Optical Structure With Inclined Fiber Ends For Return Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fiber arrays have low return loss, high error rates, complex manufacturing processes, and high costs due to the need for precise glass sheets and high-precision chips, as well as tight fiber pressing and grinding requirements.
Innovation Solution
An optical structure with a light transmission body and juxtaposed optical fibers, featuring insertion holes, inclined end surfaces, a reflection surface, focusing lenses, and a glue dispensing opening, which allows for improved return loss and reduced error rates through focused optical signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two sheets of processed glass are used to tightly press optical fibers and ground to form an optical surface, then total reflection effect is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the reflection function from the complex glass sheet structure and concentrates it into a single reflection surface formed by the inclined end surface of the optical fibers themselves. This eliminates the need for separate glass sheets and grinding processes while maintaining the total reflection effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fibers serve dual functions: they transmit light and their inclined end surfaces provide the reflection function. The structure uses the fibers themselves to create the reflection surface, eliminating the need for separate reflective components and simplifying the overall structure.
2Reliability
If high-precision chips are selected to ensure reflectance within ideal range, then return loss improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive high-precision chips with ordinary optical communication chips. The reflection function is achieved through the inclined end surface geometry rather than requiring precise chip reflectance, allowing the use of more affordable, standard components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from controlling chip reflectance parameters to controlling the geometric parameters of the inclined end surface (angle and positioning). This parameter transformation allows standard chips to achieve the required performance through geometric design rather than material precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If the light spot is made large to reduce coupling tolerance requirements, then manufacturing ease improves, but return loss decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the inclined end surface to create an optical path in a different dimension (angular direction) rather than relying solely on the lateral position of the light spot. This dimensional approach allows for both acceptable coupling tolerance and maintained return loss by utilizing the reflection angle to focus light onto the chip.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances return loss, reduces error rates, simplifies manufacturing, and lowers costs by using a plastic light transmission body and non-spherical focusing lenses, while maintaining compatibility with existing products.
Implementation Method 1
an optical signal emitted from the front end of the optical fibers is firstly reflected by the reflection surface
Implementation Method 2
then passed through the focusing lenses into the optical communication chip
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an optical structure capable of increasing return loss and a manufacturing method thereof. The optical structure includes: a light transmission body and a plurality of juxtaposed optical fibers, where, a plurality of juxtaposed insertion holes are disposed on the light transmission body; the plurality of optical fibers are inserted into the insertion holes one to one; an inclined end surface inclined at a preset angle relative to a vertical surface is formed at a front end of the optical fibers; a reflection surface aligned with the inclined end surfaces is disposed inside the light transmission body; an avoiding opening for accommodating an optical communication chip is disposed at a front bottom of the light transmission body; a plurality of focusing lenses in one-to-one correspondence with the optical fibers are disposed on a top wall of the avoiding opening.