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
  • G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
  • G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
  • G02B6/4204—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms
  • G02B6/4206—Optical features
• • 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
  • G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
  • G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
  • G02B6/4202—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details for coupling an active element with fibres without intermediate optical elements, e.g. fibres with plane ends, fibres with shaped ends, bundles
  • G02B6/4203—Optical features
• • 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
  • G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
  • G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
  • G02B6/4204—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms
  • G02B6/4214—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device

Definitions

• the invention relates to optics for coupling light from a light source into a medium, in particular into an optical fiber.
• the intensity of light suffers losses as it passes through a medium due to absorption, the radiation energy of the absorbed part of the light being converted into thermal energy.
• the spatial power density of the internal heating of the medium thus produced increases both with the absorption coefficient and with the light intensity, so that the medium is heated more strongly in areas of high light intensity than in areas of low light intensity.
• optical fibers made of quartz glass or other materials, into which light of high intensity is coupled is for example the transmission of high laser light intensities for cutting, drilling or other machining of workpieces.
• Another application of optical fibers, into which light of high intensity is coupled, is in message transmission.
• the possible uses for optical optical fibers are very diverse because of their large bandwidth for message transmission, for example on long-distance telecommunication routes.
• Optical fibers are also increasingly being installed in the connection networks right up to the end consumer in households.
• multimode optical fibers made of plastic are being developed, which will replace the quartz single-mode fibers that have mainly been used up to now and are to be operated either in the visible spectral range, in the near infrared or in the future also in the second optical window (1.3 micrometers).
• plastic optical fibers are their ease of installation and the low-cost availability of appropriate connection technologies. This has the disadvantage of high damping, i.e. strong absorption of the incident light. It is therefore necessary to irradiate the plastic optical fibers with the highest possible intensities in order to obtain light signals that are still reliably detectable at their output.
• the required high intensities can damage the plastic optical fiber, e.g. melt and thereby destroy the communication link.
• a collecting lens for coupling light into the medium is arranged in front of the end face of the optical fiber and focuses the light from the light source into the optical fiber. That from the light source, e.g. Laser or laser diode, originating light strikes the cylindrical side wall of the optical fiber after passing through the converging lens and the end face of the optical fiber at a multitude of angles.
• the opening ratio of the lens and the arrangement of the lens and light source are selected as possible depending on the refractive indices of the core and the cladding of the optical fiber so that all these angles at which the light impinges on the cylindrical interface between the core and cladding are there Fulfill condition for total reflection.
• the light source for example laser
• the light source is thus sharply imaged in the interior of the medium, so that one is in the medium at the location of the image there is a high optical power density, which leads to local heating of the medium and can cause the above-mentioned adverse effects, in particular destruction of the optical fiber.
• a large optical power density can trigger non-linear optical effects and thereby interfere with the transmission of messages via the optical fiber.
• Another possibility of coupling light into a medium is to place the light source in front of the end face of the optical fiber without any use of any optics and to illuminate the end face directly with the light from the light source. No image of the light source is created in the medium, so that no zone of extremely high intensity concentration is formed.
• the disadvantage here is that neither the distribution of the light intensity in the medium nor the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium can be adapted to the needs. This disadvantage is of particular importance when coupling light into multimode optical fibers.
• the invention is therefore based on the object of providing optics for coupling light from a light source into a medium, by means of which the maximum spatial optical power density occurring in the medium is reduced compared to the prior art, without reducing the integrally coupled light power, and by which a predetermined distribution of the light entry angles into the medium can be realized.
• optics for coupling light from a light source into a medium with at least one light-deflecting surface which directs the light into the medium by reflection or refraction, characterized in that for the purpose of reducing the maximum that occurs in the medium spatial luminance, the light-deflecting surface or surfaces has or have such a shape that no sharp image of the light source is formed in the medium or on its surface.
• the medium can in particular be an optical fiber.
