End Fire Patents (Class 385/38)
  • Patent number: 8588559
    Abstract: An optical coupler module includes a semiconductor substrate disposed on the print circuit board; a reflecting trench structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; a reflector formed on a slant surface of the reflecting trench structure; a strip trench structure formed on the semiconductor substrate and connecting with the reflecting trench structure; a thin film disposed on the above-mentioned structure. The optical coupler module further includes a signal conversion unit disposed on the semiconductor substrate and the position of the signal conversion unit corresponds to the reflector; and an optical waveguide structure formed in the trench structures. The optical signal from the signal conversion unit is reflected by the reflector and then transmitted in the optical waveguide structure, or in a reverse direction to reach the signal conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 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: 8571365
    Abstract: A single optical fiber having a distal end is optically coupled to the laser and distilling terminated with an axicon lens optically coupled to the single optical fiber to form a microscopic distal tip to provide a spatially shaped elongated laser focused spot for microprocessing and/or microdissection of a microscale object. A pulsed or continuous laser beam or superposition of pulsed and continuous laser beams is generated, controllably spatially shaped, selectively oriented, selectively moved via movement of a single optical fiber terminated with the axicon lens, and the oriented, spatially shaped laser beam applied via the single optical fiber terminated with the axicon lens to a living or nonliving microscopic object for manipulation, micro-dissection, alteration/ablation, and excitation of the living or nonliving microscopic object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Samarendra K. Mohanty, Jared Stephens, Michael W. Berns
  • Patent number: 8559776
    Abstract: Provided is a ferrule which includes a positioning mechanism configured to position an optical fiber having a predetermined outer diameter, and a recess configured for an adhesive to be disposed therein and having a first inner wall from which a front end of the optical fiber portion positioned by the positioning mechanism is protrudable, and a second inner wall opposite to the first inner wall. A distance between the first inner wall and the second inner wall is less than or equal to four times the outer diameter of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ohta, Akito Nishimura, Terutake Kobayashi, Kunihiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8554026
    Abstract: A light transmission assembly includes a light circuit board and a light transmission module. The board is embedded with waveguide layers, the waveguides layers includes core wires and shielding lays sandwiching the core wires, the waveguide layers defines a second light port portion of which the core wires defines vertical end faces. The light transmission module includes a base and a first light port portion projecting from a first face of the base, the first light port portion defines vertical end faces, the base defines a slanting surface at a second face opposite to the first face thereof. The first and second light port portions are aligned with each other when the light transmission module is coupled with light circuit board so that light lines go directly from the core wires through the light transmission module and reflect at the slant surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Chih Chang, Ke-Hao 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: 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: 8514485
    Abstract: A fiber laser amplifier system including a beam splitter that splits a feedback beam into a plurality of fiber beams where a separate fiber beam is sent to a fiber amplifier for amplifying the fiber beam. A tapered fiber bundle couples all of the output ends of all of the fiber amplifiers into a combined fiber providing a combined output beam. An end cap is optically coupled to an output end of the tapered fiber bundle to expand the output beam. A beam sampler samples a portion of the output beam from the end cap and provides a sample beam. A single mode fiber receives the sample beam from the beam sampler and provides the feedback beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Joshua Elliott Rothenberg
  • Patent number: 8503843
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hybrid integrated optical module having a high coupling efficiency by suppressing a connection loss between waveguides. A hybrid integrated optical module according to an embodiment of the present invention is an optical module which integrates a semiconductor chip and a PLC chip. The semiconductor chip has a semiconductor waveguide and is mounted on a Si bench. The PLC chip includes a PLC substrate and an optical waveguide formed on the PLC substrate. An end face of the semiconductor chip protrudes from an end face of the Si bench toward the PLC chip side by a protrusion amount X. Gap adjustment (adjustment of a distance D) between the semiconductor waveguide and the optical waveguide becomes possible by setting a position where the end face of the semiconductor chip is brought into contact with an end face of the PLC chip to be a reference position (zero point).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akutsu, Junichi Hasegawa, Kazutaka Nara
  • Patent number: 8503840
