GB2249404A - An optical component - Google Patents
An optical component Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2249404A GB2249404A GB9019366A GB9019366A GB2249404A GB 2249404 A GB2249404 A GB 2249404A GB 9019366 A GB9019366 A GB 9019366A GB 9019366 A GB9019366 A GB 9019366A GB 2249404 A GB2249404 A GB 2249404A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- fibre
- substrate
- channel
- fibres
- receiving channel
- 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- Withdrawn
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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
- G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
- G02B6/3885—Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
- G02B6/3833—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture
- G02B6/3834—Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule
- G02B6/3838—Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule using grooves for light guides
- G02B6/3839—Means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule using grooves for light guides for a plurality of light guides
-
- 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
- G02B6/32—Optical coupling means having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
- G02B6/3648—Supporting carriers of a microbench type, i.e. with micromachined additional mechanical structures
- G02B6/3652—Supporting carriers of a microbench type, i.e. with micromachined additional mechanical structures the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
- G02B6/3684—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier
- G02B6/3692—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier with surface micromachining involving etching, e.g. wet or dry etching steps
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
- G02B6/3684—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier
- G02B6/3696—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier by moulding, e.g. injection moulding, casting, embossing, stamping, stenciling, printing, or with metallic mould insert manufacturing using LIGA or MIGA techniques
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3801—Permanent connections, i.e. wherein fibres are kept aligned by mechanical means
-
- 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
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)
- Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)
Abstract
A device for aligning one or more optical fibres (1) comprises a substrate (2) made of a plastics material which is formable into one or more fibre receiving channels. The material is flowable at a certain temperature such that it flows up and around the fibre to form protrusions (3). When the material is cooled after flowing the material serves to lock the fibre into the substrate. The fibre may be removed from the channel without damage and may be reinserted or replaced as desired. <IMAGE>
Description
Optical Component
This invention relates to a device for locating a optical fibre in a fixed position. and particularly, but not exclusively, to a device for aligning a plurality of optical fibres in fixed positions relative to one another.
When forming an optical component comprising one or more optical fibres. it is often necessary to locate a fibre in a fixed position, or to align a plurality of fibres relative to one another. An optical fibre typically has a core diameter of 5 - 8 > X^and an overall diameter (including the cladding) of 125 s ne . Due to the small dimensions of the fibres and of the cores of fibres. the location or alignment of fibres must be very accurate, in order that the efficiency of an optical component using the fibres is as high as possible.
A known method of aligning a plurality of fibres relative to one another comprises mechanically machining a plurality of channels in the surface of a rigid block of material, for example metal, plastics etc. Each fibre to be aligned is positioned within a channel and held there mechanically, for example by means of a clamp. A disadvantage of this known method is that it has a low degree of accuracy. and is relatively expensive. A further disadvantage is that it requires the fibres to be fixed in channels prior to subsequent handling, and this fixing tends to be permanent. The fibres may thus not easily be removed from the channels without damage occurring.
Another known method of aligning a plurality of fibres relative to one another comprises chemically machining a plurality of channels in the surface of a silicon substrate. This second known method is more accurate than the first known method described above, but suffers from being relatively expensive and from requiring the fibres to be fixed in channels prior to handling.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a device for locating a fibre in a fixed position comprising a substrate having a fibre receiving channel, characterised in that the channel has flexible protrusions which hold the fibre in position when received in the channel.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a device for locating a fibre in a fixed position comprising a substrate formable into a fibre receiving channel. characterised in that the substrate is formed from a material which has a first state in which it is flowable to form protrusions around the fibre when received in the channel, and a second state in which it is solid.
By using a substrate which is made from a material capable of flowing around the fibre, when located in the channel. it is not necessary to fix the fibre in the channel prior to handling of the substrate and fibre. When the material is in the first state, it flows around the fibre to form protrusions on either side of the fibre extending from the main body of the substrate. The protrusions are flexible such that a fibre may be removed from or inserted in the channel as required, once the fibre receiving channel has been formed in the substrate.
Due to the conformal and rheological nature of the substrate, the channel so formed is identical in size shape and spatial arrangement to the fibre used to press it. Thus the substrate can be used to form extremely accurate single or multiple fibre alignment channels.
Alternatively, the substrate can be used to hold a plurality of fibres in a 1 x N array to form a multi-fibre connector.
Preferably, the device further comprises a rigid alignment component formed into a fibre receiving channel for positioning the fibre prior to the fibre being received by the fibre receiving channel of the substrate. The rigid alignment component is used to press the fibre into the surface of the substrate, to form the fibre receiving channel.
By using a rigid alignment component, the fibre can be accurately located prior to being introduced into the substrate.
Advantageously. the channel in the substrate is formed by pressing the fibre positioned in the channel in the rigid component into the substrate at a temperature at which the substrate is flowable. The rigid component may be accurately formed to form a channel in a predetermined position. Once the fibre has been positioned in the channel in the rigid component, the fibre may be introduced into the substrate at a predetermined position. The accuracy of the location is determined by the accuracy of the component which may be formed by machining, or chemical etching etc. The rigid component may thus act as a "master" and can be used to locate fibres in a plurality of substrates, resulting in a cost effective process.
