Patent ID: 7294843
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical fiber alignment system for aligning an end of an optical fiber with an optical device to achieve a predetermined gap distance between the optical fiber and the optical device, the optical fiber alignment system comprising: a first actuator which applies a force having a component that is normal to a central axis along a length of the optical fiber, the force providing a flexural vibration of the optical fiber to cause an oscillation of the optical fiber, wherein the force is provided at a resonance frequency of the optical fiber; a sensing apparatus which senses the oscillation of the optical fiber; a detector which determines a shift in an amplitude of the oscillation sensed by the sensing apparatus; and a second actuator which adjusts the gap distance between the optical fiber and the optical device according to the shift in the amplitude of the oscillation determined by the detector, whereby an atomic force between the end of the optical fiber and the optical device varies according to the gap distance provided by the second actuator, the variation in the atomic force resulting in the shift in the amplitude of the oscillation.