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming an optical-fiber-array assembly, which include providing a plurality of optical fibers including a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, providing a fiber-array plate that includes a first surface and a second surface, connecting the plurality of optical fibers to the first surface of the fiber-array plate, transmitting a plurality of optical signals through the optical fibers into the fiber-array plate at the first surface of the fiber-array plate, and emitting from the second surface of the fiber-array plate a composite output beam having light from the plurality of optical signals. Optionally, the first surface of the fiber-array plate includes indicia configured to assist in the alignment of the plurality of optical fibers on the first surface of the fiber-array plate. In some embodiments, the second surface of the fiber-array plate includes a plurality of beam-shaping optics configured to shape the composite output beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Yongdan Hu, Charles A. Lemaire
  • Patent number: 8498507
    Abstract: An embodiment of a light launching portion of a photoplethysmographic device having a laser (20) light source and a light guide (40). The coupled end of the light guide (40) includes an anti-reflection coating (30a) to prevent or minimize the back reflection of light emitted by the laser (20). This minimizes the extent to which back reflected light can re-enter the laser and adversely alter the optical output properties of the laser (20) and additionally minimizes the associated light loss thus helping to maximize the optical coupling efficiency. Other embodiments are described and shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Kestrel Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonas Alexander Pologe, Theodore Philip Delianides
  • Patent number: 8488926
    Abstract: A photoelectric connector assembly includes a first lens member connecting with fiber cables and defining convex lenses opposite to fiber cables, a connector and a substrate embedded with waveguides. The connector defines a mating cavity running through a front face thereof and inserted with said first lens member. The connector includes terminals with contacting sections exposing to the mating cavity, a second lens members. The second lens member is located at back of the first lens member and defines first convex lenses at a front face thereof and second convex lenses at a rear face thereof. The first convex lenses are coupled with the convex lens of the first lens member. The substrate defines light ports at free ends of the waveguides. The substrate is seated with the connector and the light ports are coupled with the second convex lenses of the second lens member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Chih Chang, Wen-Yi Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8480276
    Abstract: Elongated lighting system comprises an elongated light pipe having first and second ends, with light supplied to those ends by at least one light source, via first and second light couplers that condition light to increase reflections within the light pipe. Light-extraction structure on the light pipe extracts light from the side of the pipe. An indentation in the light pipe has a depth and has surfaces oriented with respect to the pipe so as (1) to redirect light from the first light source that reaches the indentation after passing once through a plane adjacent the indentation, back through the plane and towards the first end; and (2) to sufficiently increase the average angular distribution of light reflected from the indentation and passing back through the plane as would cause at least 50 percent more reflections of the foregoing light within the pipe in the absence of the light-extraction structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Energy Focus, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Frankiewicz, Roger F. Buelow, II, David Bina, Jeremias A. Martins, Chris Jenson
  • Publication number: 20130121640
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an optical fiber that may have a surface non-normal to a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber. The surface may define a portion of an interface configured to redirect electromagnetic radiation propagated from within the optical fiber and incident on the interface to a direction offset from the longitudinal axis. The apparatus may also include a doped silica cap that may be fused to the optical fiber such that the surface of the optical fiber may be disposed within a cavity defined by the doped silica cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicants: Coherent, Inc., Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Zerfas, Richard P. Tumminelli
  • Patent number: 8437589
    Abstract: In an optical module, an optical element array is an array of optical elements. Further, a lens array is an array of a plurality of lenses. An output point of a light beam of each optical element of the optical element array is caused to coincide with a central line of a corresponding lens of the lens array, and the light beam is made incident on the lens and a parallel beam is output from the lens. When the output point of the light beam of the optical element coincides with an optical axis of the lens, an optical path within the optical element and the optical axis of the lens fail to coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Goji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8401346
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device having an optical fiber coupled to a high pressure containment vessel and a method for making the same. The high pressure containment vessel can be an optical fiber based flow cell for a chromatography system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Jeannotte, Anthony C. Gilby, Theordore A. Dourdeville, Dennis DellaRovere, John Leason
