Input/output Coupler Patents (Class 385/31)
  • Publication number: 20130274726
    Abstract: Provided are an optical fiber which has good laser beam condensation efficiency and is highly resilient, and a shockwave generating device employing same. An optical fiber (11) is employed in an underwater shockwave generating device (10) which projects a laser beam underwater and generates an underwater shockwave. The optical fiber (11) comprises: a main body part (16); and a laser convergence part (17) which is disposed upon a leading end thereof. The laser convergence part (17) is configured so as to exhibit an approximately frustum shape wherein the diameter of the leading end (18a) is narrower than the diameter of the base end (18b), and such that an interior angle ? with respect to a radial direction of a lateral face, of an axial cross-section gradually decreases toward the front thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Takayama, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Hiroaki Shimokawa
  • Publication number: 20130271771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an interference measurement device comprising a multi-core optical fiber having first and second ends, a light source, an optical receiver, a branching unit, a coupling unit, a measurement optical path, and a reference optical path and measures a physical quantity of an object to be measured on the measurement optical path. The light source and optical receiver are arranged on the first end side, while the measurement optical path and reference optical path are arranged on the second end side. The branching unit splits light from the light source into measurement light and reference light, while the coupling unit generates interference light between the measurement light having propagated through the measurement optical path and the reference light having propagated through the reference optical path. The optical receiver detects the intensity of the interference light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Eisuke SASAOKA
  • Publication number: 20130272652
    Abstract: A frequency-chirped nano-antenna provides efficient sub-wavelength vertical emission from a dielectric waveguide. In one example, this nano-antenna includes a set of plasmonic dipoles on the opposite side of a SiYV4 waveguide from a ground plane. The resulting structure, which is less than half a wavelength long, emits a broadband beam (e.g., >300 nm) that can be coupled into an optical fiber. In some embodiments, a diffractive optical element with unevenly shaped regions of high- and low-index dielectric material collimates the broadband beam for higher coupling efficiency. In some cases, a negative lens element between the nano-antenna and the diffractive optical element accelerates the emitted beam's divergence (and improves coupling efficiency), allowing for more compact packaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Ami Yaacobi, Brad Gilbert Cordova, Jie Sun, Michael Watts
  • Patent number: 8554024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor using a tilted fiber grating to detect physical manifestations occurring in a medium. Such physical manifestations induce measurable changes in the optical property of the tilted fiber grating. The sensor comprises a sensing surface which is to be exposed to the medium, an optical pathway and a tilted grating in the optical pathway. The grating is responsive to electromagnetic radiation propagating in the optical pathway to generate a response conveying information on the physical manifestation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: LXData Inc.
    Inventors: Jacques Albert, Chengkun Chen, Yanina Shevchenko, Alexei Ivanov
  • Patent number: 8554025
    Abstract: An optical connector is described. This optical connector spatially segregates optical coupling between an optical fiber and an optical component, which relaxes the associated mechanical-alignment requirements. In particular, the optical connector includes an optical spreader component disposed on a substrate. This optical spreader component is optically coupled to the optical fiber at a first coupling region, and is configured to optically couple to the optical component at a second coupling region that is at a different location on the substrate than the first coupling region. Moreover, the first coupling region and the second coupling region are optically coupled by an optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Drost, John E. Cunningham, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8554028
    Abstract: A fiber optic coupler includes a housing that receives upstream optical signals from drop optical fibers that are optically coupled to optical network units in a power splitting passive optical network and provides an aggregate upstream optical signal to a trunk optical fiber that is optically coupled to an optical line terminal in the power splitting passive optical network, without having passed through a power splitter. At least one reflector and/or refractor in the housing is oriented to reflect and/or refract at least one upstream optical signal from at least one of the drop optical fibers, so as to produce the aggregate upstream optical signal for the trunk optical fiber. Various configurations of reflectors and/or refractors may be provided. Relative methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventor: David Hood
  • Patent number: 8550726
