Micro-positioning optical element
US6445514B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 12, 2000 |
| Grant date | Sep 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/423
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A micro-positioning system for accurately positioning an optical element relative to an optical device such as a laser diode, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), Resonant Cavity Photo Detector (RCPD), or some other type of optical device. The micro-positioning system is adapted to move the optical element independently in both the X and Y directions. The optical element preferably has at least two regions where the optical characteristics are different. In operation, the optical element is selectively moved so that a light beam intersects a selected region of the optical element. Because the optical characteristics of the optical element are different in different regions, the optical element produces a different optical result as the light beam is moved between regions. This may be useful in a number of applications including, for example, optical alignment, optical switching including Space Division Multiplexing (SDM), Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), and Polarization Division Multiplexing (PDM).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.