Method and apparatus for positioning an optical fiber
US5080458A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jan 14, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4226
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The alignment of an optical fiber (2) with a light port (18) of an I/O chip (10) is facilitated by a fiber carrier (20) having a surface (22) in which a plurality of closely spaced, axially extending fiber carrying grooves (30) are formed. The end (4) of an optical fiber (2) is supported in a first narrower and shallower V-shaped groove segment (32) with the tip (6) of the fiber (2) extending in a cantilevered fashion over a second wider and deeper V-shaped groove segment (34) with the tip end face (8) in facing relationship with the I/O chip (10). A ground electrode (40) is disposed on a wall of the first groove segment (32) in contact with the received end 4 of the fiber (2) for electrically grounding the fiber. A pair of independently energizible actuator electrodes (42, 44) are disposed on opposed side walls of the second groove segment (34). By selectively energizing the actuator electrodes 42,44, an electrostatic field is imposed about the tip (6) of the fiber (2) thereby selectively moving the tip (6) relative to the I/O chip (10) in a direction normal to the axis of the groove (30).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.