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a single wavelength bi-directional optical transceiver for transmitting/receiving optical signals having the same wavelength through an optical communication system. The optical transceiver includes a transmitter including an isolator and converting an external input signal into an optical transmit signal, an optical filter reflecting some of the optical transmit signal and transmitting the other of the optical transmit signal, an optical fiber transmitting the optical transmit signal transmitted by the optical filter to a counterpart optical transceiver, a receiver receiving an optical receive signal from the counterpart optical transceiver via the optical fiber, and a body enclosing a portion of the transmitter, the optical filter, a portion of the optical fiber and a portion of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Optoelectronics Solution Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi Hee Hwang, Dong Jin Shin, Suk Han Yun, Eun Kyo Jung
  • Patent number: 8548289
    Abstract: Embodiments of a display comprising pixels formed from suitably tethered deformable membrane-based MEMS subsystems are provided that include the means to dynamically alter the in-plane tension, and thus the effective spring constant, of the deformable membrane being ponderomotively propelled between active and inactive optical states, said dynamic alteration being effected by exploiting transverse piezoelectric properties of the deformable membranes. Manipulating the spring constant can reduce the actuation force required to turn pixels on, thus significantly reducing the operational voltages for the display composed of an array of such subsystems. Since display power rises with the square of the pixel drive voltage, such architectures give rise to more power efficient display systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Rambus Delaware LLC
    Inventors: Martin G. Selbrede, Daniel K. Van Ostrand
  • Patent number: 8548282
    Abstract: A fiber-inline MZI device for temperature sensing or refractive index (RI) sensing, the device comprising: a section of a Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) having at least two air holes infiltrated with a liquid analyte to form a waveguide channel, the liquid analyte forming rods in the PCF; wherein the rods leave an interference fringe pattern in the transmission spectrum when light is injected into the PCF, and fringe dips are tracked over a wide wavelength range in order to sense the temperature or refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    Inventors: Dongning Wang, Minwei Yang
  • Patent number: 8542963
    Abstract: An optical coupling structure that interfaces between optical devices mounted on a substrate and optical waveguides formed in the substrate. A manufacturing method includes preparing a wafer formed on an inorganic solid material on a dicing tape and cutting the back surface of the wafer to form substantially angled portions using a dicing blade having a point angle. The dicing tape is stripped from the wafer and the wafer is separated at the valleys between the substantially angled portions to obtain an optical coupling element. The obtained optical coupling element is a three-dimensional polyhedral light-reflecting member having a mirror surface corresponding to a surface of the wafer. The obtained optical coupling element is inserted into a trench that opens, substantially perpendicular to an optical waveguide of an optical transmission substrate, in the main surface of the optical transmission substrate to provide a structure for optical coupling with the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakagawa, Hidetoshi Numata, Kuniaki Sueoka, Yoichi Taira
  • Patent number: 8540437
    Abstract: A multi-wavelength optical transmitting module includes a housing, an optical output block, an optical transmitting block, and an optical multiplexer (MUX) block. The optical output block is coupled to a first coupling hole of the housing and to an optical signal connector, and includes a first lens. The optical transmitting block is coupled to a second coupling hole of the housing and to an electrical signal connector. The optical transmitting block includes a plurality of transmitting devices which respectively output light having different wavelengths and are arranged parallel to the optical output block, and a plurality of second lenses which correspond respectively to the transmitting devices. The optical multiplexer (MUX) block multiplexes optical signals of multiple wavelengths, which were output from the transmitting devices and passed through the second lenses, and transmits the multiplexed optical signals to the optical output block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Joon Ki Lee, Sae-Kyoung Kang
  • Patent number: 8543005
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for distributing an intentionally skewed optical-clock signal to nodes of a source synchronous computer system. In one system embodiment, a source synchronous system comprises a waveguide, an optical-system clock optically coupled to the waveguide, and a number of nodes optically coupled to the waveguide. The optical-system clock generates and injects a master optical-clock signal into the waveguide. The master optical-clock signal acquiring a skew as it passes between nodes. Each node extracts a portion of the master optical-clock signal and processes optical signals using the portion of the master optical-clock signal having a different skew for the respective extracting node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Nathan L. Binkert, Norman P. Jouppi, Robert S. Schreiber, Jung Ho Ahn
  • Publication number: 20130242599
    Abstract: A lighting device (30) comprises a side-light light guide 1? located in a support (2) that has an elongate opening for the passage of light emitted by the light guide. The support (20) is shaped to provide contact edges (24) and the only physical engagement between the support and the light guide is along those contact edges. The support also has planar surfaces internal positioned adjacent, and parallel to, planar surfaces (15) in the light guide to retain the light guide in the required orientation in the support. To enhance the flexibility of the support, in some embodiments only part of the support is continuous along the whole length of the support (FIGS. 14 to 19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: David M. Rudek, Joerg R. Purfuerst, Hans-Michael Vogt
