OPTICAL COLLIMATOR ARRAY AND OPTICAL SWITCH DEVICE

摘要

An optical collimator array is provided with: a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a prescribed direction of arrangement; and a light guide circuit having a plurality of light guide cores connected respectively to the plurality of optical fibers, and a cladding part formed on the outer periphery of the plurality of light guide cores and having an index of refraction lower than the plurality of light guide cores. Each light guide core has a tapered part wherein the width of the light guide core expands in the direction of arrangement along the direction in which light input from each optical fiber is propagated. When each light is output from the end surface of each light guide core, the angle of spread in a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement is greater than the angle of spread in the direction of arrangement for the angle of the beam spreading. The spot size radius in the direction of arrangement for each light at the end surface of each light guide core is greater than the mode field radius for each light in each optical fiber. Thus, an optical collimator array wherein a high aspect ratio for light beam shape is possible in a small space is provided.