WO1991011740A1 - Interconnection - Google Patents

Interconnection Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1991011740A1
WO1991011740A1 PCT/GB1991/000099 GB9100099W WO9111740A1 WO 1991011740 A1 WO1991011740 A1 WO 1991011740A1 GB 9100099 W GB9100099 W GB 9100099W WO 9111740 A1 WO9111740 A1 WO 9111740A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
interconnection
transmitters
receivers
optical
arrays
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1991/000099
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jonathan Stewart Leggatt
Original Assignee
British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
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 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company filed Critical British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
Publication of WO1991011740A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991011740A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G02OPTICS
    • G02BOPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B3/00Simple or compound lenses
    • G02B3/02Simple or compound lenses with non-spherical faces
    • G02B3/06Simple or compound lenses with non-spherical faces with cylindrical or toric faces
    • GPHYSICS
    • G02OPTICS
    • G02BOPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B3/00Simple or compound lenses
    • G02B3/0006Arrays
    • G02B3/0037Arrays characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
    • G02B3/0056Arrays characterized by the distribution or form of lenses arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses
    • GPHYSICS
    • G02OPTICS
    • G02BOPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B3/00Simple or compound lenses
    • G02B3/0006Arrays
    • G02B3/0037Arrays characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
    • G02B3/0062Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
    • GPHYSICS
    • G02OPTICS
    • G02BOPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/32Optical coupling means having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends
    • GPHYSICS
    • G02OPTICS
    • G02BOPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/42Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
    • G02B6/43Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections

Definitions

  • This invention relates to interconnections and in particular, but not exclusively, to optical interconnections.
  • connection points There is frequently a requirement for interconnecting high densities of connection points.
  • One approach is to use electromagnetic radiation waveguides between an electromagnetic transmitter and a receiver, for example planar optical waveguides in opto-electronic integrated circuits. Electrical signals can be used to modulate an electromagnetic radiation source, for example a laser, which can be received by the receiver and the electrical signals subsequently recovered.
  • electromagnetic radiation source for example a laser
  • an interconnection comprises a plurality of transmitters of electromagnetic radiation, a plurality of receivers, and an autocollimating screen coupling each transmitter to a respective receiver.
  • the autocollimator screen causes the electromagnetic radiation, for example optical signal, transmitted by the transmitters at given points to be imaged at their conjugate points.
  • electromagnetic radiation for example optical signal
  • the respective receivers By placing the respective receivers at these points, one-to-one interconnection links are made between the transmitters and receivers. Because the interconnection is a free-space interconnection the transmitters and receivers can be readily made interchangeable with others.
  • the use of an autocollimating screen provides a compact interconnect without the need for large, relatively expensive lenses.
  • the autocollimator screen may comprise a matched pair of arrays of microlenses.
  • Preferably a finely structured diffuser screen is positioned between the arrays to increase the efficiency of the autocollimating in known manner.
  • the microlenses may be cylindrical.
  • the transmitters and receivers may be the ends of optical fibres or, where integrated circuits are to be interconnected, they might be lasers and optical detectors respectively.
  • the invention is envisaged to encompass all types of transmitters and receivers capable of launching and collecting, respectively, electromagnetic radiation. They may be active, eg. a laser or LED source, or passive, eg. a fibre couplable to a light source or optical detector.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic end view of a fibre-to-fibre interconnect according to the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an integrated circuit interconnect according to the present invention.
  • FIGs 3 and 4 are schematic end views of prior art sheet autocollimators either of which may be used as the autocollimator of the Figures 1 and 2 embodiments.
  • an optical interconnect comprises two linear arrays 2 and 4 of eight optical fibres 6.
  • a sheet autocollimator 8 positioned between the fibre arrays images the light exiting the end of each fibre of one array with a corresponding end of a fibre in the other array - as illustrated for one exemplary pair of fibres by optical rays 10.
  • the array of fibres 2 constitutes an array of optical transmitters and the array of fibres 4 an array of optical receivers.
  • integrated circuits 20 and 22 are interconnected via a screen autocollimator 24.
  • the integrated circuit 20 has lasers (not shown) which transmit in a generally downward direction in the orientation of Figure 2 towards the autocollimator screen 24 which images the transmitted signals on respective optical detectors 26 so interconnecting the two circuits 20 and 22.
  • Alternative sources may be used for example light emitting diodes, multiple quantum well modulators or other compact sources of electromagnetic radiation.
  • FIGS 3 and 4 there are shown cross-sections of exemplary screen autocollimators that may be used with the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2.
  • the autocollimator 30 is formed from two matched rectangular arrays 32 and 34 of hemispherical microlenses 36 supported on transparent backing sheets 38 and 40 respectively.
  • Other microlenses having non-spherical cross-sections may also be used.
  • the autocollimator of Figure 4 is as in Figure 3 with the addition of a finely structured diffuser 40.

Abstract

An interconnection between an array (2) of optical fibres (6) transmits optical radiation to an array (4) of like fibres provided by an auto-collimating screen (8). This provides one-to-one interconnection in a particularly compact manner.