  • Publication number: 20130241756
    Abstract: A light intensity subtractor according to one aspect of the present invention includes a light subtraction unit, a feedback circuit, a light input port, a first light output port, and a second light output port. The light subtraction unit receives input light through the light input port, outputs first output light to the first light output port, and outputs second output light to the second light output port. The light subtraction unit generates the first output light by reducing the light intensity of the second output light from the light intensity of the input light in accordance with a control voltage. The feedback circuit is connected to the light subtraction unit through the second light output port, and outputs the control voltage in accordance with the light intensity of the received second output light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Sato
  • Publication number: 20130243376
    Abstract: An optical coupling structure includes a light source that emits light; and an optical waveguide that has on a given end, a mirror surface that reflects the light emitted from the light source, the optical waveguide guiding the light reflected by the mirror surface to another end. In the optical coupling structure, a traveling direction of the light emitted from the light source is inclined toward the given end of the optical waveguide and is, with respect to a normal line of the mirror surface, at an angle that is greater than 45 degrees and that satisfies a condition for complete reflection of light on the mirror surface and a condition for complete reflection of light in the optical waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Kohei Choraku, Naoki Nakamura, Akiko Matsui, Tetsuro Yamada, Yoshiyuki Hiroshima, Takahiro Ooi
  • Patent number: 8538210
    Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daoyi Wang, Frank Wu
  • Patent number: 8536542
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for analyzing a fluid with particle analytes, where the fluid is fed through a passageway within an optical fiber and excitation light is guided by the optical fiber across the passageway and intersects the fluid therein. The optical core is made multimode and is adapted to shape the excitation light with a uniform spatial illumination over a cross-section of the optical core and the passageway is configured relative to the optical core such that the particle analytes are exposed to substantially equal excitation light while circulating in the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Institut National d'Optique
    Inventors: Michel Fortin, Alain Chandonnet, Claude Pare
  • Patent number: 8538212
    Abstract: Arrayed waveguide grating can have one or both slab waveguides with relatively sharply folded optical paths and a mirror that provides the folding of the path. The folded optical paths through the slab waveguides can result in a more compact geometry of the waveguides through the device as well as smaller slab waveguides such that the device can be formed with a significantly smaller overall footprint. Also, arrayed waveguide gratings that cooperate with pivotable mirrors can adjust light passage through the waveguide in response to temperature changes to provide for thermally compensated operation of the device. Thus, very compact planar lightwave circuits filters are described that provide thermally compensated operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation
    Inventor: Brian P. McGinnis
  • Patent number: 8538214
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to an optical resonator. The optical resonator includes an input optical waveguide and a closed loop coupled to the input optical waveguide. The closed loop is adapted to receive light from the input optical waveguide, wherein the closed loop includes at least one hole formed within a portion of the closed loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Xian Tong Chen, Shao Hua Tao, Guo-Qiang Patrick Lo, Shi Yang Zhu
  • Patent number: 8538208
    Abstract: An apparatus for coupling light between input and output waveguides includes a substrate, an input waveguide disposed on the substrate and comprising a first optical axis, and an output waveguide disposed on the substrate and comprising a second optical axis vertically offset from the first optical axis. A superlens is disposed on the substrate between the input waveguide and the output waveguide. The superlens has a middle optical axis and comprises a vertically graded refractive index film having a refractive index distribution n(y), where y is a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the middle optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Seng-Tiong Ho, Yingyan Huang
  • Patent number: 8538209
    Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals, are disclosed. An optical device employs thin film filters with reflectors to reassemble as a fiber Bragg grating. Depending on implementation, a reflector may be a mirror or a coated substrate disposed in a unique way to reflect a light beam from a filter back to a common port of a device. The reflector may also be coated accordingly to bypass a certain portion of the light beam for other purposes. As a result, the optical devices so designed in accordance with the present invention are amenable to small footprint, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Yao Li
  • Patent number: 8532451
