Coupler for coupling optical energy transmitted by optical fiber to optical waveguide and method of manufacture

Abstract

Abstract A coupler for coupling optical energy transmitted by optical fibers to a thin-film optical waveguide and a method of manufacture. In the method an optical fiber is sandwiched between a pair of substrates and the substrates and fiber are bonded together with a suitable material. The bonded product is then cut to provide a surface including a cross section of the fiber. After polishing this surface a thin-film optical waveguide is then provided on the surface including the fiber end. The cutting angle is chosen such that, in the assembled coupler, the exit angle with respect to the waveguide surface is greater than the critical angle of the guide material. In this fashion the optical energy coupled from fiber to guide is trapped in the guide. The apparatus includes an optical fiber in a substrate with a cross section of the fiber in the surface of the substrate with a thin-film optical waveguide overlying the substrate surface. To insure the coupled optical energy is trapped in the guide the angle between the fiber axis in the substrate and the guide surface is greater than the critical angle for the guide material.

Inventors

• 👤 Paul F. Heidrich
• 👤 Carl G. Powell

Bibliographic Details