• the object is also achieved by optics for coupling light from a light source into a light guide, in particular optical fiber, with at least one light-deflecting surface, which ⁇ en ⁇ t the light by reflection or hetraction into the medium, oaii light at such angles in the Light guide is irradiated, that light is guided in the light guide, characterized by such a shape of the light-deflecting surface or surfaces that, for the purpose of reducing the maximum spatial luminance occurring in the light guide, no sharp image of the light source is formed in the light guide or on its surface.
• the light-deflecting surface or the light-deflecting surfaces can in particular be shaped such that no point of the light source is sharply imaged in the medium or on its surface.
• An important advantage of the invention is that the distribution of the light intensity in the medium and the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium can be adapted and optimized by suitable choice of the shape of the light-deflecting surface or surfaces, without reducing the integral light flux. In particular, an extreme concentration of the light intensity within a small zone of the medium can be prevented with the aid of the invention.
• the optics according to the invention can advantageously be or have an axicon in particular.
• “Axicon” refers to rotationally symmetrical optics that map a point source located in its optical axis to a point distribution on its optical axis.
• An axicon therefore has no defined focal length.
• An example of an axicon is a cone, the axis of which coincides with the direction of light incidence.
• the invention can be used particularly advantageously for coupling light into light guides, for example optical fibers.
• light guides for example optical fibers.
• the invention Provided possibility to optimally adapt the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium to existing needs.
• the light-deflecting hache or optics can have such a shape that the light emerging from every point of the light source converges after entering the medium, but each point of the light source does not point to a point but to a region of finite extent, e.g. is mapped onto a line or curve, onto a circle, onto a surface or onto a volume.
• the light source is deliberately imaged out of focus.
• a blurred real image can e.g. with the help of an optic which converges light from the light source in the medium, but is not able from the start to sharply image any point of an object.
• optics can e.g. be or include an aspherical converging lens, e.g. can be part of an egg-shaped body.
• a fuzzy real image can also take place with targeted use of the imaging elements focusing on imaging errors.
• a converging lens or a concave mirror can be used for this purpose, the light source being so far away from the optical axis of the lens that each point of the light source is imaged as a coma.
• the fact that the coma increases with the distance of the object from the optical axis is advantageously used here.
• An optical system according to the invention can also be or comprise a transparent body delimited by plane surfaces or a part of such.
• Such bodies are e.g. a prism, a pyramid, n-flat surface (e.g. tetrahedron) or a lens or a mirror with a surface composed of a plurality of individual planar partial surfaces, i.e. so-called facet lenses or facet mirrors.
• certain plane surfaces can be curved convexly or concavely for further targeted influencing distribution of the luminance within the medium and the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface or surfaces of the optics can have a shape such that the light emerging from each point of the light source when it enters the Medium diverges, this can be achieved with a diverging lens, for example.
• Divergence of the light upon entry into the medium can also be achieved in that the optics have a converging lens that images the light source in an image completely between the optics and the surface of the medium or that the light source in a completely between the optics and the surface of the medium has image-forming concave mirror, so that the medium is reached by light from the light source, which diverges again after passing a focal point lying outside the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface or surfaces of the optics can have such a shape that the image of each point of the light source is essentially distributed over a focal line or a focal surface.
• a mapping of each point of the light source onto a focal line can e.g. with the help of a transparent full cone, the base or the tip of which faces the light source.
• a full cone with its base surface facing the light source can be embedded in the medium in such a way that its entire lateral surface is in contact with the medium and its entire base surface is not in contact with the medium. In this case, the full cone must have a different refractive index than the medium.
• the optics can advantageously be formed by a shape of the surface of the medium itself which acts as a light-deflecting surface, or can have such a shape and thus be an integral part of the medium.
• the surface of the medium for example the end face of an optical fiber, can have a concave shape and thus act as a diverging lens.
• An optical system according to the invention can also be or comprise an internally mirrored hollow tube, the opening of which faces the light source.
• the hollow tube can have, for example, a cylindrical shape or the shape of a cone that widens or narrows towards the light source.
• the cross-sectional shape of the tube can also be other than that of a circle.