    Abstract: An optical transmitter includes three or more emission optical fibers that are three-dimensionally arranged, a single reception optical fiber, and an optical path converting component to optically couple the emission optical fibers to the reception optical fiber. The optical path converting component includes optical transmission portions that are optically coupled to the three or more emission optical fibers one to one, respectively, and optically coupled commonly to the single reception optical fiber. Entry ends of the optical transmission portions are aligned with exit ends of the three or more emission optical fibers, respectively. Exit ends of the optical transmission portions are aligned, as a whole, with an entry end of the single reception optical fiber. The exit ends of the optical transmission portions are arranged substantially parallel to one another and in closer proximity to one another than the entry ends of the optical transmission portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 8529454
    Abstract: A photoacoustic medical imaging device may include a substrate, an array of ultrasonic transducers on the substrate, at least one groove etched on the substrate, at least one optical fiber, and at least one facet. Each optical fiber is disposed in one of the grooves. Each facet is etched in one of the grooves and coated with a layer of metal having high infrared reflectivity. Each optical fiber is configured to guide infrared light from a light source through the fiber and toward the respective facet. The facet is configured to reflect the infrared light toward a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: STC.UNM
    Inventor: Jingkuang Chen
  • Patent number: 8532455
    Abstract: An optical fiber includes a core (1a) having an oblong rectangular or square cross section and made of quartz, a cladding (2) surrounding the core (1a), having a circular outer cross-sectional shape, having a lower refractive index than the core (1a), and made of resin, and a support layer (3) surrounding the cladding (2) and made of quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Nakai, Takaharu Kinoshita, Takeshi Satake, Takeji Akutsu, Motohiko Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8532447
    Abstract: A multimode interference splitter/combiner that includes a monolithic device for photonically coupling an input optical waveguide to first and second output optical waveguides. The input waveguide may be optically coupled to a first end of a MMI portion, while the first and second output waveguides may be optically coupled to a second end of the MMI portion. The input waveguide is coupled to a planar facet of the MMI portion so that the input waveguide may have a propagation axis that is oriented at an angle with respect to the planar facet of the MMI portion. A desired splitting ratio may be achieved by adjusting the angle between the input waveguide and the MMI portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Emcore Corporation
    Inventors: Martin H. Kwakernaak, Hiroshi Wada
  • Patent number: 8532441
    Abstract: An optical device comprising a 1×2 optical coupler on a planar substrate and a waveguide on the planar substrate, the waveguide having a first arm and a second arm coupled to the 1×2 optical coupler. The device also comprises an optical resonator on the planar substrate, wherein the optical resonator is optically coupled to the first arm and the optical resonator is substantially athermalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Mahmoud Rasras
  • Patent number: 8526771
    Abstract: An optical interconnect includes a set of splitters. Each splitter includes a source waveguide, a reflection waveguide, an output waveguide, and a partially reflective mirror element with a reflective coating. The source waveguide and the reflection waveguide are optically coupled to the partially reflective element. A photonic signal from the source waveguide is partially reflected off the reflective coating as a reflected signal into the reflection waveguide. The output waveguide is optically coupled to the opposite surface and configured such that a non-reflected portion of the photonic signal propagates into the output waveguide. The reflective coating includes a reflected surface area interfacing with the photonic signal form the source waveguide, and power of the non-reflected portion is a function of the reflective surface area interfacing with source waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Neal Meyer, Robert Newton Bicknell, Pavel Kornilovich
  • Publication number: 20130223795
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical coupling element to optically couple optical elements of different kinds to each other, which is provided with a plurality of cores. In the optical coupling element a first end and a second end opposed thereto are different in at least either of a core array and a core interval. The optical coupling element has a bent shape of at least a part of the optical coupling element itself including the cores, so that a light input/output direction at the first end is different from a light input/output direction at the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
  • Patent number: 8520990
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved collimating lens assemblies (32) which include: a singlemode fiber (38) terminating in a distal end; a step-index multimode fiber (44) having a proximal end abutting to the singlemode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; a graded-index multimode fiber (45) having a proximal end abutting the step-index multimode fiber distal end, and having a distal end; and a collimating lens (34) longitudinally spaced from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end by an intermediate air gap (43), and operatively arranged to collimate light rays emanating from the graded-index multimode fiber distal end. The improved collimating lens assembly is characterized by the fact that there is no epoxy, silicone gel or index-matching material between the graded-index multimode fiber distal end and the collimating lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Moog Inc.
