Systems and methods for aligning a laser beam with an optical fiber
US6493485B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 3, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4227
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for aligning a laser beam with the end of an optical fiber includes optics for focusing the laser beam toward the end of the optical fiber. A plurality of light receptors are positioned around the end of the optical fiber and, as intended for the present invention, each light receptor generates a light signal which is indicative of the light intensity from the laser beam that is incident on it. Connected with this plurality of light sensors is a comparator which creates an error signal that is proportional to a difference between selected light signals from the light receptors. The laser beam can then be moved relative to the end of the optical fiber in response to the error signal to align the laser beam with the end of the optical fiber. When alignment is achieved, the light signals will be substantially equal to each other and the error signal will be a null.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.