• the function of an internally mirrored cylinder or cone tube can also be fulfilled by a transparent full cylinder or full cone with an externally mirrored outer surface.
• the full cone can be formed by a conically shaped shape of the surface of the medium itself.
• One or both end faces of the full cylinder or full cone can be used to influence the distribution of the The light intensity in the medium and the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium must be convex or concave.
• An optical system according to the invention can also be or comprise a combination of two or more of the above-mentioned elements. Furthermore, an optical system according to the invention for specifically influencing the distribution of the light intensity in the medium and the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium can have one or more additional lenses or mirrors.
• FIG. 1 shows the coupling of light into a for further explanation of the prior art
• FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is designed as a converging lens
• FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is designed as a diverging lens
• Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face of the optical fiber itself has a concave shape and thus as
• an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is designed as an aspherical converging lens
• FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a torus lens
• FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face of the optical fiber is designed as part of a torus lens and thus acts as a torus lens
• FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a converging lens, the optical axis of which extends at a great distance from the light source
• 9 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention in which the end face of the optical fiber itself has a convex shape and thus acts as a converging lens, the optical axis of which extends at a great distance from the light source
• FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is used as a full cone is formed with the base facing the light source
• FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention in which the full cone of FIG. 10 is embedded in the optical fiber
• FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is designed as a full cone with the tip facing the light source
• FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of an inventive system Optics in which the face of the
• Optical fiber is designed as a fully conical shape
• Fig. 14 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face of the
• an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention which is designed as a convex facet lens
• FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as an internally reflecting hollow tube that is open at the ends
• FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention that is designed as an internally reflecting hollow cone, the smaller opening of which faces the light source.
• Fig. 1 shows a further explanation of the prior art, an example of the coupling of light from a light source 1 in a step index optical fiber 3.
• a condenser lens 2 is arranged between the light source 1 and the end face 10 of the optical fiber 3, so that the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3 in an image 9.
• the optical fiber 3 consists of a fiber cladding 4 and a fiber core 5, the refractive index of the fiber cladding 4 being smaller than that of the fiber core 5, so that a light beam which runs in the fiber core 5 is subjected to a total reflection at the fiber core / fiber cladding interface and thus can be performed in the fiber core 5.
• Both off-axis light beams 7 and off-axis light beams 8 combine in a sharp image 9 of the light source 1.
• the light intensity is therefore very high, which, if a critical value is exceeded, can lead to material damage to the light guide and to undesirable nonlinear optical effects.
• the figures 2-17 explained below show, by way of example, various embodiments of the invention which are used for coupling light into optical fibers.
• the light source is arranged relatively close to the optics according to the invention in FIGS. 2-17.
• the light source can also be further away from the optics according to the invention or even be infinite.
• the light source can in particular be a laser which emits practically parallel light.
• the optics according to the invention illustrated in the figures have a diameter which is in each case identical to the diameter of the optical fibers. Such a choice of the diameter is advantageous; however, the optics according to the invention can also have other diameters.
• FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a converging lens 101.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the converging lens 101.
• the light collected by the collecting lens 101 diverges after passing through the image 20 and enters the optical fiber 3 in a diverging manner.
• a pair of light rays 7a is drawn in FIG. 2, which after passing through the sharp image 20 reaches the optical fiber 3 and crosses there at a crossover point 21a after total reflections on the inside of the fiber cladding 4.
• the distance of the crossover point from the converging lens 101 depends on the distance the light rays from the optical axis of the converging lens 101.
• a pair of light rays 8a is drawn in FIG. 2, which after passing through the sharp image 20 enters the optical fiber 3 and there in one after total reflections on the inside of the fiber cladding 4
• Crossing point 21b intersects, which does not coincide with the crossing point 21a.
• a focal line 21 forms in the optical fiber 3, so that, according to the invention, no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• the converging lens 101 of FIG. 2 is biconvex.
• other types of converging lenses are also possible; e.g. the converging lens can also be plano-convex.
