Abstract: According to the present invention, an optical waveguide is provided on a silica or silicon substrate using MPACVD and ICP etching processes. Optical fiber is coupled to the waveguide by positioning the fiber in a groove formed in the waveguide and compressing a top lid on the fiber. The top lid is secured to the waveguide and fiber by an epoxy or a solder. In a solder based embodiment, the cladding of the fiber may have a metallization evaporated thereon.

Abstract: An ejection system for engaging a transceiver to a host circuit board in a guide rail having a front and back orientation and for ejecting said transceiver from said guide rail, said system comprising: (a) a latching mechanism within said guide rail adapted for latching to a projection extending from a housing of a transceiver when said transceiver is moved backward on said guide rail to an engaging position, thereby preventing said transceiver from moving forward; (b) resilient means within said guide rail adapted for urging said transceiver forward when said transceiver is in said engaging position; and (c) a release mechanism within said card guide and adapted for disengaging said latching mechanism from said projection when said release mechanism is actuated to a releasing position, thereby allowing said resilient means to move said transceiver forward.

Abstract: An optical connector system comprises mating first and second fiber ferrules (1, 11). Each ferrule (1, 11) has an endface (4, 14) polished at an angle to minimize backreflections. A holographic optical element (6) disposed on the first ferrule endface (4) receives a transmitted beam and expands the beam to an expanded beam (21) of collimated light. The expanded beam (21) is launched into an air gap (22) for receipt by a holographic optical element (16) disposed on the second ferrule (11). The holographic optical element (16) on the second ferrule (11) receives the expanded beam (21) and focuses it to be received by the fiber held in the second ferrule (11).

Abstract: A beam homogenizer for converting an incident beam of non-uniform spatial power or energy distribution into an output beam of uniform spatial power or energy distribution. The homogenizer is a holographic optical element constructed from an array of facets or subholograms and positioned at a first plane in the path of an incident signal. The transmittance from each subhologram is uniformly spread across a target at a second plane that is spaced away from the first plane Another optical element, such as a holographic collimation element, may be placed at the second plane to collimate the transmittances thereupon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel, accurate, passive alignment of optical and optoelectronic elements using silicon waferboard technology. The invention particularly relates to the use of etched v-grooves on monocrystalline materials in conjunction with alignment spheres to effect the passive alignment.

Abstract: A passively aligned optical interconnect is described for use as a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) and demultiplexer. The device makes use of silicon waferboard for a low cost interconnect. Computer generated holograms are used to effect the multiplexing/demultiplexing as well as focusing of the beams. In an alternative embodiment, the device is used as a beam splitter for monochromatic light. In yet another embodiment, the device is used to spatially separate the polarization states of light.

Abstract: A passively aligned bi-directional optoelectronic transceiver module assembly utilizes a computer generated hologram as a diffractor to split/combine light beams of two different wavelengths. The entire assembly is constructed of monocrystalline silicon which is photolithographically batch processed to provide a low cost, compact structure with precision tolerances which is inherently passively aligned upon assembly.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an optical interconnect which utilizes a silicon waferboard (1) with grooves (3,4) etched to expose preferred crystallographic planes to effect alignment of focusing elements (5) between optical waveguides (6) and optoelectronic devices (2). The focusing elements (5) are made of silicon wafers and are etched to expose crystal planes which compliment crystal planes of cavities or grooves which are etched in the waferboard. The focusing elements may have holograms (7) formed thereon for efficient focusing to the optical waveguide (6).

Abstract: An anisotropically electrically conductive composition having the capability to conduct heat isotropically when used as an electrical interconnection medium between a pair of electrical conductors, paths, traces, or the like. The composition comprises a mixture of electrically conductive particles in an amount below the percolation threshold for volume conduction for such composition, and electrically non-conductive, but thermally conductive particles, such as metallic oxides, within a polymeric matrix. Preferably, the conductive particles are present in an amount of no more than about 15%, by volume, and the electrically non-conductive particles are present in an amount of about 15 to 35%, by volume.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an electrically conductive gel comprising an extrinsically conductive gel having dispersed therein a quantity of an intrinsically conductive polymer, where said polymer is present in the amount of between about 0.03 to 1.6%, by weight. Preferred conductive polymers are those selected from the class of polypyrrole, polyaniline, polyanisidine, polythiophene, and derivatives of these base polymers.