    Inventors: Norris E. Lewis, Martin J. Oosterhuis, K. Peter Lo
  • Patent number: 8519325
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spectrally selective planar optical radiation concentrator, in which different spectral components of solar energy can be collected for different applications such as heat, illumination and electricity. The optical radiation concentrator has two basic components, an angle selective optical filter and a light redistribution reflector for collecting, trapping and concentrating radiant energy. It further comprises a light deflecting component and a fluorescent wavelength shifter to improve acceptance angle and concentration efficiency respectively. The planar optical radiation concentrator exhibits the potential for light weight, high concentration ratio and efficiency, and the ability for passive tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Zhenyu Lu, Jingfeng Yuan
  • Patent number: 8521023
    Abstract: A communication network is described in which a number of computing nodes are situated in a logical multidimensional array and are linked by communication cables. The communication cables carry conduits connecting each node with all other nodes in the array so that a direct physical connection exists between every pair of computing nodes in the array. A method of providing interconnection among nodes in a communication network comprises arranging and connecting computing nodes in an array as described above, where each node passively redirects conduits to columns and rows in the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Pavel Kornilovich
  • Publication number: 20130216182
    Abstract: An optical light guide coupler for coupling at least two light guides comprises an input face and an output face, wherein the optical light guide coupler is configured to receive light from a first light guide having a stepped output profile and is configured to transmit that light to a second light guide having a non-stepped profile. The input face of the light guide coupler is registered to the stepped output profile of the first light guide and the output face of the light guide coupler is at least one of rectilinear and curved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
  • Publication number: 20130215495
    Abstract: A nanoparticle waveguide apparatus, a nanoparticle waveguide photonic system and a method of photonic transmission employ a nearfield-coupled nanoparticle (NCN) waveguide to cooperatively propagate an optical signal. The nanoparticle waveguide apparatus includes a first optical waveguide adjacent to a second optical waveguide, the first optical waveguide comprising an NCN waveguide having a plurality of nanoparticles. The nanoparticle waveguide photonic system further includes a nearfield coupling (NC) modulator. The method includes providing the NCN waveguides and modulating a coupling between one or both of first and second NCN waveguides and adjacent nanoparticles within one or both of the first and second NCN waveguides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Lars H. Thylen, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Petter Holmstrom
  • Patent number: 8515222
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a fiber optic display screen of adjustable size. In one embodiment, a screen comprises: a plurality of pixels formed by a terminal end of at least one optical fiber, wherein the pixels are substantially equidistant from each other along a first axis in a first screen size and in a second screen size that is larger than the first size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William J. Cottrell, Nathan G. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8515216
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system including an integrated silicon-based structure including a microcavity configured to receive optical energy from an input beam carrying an optical signal and absorb the optical energy by a nonlinear multi-photon absorption process. For example, the multi-photon absorption process can be two-photon absorption (TPA). The integrated silicon-based structure further includes electrodes responsive to the nonlinear multi-photon absorption process in the microcavity for producing an electronic signal indicative of the optical signal. A related method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jorge Bravo Abad, Erich P. Ippen, Marin Soljacic
  • Patent number: 8515226
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a device that belongs to the field of optical devices. More specifically it is a novel way of achieving light splitting or combining using a spherical reflector with a single input and multiple outputs, or multiple inputs and a single output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ocean Optics, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Tatsch
  • Patent number: 8515221
    Abstract: An optical probe for emitting and/or receiving light within a body comprises an optical fiber that transmits and/or receives an optical signal, a silicon optical bench including a fiber groove running longitudinally that holds an optical fiber termination of the optical fiber and a reflecting surface that optically couples an endface of the optical fiber termination to a lateral side of the optical bench. The fiber groove is fabricated using silicon anisotropic etching techniques. Some examples use a housing around the optical bench that is fabricated using LIGA or other electroforming technology. A method for forming lens structure is also described that comprises forming a refractive lens in a first layer of a composite wafer material, such as SOI (silicon on insulator) wafers and forming an optical port through a backside of the composite wafer material along an optical axis of the refractive lens. the refractive lens is preferably formed using grey-scale lithography and dry etching the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Axsun Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale C. Flanders, James W. Getz, Walid A. Atia, Peter S. Whitney, Mark E. Kuznetsov