• the function of the converging lens is biconvex.
• Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is used as a diverging lens
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the diverging lens 102.
• light from the light source 1 penetrates into the optical fiber 3 in a divergent manner. Due to total reflections on the inside of the fiber jacket 4, e.g. the light beam pair 7b remote from the axis at a crossover point 22a and the light beam pair 8b closer to the axis at a crossover point 22b; A focal line 22 forms in the optical fiber 3, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• the diverging lens 102 of FIG. 3 is biconcave. Of course, other types of diffusing lenses are also possible; e.g. the diverging lens can also be plano-concave.
• light from the light source is brought to divergence by a convex mirror before it enters the optical fiber; the convex mirror thus fulfills the function of the diverging lens 102 from FIG. 3.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed according to the invention by the surface of the convex mirror.
• FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face 11 of the optical fiber 3 itself is designed as a concave shape 202 and thus acts as a diverging lens.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed by the surface of the concave shape 202. Light from light source 1 thus penetrates divergingly into optical fiber 3.
• Total reflections on the inside of the fiber cladding 4 cross, for example, the pair of light rays 7c remote from the axis at a crossover point 23a and the pair of light rays 8c closer to the axis at a crossover point 23b;
• a focal line 23 forms in the optical fiber 3, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as an aspherical converging lens 103.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the aspherical converging lens 103.
• the focal length of such a lens depends on the center distance, so that the light coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges, but according to the invention it is not combined to a focal point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but rather along a focal line 24.
• the pair of light beams 7d remote from the axis e.g. crosses on the focal line 24 at a crossover point 24a and the pair of light beams 8d closer to the axis on the focal line 24 at a crossover point 24b which does not coincide with the crossover point 24a.
• the aspherical lens 103 - in contrast to that shown in FIG. 5 - can be spaced apart from the end face 10 of the optical fiber 3.
• the end face of the optical fiber is designed as an aspherical convex shape, which functions as an aspherical converging lens.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed by the surface of the aspherical convex shape.
• a focal line is formed in the optical fiber, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a torus lens 104, so that the light from the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges, but according to the invention is not combined to a point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but on a focal circle 25, which runs in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the torus lens 104, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the torus lens 104.
• FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face 12 of the optical fiber 3 itself is designed as a toroidal shape 204, namely as part of a torus lens, and thus acts as a torus lens.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is thus formed according to the invention by the surface of the toroidal shape 204. Light from the light source 1 thus converges into the optical fiber 3 and unites there in a focal circuit 26, so that, according to the invention, no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a converging lens 105 and has such a shape that its optical axis 105a extends so far from the light source 1 that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges , but according to the invention not to a point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but to a coma 27.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the converging lens 105.
• the function of the converging lens 105 can also be performed by a concave mirror, the optical axis of which runs at a great distance from the light source.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed according to the invention by the concave surface of the concave mirror.
• Fig. 9 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face 13 of the optical fiber 3 itself is designed as a convex shape 205 and thus acts as a converging lens, the convex shape 205 being designed such that its optical axis is at a great distance from the light source runs.
• Light from the light source 1 thus converges into the optical fiber 3 and merges there in a coma 28, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed according to the invention by the surface 13 of the convex shape 205.
• FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a full cone 106 with the base surface 106a facing the light source, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges, but not to one point according to the invention or a sharp image of the light source 1 is combined, but on a focal line 29.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the full cone 106.
• the pair of light rays 7e remote from the axis intersects on the focal line 29 at a crossover point 29a and the pair of light rays 8e closer to the axis on the focal line 29 at a crossover point 29b, which does not coincide with the crossover point 29a.
• a full cone 116 is embedded in the optical fiber 3 in such a way that its entire lateral surface 116b is in contact with the optical fiber material and its entire base surface 116a is not in contact with the optical fiber material.
• the optical fiber 3 is recessed in the shape of a hollow cone in the region of its end face. The recess receives the full cone 116.
• the refractive indices of the full cone material and that of the fiber core material must be different.
