A thin-filter insertion machine for optical WDM transceiver modules

A machine has been developed that can automatically insert a thin-film filt er into the narrow groove of an optical wavelength-division-multiplexing (W DM) transceiver module reliably and at low cost. The methods it uses for de termining the filter orientation, handling the filter, and inserting the fi lter utilize the filters characteristics. These methods and an insertion-fo rce control method were shown to be effective by testing an automated machi ne incorporating these methods. The average time to produce a module was 1 minute, and the average insertion loss for the assembled modules for 1.55-m u m wavelength light reflected from the filter was less than 2, dB. Thus, t his machine is suitable for mass production of WDM transceiver modules for future fiber-to-the-home networks. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All right s reserved.