JP3018530B2 - Optical axis adjusting method and device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for adjusting an optical axis of a light source module used for optical communication, optical measurement and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, communication systems and measurement systems using optical fibers have been put into practical use. Among these optical fiber systems, a technique for adjusting the optical axes of a light source and an optical fiber with high precision. Is one of the important technologies.

[0003] A conventional optical axis adjusting method and its apparatus will be described below. FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional optical axis adjusting device. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical fiber, which is disposed such that its end face faces, for example, the light emitting diode 2 or the like. Reference numeral 3 denotes a drive unit for giving a displacement of the optical fiber 1, which fixes the vicinity of the end face of the optical fiber 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a light amount measuring unit connected to the other end surface of the optical fiber 1, and reference numeral 5 denotes a control unit that controls the driving direction, displacement amount, and the like of the driving unit 3 based on the measured values of the light amount measuring unit 4.

[0004] The operation of the optical axis adjusting device configured as described above will be described below. The incident light amount A at a certain optical fiber position is measured by the light amount measuring unit 4 and stored by the control unit 5. Next, a small displacement is applied to the optical fiber 1 by the driving unit 3, the changed incident light amount B to the optical fiber 1 is measured by the light amount measuring unit 4, and the incident light amounts A and B stored in the control unit 5 are compared. When A <B, the control unit 5 controls the drive unit 3 to apply a further displacement in the same direction, and when A> B, applies a displacement in the opposite direction. While repeating such control, the amount of displacement applied to the optical fiber 1 is gradually reduced, and the position of the optical fiber at which the amount of light incident on the optical fiber 1 is maximized is determined. The optical axis of the optical fiber 1 and the light emitting diode 2 is adjusted as described above.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when a slight displacement is given to the optical fiber 1, the amount of incident light before and after the displacement must be compared and the control must be repeated. However, there is a problem that it takes time to adjust the optical axis. Further, when the number of adjustment axes for finding the optical fiber position at which the amount of incident light is maximum increases as in the case of two-axis or three-axis optical axis adjustment, a plurality of axes cannot be adjusted independently at the same time. It is necessary to repeat the optical axis adjustment as described above many times, and there is a problem that the adjustment time increases exponentially.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical axis adjusting method and an optical axis adjusting method capable of adjusting the optical axis in a short time by a simple control method.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem, an optical axis adjusting method and apparatus according to the present invention are provided. An optical fiber is arranged, a light amount measuring unit for measuring the amount of light incident on the surrounding optical fiber is provided, and the optical axis is adjusted based on a comparison of the amount of light incident on the surrounding optical fiber.

[0008]

With this configuration, it is easy to control the direction of displacement of the optical component by comparing the amounts of light incident on the surrounding optical fibers, so that the optical axis can be adjusted in a short time by a simple control method. .

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of an optical axis adjusting device according to the optical axis adjusting method of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11
Is a first optical fiber for adjusting the optical axis, one end face of which is arranged to face, for example, the light emitting diode 14 or the like. Reference numerals 12 and 13 denote second and third optical fibers arranged in parallel on both sides of the first optical fiber 11 as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 2, and reference numeral 15 denotes first to third optical fibers. Driving units 17, 18, and 19 for fixing the relative position so as not to change and for displacing in the X-axis direction perpendicular to the optical axis (the Z-axis shown in FIG. 1) are first, second, and second, respectively. 3
Light amount measuring units A, B, and C connected to the other end surfaces of the optical fibers 11, 12, and 13 for measuring the amounts of light incident on the optical fibers 11, 12, and 13, respectively. Reference numeral 20 denotes a control unit, which receives an input from the light amount measurement units 17, 18, and 19 and controls the optical fiber 1
The drive directions and the drive amounts 1, 12, and 13 are given to the drive unit 15.

The operation of the optical axis adjusting device configured as described above will be described below. FIG. 3 shows the light amount measuring units A17, B18, C1 according to the position change of the driving unit 15.
9 shows changes in light incident light amounts Pa, Pb, and Pc to the light-receiving element 9. The point at which the amount of light incident on the first optical fiber 11 is the maximum, that is, the point X0 at which the amount of light incident on the light amount measuring unit A17 is the maximum is the optimum optical axis adjustment position. However, since the change in the amount of incident light when the optical fiber is displaced in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis is almost symmetric about the optical axis,
The amount of light Pb incident on the second and third optical fibers 12 and 13,
The point at which Pc becomes equal, that is, the light amount measurement units B18 and C1
The point X1 at which the incident light amounts Pb and Pc to the light beam 9 are equal to each other is X0
It will almost coincide with the point. Therefore, adjustment may be performed until the measured values Pb and Pc of the light amount measuring units B18 and C19 match. Further, when the position X2 is shifted from the optimal adjustment position X0, the light amount measurement units B18, C19
Of the measured values Pb and Pc of the second optical fiber 12 in the direction of the second optical fiber 12 if Pb> Pc based on the magnitude relationship between Pb and Pc.
It will also be understood that if Pb <Pc, the position should be moved in the direction of the third optical fiber 13. Therefore, the control unit 20 only needs to perform simple control of comparing Pb and Pc to determine the driving direction. For this reason, the control system is simplified and the optical axis can be adjusted at high speed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the second and third optical fibers 12 and 13 are provided symmetrically adjacent to both sides of the first optical fiber 11 for adjusting the optical axis. By comparing the amounts of light incident on the third optical fiber, it is possible to realize optical axis adjustment that can be performed at high speed with a simple configuration.

In the above embodiment, the first optical fiber 11 is not provided, and the second and third optical fibers 12 and 13 are used.
It goes without saying that the optical axis adjustment can be performed in the same manner only by the configuration of the book.

