be arranged separately from each other as individual elements. A further system integration is possible if the prism array 4 and the lens array 5 are mounted on one and the same substrate.
  • the deflection optics 4 can also be designed as a single lens, the focal length of which corresponds to the distance from the beam deflection and collimation optics.
  • the deflection optics it is also conceivable for the deflection optics to be dispensed with, but here the lateral distances between the output fibers differ from one another. There are small additional losses that can be tolerated depending on the application.
  • FIG. 4 shows the adjustment options of the input fiber and the deflection and collimation optics relative to one another.
  • the lens 1 is adjusted two-dimensionally, ie in two directions
  • the input fiber 2 is adjusted in two directions and the lens 1 is fixed
  • the input fiber 2 is in one direction and the lens 1 is adjusted in the other direction
  • FIG. 4d the deflection and collimation optics are realized by two lenses 13 and 14, the one lens 13 being moved in one direction and the other lens 14 in the other direction.
  • the input fiber 2 has a waist diameter of 4 ⁇ m.
  • the individual quadrant detectors enclose a transparent area with a diameter of 450 ⁇ m, so that the width of the detector structures is approximately 20 ⁇ m.
  • the detector elements can consist of silicon.
  • prism structures with angles of 0, ⁇ 1.72 ° and ⁇ 3.43 ° with a refractive index of 1.5 would be necessary.
  • Lens arrays should have a numerical aperture of 0.25 and an aspherical surface shape.
  • the working distance of the fibers from the lens array is approximately 1 mm.
  • the required adjustment range of the piezo actuator is 60 ⁇ m x 60 ⁇ m.
  • the switching times for this adjustment are of the order of 1 ms.
  • the light beam emitted by an input fiber is coupled into one or more output fibers.
  • an input fiber can also be used with a free space bundle, for example from a laser, which is focused with a first optical system in such a way that the focus has similar dimensions and the local position of the radiation emitted by the fiber (in the "pure" fiber switch) Light beam.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
  • Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

Cet agencement sert à commuter et à coupler un faisceau de lumière émis par au moins un élément optique, tel qu'une fibre d'entrée (2), dans au moins une fibre de sortie parmi une pluralité de fibres de sortie (6). Des éléments optiques déflecteurs et collimateurs du faisceau (1) reliés à un dispositif d'ajustement pourvu d'un élément d'ajustement (10) sont associés au faisceau de lumière émis ou à la fibre d'entrée (2). En fonction du signal d'ajustement, l'élément d'ajustement (10) déplace la fibre d'entrée (2) et les éléments optiques déflecteurs et collimateurs du faisceau (1) l'une par rapport aux autres dans le sens latéral, de sorte que le faisceau collimaté puisse être couplé à travers un objectif déflecteur (4) et un objectif focalisateur (5) dans au moins une fibre de sortie (6) parmi une pluralité de fibres de sortie situées à une certaine distance des éléments optiques déflecteurs et collimateurs du faisceau (1).
EP98913546A 1997-02-07 1998-02-06 Agencement de commutation pour commuter et coupler un faisceau de lumiere dans au moins une fibre de sortie Withdrawn EP0958520A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19706053 1997-02-07
DE1997106053 DE19706053B4 (de) 1997-02-07 1997-02-07 Schaltanordnung zum Schalten und Einkoppeln eines Lichtbündels in mindestens eine Ausgangsfaser
PCT/EP1998/000633 WO1998035257A1 (fr) 1997-02-07 1998-02-06 Agencement de commutation pour commuter et coupler un faisceau de lumiere dans au moins une fibre de sortie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0958520A1 true EP0958520A1 (fr) 1999-11-24

Family

ID=7820502

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98913546A Withdrawn EP0958520A1 (fr) 1997-02-07 1998-02-06 Agencement de commutation pour commuter et coupler un faisceau de lumiere dans au moins une fibre de sortie

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0958520A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE19706053B4 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998035257A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2228793T3 (es) 2000-01-06 2005-04-16 Polatis Limited Montaje de conexion de fibra optica.
US20020181842A1 (en) * 2000-06-28 2002-12-05 Vaganov Vladimir I. Optical switch
DE10061259A1 (de) * 2000-12-01 2002-06-27 Fraunhofer Ges Forschung Schaltungsanordnung
WO2003056370A2 (fr) * 2001-08-09 2003-07-10 Bainbridge Networks, Inc. Commutateur a fibres optiques
US6738539B2 (en) 2001-10-03 2004-05-18 Continuum Photonics Beam-steering optical switching apparatus
DE10157949C2 (de) * 2001-11-27 2003-10-09 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Detektion von Gasleckagen
AU2017252647B2 (en) 2016-04-20 2022-03-10 Coopersurgical, Inc. Beam steering for laser systems and related methods

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3106539C2 (de) * 1980-02-22 1994-09-01 Ricoh Kk Rasterobjektiv
FR2559921B1 (fr) * 1984-02-16 1986-07-04 Sopelem Dispositif de commutation de fibres optiques
US4696062A (en) * 1985-07-12 1987-09-22 Labudde Edward V Fiber optic switching system and method
DE3918975A1 (de) * 1989-06-10 1990-12-13 Ant Nachrichtentech Optischer schalter
EP0640857B1 (fr) * 1993-08-25 2000-10-11 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Commutateur optique
DE29517012U1 (de) * 1995-10-27 1995-12-21 CMS Mikrosysteme GmbH Chemnitz, 09577 Niederwiesa Optischer Schalter

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9835257A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE19706053B4 (de) 2004-11-04
WO1998035257A1 (fr) 1998-08-13
DE19706053A1 (de) 1998-08-13

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