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
  • G02B6/32—Optical coupling means having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B3/00—Simple or compound lenses
  • G02B3/0087—Simple or compound lenses with index gradient
• • 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
  • G02B6/4219—Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor
  • G02B6/4236—Fixing or mounting methods of the aligned elements
  • G02B6/4239—Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material

Definitions

• This invention relates to microlenses.
• Microlenses for example rod type lenses or graded index (GRIN) type lenses, are used in a number of micro-optic devices eg. optical fibre-to-fibre connectors, fibre to device couplers, etc.
• optical fibre-to-fibre connectors e.g. optical fibre-to-fibre connectors, fibre to device couplers, etc.
• an optical fibre is usually positioned at the rear focal plane of the lens which should coincide with the rear surface of an ideal lens so that light transmitted along the fibre emerges from the lens as a collimated beam.
• the present invention aims to provide micro-optic lens having a desired length, and a method for producing such micro-optic lenses.
• a method of making a micro-optic lens which comprises forming a lens element having a length less than the required length, mounting another element relative to said lens element so that it defines a rear surface which can be moved axially relative to the front of the lens element, locating an optical fibre against said rear surface, transmitting light along said fibre, sensing the light beam emerging from the front of said lens element, adjusting the relative position of saic front and rear surfaces until the emerging light beam is sensed tc be collimated and fixing saic elements in that position.
• a micro-optic lens comprises a lens element anc a non-focusing extension element extending the lens tc an effective focal plane thereof.
• optical plane herein shall be taken to mean a plane parallel and close to, or coinciding with, the nominal focal plane of the lens as would be calculated, for example, according to the well-known principles of ray optics.
• the effective focal plane as determined by the optimum position for coupling an optical fibre, for example, to the lens lies usually a short distance beyond the nominal focal plane of the lens.
• the exact location of the effective focal plane will depend, inter alia, on the overall optical configuration (eg. the lens to lens spacing in an optical fibre connector).
• the present invention enables the manufacture, with a high degree of accuracy, of micro-optic lenses extended to the effective focal plane.
• the other, or extension, element may comprise a drop of light transmitting, curable adhesive secured to the rear surface of the lens element and carrying at its rear a glass plate.
• the adhesive may be curable by exposure to
• the further element may comprise a sleeve located around the lens element, said sleeve being slidable relative to the lens element, and being securable thereto by adhesive when said positior has been located.
• Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional rod lens
• Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating the way in which a lens can be constructed in accordance with the present invention.
• a rod lens 10 is made from glass or silica and has a curved front face 11 and a plain rear face 12.
• an optical fibre 14 is located so that its end face contacts the rear face 12 of the lens.
• Light transmitted along the fibre is formed into a collimated beam by the lens 10, the beam emerging from the front face 11 of the lens.
• the rear face 12 of the lens should coincide with the rear focal plane.
• a micro-optic lens is produced in accordance with the present invention as follows.
• the initial step is to produce a rod type lens element 20 which has a length less than that of the required completed lens.
• This lens element 20 can be formed in a conventional manner from glass, silica or some other suitable transparent optical material of an appropriate refractive index.
• a glass plate 21 is then attache ⁇ to the lens element 20 by means of a drop 22 of light transmitting adhesive which is curable by ultraviolet light.
• a suitable adhesive is Loctite 357, marketed by Loctite (Ireland) Ltd, Dublin, Eire. More generally, for a compound to be properly suitable for use with this method, it needs to cure substantially without shrinking into a transparent, non-scattering solid.
• the refractive index of the material is of less concern as the method will automatically compensate for variations in refractive index; provided of course the refractive index of the compound is substantially the same before and after curing. Before the adhesive is cured it will be appreciated that the plate 21 can be moved toward and away from the rear face 24 of the lens element 20.
• the mounting 28 has formed in its end face a circular groove 29 which is coupled to a vacuum, pump. When the pump is operated the space in the groove 29 becomes evacuated and thus the member 28 and hence the fibre 26 are urged against the glass plate 21 by suction.
• the mounting 28 can be carried by an XYZ translation stage (not shown) to enable it to be moved precisely in any direction.
• the fibre 26 is coupled to a light source and a mirror 31 located at a point spaced from the front surface of the lens element 20 so that its plane is perpendicular to the axis of the lens element.
• Light is transmitted along the fibre 26 so that it emerges from the lens 2G, propogates towar ⁇ s the mirror 31, and is reflected back through the lens element and into the fibre 26.
• the returning light is coupled out from the fibre 26 by means of an X-coupler (not shown) and transmitted to a photodetector.
• the position of the glass plate 21 relative tc the rear face 24 of the lens element 20 is then varied by operating the translation stage and the output of the photodetector is observed.
• the glass plate 21 When the output of the photo ⁇ etector is at a maximum, the glass plate 21 is retained in that position and the adhesive cured by exposing it to ultraviolet radiation. When the adhesive is cured the glass plate is held firmly in position relative to the rear surface 24 of the lens element. It is assumed that when the photodetector output is at a maximum the light beam emerging from the lens element 20 is a collimated beam. Thus, it will be seen that by adjusting the position of the plate 21 relative to the lens element 20 until a maximum output is produced, and securing the plate in that position, it is possible to produce a lens element whose length is accurately determined to produce the required beam.
• An alternative way of sensing the collimation of the beam is to measure the intensity profile of the emerging beam using a known technique such as a beam scanning arrangement. This is an arrangement well known to those skilled in the art and hence will not be described in detail.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)
• Weting (AREA)
• Mounting And Adjusting Of Optical Elements (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10565568

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (28)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1984
  • 1984-08-20 GB GB848421105A patent/GB8421105D0/en active Pending
• 1985
  • 1985-08-19 CA CA000488956A patent/CA1276779C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1985-08-19 EP EP85305899A patent/EP0175486B1/en not_active Expired
  • 1985-08-19 DE DE8585305899T patent/DE3564217D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1985-08-19 JP JP60504071A patent/JPS61503019A/ja active Granted
  • 1985-08-19 AT AT85305899T patent/ATE36268T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1985-08-19 WO PCT/GB1985/000370 patent/WO1986001150A1/en not_active Ceased
• 1986
  • 1986-04-09 US US06/860,189 patent/US4867521A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (4)

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