Further, when adjusting the optical axis in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the Z-axis and the X-axis, as shown in FIG.
In addition to the third optical fibers 11, 12, and 13, the fourth and fifth optical fibers
Are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other,
By connecting to fifth light quantity measuring units 23 and 24 (not shown in particular) and measuring and comparing the quantity of light incident on the optical fiber, the Y-axis direction is similar to the X-axis direction described with reference to FIGS. Can also be adjusted. In this case, the second
The adjustment of the optical axis in the X-axis direction by comparing the amount of incident light to the third optical fiber and the adjustment of the optical axis in the Y-axis direction by comparing the amount of incident light to the fourth and fifth optical fibers are performed by using the respective light amount measuring units. Can be independently and simultaneously performed. On the other hand, in the conventional optical axis adjustment method, two optical axes cannot be adjusted at the same time.
The optical axis adjustment must be repeatedly performed for each axis. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the effect of increasing the speed of the optical axis adjustment in the multi-axis optical axis adjustment is further enhanced.

In this embodiment, the first to fifth optical fibers 11, 12, 13, 21 and 22 are driven to adjust the optical axis. ,
12, 13, 21 and 22 are not moved and the light emitting diode 1
4 may be driven to adjust the optical axis. In the present embodiment, the optical axis adjustment of the first optical fiber 11 and the light emitting diode 14 has been described. However, the optical axis adjustment of the optical components other than the optical fiber and the light source may be performed in the second to fifth optical axes. By arranging the fibers 12, 13, 21, and 22 in the same manner with respect to the axis of the optical component, it is possible to adjust the optical axis at high speed.

Here, a method of aligning the second to fifth optical fibers will be described. In order to perform accurate optical axis adjustment according to this embodiment, it is necessary to precisely align the second to fifth optical fibers with respect to the axis of the first optical fiber or another optical component. As an alignment method, as shown in FIG. 5, the second to fifth optical fibers 12, 13, 21, 21 are used.
2 is 2 ^1/2 +1 of the diameter of the first optical fiber 11.
And 3 + 2 × 2 ^1/2 of the diameter of the first optical fiber 11
A method of inserting into a fixing member 31 having a hole having an inside diameter slightly larger than twice, or first to fifth optical fibers 11, 12, 13, and 2 having substantially the same diameter as shown in FIG.
3 × (3) of the diameter of the first and second optical fibers 11
A fixing member having a hole having an inner diameter slightly larger than three times the diameter of the first optical fiber 11 is formed by four cylindrical spacers 33, 34, 35, 36 having a diameter of -2 ^1/2 ) / 7 times. 3
2 and the like. In FIG. 5, if the object to be aligned is not the first optical fiber 11 but the fixing member 31, the first optical fiber 11 may be omitted.

Further, as shown in FIG.
It is easy to arrange and bundle the six optical fibers 41 to 46 close to the periphery of 1.
It is also possible to adjust the optical axis of the first optical fiber 11 by comparing the amount of light incident on the optical fiber 6, and the optical axis adjustment becomes easier if the above optical fiber arrangement method is used in combination.

[0018]

As described above, the optical axis adjusting method and apparatus according to the present invention dispose a plurality of optical fibers around the axis of an optical component requiring optical axis adjustment symmetrically around the axis. By connecting a light amount measuring unit that measures the amount of light incident on the optical fiber, it is easy to control the direction of displacement of the optical component by comparing the amount of light incident on the surrounding optical fiber. An excellent optical axis adjusting method capable of adjusting the optical axis in a short time can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical axis adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of an optical fiber fixing portion of the optical axis adjusting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in the amount of light incident on the light amount measuring unit due to a change in the position of the optical fiber in the optical axis adjusting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external view of an optical fiber fixing portion in the case of biaxial adjustment in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an external view showing an optical fiber alignment method (I) in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an external view showing an optical fiber alignment method (II) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an external view showing an optical fiber alignment method (III) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a conventional optical axis adjusting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 1st optical fiber 12 2nd optical fiber 13 3rd optical fiber 14 Light emitting diode 15 Driver 17 Light quantity measuring part of 1st optical fiber 18 Light quantity measuring part of 2nd optical fiber 19 3rd optical fiber Light amount measuring unit 20 control unit 21 fourth optical fiber 22 fifth optical fiber 23 light amount measuring unit for fourth optical fiber 24 light amount measuring unit for fifth optical fiber 31, 32 fixing member 33, 34, 35, 36 Spacer 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Six optical fibers

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 7/00 G02B 6/36 G02B 6/42

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A first optical fiber and a second optical fiber are symmetrically arranged on both sides of an axis within a plane including an axis of an optical component, and the two light beams are transmitted from a light source or a light transmitting unit. An optical axis adjusting method for comparing the amounts of light incident on a fiber and adjusting the optical axis between the optical axis of the light source or the light transmitting unit and the axis of the optical component based on the result. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least three axes are located in a plane containing the axis of the optical component.
More than one optical fiber is placed at equal distance around the axis,
An optical axis adjusting method for comparing the amounts of light incident on the respective optical fibers from a light source or a light transmitting unit and adjusting the optical axis between the optical axis of the light source or the light transmitting unit and the axis of the optical component based on the result. 3. The first and second optical fibers, one ends of which are fixed to a drive unit, are opposed to a light source or a light transmission unit.
A control for connecting a light amount measuring unit for measuring the amount of light incident on the second optical fiber to the other end of the first and second optical fibers, and controlling a position displacement of the driving unit based on a measurement result of the light amount measuring unit. Optical axis adjustment device connected to a light intensity measurement unit.