  • Patent number: 8508843
    Abstract: A laser amplifier includes a pump source and an optically active fiber having an input portion configured to receive a signal source and an output portion. The pump source is optically coupled to the optically active fiber. The laser amplifier also includes an output fiber optically coupled to the output portion of the optically active fiber. The output fiber includes a rare-earth element. The laser amplifier further includes a beam expansion section joined to the output fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Murison, Tullio Panarello
  • Patent number: 8509579
    Abstract: A multiplicity of Fresnel lenses are attached to tubular branches of a tree-like support structure. Fiber optic bundles are connected to the Fresnel lenses and routed inside the tubular branches and collected as a larger fiber optic bundle inside a main trunk structure to which each of the branches is connected. The larger fiber optic bundle may be connected to a remotely located power generating plant or other processing facility via a fiber optic transmission network. A domed solar energy collector includes an outer dome and one or more inner domes concentrically nested therewith, one or more Fresnel lenses being positioned on the hemispherical surface of each of the outer and inner domes to thereby multiply the solar energy focused through each of the domes to a collection area within the innermost dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Fernando Ramon Martin-Lopez
  • Patent number: 8503835
    Abstract: The optical coupler module for converting and transmitting electrical/optical signals includes a semiconductor substrate, a first film, a second film, an electrical transmission unit, at least one signal conversion unit and an optical waveguide structure. The first film and the second film are formed on opposite surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. The signal conversion unit and the optical waveguide structure are disposed on opposite sides of the semiconductor substrate. The optical waveguide structure has a reflector and a waveguide body. The optical signal generated from the signal conversion unit sequentially passes the first film, the semiconductor substrate and the second film and enters the optical waveguide structure. Then, the optical signal is reflected by the reflector and transmitted in the waveguide body to be outputted. Alternatively, the optical signal is transmitted in a reverse direction from the optical waveguide structure to the signal conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: National Central University
    Inventors: Mao-Jen Wu, Hsiao-Chin Lan, Yun-Chih Lee, Chia-Chi Chang, Hsu-Liang Hsiao, Chin-Ta Chen, Bo-Kuan Shen, Guan-Fu Lu, Yan-Chong Chang, Jen-Yu Chang
  • Patent number: 8503839
    Abstract: A waveguide cores consisting of a subwavelength grating permits transmission of light without diffraction in a discontinuous manner, wherein the energy is provided by field hopping between subwavelength material segments of higher index. The use of alternating segments permits design of waveguides having desired effective index, mode confinement factor, birefringence, polarization mode or mode dispersions, polarization dependent loss, thermal sensitivity, or nonlinear optical coefficient. An optical system comprises a waveguide having such a core, clad on at least one side, extending between two ends, and wavelength-limiting optical components in optical communication with the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Pavel Cheben, Przemek J. Bock, Jens H. Schmid, Dan-Xia Xu, Adam Densmore, Siegfried Janz
  • Patent number: 8503838
    Abstract: A two-part optical coupling system is provided for use in an optical transmitter (TX) module. The two-part optical coupling system has first and second optical parts and an air gap at the interface between the two optical parts. A portion of the light produced by a laser diode of the optical TX module is refracted at the air gap and is coupled by the optical coupling system into an end of an optical fiber. A second portion of the light produced by the laser diode is reflected by the air gap and is coupled by the optical coupling system onto a monitor photodiode of the optical TX. The electrical signal produced by the monitor photodiode may be used to monitor and adjust the optical output power level of the laser diode. Because the air gap is formed at the interface between the first and second optical parts, the process of forming the air gap can be incorporated into the optical coupling system manufacturing process without increasing the cost of the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ye Chen
  • Patent number: 8503837
    Abstract: A device for the positioning of fiber optic output including a base having a hole disposed at a midpoint thereof, a collar having an opening at a midpoint, a plurality of bimorph actuators, each actuator connected to an outer side surface of the base and located at opposite ends, a plurality of flexible beams, each having a first end connected to the collar and a second end connected to a bimorph actuator, a flexible tube inserted in the hole, where a bottom end of the tube is cantilevered at a bottom of the base and a top end of the tube is inserted in the opening of the collar, and a fiber optic embedded in the flexible tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Leonid A. Beresnev, Mikhail A. Vorontsov
  • Patent number: 8503841
