Abstract: A process for preparing a subassembly, the process comprising (a) defining the location of one or more grooves for receiving at least one polymer waveguide in a wafer, (b) etching the grooves into the wafer, each groove having sidewalls and a first facet at the terminal end perpendicular to the side walls, the first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, (c) coating the first facet with a reflective material, and (d) disposing a fluid polymer waveguide precursor into each groove, and writing a core into the polymer material by directing at least one laser beam on the first facet by directing the laser beam into the top of the polymer material such that the beam reflects off of the first facet and down the interior of the polymer material to form the core in the polymer waveguide.

Abstract: An interposer for coupling an optical conduit to an optical component, said interposer comprising: (a) an optical component; (b) a first lens component having a first lens; (c) a second lens component having a second lens, said first and second lenses being configured to define an expanded-beam coupling therebetween; (d) at least one reflective surface optically coupled with said second lens; (e) a first optical path at least partially defined between said optical component and said first lens to accommodate a diverging light beam from said optical component to said first lens; (f) a second optical path at least partially defined between said second lens and said at least one reflective surface to accommodate a converging light beam from said second lens and said at least one reflective surface; and (g) a separable interface along said second optical path or at said expanded-beam coupling.

Abstract: An interposer for coupling an optical conduit to an optical component, said interposer comprising: (a) an optical component; (b) a first lens component having a first lens; (c) a second lens component having a second lens, said first and second lenses being configured to define an expanded-beam coupling therebetween; (d) at least one reflective surface optically coupled with said second lens; (e) a first optical path at least partially defined between said optical component and said first lens to accommodate a diverging light beam from said optical component to said first lens; (f) a second optical path at least partially defined between said second lens and said at least one reflective surface to accommodate a converging light beam from said second lens and said at least one reflective surface; and (g) a separable interface along said second optical path or at said expanded-beam coupling.

Abstract: Expanded beam (EB) connector includes a fiber holder having an alignment channel that is configured to receive an optical fiber. The alignment channel has a channel opening and extends from the channel opening to a channel end face. The EB connector also includes an optical substrate having a three-dimensional (3D) waveguide that includes a waveguide core and a cladding. The optical substrate includes the channel end face. The waveguide core extends lengthwise between first and second coupling faces of the waveguide core. The first coupling face is at least a portion of the channel end face. The first coupling face is configured to optically couple to the optical fiber disposed within the alignment channel. The second coupling face defines an exterior of the optical substrate. The waveguide core is shaped to change a mode field diameter and a numerical aperture of light propagating between the first and second coupling faces.

Abstract: Expanded beam (EB) connector includes a fiber holder having an alignment channel that is configured to receive an optical fiber. The alignment channel has a channel opening and extends from the channel opening to a channel end face. The EB connector also includes an optical substrate having a three-dimensional (3D) waveguide that includes a waveguide core and a cladding. The optical substrate includes the channel end face. The waveguide core extends lengthwise between first and second coupling faces of the waveguide core. The first coupling face is at least a portion of the channel end face. The first coupling face is configured to optically couple to the optical fiber disposed within the alignment channel. The second coupling face defines an exterior of the optical substrate. The waveguide core is shaped to change a mode field diameter and a numerical aperture of light propagating between the first and second coupling faces.

Abstract: A contactless connector module includes first and second fiber optic connector assemblies. The first fiber optic connector assembly includes a first fiber optic cable and a first connector provided at an end of the first fiber optic cable. The first connector includes a first converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a first communication chip electrically connected to the first converter. The first communication chip is configured to transmit wireless RF signals. The second fiber optic connector assembly includes a second fiber optic cable and a second connector provided at an end of the second fiber optic cable. The second connector includes a second converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a second communication chip electrically connected to the second converter. The second communication chip is configured to receive the wireless RF signals from the first communication chip.

Abstract: A method of forming a coupler, the method comprising: (a) heating a portion of an optical fiber having multiple cores and an initial diameter; and (b) applying a tensile force across the portion such that the portion stretches, thereby reducing the initial diameter to a reduced diameter sufficient to cause optical signals propagating in one or more of the multiple cores to leave their respective cores and enter other cores of the fiber.

Abstract: An interposer sub-assembly for holding or gripping a plurality of optical fibers in a multi-fiber ferrule connector including: a substrate comprising a bottom surface, a top surface, and a front face; a pair of guide pin grooves on the bottom surface of said substrate, wherein the pair of guide pin grooves are capable of receiving guide pins from a ferrule connector; and a plurality of resilient fiber grooves formed on the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of resilient fiber grooves are configured for receiving a plurality of optical conduits.

Abstract: An optical assembly comprising: (a) a crystalline substrate having a top planar surface and a crystalline plane angle; (b) at least one groove defined in the top planar surface and having side walls extending from an edge of the substrate to a terminal end, the groove having a first facet at the terminal, the first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, the first facet being reflective; (c) an optical conduit having an optical axis and an end face optically coupled with the first facet; (d) a waveguide; and (e) a diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed above the first facet and configured to couple light between the waveguide and the optical conduit as reflected by the first facet.

Abstract: An interposer comprising a plurality of optical conduits, each having an optical axis, a substrate defining a plurality of grooves having a terminal end, each optical conduit being disposed in a single groove, and a common angled surface traversing two or more of the grooves at the terminal end, at least a portion of the angled surface proximate the optical axes of the optical conduits in the two or more grooves is reflective, and one or more optical components disposed above the angled surface, the optical components and the optical conduits being optically coupled by the angled surface.