  • Publication number: 20130058609
    Abstract: A splitter module, comprising an enclosure and a splitter device with one or more splitter legs mounted in the enclosure. Each splitter leg has an optical fiber therein extends for a certain length from the splitter. At least one of the splitter legs, and, thereby, the optical fiber, is cut. The cut may be at an angle to the longitudinal axis of optical fiber. The angle may be about 45 degrees. The coating may be stripped off such that the cut end of the optical glass fiber of the at least one output leg is exposed a certain distance. The cut end of the optical glass fiber positions in the interior of the enclosure. A glass-index-matching material, at least partially fills the interior of the enclosure such that the cut end of the optical fiber is embedded in the glass-index-matching material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventor: Elli Makrides-Saravanos
  • Patent number: 8391727
    Abstract: A detector module for the reception of optical signals (SE) including a module housing having at least one electrical and at least one optical bushing, at least one electrical assembly connected to the electrical bushing, and at least one optical assembly connected to the optical bushing, the electrical and optical assemblies being arranged within the module housing, the optical and electrical assemblies being connected to one another via at least one optical interface, and the electrical assembly having at least one photodiode for converting the optical output signals of the optical assembly into electrical signals. The optical assembly has at least one collimator and on the output side transmits at least one beam comprising collimated electromagnetic rays running parallel to one another via a free-radiating connection as optical interface to the electrical assembly, and the electrical assembly receives the beam from the optical assembly via the free-radiating connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: u2t Photonics AG
    Inventors: Andreas Gerhard Steffan, Georgios Tsianos
  • Patent number: 8385699
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a supercontinuum light source, including generating electromagnetic radiation from a seed laser; coupling the seed laser electromagnetic radiation to a fiber amplifier comprising: a pump laser, a fiber coupler comprising an input and an output, and a nonlinear gain fiber comprising an input and an output, wherein the nonlinear gain fiber is configured to amplify and broaden the electromagnetic radiation from the seed laser; generating electromagnetic radiation from the pump laser; coupling the pump laser electromagnetic radiation and the seed laser electromagnetic radiation into the input of the fiber coupler; coupling the output of the fiber coupler into the input of the nonlinear gain fiber; and coupling out the amplified and broadened electromagnetic radiation from the nonlinear gain fiber. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventor: Jian Liu
  • Patent number: 8385697
    Abstract: An optical fiber includes a cladding, a first core, and a second core. At least one of the first core and the second core is hollow and is substantially surrounded by the cladding. At least a portion of the first core is generally parallel to and spaced from at least a portion of the second core. The optical fiber includes a defect substantially surrounded by the cladding, the defect increasing a coupling coefficient between the first core and the second core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Vinayak Dangui, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Gordon S. Kino
  • Patent number: 8358882
    Abstract: A modalmetric fibre sensor comprises a multimode sensor fibre (26), a light source (14) for launching light into the multimode fibre (26) to produce a multimode speckle pattern of light at an end of the fibre (26), a single mode fibre (22) to receive light from the multimode speckle pattern and a detector (18) connected to the single mode fibre (22) to detect the received light from the multimode speckle pattern. A connector (33) connects the ends of the multimode fibre (26) and single mode fibre (22) with the end faces (31,32) of the two fibres disposed at an acute single to one another. The light from source (14) may be transmitted to the multimode fibre (26) through the single mode fibre (22) and the end of multimode fibre (26) remote from single mode fibre (22) may be mirrored to reflect light back along the multimode fibre to the single mode fibre which transmits the received light to the detector (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Future Fibre Technologies Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuvaraja Visagathilagar, Bernhard Koziol, Jim Katsifolis
  • Patent number: 8358890
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an optical fiber that may have a surface non-normal to a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber. The surface may define a portion of an interface configured to redirect electromagnetic radiation propagated from within the optical fiber and incident on the interface to a direction offset from the longitudinal axis. The apparatus may also include a doped silica cap that may be fused to the optical fiber such that the surface of the optical fiber may be disposed within a cavity defined by the doped silica cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Zerfas, Richard P. Tumminelli
  • Patent number: 8358892
