Study of collimator array based on single collimating lens

Abstract

A new collimator array based on single collimating lens and fiber array is proposed in the paper. An in-depth study is conducted on the two realizing methods, one is with glue in the optical path and the other is without glue in the optical path. Based on Gauss optics transmission matrix and q parameter theory, the relationship among the variables is deduced and computed theoretically, simulated virtually and confirmed experimentally. Good agreement between theoretical results and simulation, experimental results is obtained. The mechanical and packaging designs of the two realizing methods are first studied, then the proposed collimator arrays, with good performance are made. Both the theoretical and experimental results show that the scheme has the merits of easy-to-make, low cost, easy-to-package, good performance, good scalability, etc., which can strongly support the development of reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer system and optical cross-connect system.