Layered optical circuit

Abstract

A layered optical circuit including a multi-substrate optical circuit. The multi-substrate optical circuit includes a plurality of optical fibers, a first substrate supporting a first portion the optical fibers to form a first optical subcircuit, and a second substrate supporting a second portion of the optical fibers to form a second optical subcircuit. A third portion of the optical fibers between the first and second portions extends between the first and second substrates. Free fibers in the third portion are elongated to permit repositioning of the first and second optical subcircuits in an overlapping arrangement without exceeding a minimum bend radius of each of the optical fibers. The overlapping arrangement of the first and second optical subcircuits forms a layered optical circuit. Accordingly, a layered optical circuit having a large number of fibers and / or a complex circuit pattern may be affixed on a relatively small footprint of a backplane, etc.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to optical circuits, and particularly to a multi-layered optical circuit.DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART[0002]Advances in optical networks, systems and connectors have resulted in a need to manage an increasing number of optical fibers in limited space. Numerous optical fibers are often managed by creating an optical circuit. An optical circuit includes a substrate to which optical fibers are arranged in a desired circuit pattern and permanently fixed to accomplish a desired fiber management, shuffling, cross-connection or distribution scheme. A typical optical circuit 10 (see FIGS. 1A-1D) includes a substrate 12, such as a flexible sheet of Kapton®, supporting a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive (not shown). Individual fibers or bundles of fibers (e.g. ribbons) 20 are laid and / or pressed onto the adhesive layer, e.g., by a CNC fiber-routing machine (not shown), in the desired circuit pattern. A protective layer (not s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]In this manner, the layered optical circuit achieves a smaller form factor for an overall optical circuit by overlapping, e.g. stacking, planar optical subcircuits fabricated in a manner similar to that well known in the art. Accordingly, a relatively large layered optical circuit may occupy a relatively small footprint of a backplane, carrier, etc. The layered optical circuit provides a greater area of substrate for routing of fibers in a given footprint, and, therefore, a greater number of fibers, and / or a more complex circuit pattern, may be routed over that footprint while avoiding bend radius and microbend problems.

Problems solved by technology

Such planar optical circuits are limited in the number of fibers that can be routed upon a given area of substrate.

Such limitations are primarily due to a minimum bend radius characteristic of the fibers, and a maximum number of fibers that can be physically routed in stacked arrangement before causing microbends and microbend loss.

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