Patent ID: 6974266
Filing Date: 2005-12-13
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical component packaging device in combination with an optical component optically coupled to a strip of optical fiber, said strip of optical fiber defining a fiber longitudinal axis, said strip of optical fiber being made of an optical fiber material defining an optical fiber coefficient of thermal expansion, said strip of optical fiber including a fiber core surrounded by a fiber cladding coated with a protective jacket, said strip of optical fiber defining a fiber outer surface, said optical component packaging device comprising: a housing, said housing defining a housing peripheral wall encompassing a housing inner volume, said housing peripheral wall having at least one housing aperture leading into said housing inner volume, said housing being made of a housing material defining a housing coefficient of thermal expansion; an intermediate component, said intermediate component being substantially sealingly attached to said housing so as to cover said housing aperture, said intermediate component being made of an intermediate component material defining an intermediate component coefficient of thermal expansion, said intermediate component being provided with a generally encompassing intermediate component channel extending therethrough, said intermediate component channel defining an intermediate channel inner surface and an intermediate channel longitudinal axis; said housing aperture and said intermediate component channel being configured, sized and positioned so as to allow said strip of optical fiber to extend from a position located inside said housing inner volume to a position located outside said packaging device while defining a fiber-to-channel spacing between said fiber outer surface and said intermediate channel inner surface; a sealing component in sealing contact with both said fiber outer surface and said intermediate channel inner surface, said sealing component being made of a sealing component material defining a sealing component coefficient of thermal expansion; and the optical fiber material is as to have the coefficient of thermal expansion of the strip of optical fiber not greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing component and the sealing component material is chosen so as to have the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing component not greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the intermediate component.