OPTICAL BACKPLANE INTERCONNECT

摘要

An optical backplane interconnect comprises a backplane comprising parallel D-fibres (1) that form an optical bus embedded in a plastics substrate (15), which form a coupling with respective parallel D-fibres (23) at an angle PHI in a connecting block (21) that is mounted on a card (2). Circuit components on the card are connected by optical fibres (9) to the fibres in the connecting block. The card is held by connections (18, 19), and as the card is pushed into position, coupling means, comprising balls (25, 26) on the connecting block, self-aligns in groove (27) on the blackplane, to set the angle PHI between the fibres, to provide a controlled, reliable optical coupling.