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coupling an optical fiber and a nanophotonic component formed on a first substrate, wherein the device comprises: an intermediate component formed on a second substrate including a first wave guide adapted for receiving light from the optical fiber and for transmitting the same to a first diffraction grating independently from the polarization of the incident light; second and third diffraction gratings formed on the first substrate and coupled to the nanophotonic component, the first diffraction grating being adapted to provide the first and second light beams respectively towards the second diffraction grating and the third diffraction grating, the first and second beams having perpendicular polarizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Christophe Kopp, Badhise Ben Bakir, Stéphane Bernabe
  • Patent number: 8498504
    Abstract: An integrated optical transmission board in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes: a first optical transmission board having a first optical transmission line; a second optical transmission board having a second optical transmission line; and an optical coupling structure which is disposed between the first optical transmission board and the second optical transmission board and has a third optical transmission line for providing optical connection between the first optical transmission line and the second optical transmission line. The first optical transmission board further has a first engagement portion provided in an area thereof opposed to the optical coupling structure. The optical coupling structure further has a second engagement portion provided in an area thereof opposed to the first optical transmission board so as to make engagement with the first engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Matsubara, Keiko Oda
  • Patent number: 8498505
    Abstract: A light guide apparatus includes a light guide layer further including light injection elements and respective light bypass elements disposed optically upstream of the light injection elements. The light injection elements and/or the bypass elements can take the form of injection facets (air prisms), surface diffraction elements, volume diffraction elements, and gradient index profiles. A light collection and concentration system comprises a single light guide apparatus, a light-transmitting medium layer disposed immediately adjacent the single light guide apparatus, and a primary light concentrator component disposed adjacent the light-transmitting medium layer, including a plurality of primary concentrator elements each of which is in optical registration with a respective one of the light injection elements of the single light guide apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Duncan T. Moore, Greg R. Schmidt, Blair L. Unger
  • Publication number: 20130188971
    Abstract: A polarization-insensitive optical receiver for demodulating a phase-modulated input optical signal is provided. The optical receiver includes successively a polarization splitter, a first and second interferometric modules including respective delay lines, and a plurality of detectors. The input optical signal is split into two substantially orthogonally-polarized components, which are launched along respective optical paths into the corresponding interferometric modules where they demodulated and subsequently recombined prior to being detected by the plurality of detectors. Advantageously, the optical receiver allows mitigating undesired discrepancies between the optical paths traveled by the two polarization components by arranging the respective delay lines of the interferometric modules into intertwined spiraling structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TERAXION, INC.
    Inventor: TERAXION, INC.
  • Patent number: 8488924
    Abstract: An optical waveguide and a bi-directional transceiver are provided. A single mode optical fiber has one end coupled to one end of a hollow optical fiber and an opposite end having a slope plane, thereby separating optical signals travelling in opposite directions from each other. Manual alignment for an optical system is easily realized without the need for additional optical elements, so that the light transmission/reception performance of the optical waveguide is improved and the structure of the optical waveguide is smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sei-Hyoung Lee, Hyun-Seo Kang, Jai-Sang Koh
  • Patent number: 8488935
    Abstract: It is determined that service is to be disconnected for at least a first subscriber of a video content network employing at least one fiber optic cable. The service to the at least first subscriber is provided from a cross-connect cabinet, over the at least one fiber optic cable, to a premises of the at least first subscriber. Sufficient macro-bending loss is induced in the at least one fiber optic cable so as to cause a signal-to-noise ratio at the premises to degrade such that the service is disconnected. The macro-bending loss is induced in a portion of the at least one fiber optic cable which services only the first subscriber. The macro-bending loss can be induced, for example, by winding about a single mandrel, two mandrels in a figure eight pattern, in a tortuous groove in a tray, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Paul D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 8488925
    Abstract: An optical fiber coupler is formed of a section of optical fiber that is positioned between a conventional input fiber (for example, a single mode fiber) or waveguide and a coiled optical fiber device. The adiabatic coupler is coiled (or, at least, curved) to assist in transforming a conventional fundamental mode optical signal propagating along the longitudinal axis of the input fiber to an optical signal that is shifted into a peripheral region of the coiled optical fiber. Moreover, the pitch of an inventive coiled optical fiber coupler can be controlled to assist in the adiabatic transformation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventor: Mikhail Sumetsky