Patent ID: 6078708
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
Connection device intended to connect a multiple-core optical fibre (12, 28) to an end optical component (16, 32) or vice versa, the fibre comprising N cores (14, 30), N being a whole number of at least 2, the end optical component (16, 32) comprising P elementary optical components (18, 34), P being a whole number of at least 2, in such manner as to set up optical links between the N cores and the P elementary components, said device being characterized in that it comprises:a first optical means (20, 36, 58) which is refractive or diffractive, andat least one second optical means (22, 38-40, 66) which is diffractive,the first optical means being able to cause light beams exiting the N cores to diverge as far as an area in which these beams are separated in space and in which their cross-section sizes are compatible with the spatial bandpass of the second optical means, said second optical means being positioned in this area and being able to direct the light beams, independently from one another, towards the corresponding elementary components.