Open AccessIntegrated free-space optical interconnect fabricated in planar optics using chirped microlens arrays
Author(s) -
Frank Wippermann,
Daniela Radtke,
Martin Amberg,
Stefan Sinzinger
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.14.010765
Subject(s) - microlens , optics , materials science , lens (geology) , lithography , optical interconnect , collimated light , planar , multi mode optical fiber , interconnection , optoelectronics , laser , optical fiber , physics , computer science , computer network , computer graphics (images)
We present a compact design for an integrated interconnect based on a hybrid imaging setup combining microchannel and conventional imaging. Within this setup the conventional imaging is performed by an aluminum-coated spherical lens. The aberrations introduced by this spherical mirror to the channels of the interconnect can be compensated by channel-wise adapted microlenses located at the in- and output interfaces. These microlenses are used for collimating or refocusing the beams, respectively. Within this paper we present the design of the microlens array with individually shaped lenses referred to as chirped mircolens array (cMLA) based on numerical optimization and the use of fitting functions. Further on we focus on the fabrication of the chirped microlens arrays by laser lithography and first experimental results of coupling efficiencies of singlemode as well as multimode fibers for the realized prototypes.