Description

INTERCONNECTION
This invention relates to interconnections and in particular, but not exclusively, to optical interconnections.
There is frequently a requirement for interconnecting high densities of connection points. One approach is to use electromagnetic radiation waveguides between an electromagnetic transmitter and a receiver, for example planar optical waveguides in opto-electronic integrated circuits. Electrical signals can be used to modulate an electromagnetic radiation source, for example a laser, which can be received by the receiver and the electrical signals subsequently recovered. However, such waveguide systems do not allow the ready replacement of elements to be interconnected.
According to the present invention an interconnection comprises a plurality of transmitters of electromagnetic radiation, a plurality of receivers, and an autocollimating screen coupling each transmitter to a respective receiver.
The autocollimator screen causes the electromagnetic radiation, for example optical signal, transmitted by the transmitters at given points to be imaged at their conjugate points. By placing the respective receivers at these points, one-to-one interconnection links are made between the transmitters and receivers. Because the interconnection is a free-space interconnection the transmitters and receivers can be readily made interchangeable with others.
The use of an autocollimating screen provides a compact interconnect without the need for large, relatively expensive lenses. The autocollimator screen may comprise a matched pair of arrays of microlenses. Preferably a finely structured diffuser screen is positioned between the arrays to increase the efficiency of the autocollimating in known manner.
If the transmitters and receivers are arranged in linear arrays, the microlenses may be cylindrical.
The transmitters and receivers may be the ends of optical fibres or, where integrated circuits are to be interconnected, they might be lasers and optical detectors respectively. The invention is envisaged to encompass all types of transmitters and receivers capable of launching and collecting, respectively, electromagnetic radiation. They may be active, eg. a laser or LED source, or passive, eg. a fibre couplable to a light source or optical detector.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a schematic end view of a fibre-to-fibre interconnect according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an integrated circuit interconnect according to the present invention; and
Figures 3 and 4 are schematic end views of prior art sheet autocollimators either of which may be used as the autocollimator of the Figures 1 and 2 embodiments.
In Figure 1 an optical interconnect comprises two linear arrays 2 and 4 of eight optical fibres 6.
A sheet autocollimator 8 positioned between the fibre arrays images the light exiting the end of each fibre of one array with a corresponding end of a fibre in the other array - as illustrated for one exemplary pair of fibres by optical rays 10. In this instance the array of fibres 2 constitutes an array of optical transmitters and the array of fibres 4 an array of optical receivers.
Referring now to Figure 2 integrated circuits 20 and 22 are interconnected via a screen autocollimator 24. The integrated circuit 20 has lasers (not shown) which transmit in a generally downward direction in the orientation of Figure 2 towards the autocollimator screen 24 which images the transmitted signals on respective optical detectors 26 so interconnecting the two circuits 20 and 22.
Alternative sources may be used for example light emitting diodes, multiple quantum well modulators or other compact sources of electromagnetic radiation.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there are shown cross-sections of exemplary screen autocollimators that may be used with the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 3 the autocollimator 30 is formed from two matched rectangular arrays 32 and 34 of hemispherical microlenses 36 supported on transparent backing sheets 38 and 40 respectively. Other microlenses having non-spherical cross-sections may also be used.
The autocollimator of Figure 4 is as in Figure 3 with the addition of a finely structured diffuser 40.

Claims

CLAIHS
1. An interconnection comprising a plurality transmitters of electromagnetic radiation, a plurality of receivers, and an autocollimating screen coupling each transmitter to a respective receiver.
2. An interconnection as claimed in claim 1 in which the autocollimator screen comprises a matched pair of arrays of microlenses.
3. An interconnection as claimed in claim 2 in which the microlenses are hemispherical.
4. An interconnection as claimed in either of claims 2 and 3 including a finely structured diffusing screen between the arrays of microlenses.
5. An interconnection as claimed any preceding claim in which the transmitters or the receivers comprise arrays of ends of single mode optical fibres.
6. An interconnection as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the receivers or the transmitters are formed on an integrated circuit.
7. An interconnection as claimed in claim 6 in which the receivers comprise optical dectectors and the transmitters comprise sources of optical radiation.
8. An interconnection as claimed in claim 7 in which the transmitters comprise lasers.
PCT/GB1991/000099 1990-01-23 1991-01-23 Interconnection WO1991011740A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9001547.0 1990-01-23
GB909001547A GB9001547D0 (en) 1990-01-23 1990-01-23 Interconnection

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991011740A1 true WO1991011740A1 (en) 1991-08-08

Family

ID=10669771

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1991/000099 WO1991011740A1 (en) 1990-01-23 1991-01-23 Interconnection

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB9001547D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1991011740A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998005987A1 (en) * 1996-08-08 1998-02-12 Cogent Light Technologies, Inc. Optical system for coupling light from a single fiber optic into a fiber bundle
US6833006B2 (en) 1998-10-29 2004-12-21 Sdgi Holdings, Inc. Expandable intervertebral spacers

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2520883A1 (en) * 1982-02-01 1983-08-05 Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd PLATE LENS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
WO1984000822A1 (en) * 1982-08-19 1984-03-01 Western Electric Co Optically coupled integrated circuit array
US4812002A (en) * 1986-10-24 1989-03-14 Hitachi, Ltd. Optical coupling device and method of making the same
GB2220501A (en) * 1988-07-06 1990-01-10 Plessey Co Plc Coupling waveguides using transverse cylindrical lenses

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2520883A1 (en) * 1982-02-01 1983-08-05 Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd PLATE LENS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
WO1984000822A1 (en) * 1982-08-19 1984-03-01 Western Electric Co Optically coupled integrated circuit array
US4812002A (en) * 1986-10-24 1989-03-14 Hitachi, Ltd. Optical coupling device and method of making the same
GB2220501A (en) * 1988-07-06 1990-01-10 Plessey Co Plc Coupling waveguides using transverse cylindrical lenses

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 18, no. 7, December 1975, (New York, US), H.E. Korth: "Optical multichannel connection of integrated mojules", page 2187 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998005987A1 (en) * 1996-08-08 1998-02-12 Cogent Light Technologies, Inc. Optical system for coupling light from a single fiber optic into a fiber bundle
US6833006B2 (en) 1998-10-29 2004-12-21 Sdgi Holdings, Inc. Expandable intervertebral spacers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9001547D0 (en) 1990-03-21

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