Optical Coupling and Interconnects in Guided Photonics

⮞ Département SP ⮞ Thématiques de recherche ⮞ Activité « Optique Guidée et Capteurs » ⮞

The Photonic Systems (SP) team has extensive expertise in the study of optical coupling between photonic devices. To improve coupling efficiency, the team develops fiber-tip microlenses optimized for fiber-to-fiber coupling [1] as well as for coupling between active or passive photonic components and optical fibers [2][3], including applications involving elliptical optical beams [4].

Related Expertise and Facilities

• Study of Gaussian beam propagation, coupling efficiency, and alignment tolerances for fiber-to-fiber coupling and coupling between lasers or passive waveguides and optical fibers.
• Design, modelling, and fabrication of fiber-tip microlenses.
• Characterization platform for measuring coupling efficiency and alignment tolerances in fiber-to-fiber and fiber-to-integrated photonic component coupling.
• Measurement platform for near-field and far-field mode diameter characterization of optical fibers, fiber-tip microlenses, lasers, and integrated photonic waveguides.
• High-resolution OLCR (Optical Low Coherence Reflectometry) platform for the characterization of fiber-optic and integrated photonic components, offering 50 µm spatial resolution and a dynamic range greater than 100 dB.
• Measurement platform for the analysis of propagation modes in weakly multimode optical fibers.

Patents have been filed, leading to successful technology transfer. Fiber-tip microlenses developed by the team are currently commercially available.

Related Funded Projects

• FUI RLDO
• DGA RAPID CODEF
• SMOGLESS
• CIFRE SMOKE Souriau
• CIFRE Orange Innovation
• Cotutelle avec Algérie, Institut d’Optique et Mécanique de Précision, Université Ferhat Abbas – Sétif 1

Examples of Related Publications and Patents

• [1] Monique Thual, Damien Malarde, Benoît Abherve-Gueguen, Philippe Rochard, Philippe Chanclou. Truncated Gaussian beams through microlenses based on a graded-index section. Optical Engineering, 2007, Vol.46 (Issue 1), pp.015402. ⟨10.1117/1.2431798⟩. ⟨hal-00259949⟩
• [2] Sy Dat Le, Philippe Rochard, Jean-Baptiste Briand, Lionel Quétel, Sébastien Claudot, et al.. Coupling Efficiency and Reflectance Analysis of Graded Index Expanded Beam Connectors. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2016, 34 (9), pp.2092-2099. ⟨10.1109/JLT.2016.2525804⟩. ⟨hal-01300833⟩
• [3] Monique Thual, Philippe Chanclou, O. Gautreau, L. Caledec, Céline Guignard, et al.. Appropriate micro-lens to improve coupling between laser diodes and singlemode fibres. Electronics Letters, 2003, Vol.39 (Issue 21), pp.1504-1506. ⟨10.1049/el:20030986⟩. ⟨hal-00145951⟩
• [4] Nadjiba Boulaiche, Philippe Rochard, Assia Guessoum, Nacer-Eddine Demagh, Monique Thual. Hemi-ellipsoidal microlensed fiber based on polishing and polymer technology. Engineering Research Express, 2021, 3 (4), pp.045051. ⟨10.1088/2631-8695/ac3a58⟩. ⟨hal-03498608⟩

• Brevet : « Procédé de réalisation collective de microlentilles au bout d’un ensemble de fibres optiques du type ruban de fibres», M. Thual, P. Chanclou, J. Lostec, brevet n°9907289. « Method for collective production of microlenses at the tip of an optical fibre assembly such as fibre tape », EP1183562. CA2375499 Etendu US6768837.