Common Processes for Passive Optical Component Manufacturing

Category: Optoelectronics
Post Date: July 20, 2004
Author(s): Laurence A. Harvilchuck and Peter Borgesen,Surface Mount Technology Laboratory, Universal Instruments

Description
Permeation of fiber optic communication systems at the end-user level (i.e. 'fiber-in-the-home') is predicated on a reliable supply of individual components, both active and passive. These components will most likely have price and volume targets that can only be satisfied by full automation of the packaging processes. Polarization dependent optical isolators are examples of a typical passive optical component that is widely deployed at all levels of the network. We will use these isolators as an example for our discussion.