    Abstract: Optical elements (light sources 16 or photodetectors 18) are arranged in a two-dimensional array, and the relative positional relationship between the optical elements and optical waveguides 12 is defined such that optical waveguides 12 extend between the optical elements in the two-dimensional array substantially parallel to substrate 19 for increased parallelism. Micromirrors 15 are disposed in respective optical waveguides 12 to bend light beams through 90 degrees to realize a highly efficient optical coupling between the optical elements and optical waveguides 12. The optical waveguides are stacked in multiple stages, and light beams are lead to the optical waveguides in the multiple stacks through micromirrors 15 across the stacked plane of the optical waveguides, thereby realizing parallel connection between the two-dimensional array of optical elements and a two-dimensional array of optical waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Mikio Oda, Hikaru Kouta, Kaichirou Nakano, Hisaya Takahashi, Kohroh Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8351741
    Abstract: A method of detecting fluorescence/absorbance/luminescence from 24-well, 48-well, 96-well, 384-well and 1536-well microplates and other sample containers. The sample is pumped into a waveguide. The waveguide efficiently gathers and guides the emission light to the end of the waveguide. The emission light exits the ends of the waveguide and is focused into a detector. To minimize background caused by the excitation light used for fluorescence, the excitation illuminates the waveguides at 90 degrees. To facilitate reuse, the waveguide assembly can be configured to be washed by an appropriate wash solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Creatv MicroTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Cha-Mei Tang, Platte T. Amstutz, III
  • Publication number: 20120321250
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical module which improves optical coupling efficiency either when configured to receive an optical signal from an optical fiber with a light receiving element or when configured to receive an optical signal from a light emitting element with an optical fiber. The optical module includes: a substrate (1) having in the surface thereof a first groove (1a) and a second groove (1b) formed, with this second groove (1b) being configured to have a substantially V-shaped cross section formed deeper than the first groove and being formed in continuation from the first groove; and an internal waveguide (16) provided within the first groove (1a) of the substrate (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Yamaji, Nobuyuki Asashi, Hiroyuki Yagyu, Yutaka Kinugasa, Takuya Matsumoto, Tsutomu Niiho
  • Patent number: 8331741
    Abstract: An acoustic sensor includes at least one photonic crystal structure and an optical fiber in optical communication with the at least one photonic crystal structure. The at least one photonic crystal structure has at least one optical resonance with a resonance frequency and a resonance lineshape, wherein at least one of the resonance frequency and the resonance lineshape is responsive to acoustic waves incident upon the acoustic sensor. The acoustic sensor further includes an optical fiber in optical communication with the at least one photonic crystal structure. The optical fiber is configured to transmit light which impinges the at least one photonic crystal structure and to receive at least a portion of the light which impinges the at least one photonic crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Onur Kilic, Olav Solgaard, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Gordon S. Kino
  • Patent number: 8306073
    Abstract: A fiber laser device includes a pumping light source configured to output pumping light having a wavelength ?, and a rare earth-doped fiber, wherein when the intensity change rate of the pumping light with respect to the temperature is denoted by ?P dB/° C., the wavelength change rate of the pumping light with respect to the temperature is denoted by ??p nm/° C., the pumping light absorption change rate of the rare earth-doped fiber per unit wavelength change at the wavelength of ? nm when the wavelength of the pumping light changes is denoted by A?(?) dB/nm, and the pumping light absorption change amount of the rare earth-doped fiber per unit temperature change at the wavelength of ? nm when the temperature of the rare earth-doped fiber changes is denoted by ?A(?) dB/° C., the wavelength ? of the pumping light is such a wavelength ? that ?P, ??p×A?(?) and ?A(?) compensate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Kitabayashi
  • Patent number: 8268249
    Abstract: An analytical cell including a lightguide with a plurality of conduits filled with a migration medium. The medium, the lightguide and a surrounding medium have refractive indices selected such that light entering the lightguide is internally reflected within the lightguide to provide substantially uniform illumination of the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Larry J. Carson, Joel R. Dufresne, Patrick R. Fleming, Michael C. Lea, Nicholas A. Lee, John Shigeura
  • Patent number: 8265435
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical fiber coupling systems and to methods for fabricating optical fiber coupling systems. In one aspect, an optical fiber coupling system includes a first resonant cavity abutting the end of an optical fiber. The optical fiber coupling system includes a second resonant cavity located adjacent to the first cavity. The first and second resonant cavities are separated by a sub-wavelength grating layer configured with a non-periodic sub-wavelength grating. The optical fiber coupling system selectively couples light into and/or out of the optical fiber core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kai-Mei Camilla Fu, David A. Fattal
