Optical Receptacle Curvature Design for Focal Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical connectors made of glass experience refractive index changes with temperature, causing light focal position shifts and reduced coupling efficiency when integrated with resin materials like polyetherimide.
Innovation Solution
An optical receptacle with specific curvature radii and light path lengths for its incidence and emission surfaces, configured as a biconvex lens, is used to maintain light focal position stability despite refractive index changes, ensuring efficient light coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the optical connector is made of resin and integrally molded, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the refractive index changes with temperature causing focal position shift and coupling efficiency degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the curvature radii of the incidence and emission surfaces according to specific mathematical relationships. The curvature radius of the emission surface is set to satisfy a particular equation involving the curvature radius of the incidence surface and the thickness of the optical connector, which compensates for refractive index changes and stabilizes the focal position across temperature variations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the optical connector is made of glass, then the refractive index stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the optical connector surfaces to compensate for material properties. By setting specific curvature radii that satisfy mathematical equations, the design achieves focal position stability using resin materials, eliminating the need for glass while maintaining optical performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the curvature radii of the optical surfaces are arbitrarily designed, then the design flexibility is improved, but the focal position stability deteriorates under temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific mathematical relationships between geometric parameters (curvature radii and thickness) to achieve focal position stability. The curvature radius of the emission surface must satisfy a particular equation involving the incidence surface curvature radius and connector thickness, creating a constrained design that ensures temperature compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces material-based stability (using glass with stable refractive index) with geometry-based stability (using specifically designed curvature radii). This substitution allows the use of resin materials while achieving the same focal position stability through mathematical relationships between geometric parameters.
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 optical receptacle effectively suppresses focal point displacement and maintains high coupling efficiency across varying refractive indices, even with temperature changes, unlike traditional planoconvex lenses.
Implementation Method 1
an incidence surface that is a convex surface configured to allow incidence of light emitted from the light-emitting element; an emission surface that is a convex surface configured to emit, toward the end surface of the optical transmission member, light incident on the incidence surface
Data Source
AI summary
An optical receptacle includes an incidence surface and an emission surface. R1/|R2|>1.5 (Equation 1) and T/(R1+R2)>1.5 (Equation 2) are satisfied, where R1 is a curvature radius of a center of the incidence surface, R2 is a curvature radius of a center of the emission surface, and T is a light path length between the center of the incidence surface and the center of the emission surface.