The forces exerted on the fibre by the material of the substrate in its second state, after it has flowed around the fibre. act to hold the fibre in the channel.
Alternatively, the channel in the substrate is formed by injection moulding, and is accurately located through the injection moulding process. The fibre may thus be accurately located in the substrate without the need for a rigid component.
The channels may thus be formed by injecting molten plastics material into a mould, one surface of which has the negative three-dimensional image of the required fibre alignment channel. Alternatively, the plastics material could be injected around the fibre.
Preferably, the substrate is formable into a plurality of channels, in order that a plurality of fibres may be aligned relative to one another. If a rigid component is being used to locate the fibres in the substrate, then it will be formed into a plurality of accurately manufactured channels.
Preferably. the optical fibres are positioned in the surface of the substrate to a depth of greater than half of the fibre diameter, such that the substrate flows up and around the fibre thus locking it into the substrate.
If the fibres are positioned to a depth of less than or equal to half the fibre diameter. the substrate will not flow around the fibre sufficiently to hold the fibre in place and to lock in the fibre.
The parameters of the pressing process may be controlled such that the fibre may be removed without damage to the substrate and re-inserted or replaced as required.
Preferably the substrate is formed from a material which is flowable at a temperature of less than 2500C.
Conveniently the substrate is formed from a plastics such as Noryl (Registered trade mark).
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a fibre located in a fixed position in a fibre receiving channel in a substrate. characterised in that the substrate has a first state in which it is flowable to form protrusions around the fibre and a second state in which it is solid.
A fibre according to the third aspect of the invention may be accurately located within the substrate.
Such a fibre may be used to form a fast cheap and reproducible fibre splice.
Alternatively. there is provided a plurality of fibres aligned relative to one another in the substrate.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a device for locating a fibre from a substrate having a first state in which it is flowable, and a second state in which it is solid, comprising the steps of:
forming a fibre receiving channel having flexible protrusions in the substrate, and positioning the fibre in the channel. whereby the flexible protrusions hold the fibre in position when received in the channel.
The method according to the fourth aspect of the vent ion allows a fibre to be accurately located. It also allows a fibre to be removed without damaging the substrate and to be re-inserted or replaced as required.
Conveniently, the fibre receiving channel is formed in the substrate by injection moulding.
The channel may be accurately positioned through the injection moulding technique.
Alternatively, the channel may be formed by the steps of:
accurately machining a fibre-receiving channel in the rigid component;
positioning the fibre and the component on the surface of the substrate such that the fibre is in contact with the substrate:
applying a pressure to the rigid component thus pressing the fibre into the substrate;
heating the substrate to a temperature at which it is flowable whereby the substrate flows around the fibre; cooling the substrate to a temperature at which it is solid.
Preferably, the method extends to aligning a plurality of fibres relative to one another.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a device for locating and aligning fibres according to the invention; and
Figures 2 to 5 are schematic representations of a method of manufacturing the device of figure 1.
Referring to figure 1 there is shown three optical fibres 1 which have been aligned in a fixed relation to one another in a substrate 2. The fibres 1 are locked into the substrate 2 due to the fact that the substrate is made of a flowable material such as Noryl (registered trade mark).
The flowable material has flowed up and around each fibre to form protrusions. as indicated by the reference numeral 3 before being set. This allows the fibre cores 4 to be accurately aligned with other fibre cores or with optical components as desired.
Referring to figures 2 to 5. one method of aligning fibres according to the invention will be described.
Referring to figure 2, a rigid component is formed from silicon or metal. Channels are accurately machined in the component 20 for receiving fibres which are to be aligned. The channels are conveniently formed as V-grooves 51 (see fig 5) by any known method If the component 20 is formed from silicon, the V-grooves may be accurately formed by chemically etching the component 20. The crystal structure of silicon results in accurately dimensioned and positioned V-grooves being formed. The fibres 3 are each positioned in a V-groove 51, and a substrate of Noryl 2 is positioned on top of the fibres. The substrate is held in position relative to the component 20 by means of a holder 21. A plunger 22 is incorporated into the holder 21. The surface of the substrate 2 is now resting on the fibres.
The whole assembly is then heated from the top, to heat the substrate 2, and from the bottom. The top is heated to 1350C and the bottom to 1400C. Once at temperature, a torque of 33 cNm is applied between top and bottom and the whole assembly left for 1 minute. The whole assembly is then allowed to cool naturally to a temperature of less than 600 at which point the pressure is released. The assembly is then dis-assembled and the substrate 2 with the fibres 3 located therein is removed. The fibres 3 are pressed to a depth of 12.5/Ck,greater than half the fibre diameter (see fig 5). By varying the depth to which the fibres are pressed, the extent to which the fibres are held may be varied. The V-grooves 51 in which the fibres 3 are located prior to pressing ensure that the fibres are in the exact spatial alignment required.The component 20 in which the V grooves 51 are formed may be used as a highly accurate "master". The flowing of substrate 2 around the fibres by 12.5yew locks the fibres in position. The fibres 3 may be removed carefully from the substrate 2 if desired by lifting the fibre at one end and working carefully to the other. Fibres may be re-inserted by reversing this process.