  • Patent number: 8233753
    Abstract: An electric field sensor or a magnetic field sensor includes an optical fiber and an electro-optic layer or a magneto-optic layer. The electro-optic layer or a magneto-optic layer is provided on an end surface of an end portion of the optical fiber. The end surface of the optical fiber is a convex shape. The optical fiber may have the end portion with a shape of a substantial cone formed by extending the end portion, and the electro-optic layer or the magneto-optic layer may be formed on a side surface of a front end of the substantial cone. A dielectric layer may be further included between the optic layer and the end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Mizuki Iwanami, Masafumi Nakada, Norio Masuda, Keishi Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8224138
    Abstract: A dental laser radiation chip includes an optical fiber including a fiber center section having a core and a clad and also including a jacket for covering the fiber center section. The dental laser radiation chip radiates a laser light having a wavelength of around 3 ?m. A tip section of the dental laser radiation chip has a shape of frustum tapering forward in an axial direction. The shape of frustum includes a tip face from which forward laser light is to be radiated forward in the axial direction and an inclining side face from which side laser light is to be radiated in a radial direction with respect to the axial direction. The tip face is mirror-surface-finished to have a surface roughness of 0.008 ?m. The inclining side face is rough-surface-finished to have a surface roughness of 0.4 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: J. Morita Mfg. Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Hamada
  • Publication number: 20120176778
    Abstract: A light collecting module includes a tapered light baffle. An optical fiber is coupled to a shortened base of the tapered light baffle, and a window is coupled to a lengthened base of the tapered light baffle. The optical fiber receives light flowing through the window, wherein the light can be sunlight. The optical fiber can provide the light to a light emitting fixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: Calvin Wesley Moyer
  • Patent number: 8208776
    Abstract: There is provided an optical control device including a plurality of line-defect waveguides provided in a photonic crystal; each line-defect waveguide including a multiplicity of dielectric pillars with a finite height arranged at lattice points of a two-dimensional Bravais lattice. The optical control device comprises: a first line-defect waveguide; a second line-defect waveguide provided with the dielectric pillars having a thickness different from that of the dielectric pillars of the first line-defect waveguide; and a third line-defect waveguide arranged between the first and second line-defect waveguides and provided with the dielectric pillars whose thicknesses are gradually varied from those of the dielectric pillars of the first line-defect waveguide to those of the dielectric pillars of the second line-defect waveguide along a wave guiding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Tokushima
  • Publication number: 20120140296
    Abstract: An elongate light guide includes a light incident portion provided at an end in the longitudinal direction of the guide, a light reflecting portion extending in the longitudinal direction, a light emitting portion extending in the longitudinal direction for emitting linear light, and a scatterer for scattering the light entering through the light incident portion. For instance, the scatterer is provided as a grained portion formed at least part of the reflecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki SAWADA, Yasuhiro NAGAO
  • Publication number: 20120106892
    Abstract: Light redirection systems and methods including an optical fiber having first and second ends, an optical element mounted to each of the first and second ends to direct light into and out of the optical fiber, respectively, and a mounting element to mount the optical fiber to an article of apparel such that the optical fiber is invisible to an outside of the article, and the optical elements are visible to the outside from opposing sides of the article, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Kevin HIBBARD
  • Patent number: 8160406
    Abstract: An acoustic sensor includes at least one structure including at least one photonic crystal slab and an optical fiber optically coupled to the at least one photonic crystal slab, and having at least one optical resonance with a resonance frequency and a resonance lineshape. The acoustic sensor further includes a housing mechanically coupled to the at least one structure. At least one of the resonance frequency and the resonance lineshape is responsive to acoustic waves incident upon the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Onur Kilic, Olav Solgaard, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Gordon S. Kino
  • Publication number: 20120076457
    Abstract: A light guide pillar is provided. The light guide pillar having an annular surface is a cylinder. The light guide pillar includes a reflective layer and a light incident structure. The reflective layer is disposed at part of the annular surface. The light incident structure is disposed at one end of the light guide pillar. The light incident structure is a structure with single ramp, dual ramps or a V-shaped groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicants: WINTEK CORPORATION, WINTEK TECHNOLOGY(H.K) LTD.
