Low-cost compact optical isolators
US5808793A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 17, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 15, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 17, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S372/703
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical isolator unit is aligned, assembled, and subsequently diced into smaller isolator chips for placement in a micro-optical bench, along with input and an output fiber coupling ball lenses. Polarizers (for polarization-dependent isolators) or birefringence walkoff crystals (for polarization-independent isolators) are aligned and then glued together with 45.degree. Faraday rotators using an optical-grade adhesive. The surfaces of the components are AR-coated to match the index of the optical-grade adhesive. An optical isolator unit formed in this manner is then diced into a plurality of optical isolator chips with a high-speed wafer saw. The optical isolator unit is preferably mounted on any one of its sides in such a way that only a smallest possible cutting depth is required for dicing, i.e., it is mounted such that a thinnest dimension of the isolator is presented for cutting, such that material loss due to cutting is reduced and delamination of the optical isolator chips is prevented.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.