The method according the invention may be used to locate one or more fibres, and has been used to locate up to eight fibres having a pitch of either 150#Wn or 250 * .
The invention may be used to form fibre arrays, and the fibre/substrate array can be end polished with the fibres left in situ to form a polished fibre array.
Alternatively. the original fibres can be removed and precleaved or polished lensed fibres can be inserted into the substrate to form a fibre array. This obviates the need for an expensive polishing operation and enables lensed fibre arrays to be produced if desired. The fibre array could then be used as one half of a multi-fibre connector or alternatively as a fibre array which could be used in conjunction with an array of devices.
The invention may also be used as a fibre splice. A single channel in the substrate may be used as a fast, cheap and reproducable fibre splice. Two cleaned fibres can be butt-coupled by placing them cleave to cleave and pushing them into the pressed alignment channel. Due to the high accuracy of the channel position, efficient coupling is achieved (better than 0.5 db). Fibres can be removed and reinserted into the same alignment channel more than 50 times with no loss of coupling efficiency between the original and final alignment operation. Thus the invention provides a reusable fibre alignment channel. In addition the splice so formed is inherently mechanically rugged, due to the locking in action of the substrate, making it a very fast and efficient splice aid. The substrate and fibre assembly may be made fully rugged by potting the assembly in a suitable resin. A resin with the correct refractive index (approx 1.5) would increase the optical coupling.
Rather than form the channels in the substrate by pressing fibres into the substrate, the channels could be formed by injection moulding.
In this specification the term "optical" refers to that part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is generally known as the visible region, together with those parts of the infra red and ultraviolet regions at each end of the visible region which are capable of being transmitted by dielectric optical waveguides such as optical fibres.
Claims (15)
1. A device for locating a fibre (1) in a fixed position comprising a substrate (2) having a fibre receiving channel, characterised in that the channel has flexible protrusions which hold the fibre in position when received in the channel.
2. A device for locating a fibre (1) in a fixed position comprising a substrate (2) formable into a fibre receiving channel, characterised in that the substrate (2) is formed from a material having a first state in which it is flowable to form protrusions (3) around the fibre (1) when received in the channel, and a second state in which it is solid.
3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising a rigid alignment component (20) formed into a fibre receiving channel (51) for receiving the fibre (1) prior to the fibre (3) being received in the fibre receiving channel of the substrate (2).
4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the channel is formed by injection moulding.
5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fibre (1) is positioned in the substrate to a depth of greater than one half of the fibre diameter.
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fibre may be removed and reinserted.
7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the substrate is formed from a material which is flowable at a temperature of less than 2500.
8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the substrate is formed from plastics material.
9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the substrate is formed from Noryl (registered trade mark).
10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims for locating a plurality of fibres, wherein the substrate is formable into a plurality of fibre-receiving channels.
11. A fibre located in a fixed position in a fibre receiving channel in a substrate, characterised in that the substrate has a first state in which it is flowable to form protrusions around the fibre and a second state in which it is solid.
12. A method of forming a device for locating a fibre from a substrate (2) having a first state in which it is flowable. and a second state in which it is solid comprising the steps of:
forming a fibre receiving channel having flexible protrusions in the substrate, whereby the flexible protrusions hold the fibre in position when received in the channel.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the channel is formed by injection moulding.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the channel is formed by the steps of:
accurately machining a fibre-receiving channel in a rigid component;
positioning the fibre in the fibre-receiving channel in the rigid component;
positioning the fibre and the component on the surface of the substrate such that the fibre is in contact with the substrate;
applying a pressure to the rigid component thus pressing the fibre into the substrate;
heating the substrate to a temperature at which it is flowable whereby the substrate flows around the fibre; cooling the substrate to a temperature at which it is solid.
15. A connector for optically connecting a first optical fibre to a second optical fibre comprising a substrate having a fibre receiving channel characterised in
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9019366A GB2249404A (en) | 1990-09-05 | 1990-09-05 | An optical component |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9019366A GB2249404A (en) | 1990-09-05 | 1990-09-05 | An optical component |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9019366D0 GB9019366D0 (en) | 1990-10-17 |
| GB2249404A true GB2249404A (en) | 1992-05-06 |
Family
ID=10681695
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9019366A Withdrawn GB2249404A (en) | 1990-09-05 | 1990-09-05 | An optical component |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2249404A (en) |
-
1990
- 1990-09-05 GB GB9019366A patent/GB2249404A/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9019366D0 (en) | 1990-10-17 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |