Spherical planoconvex lens for optically coupling a semiconductor laser to an optical waveguide

摘要

A spherical planoconvex lens for optically coupling a semiconductor laser to an optical waveguide characterized by a thickness of the lens from a planar surface to a vertex of the spherical convex lens surface being greater than the radius of the spherical convex surface but small enough that a focal point of the lens on a laser side lies outside of the lens at a small distance from the planar lens surface. The lens can be formed of either silicon or germanium and has a higher coupling efficiency than is achieved with previously known hemispherical planoconvex lenses of silicon.