Patent ID: 6870628
Filing Date: 2005-03-22
Classification: G01C,G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of aligning an optical fiber to an optical port of an integrated optical circuit, so as to maximize power throughput across an interface between the optical fiber and the integrated optical circuit, comprising: at a first workstation, positioning the optical fiber such that a fast axis of the optical fiber is oriented at a first angular position with respect to a first reference surface, and securing the optical fiber to a glass block while the fast axis of the optical fiber is oriented at the first angular position with respect to the first reference surface, wherein positioning the optical fiber includes: at a second workstation, positioning the integrated optical circuit such that a fast axis of the integrated optical circuit is oriented at the first angular position with respect to a second reference surface; positioning the glass block with the optical fiber at the second workstation such that the first end of the optical fiber is adjacent to the optical port of the integrated optical circuit and the fast axis of the optical fiber is oriented at the first angular position with respect to the second reference surface; and, illuminating the second end of the optical fiber at the second workstation, and rotating the optical fiber about a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber until the integrated optical circuit detects a maximum light power throughput across the interface between the optical fiber and the integrated optical circuit.