Multi-channel optical connector with expanded beam optics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical connectors for high-speed data transmission in backplane and data center applications are costly and require high mechanical precision, making them less efficient and more prone to contamination, especially as data transmission rates increase beyond 10 Gb/sec.
Innovation Solution
The development of optical connectors utilizing expanded beam optics with non-contact mating and a light redirecting system that includes a waveguide alignment member and a light redirecting side with segments and optical lenses, allowing for relaxed mechanical precision requirements, low optical loss, and improved resistance to dirt and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional physical contact or index matched connectors are used, then mechanical precision is high, but dust and contamination greatly increase light loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based connection systems with an optical field-based system. Expanded beam optics are used to create a light beam that is larger than the fiber core, allowing the beam to expand and diverge within the connector before being collimated. This non-contact optical mating eliminates the need for precise mechanical contact between fiber tips, thereby reducing sensitivity to dust and contamination while relaxing mechanical precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters by using expanded beam optics to increase the beam diameter beyond the fiber core diameter. This parameter change allows the light beam to occupy a larger volume, reducing the impact of dust and contamination on light transmission. The beam expansion and subsequent collimation process modifies the optical path to achieve robust connections.
2Ease of manufacture
If expanded beam optics are used, then resistance to dust and damage is improved, but mechanical precision requirements are relaxed enabling low-cost injection molding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces precision mechanical assembly requirements with optical field-based connection. By using expanded beam optics, the system no longer requires precise alignment and contact between mating connectors. This substitution enables the use of low-cost injection molding processes for manufacturing the connector components, as the relaxed mechanical precision requirements allow for more tolerant manufacturing tolerances.
3Productivity
If traditional connectors are used for high-speed data transmission, then performance is achieved, but cost increases and scalability to high channel count becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical connection system into modular components including waveguide alignment members, light redirecting sides with segments, and arrays of optical lenses. This segmentation allows the connector to be designed with multiple channels in parallel, each handling a portion of the data transmission. The modular structure enables easy scalability to high channel counts while maintaining individual channel performance for high-speed data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal connector design that can handle multiple functions: high-speed data transmission, expanded beam optics, and scalable channel configurations. The light redirecting side with its segments and the array of optical lenses work together to provide both single-channel high-performance transmission and multi-channel scalability, making the connector adaptable to various data transmission requirements without increasing complexity.
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
These connectors enable low-cost, high-performance connections with low optical loss, scalability to high channel counts, and compatibility with low insertion force blind mating, suitable for backplane, front-plane, or mid-span connections.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of optical lenses forming two or more rows of optical lenses, each optical lens in the plurality of optical lenses corresponding to a different segment in the plurality of segments and configured to receive light from the segment along a corresponding redirected direction and transmit the received light as output light along an output direction, a divergence of the output light being different than a divergence of the light received by the optical lens
Implementation Method 2
a light redirecting side comprising a plurality of segments forming a row of segments, the row being parallel to the incident plane, each segment corresponding to a different optical waveguide disposed and aligned at the waveguide alignment member and configured to receive light exiting the optical waveguide along the incident direction and redirect the received light along a redirected direction different from the incident direction
Data Source
AI summary
Optical connectors are provided for connecting sets of optical waveguides (110), such as optical fiber ribbons to each other, to printed circuit boards, or to backplanes. The provided connectors include a waveguide alignment member (105) for receiving and aligning a plurality of optical waveguides (110) such that central light rays of light exiting the plurality of optical waveguides propagate along a same incident direction (115) in a same incident plane XY. The optical connectors also include a light redirecting side that comprises a plurality of segments (130) forming a row of segments (130a, 130b, . . . ), each segment corresponding to a different optical waveguide. A first segment (130a) redirects light along a first redirected direction (140a) and a second segment (130b) redirects light along a second redirected direction (140b) different from the first redirected direction. Other segments redirect light to either a first redirected direction or a second redirected direction. The light is redirected to two or more rows of optical lenses (150). Also provided is a cable assembly that includes a provided connector and a plurality of optical waveguides permanently attached to the connector.