System and method for aligning and attaching optical fibers to optical waveguides, and products obtained thereby
US5926594A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3652
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An input optical fiber (22), an output optical fiber (24, 26) and a waveguide (14) in an integrated optic chip (IOC) (12) intermediate the fibers are coupled together using service and alignment robots (42; 48, 50, 52). The service robot (42) establishes the three dimensional position of the waveguide. The alignment robots (48, 50, 52) three dimensionally and angularly align the input and output fibers respectively to the input and output legs (16; 18, 20) of the waveguide. An adhesive applying tool (46) coupled with the service robot adheres the input and output fibers respectively to their waveguide input and output legs. Included are specifics for an optical fiber clamp (110) capable of maintaining the orientation of a fiber while it is moved to another location, a vacuum holder (210) for holding and rotating an optical fiber for polarization purposes, goniometer mapping and positioning of an optical fiber with respect to the pivotal axis of the goniometer (324), initial light launching of an optical fiber to a waveguide using the fiber (422) in its cladding mode, planar and angular position alignment of optical fibers to optical waveguides, an alignment procedure for establishi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.