GB2186707A - Optical fibre switch with laser- machined guide groove - Google Patents

Optical fibre switch with laser- machined guide groove Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2186707A
GB2186707A GB08626771A GB8626771A GB2186707A GB 2186707 A GB2186707 A GB 2186707A GB 08626771 A GB08626771 A GB 08626771A GB 8626771 A GB8626771 A GB 8626771A GB 2186707 A GB2186707 A GB 2186707A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
optical fibre
guide
switch
fibres
groove
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08626771A
Other versions
GB8626771D0 (en
GB2186707B (en
Inventor
Ayman El Fatatry
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co PLC
Original Assignee
General Electric Co PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co PLC filed Critical General Electric Co PLC
Publication of GB8626771D0 publication Critical patent/GB8626771D0/en
Publication of GB2186707A publication Critical patent/GB2186707A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2186707B publication Critical patent/GB2186707B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3801—Permanent connections, i.e. wherein fibres are kept aligned by mechanical means
    • G02B6/3803—Adjustment or alignment devices for alignment prior to splicing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/36—Removing material
    • B23K26/362—Laser etching
    • B23K26/364—Laser etching for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3502—Optical coupling means having switching means involving direct waveguide displacement, e.g. cantilever type waveguide displacement involving waveguide bending, or displacing an interposed waveguide between stationary waveguides
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
    • G02B6/3684—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier
    • G02B6/3688—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier using laser ablation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/354—Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types
    • G02B6/3544—2D constellations, i.e. with switching elements and switched beams located in a plane
    • G02B6/3548—1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
    • G02B6/355—1x2 switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of two possible outputs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3564—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details
    • G02B6/3568—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details characterised by the actuating force
    • G02B6/3572—Magnetic force
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
    • G02B6/3632—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3636—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means the mechanical coupling means being grooves

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
  • Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

An optical fibre switch in which a selected one of a number of fibres 11,12 may be introduced into a tapered guide 6 so as to be brought into alignment with a fixed fibre 7 at the narrower end 6.1 of the guide 6, wherein the guide is constituted by a groove 6 in the surface of a substrate 1, the groove 6 being formed by means of a laser. The guide groove 6 may be formed by providing relative movement between the substrate 1 and the laser by means of a micro-precision computer-controlled X Y translator device. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Optical fibre switch This invention relates to switching arrangements for optical fibres, and especially to an arrangement enabling one fibre to be switched to a selected one of a plurality of fibres.
It has been proposed in co-pending Patent Application No. 8601173 to provide an optical fibre switch comprising a tapered guide, a single optical fibre positioned at the narrow end of said guide with an end face within the guide and a plurality of optical fibres positioned at or adjacent the wider end of the guide, each of the plurality of fibres being separately movable longitudinally into the guide so that, in use, the end face of any selected one of said plurality of fibres is capable of being guided into alignment with the end face of said single fibre.
The mechanical tolerances of the guides in such arrangements, as are described in said co-pending patent application, are adequate for multi-mode fibres having a core diameter of the order of 50/cm, but have not been found satisfactory for the smaller-cored monomode fibres.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a switching arangement which operates on the same principle as that forming the subject of the above co-pending patent application, but is more suitable for use with monomode fibres.
According therefore to the invention an optical fibre switch having a tapered guide a single optical fibre positioned at the narrow end of said guide with an end face within the guide and a plurality of optical fibres positioned at or adjacent the wider end of the guide, each of the plurality of fibres being separately movable longitudinally into the guide so that, in use, the end face of any selected one of said plurality of fibres is capable of being guided into alignment with the end face of said single fibre, wherein the guide is constituted by a groove in a surface of a substrate, which groove has been formed by means of a laser.
The use of a laser in forming the guide groove enables the groove to be shaped and dimensioned in the substrate surface to a high degree of accuracy, the groove conveniently being formed by providing relative movement between the substrate and the laser by means of a micro-precision computer controlled XY translator device.
Various parameters, such as the position of the laser's focal point, the power of the laser the speed of traverse and the number of paths taken determine the dimensions and shapes of the grooves that are produced, the most satisfactory form of groove for any particular application of the invention being readily ascertainable by trial.
Preferably the substrate is formed of silica, and a cover plate, also conveniently of silica is applied to the substrate surface over the grove to ensure that the movable fibres are retained therein.
The means for moving each of the movable fibres within the guide groove may, for example, be in the form of an associated solenoid and an element of magnetic material attached to the fibre, such that energisation of the respective solenoid causes the fibre to be displaced longitudinally towards the narrower end of the guide groove, the switch incorporating means such as a spring for automatically returning the fibre to the wider end of the guide when the solenoid is de-energised.
Alternatively the fibres may be moved by means of a relay or other suitable form of actuator.
Conveniently stop means are provided for limiting the degree of movement of the fibres so that the fibre ends do not make contact with the end face of the fixed fibre, but are positioned as close to it as practicable without actually touching. An index-matching fluid is preferably provided within the groove to increase the coupling efficiency, and to reduce friction and wear.
One switch in accordance with the invention, and the fabrication thereof, will now be described by way of example with reference to Figs 1 to 3 of the accompanying schematic drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically and not to scale the method of forming a funnelshaped guide groove in a substrate, Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the substrate with the groove formed therein, and Figure 3 represents a plan view of the switch.
A sheet 1 of silica is mounted on a support 2 which is movable parallel to the plane of the sheet in two directions at right angles to each other by means of a computer-controlled XY translator shown diagrammatically at 3. A CO2 laser 4 is mounted above the sheet 1 and is also controlled by the computer 5. The output of the laser is then focussed on to the surface of the sheet 1, so as to produce a local vaporisation of the silica, and the sheet support 2 ismoved relative to the laser 4 under the control of the computer 5 to produce a groove, as at 6.
The laser power, scanning speed and/or focussing, and the number of traversals of the sheet support 2, are controlled so as to obtain a substantially V-shaped groove 6 having a depth of 167/cm, the groove having a maximum width at the mouth of 250sum for the initial part 6.1 of its length, and then widening out smoothly and gradually to provide a funnel-shaped portion 6.2 having a maximum width of 740clam at the opposite end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
A single monomode fibre having core/cladding diameters of 8 and 125#m, and a spot size at 1300nm of t 0.5,us, has its outer protective coatings adjacent one end removed, and the stripped and cleaved end 8 is located within the narrower end 6.1 of V-groove 6 as shown in Fig. 3, and is secured in position.
Two similar switching fibres 11, 12, also without their protective coverings, and accurately cleaved, are each attached to a respective driving mechanism 13, such as a relay, and are positioned with both fibre ends resting within the wider end 6.2 of the V-groove.
A further sheet of silica 14 (only shown in part) is bonded to the grooved surface of the sheet 1 so as to extend across the top of the groove.
Switching between the stationary fibre 7 and either of the two movable fibres 11, 12 is achieved by activating the appropriate drive mechanism 13 to which the fibre is attached.
The activated fibre 11 or 12 as the case may be, will be guided by the funnel shape of the V-groove to cpouple with the adjacent end of the fixed fibre 7. A slight bending force applied when activating the fibre, and the presence of the silica cover plate 14 help to maintain the fibres biased in an alignment position in the groove with every activation. De-activation of the respective driving mechanism 13 will result in the retraction of the actuated fibre, allowing the second fibre to connect with the fixed fibre 7 if required. An indexmatching fluid (not shown) is conveniently provided within the groove to increase the coupling efficiency and reduce friction and wear.
The arrangement substantially as described above may, if desired, be configured to house a larger number of movable fibres; this may be achieved by widening the funnel portion 6.2 of the V-groove 6 to accept more fibres, and appropriately positioning the number of drive mechanisms required.
The laser-cutting technique of the invention readily lends itself to the fabrication of a large number of parallel grooves all of which may be funnelled at one or both ends. Such structures may provide the basis of larger switching matrices or by-pass functions.