    Inventors: Zhi-Ting Ye, Kuo-Jui Huang
  • Patent number: 8145018
    Abstract: Exemplary apparatus for obtaining information for a structure can be provided. For example, first optical fiber arrangement(s) can be provided which transceives at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, and can include at least one fiber. Second focusing arrangement(s) can be provided in optical communication with the optical fiber arrangement. The second arrangement can be configured to focus and provide there through the first electro-magnetic radiation. Third dispersive arrangement(s) can receive a particular radiation which is the first electro-magnetic radiation and/or the focused electro-magnetic radiation, and forward a dispersed radiation thereof to at least one section of the structure. At least one end of the fiber can be directly connected to the second focusing arrangement and/or the third dispersive arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Milen Shishkov, Guillermo J. Tearney, Brett Eugene Bouma, Dvir Yelin, Nicusor Iftimia
  • Publication number: 20120062880
    Abstract: An optical fiber probe includes an optical fiber, a carbon nanotube film structure, and a number of metallic particles. The optical fiber includes a detecting end. The carbon nanotube film structure is located on a surface of the detecting end. The carbon nanotube film structure includes a number of carbon nanotubes joined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween. The metallic particles are located on outer surfaces of the carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: YING-HUI SUN, KAI LIU, KAI-LI JIANG, SHOU-SHAN FAN
  • Publication number: 20120045174
    Abstract: A light guide may include a light stop part that is formed at a first end of an optical fiber, the light stop part stopping a light that is incident at a second end of the optical fiber and is transmitted through the optical fiber, and a slit part that is formed in the light stop part, the slit part being configured to pass the light that is incident at the second end of the optical fiber and is transmitted through the optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Manabu KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 8121450
    Abstract: A plasma-based etching process is used to specifically shape the endface of an optical substrate supporting an optical waveguide into a contoured facet which will improve coupling efficiency between the waveguide and a free space optical signal. The ability to use standard photolithographic techniques to pattern and etch the optical endface facet allows for virtually any desired facet geometry to be formed—and replicated across the surface of a wafer for the entire group of assemblies being fabricated. A lens may be etched into the endface using a properly-defined photolithographic mask, with the focal point of the lens selected with respect to the parameters of the optical waveguide and the propagating free space signal. Alternatively, an angled facet may be formed along the endface, with the angle sufficient to re-direct reflected/scattered signals away from the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Lightwire, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Webster, Vipulkumar Patel, Mary Nadeau, Prakash Gothoskar, David Piede
  • Patent number: 8094983
    Abstract: An optical fiber includes a cladding, a first core, and a second core. At least one of the first core and the second core is hollow and is substantially surrounded by the cladding. At least a portion of the first core is generally parallel to and spaced from at least a portion of the second core. The optical fiber includes a defect substantially surrounded by the cladding, the defect increasing a coupling coefficient between the first core and the second core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Vinayak Dangui, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Gordon S. Kino
  • Publication number: 20120002923
    Abstract: There are provided a signal transmission device capable of improving a production efficiency and reducing a production cost, and a manufacturing method thereof. A spacer 4 is interposed between peripheral surface portions 101a of optical waveguides 101 exposed by an optical waveguide exposure section 5 and a rear surface 115 of an optical module substrate 105. A height of the spacer 4 alone allows an optical element 103 of the optical module substrate 105 to be positioned so high that this optical element 103 can actually face optical waveguide end surfaces 109. Therefore, it is not required that the spacer be individually manufactured per signal transmission device. Further, there can be avoided individual length measurements of distances such as a distance L2 between a surface 2a of a base platform 2 and the peripheral surface portions 101a of the optical waveguides 101, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicants: The University of Tokyo, Advanced Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakano, Xueliang Song, Foo Cheong Yit, Shurong Wang, Katsumasa Horiguchi
  • Publication number: 20110317959
    Abstract: Provided is a ferrule which includes a positioning mechanism configured to position an optical fiber having a predetermined outer diameter, and a recess configured for an adhesive to be disposed therein and having a first inner wall from which a front end of the optical fiber portion positioned by the positioning mechanism is protrudable, and a second inner wall opposite to the first inner wall. A distance between the first inner wall and the second inner wall is less than or equal to four times the outer diameter of the optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya OHTA, Akito NISHIMURA, Terutake KOBAYASHI, Kunihiko FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20110310491
