Patent ID: 8019233

Claim:
An optical transmitter for use in a communications link, the transmitter comprising: a laser light source that is controllable to produce laser light; a laser controller for controlling the laser light source; an optical coupling system including at least a diffractive coupling element, the optical coupling system receiving laser light produced by the laser light source, the diffractive coupling element comprising a substrate material having a phase distribution pattern formed therein, the phase distribution corresponding to a computer-generated hologram, wherein the diffractive coupling element provides light received by the optical coupling system with a selected intensity distribution pattern, wherein the selected intensity distribution pattern is selected based on a determination that the intensity distribution pattern should be effective at substantially avoiding refractive index defects in a center region and in an edge region of an optical fiber of the communications link, and wherein the optical coupling system couples the light having the selected intensity distribution pattern provided by the diffractive coupling element into an end of an optical fiber of the communications link.