Abstract: A connector assembly (10) and a method of manufacture include a connector sheet (30) formed of a fine web of insulating strands (32, 34) woven together to define a mesh of cavities (35) containing discrete contacts (36, 40) held by an adhesive (38) to define an ordered anisotropic area of discrete contact points useful in interconnecting contact pads (24) of a component (20) to contact pads (18) of a circuit (12). A connector housing (60) is provided to clamp the component (20) to the circuit (12) with the connector sheet (30) therebetween.

Abstract: A connector assembly (10) for electrically interconnecting a component (20) to a circuit (12) includes a housing (50) containing the component with conductive pads (22) of the component and conductive pads (14) of the circuit aligned with a connector (30) including a flexible film (34) carrying contact pads (38, 40) interconnected by a conductive material (42) in a hole (36) and carrying conductive gel contacts (44, 46) which project above and below the film surface to be compressed upon housing closure to drive the said component against the said film and circuit to thus minimize contact forces.

Abstract: An electrical connector (30) includes a body (34) of elastomeric material having cavities (38) containing a conductive gel (42) operable upon deformation of the body of said connector to interconnect conductive pads (14, 22) between components such as a printed circuit board (12) and a chip carrier (18). An alternative embodiment uses a connector body (34') comprised of a sheet (48) of a low thermal coefficient of expansion material with separate inserts (50) of a higher thermal coefficient of expansion fitted in sheet perforations (49).

Abstract: An electrical connector (30) for interconnecting the contacts (22) of a component (18) to the contacts (14) of a circuit (12) includes a planar laminate of insulating sheets (38, 42) and a layer of insulating gel (46) having holes (40, 44) extending through the sheets and the gel (46) with a conductive gel (48) in said holes of a volume to be compressed to flow axially to interconnect the component and circuit contacts.

Abstract: An optical source comprises (a) a laser light source for emitting light in a light path; and (b) at least one holographic optical element disposed in the light path; wherein the laser light source and the holographic optical element are integrated into a monolithic strucuture. The holographic optical element collimates emitted light, circularizes emitted light, compensates for optical source wavelength shifts, launches the emitted light so that it is efficiently coupled to an optical fiber, and/or isolates the laser light source from interfering reflected light. Since the optical source is disposed in a single monolithic structure and a discrete holographic optical element may perform five distinct functions, the optical sources are compact, commercially versatile and easy to handle.

Abstract: An electrical connector (30) includes a body (34) of elastomeric material having cavities (38) containing a conductive gel operable upon deformation of the body of said connector to interconnect conductive pads (16, 22) between components such as a printed circuit board (12) and a chip carrier (20).

Abstract: An asymmetric optical fiber for tap optically coupling an ingoing fiber, an outgoing fiber, a tap fiber and optionally an optical source fiber, includes a housing, and at least one wavelength compensated holographic optical element (HOE) disposed in the housing. The housing includes first, second and third guides therein for guiding the ingoing fiber, and the outgoing fiber, and the tap fiber, and optinally a fourth guide means for guiding the optical source fiber, respectively, adjacent to the HOE. The HOE is adapted to couple optical energy from the ingoing fiber to both the outgoing and tap fiber, and to launch optical energy from the optical source fiber to the ingoing fiber. The disclosed taps are simple in design, easy to manufacture and connect, and cause minimal attenuation of the ongoing optical signal. The taps are also compact; optical fiber alignment is facilitated and they allow for an optical signal to be efficiently launched in an uphill direction into the ingoing fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber coupler for coupling optical fibers to one another comprises a holographic optical element (HOE), having an optical axis enclosed in a housing. The housing includes fiber guides adapted to receive at least one pair of optical fibers and to dispose at least an end of each of the pair of fibers substantially parallel to each other, substantially perpendicular to one face of the HOE, equidistant from th eoptical axis of the HOE, and equidistant from the surface of the HOE. The optical fiber coupler is compact, commercially versatile, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to connect.

Abstract: A method directed to a system for splitting, imaging and focusing a pulsing laser beam, such as from an excimer laser, onto a workpiece to improve the subsequent metal plating of such workpiece. A preferred technique of laser assisted plating is a system for laser ablating a plurality of contact areas on electrical terminals, where the areas are covered by ablatable resist. The preferred system comprises a carrier strip having a plurality of electrical terminals mounted thereon; a pulsed laser for directing radiation at the carrier strip; a hologram mounted in the radiation path between the laser and the carrier strip for splitting the radiation from the laser into a plurality of radiation beams directed towards the plurality of contact areas; and mechanism for synchronizing the movement of the carrier strip with the pulsing of the laser so that a respective one of the plurality of outgoing beams ablates the resist over a respective one of the contacts as the contact areas move past the hologram.