• Fig. 11 illustrates the case where the refractive index of the full cone material is higher than that of the fiber core material.
• a focal line 30 forms in the optical fiber.
• the pair of light rays 7f remote from the axis e.g. intersects on the focal line 30 at a crossover point 30a and the pair of light rays 8f closer to the axis on the focal line 30 at a crossover point 30b, which does not coincide with the crossover point 30a.
• no point of the light source 1 is imaged sharply within the optical fiber 3.
• the refractive index of the full cone material is lower than that of the fiber core material. Because of total reflection on the inside of the fiber cladding, a focal line is also formed in the optical fiber in this case, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• a full pyramid instead of the full cone 106, a full pyramid is used, the base of which faces the light source. To further influence or optimize the distribution of the light entry angles in the optical fiber 3 in a targeted manner, the base areas of the full cone 3 and the full pyramid can be convex or concave.
• Fig. 12 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a full cone 107 with the tip 107b facing the light source, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges, but not according to the invention to a point or a sharp image of the light source 1 is united, but on a focal line 31.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics according to the invention are thus characterized by the surfaces of the Full cone 107 formed.
• the base surface 107a of the full cone 107 can, as shown in FIG. 12, be in contact with the end surface 10 of the optical fiber 3, or it can be spaced from it.
• the base of the full cone 107 can be flat or concave or convex.
• a full pyramid is used instead of the full cone 107, the tip of which faces the light source and the base area of which can also be curved.
• 13 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, in which the end face 15 of the optical fiber 3 is designed as a fully conical shape 207, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 is combined on a focal line 32.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed according to the invention by the lateral surface 15 of the fully conical shape 207.
• the light beam pair 7h away from the axis e.g. intersects on the focal line 32 at a crossover point 32a and the pair of light rays 8h closer to the axis on the focal line 32 at a crossover point 32b which does not coincide with the crossover point 32a.
• no point of the light source 1 is imaged sharply within the optical fiber 3.
• a fully pyramidal shape is used as the light-deflecting surface.
• the optics according to the invention are an integral part of the medium.
• the end face 14 of the optical fiber 3 is designed as a hollow cone-shaped shape 212 with a tip 212b facing away from the light source 1, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 combines on a focal line 33 becomes.
• the optics according to the invention are thus an integral part of the medium.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is formed here by the surface of the hollow-conical shape 212.
• the pair of light rays 7i remote from the axis intersects on the focal line 33 at a crossover point 33a and the pair of light rays 8i closer to the axis on the focal line 33 at a crossover point 33b which does not coincide with the crossover point 33a.
• no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• a hollow pyramid-shaped shape is used as the light-deflecting surface instead of the hollow-conical shape 212; in this case too, the optics according to the invention are an integral part of the medium.
• FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is a cylinder 111 with a hollow-conical recess 112, the tip 112b of which faces away from the light source 1.
• the light from the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 is combined on a focal line 37.
• the pair of light rays 7m remote from the axis intersects on the focal line 37 at a crossover point 37a and the pair of light rays 8m closer to the axis on the focal line 37 at a crossover point 37b which does not coincide with the crossover point 37a.
• no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as a plano-convex lens 108, the convex surface of which is composed of a multiplicity of individual planar partial surfaces 108a, so that the plano-convex lens 108 is a facet lens.
• the light-deflecting surfaces of the optics are thus formed according to the invention by the surfaces of the facet lens 108.
• the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges.
• this is not concentrated on a point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but in a finite spatial volume 34, the dimensions of which depend on the size, shape and orientation of the individual planar subareas 108a.
• three beams 40, 41, 42 are drawn in in FIG. 15, which are refracted by different flat partial surfaces of the facet lens 108 and intersect within the volume 34.
• the facet lens is biconvex.
• the function of the biconvex or plano-convex facet lens can also be fulfilled by a concave mirror, the concave surface of which is composed of a large number of individual planar partial surfaces.
• the facet lens is plano-concave or biconcave.