Claims (13)

1. An optical fibre switch comprising a tapered guide, a single optical fibre positioned at the narrow end of said guide, with an end face within the guide, and a plurality of optical fibres positioned at or adjacent the wider end of the guide, any one of which fibres being separately movable longitudinally into the guide such that the end face of any one of said fibres may be guided into alignment with the end face of said single fibre, wherein the guide is constituted by a groove in a surface of a substrate which groove has been formed by means of a laser.
2. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of silica.
3. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a cover plate is applied to the substrate surface over the groove to ensure that the movable fibres are retained therein.
4. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the cover plate is formed from silica.
5. An optical fibre switch as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a means is provided for displacing the movable fibres longitudinally towards the narrower end of the guide groove.
6. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the means for displacing the movable fibres is a solenoid which, when energised, acts on an element of magnetic material attached to the fibre to be moved so as to displace it.
7. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the means for displacing the movable fibres is a relay.
8. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the switch incorporates means for automatically returning the displaced fibre to the wider end of the guide, when the solenoid is de-energised.
9. An optical fibre switch as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the means for automatically returning the fibre to the wider end of the guide is a spring.
10. An optical fibre switch as claimed in any preceding claim wherein stop means are provided for limiting the degree of movement of the fibres so that the fibre ends do not make contact with the end face of the fixed fibre, but are positioned as close to it as practicable.
11. An optical fibre switch as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an index-matching fluid is provided within the groove to increase the coupling efficiency, and to reduce friction and wear.
12. An optical fibre switch as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the enclosed drawings.
13. The manufacture of an optical fibre switch as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the guiding groove is formed by providing relative movement between the substrate and the laser by means of a microprecision computer-controlled XY translator device.
GB8626771A 1986-02-17 1986-11-10 Optical fibre switch with laser-machined guide groove Expired GB2186707B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB868603893A GB8603893D0 (en) 1986-02-17 1986-02-17 Optical fibre switch

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8626771D0 GB8626771D0 (en) 1986-12-10
GB2186707A true GB2186707A (en) 1987-08-19
GB2186707B GB2186707B (en) 1989-11-01

Family

ID=10593195

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB868603893A Pending GB8603893D0 (en) 1986-02-17 1986-02-17 Optical fibre switch
GB8626771A Expired GB2186707B (en) 1986-02-17 1986-11-10 Optical fibre switch with laser-machined guide groove

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB868603893A Pending GB8603893D0 (en) 1986-02-17 1986-02-17 Optical fibre switch

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB8603893D0 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1990004804A1 (en) * 1988-10-18 1990-05-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft A method of manufacturing an optical switch
EP0927894A1 (en) * 1997-12-29 1999-07-07 PIRELLI CAVI E SISTEMI S.p.A. Fiber-to-multiple-fiber magnetic switch

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8414879D0 (en) * 1984-06-11 1984-07-18 Gen Electric Co Plc Optical components
GB8501623D0 (en) * 1985-01-23 1985-02-27 Gen Electric Co Plc Optical fibre switch
FR2580086B1 (en) * 1985-04-03 1987-05-29 Gentric Alain

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1990004804A1 (en) * 1988-10-18 1990-05-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft A method of manufacturing an optical switch
EP0927894A1 (en) * 1997-12-29 1999-07-07 PIRELLI CAVI E SISTEMI S.p.A. Fiber-to-multiple-fiber magnetic switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8626771D0 (en) 1986-12-10
GB2186707B (en) 1989-11-01
GB8603893D0 (en) 1986-03-26

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee