Patent · US Expired

Optical component for free-space optical propagation between waveguides

US7031575B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
6References
53Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 9, 2003
Grant dateApr 18, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2006/12166
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical component may comprise a horizontal member with two side walls and a substantially transparent end wall protruding from the horizontal member. The end wall, side walls and horizontal member may partially enclose an interior volume, and optical functionality is imparted in any suitable manner on at least a portion of the end wall. An optical assembly may comprise such an optical component mounted on a waveguide substrate along with a planar waveguide and a second waveguide, which are end-coupled by either reflection from the optical component end wall or transmission through the optical component end wall. An end portion of a planar waveguide may be received within the interior volume of the mounted component. Proper positioning of the optical component relative to the waveguides may be facilitated by alignment surfaces and/or alignment marks on the component and/or waveguide substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.