Abstract: An optical assembly comprising: (a) a substrate having a first planar surface; (b) an optical component connected to the substrate and having a second planar surface parallel to the first surface and at least one first optical axis; (c) a plurality of optical fiber stubs having a certain diameter and being disposed at least partially between the substrate and the optical component; (d) at least one of the substrate or the optical component having one or more grooves on the first or second surfaces, respectively, such that each groove is configured to receive one of the plurality of fiber stubs such that each of the fiber stubs protrudes a first distance from the first or second surface to space the first surface the first distance from the second surface; and (e) a least one optical conduit having a second optical axis, the optical conduit being disposed on the first or second surface such that the second optical axis is optically aligned with the first optical axis.

Abstract: An interposer comprising: (a) a planar substrate having top and bottom surfaces, said bottom surface defining at least one ferrule alignment structure, and one or more fiber bores extending from said bottom surface to said top surface, each fiber bore being in a certain position relative to said ferrule alignment structure and adapted to receive a fiber; (b) one or more lenses on or near said top surface, each lens aligned with one of said fiber bores; (c) at least one ferrule having an end face and comprising one or more fibers protruding from said end face, and at least one alignment feature cooperating with said ferrule alignment structure to position said ferrule precisely on said bottom surface such that said fibers are disposed in said fiber bores and are optically coupled with said lenses; and (d) at least one optical component having one or more optical interfaces and being mounted on said top surface such that each of said optical interfaces is aligned with one of said fiber bores and is optically co

Abstract: An optical interposer comprising: (a) a substrate having a planar surface: (b) at least one groove defined in the planar surface and extending from an edge of the substrate to a terminal end, the groove having side walls and a first facet at the terminal end perpendicular to side walls, the facet having a first angle relative to the planar surface, the first angle being about 45 degrees; and (c) a reflective coating on the first facet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high speed flex circuit electronic interface in combination with a sealed optical connectorization approach for optical coupling. In a preferred embodiment, at a front end of the connector a wedge seal ring or “press ring” is pressed into the end of a slide tube, both of which are, in a preferred embodiment, made of metal such as stainless steel. The wedge end shape of the press ring in this preferred embodiment allows it to be easily pushed into the inside diameter of the slide tube, expanding the slide tube to create a radial surface seal maintained by the hoop stress developed in the slide tube initiated by the press ring, thereby creating a hermetic seal on a cylindrical portion of the flange assembly connector. A flex-circuit sealed back-end of the connector uses, in a preferred embodiment, polymer to polymer or polymer to metal bonding to create a hermetic seal on the back end.

Abstract: A process for preparing a subassembly, the process comprising (a) defining the location of one or more grooves for receiving at least one polymer waveguide in a wafer, (b) etching the grooves into the wafer, each groove having sidewalls and a first facet at the terminal end perpendicular to the side walls, the first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, (c) coating the first facet with a reflective material, and (d) disposing a fluid polymer waveguide precursor into each groove, and writing a core into the polymer material by directing at least one laser beam on the first facet by directing the laser beam into the top of the polymer material such that the beam reflects off of the first facet and down the interior of the polymer material to form the core in the polymer waveguide.

Abstract: A contactless connector module includes first and second fiber optic connector assemblies. The first fiber optic connector assembly includes a first fiber optic cable and a first connector provided at an end of the first fiber optic cable. The first connector includes a first converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a first communication chip electrically connected to the first converter. The first communication chip is configured to transmit wireless RF signals. The second fiber optic connector assembly includes a second fiber optic cable and a second connector provided at an end of the second fiber optic cable. The second connector includes a second converter converting between optical and electrical signals and a second communication chip electrically connected to the second converter. The second communication chip is configured to receive the wireless RF signals from the first communication chip.

Abstract: An interposer, comprising: (a) a planar substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface defining at least one ferrule alignment structure, and fiber bores, each bore hole being in a certain position relative to the ferrule alignment structure and adapted to receive a fiber; (b) at least one ferrule having an end face and comprising one or more fibers protruding from the end face, and at least one alignment feature cooperating with the ferrule alignment structure to position the ferrule precisely on the bottom surface such that the fibers are disposed in the fiber bores and protrude past the top surface; and (c) at least one optical component having one or more optical interfaces and being mounted on the top surface such that each of the optical interfaces is aligned with one of the fiber bores and is optically coupled with a fiber protruding from the fiber bores.

Abstract: An optical interposer comprising a transparent substrate having first and second sides, at least one OED mounted to the first side, at least one reflective surface and at least one groove defined on the second side, and an optical conduit disposed in the groove optically coupled to the OED by the reflective surface.

Abstract: A process for preparing a subassembly, the process comprising: (a) defining the location of one or more grooves for receiving optical conduits on the top planar surface of a wafer or panel, the grooves corresponding to multiple interposers on the wafer or panel; and (b) etching the grooves into the wafer or panel, each groove having sidewalls and first and second terminal ends and a first facet at each terminal end perpendicular to the side walls, each first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, each groove being shared by a pair of transmitting and receiving interposers on the wafer or panel prior to being diced such that the first and second terminal ends of each groove correspond to transmitting and receiving interposers, respectively.

Abstract: A method of terminating a fiber in a connector using a device comprising: (a) positioning a stripped fiber on the device such that the bare fiber portion extends into a first fiber channel of a cleaver; (b) securing the fiber to a fiber retainer slidably attached to the substrate to move along an x axis at a first position; (c) cleaving the bare fiber portion to form a cleaved end; (d) sliding the fiber retainer away from the cleaver along the x axis; (e) causing to be presented a second fiber channel of a connector held in a connector retainer along the x axis; (f) sliding the fiber retainer to the first position along the x axis, thereby causing the cleaved end to extend into the second fiber channel; and (g) actuating the connector while the fiber retainer is at the first position.