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

Definitions

• the invention relates to a coupling device with a transmitting or receiving device, to which one end of an optical waveguide can be optically coupled via a lens held in the press fit by a carrier element, and a method for producing a coupling device.
• the carrier element consists of a circular cylindrical sleeve, in which at least the inner lateral surface is lined with a glass material.
• a glass lens is introduced into the sleeve and the assembly thus formed is subjected to a precisely controlled heating process.
• the heating process at least the glass material on the inside of the sleeve reaches a temperature at which thermal adhesions between the glass material and the glass lens are initiated. These adhesions connect the lens to the sleeve in a gas-tight and firm manner.
• the known electro-optical coupling device further includes a receptacle housing which receives the sleeve and which is also designed to receive an end of an optical waveguide to be coupled.
• Another, multi-part holder is connected to the receptacle housing and carries an electro-optical transmitting or receiving device at a suitable distance from the lens.
• the known coupling device consists of a large number of individual parts that have to be joined relative to one another with high precision.
• the connection of the lens with the sleeve is relatively complex in terms of production technology and is problematic with regard to automatic production.
• DE-Al-38 29 067 discloses a method for producing a coupling device of the type mentioned at the outset with a transmitting device (light-emitting diode) to which one end of an optical waveguide is press-fitted by a long, sleeve-shaped carrier element can be coupled.
• Automated production is also relatively complex in this coupling device due to the sleeve-shaped configuration of the carrier element and the necessary positioning of the lens relative to the carrier element.
• the invention has for its object to provide a coupling device that is simple to manufacture and adjustable.
• the 1 support element is a support body made of a band-like material with a through-hole that the seat of the lens and the thickness of the support body are dimensioned with a view to optimal distances of the lens to the end of the 5 waveguide and to the transmitting and receiving device and that the transmitting and receiving device is fixed on the support body via the opening of the through hole remote from the waveguide.
• the transmitting or receiving device can be used to form an electro-optical coupling device
• a major advantage of the coupling device according to the invention is the relatively small number of individual components and the
• the carrier body which is made of a band-like material and is therefore essentially flat, is particularly easy to handle and can be fed to the respective production stations. Another advantage is that by the seat of the lens
• the distances required for optimally focusing the signal emerging from the optical waveguide onto the transmitting or receiving device can be predetermined in a simple manner.
• Her signal path from the lens to the transmitter or Empfang__x "-" -ung 5 can through the bore and through the transmission unc receiving device or this supporting substrate preferably without additional components - to be completed largely sealed.
• a reliable interference fit of the lens is preferably achieved in that the diameter of the through hole in itself z. B. from JP 63-149611-A known manner is dimensioned slightly smaller than the diameter of the lens.
• SPARE BLADE There is metal foil.
• the support body is made of an inexpensive and robust material and can be reliably controlled using metal joining processes (e.g. soldering or welding).
• B. can be connected to the transmitting or receiving device.
• the support body is deformable.
• a method for producing the coupling device according to the invention consists in producing through-bores in a band, the diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the lens to be pressed in, that the lenses are pressed into the through-bores, the press-in depth and / or the thickness of the strip in Hin ⁇ view of optimal alignment of the lens are measured focusing on the transmitting or receiving device that separate from the strip support body are formed, and that in each case a transmitting or receiving device over a ⁇ 'ff voltage range one through hole with the band or in each case with a separate support body formed by separation from the band.
• a major advantage of the method according to the invention is that the use of a band enables the support body to be manufactured and handled particularly easily.
• the band can, for example, be temporarily stored in roll form before the lenses are pressed into the through bores.
• the lenses which are preferably in the form of spherical lenses, can be introduced into the through bores by a simple pouring device and can be pressed in flush with the belt on one side by the rollers running along.
• the belt can preferably have a lateral perforation for precise belt transport control exhibit.
• the transmitting and receiving device can be particularly easily applied to the flat outer surface of the band and, for example, by gluing, preferably with the transmission or receiving device-side opening area of the through hole fixed.
• the through holes are punched.
• a metal band is used as the band.
• the metal strip is preferably galvanized after the through-bores have been produced in order to produce supporting bodies with particularly protected surfaces and excellent joining properties.
• FIG. 1 shows the coupling device according to the invention schematically and FIG. 2 illustrates a method for producing support bodies.
• an electro-optical coupling device has a transmitting or receiving device 1, which in this exemplary embodiment consists of a light-sensitive diode 2 as receiving device 1. This is arranged on an essentially planar substrate 3.
• the substrate 3 is firmly connected to a support body 4 via an adhesive or solder joint 5, with the conclusion of a through hole 6 contained in the support body 4.
• the diameter 7 of the through hole 6 is dimensioned slightly smaller than the diameter 8 of a ball lens. formed lens 12.
• An optical waveguide connector 14 surrounds an end 15 of an optical waveguide 16 and is positioned by means of a guide 17 such that optical signals 18 emerging from the end 15 are focused on the receiving device 1 by the ball lens 12.
• the ball lens 12 is pressed into the through bore 6, taking into account the thickness 19 of the supporting body 4, that a distance 20 between the ball lens 12 and the sensitive surface of the diode 2 on the one hand and a distance 21 between the ball lens 12 and the End 15 on the other hand - enable optimal focusing of the optical signals 18 on the diode 2.
• Suitable positioning of the substrate 3 also enables optimal positioning of the transmitting or receiving device 1 in the XY plane perpendicular to the direction of travel (Z direction) of the optical signals 18.
• the flat surface of the supporting body 4 remote from the waveguide makes it easy to position and fix the substrate
• the support body is
• Figure 2 shows the essential steps of the method according to the invention for the production of support bodies for coupling devices.
• a metal strip 31 is unwound from a supply roll 30 and first fed to a punching device 32.
• the punching device 32 produces through bores 33 in the metal strip 31 at the desired spacing.
• the metal strip 31 can then be fed to a galvanizing device 34 before a through-loading device 35 designed as a pouring device is used for each bore is each assigned a lens designed as a spherical lens 36.
• a subsequent press-in device 37 consisting of two rotating rollers presses the ball lenses 36 into the respectively provided through bores 33 such that the surface of the ball lens 36 is approximately the upper one
• the metal strip 31 prefabricated in this way can then first be wound onto a supply roll 40, from which the support bodies described in connection with FIG. 1 are formed if necessary by separating or separating individual strip areas.
• diameter 8 of the ball lens 12 or 36 500 ⁇ m thickness 19 of the metal strip 4 or 31: 550 ⁇ m
• Diameter 7 of the through bore 6 or 33 470 ⁇ m distance 20 (FIG. 1): approx. 50 ⁇ m
• Diameter of the plug 14 2500 ⁇ m
• Connector 14 material zirconia

Landscapes

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

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=6448059

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1991
  • 1991-12-20 DE DE19914142856 patent/DE4142856C1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1992
  • 1992-11-13 WO PCT/DE1992/000965 patent/WO1993013443A1/de not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1992-11-13 EP EP92923214A patent/EP0617800A1/de not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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