Patent ID: 6307617
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: G02B,G03F

Abstract:
An alignment system for aligning a photosensitive optical fiber preparatory to formation of an optical filter by scanning of the photosensitive optical fiber with an ultraviolet beam, comprising:at least one fiber holder for holding said photosensitive optical fiber in a plane having an X-axis and a Y-axis, said photosensitive optical fiber being held in a straight line not parallel to said Y-axis;a first scanning stage for causing said ultraviolet beam to scan said plane parallel to said X-axis;a second scanning stage for causing said ultraviolet beam to scan said plane parallel to said Y-axis;a third scanning stage coupled to said fiber holder, for rotating said photosensitive optical fiber about an axis perpendicular to said X-axis and said Y-axis;an optical transducer for detecting light returned from said photosensitive optical fiber when illuminated by said ultraviolet beam; anda computing device coupled to said first scanning stage, said second scanning stage, said third scanning stage, and said optical transducer, for controlling said second scanning stage to perform a first series of scans of said ultraviolet beam across said photosensitive optical fiber at successively decreasing speeds, determining a first X-coordinate and a first Y-coordinate from the light detected by said optical transducer during said first series of scans, controlling said first scanning stage to move to a different location on said X-axis, controlling said second scanning stage to perform a second series of scans of said ultraviolet beam across said photosensitive optical fiber at successively decreasing speeds, determining a second X-coordinate and a second Y-coordinate from the light detected by said optical transducer during said second series of scans, and controlling said third scanning stage to rotate said photosensitive optical fiber through an angle determined from said first X-coordinate, said first Y-coordinate, said second X-coordinate, and said second Y-coordinate.