Lens Assembly Light Attenuation Carbonized Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lens assemblies for fiber-optic communication systems face issues with optical coating durability under unfavorable environmental conditions and inefficient material usage due to small lens unit sizes, leading to potential coating loss and waste.
Innovation Solution
A lens assembly with a substrate and lens units featuring first and second light-transmissive regions, a light attenuation region with carbonized spots formed using a high-energy beam, which controls light transmittance to less than 70%, reducing the need for optical coatings and enhancing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If optical coating is formed on lens units to control light transmittance, then light transmittance can be controlled to a desired value, but the coating quality is adversely affected by unfavorable environmental conditions such as high temperature, high humidity or sudden change in temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the optical coating from the lens assembly entirely and replaces it with a light attenuation region containing carbonized spots. This extraction of the coating function from the lens unit allows the system to achieve light transmittance control without the durability problems of conventional coatings under environmental stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses carbonized spots formed by high-energy beam irradiation as a temporary or disposable light attenuation mechanism. These carbonized spots provide the necessary light transmittance control and can be easily formed without requiring durable, environmentally sensitive optical coatings.
2Illumination intensity
If optical coating is formed on lens units to control light transmittance, then light transmittance can be controlled, but portions of the lens assembly other than the lens units may be undesirably coated, resulting in waste of coating materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies light attenuation only where needed by forming carbonized spots specifically in the light attenuation region between light-transmissive regions. This localized approach ensures that light transmittance control is achieved precisely where required without causing undesired coating of other lens assembly components.
Solution Approach 2:
By removing the optical coating function and replacing it with a light attenuation region containing carbonized spots, the patent eliminates the material waste problem associated with conventional coating processes that often coat unintended areas of the lens assembly.
3Illumination intensity
If optical coating is used to control light transmittance, then the lens unit can achieve desired optical properties, but the small size of the lens units makes it difficult to form the optical coating only on the lens units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the optical coating process entirely and replaces it with a light attenuation region containing carbonized spots formed by high-energy beam irradiation. This extraction eliminates the manufacturing precision challenges associated with forming coatings only on small lens units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical coating process with a high-energy beam irradiation process that forms carbonized spots directly in the light attenuation region. This substitution of processes eliminates the precision difficulties of conventional coating methods for small lens units.
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 provides a durable lens assembly with controlled light transmittance and reduced material waste, maintaining functionality under varying environmental conditions while minimizing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The light attenuation region has at least one attenuation layer that is formed with a plurality of carbonized spots using a high-energy beam such that the light transmittance of the lens unit is not greater than 70%
Data Source
AI summary
A lens assembly is used in a fiber-optic communication system, and includes a substrate and at least one lens unit formed on the substrate. The lens unit has first and second surfaces, a first light-transmissive region proximate to the first surface, a second light-transmissive region proximate to the second surface, a light attenuation region located between the first and second light-transmissive regions, and an optical axis passing through the first and second light-transmissive regions and the light attenuation region. The light attenuation region has at least one attenuation layer formed with multiple carbonized spots using a high-energy beam such that the light transmittance of the lens unit is not greater than 70%.