    Abstract: The image light entering the image take-out section is reflected by the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface in a two-stage manner. It is not only possible to make the light beam with a small total reflection angle out of the image light directly enter the side near to the light entrance section out of each of the reflecting units, but also to make the light beam with a large total reflection angle directly enter the side far from the light entrance section out of each of the reflecting units to thereby make it possible to take out the image light to the outside. Therefore, the image light is emitted as the effective virtual image light for the observer in the condition in which the brightness variation and the picture variation are prevented and a high light efficiency can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki TAKAGI, Toshiaki MIYAO, Takahiro TOTANI, Akira KOMATSU, Takashi TAKEDA
  • Patent number: 8073297
    Abstract: A side fire optical device comprises a cap member, a sleeve and a fiber optic segment. The cap member comprises a closed end section, a tube section having a bore, and a transmitting surface. The sleeve is received within the bore of the tube section. The sleeve includes a bore and an exterior surface that is fused to a surface of the bore of the cap member. The fiber optic segment comprises an exterior surface that is fused to a surface of the bore of the sleeve, and a beveled end surface that is positioned adjacent the transmitting surface of the cap member. The beveled end surface is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic segment such that electromagnetic radiation propagating along the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic segment is reflected by the beveled end surface at an angle that is transverse to the longitudinal axis and through the transmitting surface of the cap member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: AMS Research Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen E. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8045830
    Abstract: A wave-guiding system and method for mode-selective transmission of a spatially coherent light beam is disclosed. The system comprises a wave-guide with an inlet and an outlet for transmitting one or more modes; a first mode-shaping optical element for shaping the spatially coherent light beam before it enters through the inlet of the wave-guide to a desired mode of the wave-guide; and a second mode-shaping optical element for shaping light beam after it exits from the outlet of the wave-guide for obtaining a desired vectorial field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventor: Erez Hasman
  • Patent number: 8031993
    Abstract: A fiber optic interconnect device includes a silicon substrate having at least one groove formed therein. The groove includes a pair of sidewalls and a first end disposed at an end of the pair of sidewalls. The device also includes an optical fiber disposed in the groove, the optical fiber having a cylindrical body, an endface formed on an end of the cylindrical body, and a multi-faceted mirror formed on the endface, and a light source adapted to transmit light to the multifaceted mirror to launch light through the optical fiber to a detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Terry P. Bowen
  • Publication number: 20110235964
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical waveguide comprising a lower cladding layer, a patternized core layer and an upper cladding layer, wherein a striking part for positioning is provided in one end part thereof, and an optical path turning mirror face is formed in a position different from a striking part-forming end part in the above core layer. Capable of being provided are an optical waveguide and an optoelectronic circuit board each having a simple configuration in which an optical device is not mounted on an optical wiring part or an optoelectronic composite wiring part and capable of connecting an optical device with a core of an optical waveguide in an optical wiring part (optical waveguide) or an optoelectronic composite wiring part (optoelectronic circuit board) at a high position accuracy and an optical module comprising an optical waveguide or an optoelectronic circuit board and a connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Masuda, Toshihiro Kuroda, Tomoaki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20110235973
    Abstract: A product and process for fabricating an optical element from a capillary ferrule includes fusing the optical element onto an optical fiber. The optical element starts with a capillary ferrule that is sculpted on one end to form an optical property such as a flat window, ball lens, angled endface or other sculpted shape. The ferrule is fused onto an optical fiber that has been inserted into the ID of the capillary ferrule. As a result, the ferrule serves as a mechanical aligner for the optical element to fiber fusion process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Polymicro Technologies
    Inventor: Robert B. Acuna
  • Publication number: 20110228559
    Abstract: A light guide includes a substrate having opposing first and second major surfaces and an input edge coupler disposed along an edge of the substrate. The ratio of a light guide input edge thickness to a light guide thickness is greater than 2:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: Brian A. Kinder