| 摘要 |
<p>An optical assembly (10; 94; and 176), particularly for use as an optical circulator or optical isolator, includes utilizing an array (12) of parallel thermally expanded core (TEC) fibers (13, 15 and 17; 44; 80, 82, 84, 86 and 88; and 180, 182 and 188) for transmitting light signals into and receiving light signals from an array of optical elements (16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 32 and 34; 96, 102, 106, 110, 112, 118, 124 and 126; and 192) that is both polarization-dependent and non-reciprocal with respect to displacement of light propagating in opposite directions. In the preferred embodiment, the TEC fibers are precisely aligned using silicon V-groove techniques (70, 72, 74, 76 and 78). Also in the preferred embodiment, focusing is used to improve the performance of the optical assembly. A microlens array (34; and 192) reconverges the light energy of a polarization component that is propagating through the optical assembly separately from its associated polarization component. The array of microlenses may be formed into the glass substrate by diffusing ions through a photolithographic mask. Further in conformance with the preferred embodiment, each polarization component is converged by a particular microlens, is reflected by a mirror (16), and converged a second time by passage through the same microlens. <IMAGE></p> |
