Optical Connector Lens Mediator for Scratch Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical connectors face challenges with scratches and foreign matter on exposed end faces, requiring precise alignment and costly manufacturing processes for efficient optical signal transmission between optical waveguides and fibers.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector system with a translucent intervening wall and integral lens portions between the substrate and ferrule, allowing non-contact optical signal transmission using collimator and condensing lenses, facilitating easy manufacturing and reducing alignment requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the end face of the optical fiber is subjected to PC polishing and abutted against the end face of the optical waveguide with high precision, then optical signals can be transmitted efficiently, but manufacturing difficulty increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical lens as an intermediary component between the optical waveguide end face and the optical fiber end face. This lens mediates the optical coupling, allowing the use of simpler flat-polished fiber end faces instead of requiring precise PC polishing and alignment. The lens focuses or diverges the optical beam to match the numerical aperture and mode field of the fiber, achieving efficient coupling without stringent mechanical alignment requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the end face of the optical waveguide is exposed by dicing, then the optical element can be coupled with the optical waveguide, but the connector becomes susceptible to scratches and foreign matter on the end faces
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens serves as a mediator that separates the exposed waveguide end face from the fiber end face. By introducing this intermediate optical element, the system achieves coupling capability while the lens itself protects the waveguide end face from direct exposure to contaminants and mechanical damage during connection and disconnection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct mechanical contact and alignment system with an optical system using a lens. Instead of relying on precise mechanical abutment of end faces, the optical coupling is achieved through the lens's optical properties, reducing the impact of mechanical scratches and foreign matter on coupling performance.
3Reliability
If strict alignment between the end face of the optical waveguide and the end face of the optical fiber is required, then optical signal transmission efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens acts as a mediator that relaxes the alignment tolerance requirements. The lens's optical focusing capability allows for efficient coupling even with larger lateral and angular misalignments between the waveguide and fiber, thereby reducing the manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a lens with curved surfaces (spheroidal or aspherical geometry) to focus or diverge the optical beam. This curvature enables the system to tolerate misalignments better than a direct end-face-to-end-face coupling, as the lens can redirect light rays to achieve proper mode matching despite positional or angular deviations.
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 system effectively minimizes the impact of scratches and foreign matter, enabling efficient optical signal transmission with reduced manufacturing costs and simplified polishing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a lens portion provided in the connector body at a position between the optical input/output end face of the optical waveguide and the optical input/output end face of the optical fiber and configured to send and receive an optical signal between the optical input/output end faces
Implementation Method 2
one of the optical waveguide-side lens and the optical fiber-side lens may act as a collimator lens
Implementation Method 3
the other may act as a condensing lens
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector, optical connector system, and active optical cable provided with these suffer little effect from scratches on the end face of an optical waveguide or from foreign material (dust) adhering to the end face, are manufacturable easily at low-cost, and moreover can send/receive optical signals efficiently between the end faces of the optical waveguide and an optical fiber. An optical connector (30) includes a connector body (30) provided between and connecting a substrate (10) faced by an optical input/output end face (11t) of an optical waveguide (11) and a ferrule (20) faced by an optical input/output end face (23t) of an optical fiber (23), and a lens portion (36) provided in the connector body (30) between the end face (11t) of the optical waveguide (11) and the end face (23t) of the optical fiber (23) and configured to send/receive an optical signal between the end faces (11t, 23t).