Intelligent simultaneous active sub-micron multi-component alignment for next generation datacom applications

Highly complex optical fiber networks are the physical backbone of the internet today. For about two decades, the amount of data transferred through the optical networks keeps rising with no end being in sight. To fully use the capacity of the available optical mesh networks, more and more complex optoelectronic devices like Optical Cross-Connects, Wavelength Selective Switches and highly integrated Transceivers are being established. State of the art devices, e.g. WSS (Wavelength Selective Switch) can have 20 or more optical components, which is challenging and time consuming for conventional alignment routines. While these alignment routines are based on a stepwise alignment of single optical components, we propose a novel approach by simultaneously aligning pre-analyzed components and subgroups. The alignment strategy follows the optical functionality of the components being aligned: Prior to the assembly the module and each component once is being examined regarding their function and influence on the optical properties of the module being assembled. Functional sub-groups of components are investigated in the same manner. With this knowledge of each component’s influence on the optical properties of the module, it is possible to perform the simultaneous alignment with different alignment goals. Usually, it is desirable to minimize losses, but in some cases, the wavelength-dependent loss or the polarization-dependent loss can be of greater interest. In optical devices with dispersive elements like gratings and prisms, this approach can be applied to directly tailor the wavelength range or the wavelength resolution to the customer needs, while other properties are kept constant. In general, this approach allows adjusting optical properties independently from each other and can drastically reduce assembly times.