• the end face of the optical fiber 3 is designed as a facet-like convex or concave shape, so that the end face functions as a convex or concave facet lens.
• the optics according to the invention are also more integral in this case Part of the medium.
• an optical system according to the invention can be designed as a convex-cylindrical lens, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 converges.
• this is not imaged on a point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but on a focal line which runs perpendicular to the optical axis of the convex-cylindrical lens.
• no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• the function of the convex-cylindrical lens is performed by a cylindrical concave mirror.
• an optical system according to the invention can be designed as a concave-cylindrical lens, so that the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 diverges when it enters the optical fiber 3.
• the function of the concave-cylindrical lens is performed by a convex-cylindrical mirror.
• the end face of the optical fiber 3 is designed as a convex-cylindrical or concave-cylindrical shape, so that the end face itself functions as a convex or concave cylindrical lens and the optics according to the invention are an integral part of the medium. According to the invention, even in these cases, no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as an internally reflecting hollow tube 109 which is open at the ends and whose opening 109a faces the light source.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is thus formed according to the invention by the inner surface of the hollow tube 109. Total reflection takes place both on the inner wall of the tube 109 and on the inner surface of the fiber jacket 4.
• the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 is therefore not combined on a point or a sharp image of the light source 1, but on a focal line 35.
• Light rays 8k which run at an angle ⁇ to the tube axis 109b, intersect on the focal line 35 at a crossover point 35b.
• Light rays 7k which run at an angle ⁇ to the tube axis 109b, intersect on the focal line 35 at a crossover point 35a which does not coincide with the crossover point 35b.
• 18 shows an embodiment of an optical system according to the invention, which is designed as an internally reflecting hollow cone 110, the smaller opening 110 a of which faces the light source 1.
• the light-deflecting surface of the optics is thus formed according to the invention by the inner surface of the hollow cone 110. Total reflection takes place both on the inner wall of the hollow cone 110 and on the inner surface of the fiber jacket 4. According to the invention, the light of the light source 1 coupled into the optical fiber 3 is therefore not combined on a point or on a sharp image of the light source 1, but on a focal line 36.
• the light rays 8n for example, which run at an angle ⁇ to the cone axis 110b, intersect on the focal line 36 at a crossover point 36b.
• the light beams 7n for example, which run at an angle ⁇ to the cone axis 110b before striking the inner surface of the cone, intersect on the focal line 36 at a crossover point 36a which does not coincide with the crossover point 36b.
• the distribution of the light entry angles into the medium can advantageously be optimized by a suitable choice of the cone opening angle.
• an optical system according to the invention can be designed as a hollow cone which is open at the ends and has a larger opening facing the light source.
• the inner wall of the hollow cone acts as a light-deflecting surface.
• the light of the light source coupled into the optical fiber is combined on a focal line, so that according to the invention no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• an optical system according to the invention can be designed as a transparent solid cylinder with an externally mirrored outer surface, one end face of which faces the light source.
• the inside of the outer surface of the full tube or full cone act as a light-deflecting surface.
• one or both end faces of the full cone or full cylinder can be convex or concave.
• the full cone can be formed by a conical shape of the end face of the optical fiber itself.
• the light from the light source coupled into the optical fiber is combined on a focal line. According to the invention, even in these cases, no point of the light source 1 is sharply imaged within the optical fiber 3.
• an optical system according to the invention can have one or more additional lenses.
• various embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another.
• the invention is particularly useful for coupling optical signals into optical fibers e.g. industrially applicable for the purpose of data transmission.
• the leading figure is Fig. 10.

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• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)

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• 2001
  • 2001-01-20 DE DE10102592A patent/DE10102592A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2002
  • 2002-01-14 EP EP02712815A patent/EP1358516A2/de not_active Ceased
  • 2002-01-14 JP JP2002558049A patent/JP2004517370A/ja not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-01-14 US US10/470,023 patent/US20040114860A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-01-14 WO PCT/EP2002/000273 patent/WO2002057822A2/de not_active Application Discontinuation

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