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Abstract

A woven structure is described in which optical fibers are positioned and held in the structure in a manner to maximize their optical efficiency. The structure consists of non-optical fibers extending in both the warp and woof direction, the optical fibers are positioned in channels between supporting fibers in the warp direction. Selected ones of the non-optical fibers in the warp direction may be electrical conductors. The structure is manufactured using conventional weaving equipment by positioning both the optical fibers and the non-optical warp fibers, and then weaving the woof fibers into place without causing micro-bends or discontinuities in the optical fibers. The structure is woven with the optical fibers positioned in zero warp. The woven grid-like mat can be coated with a protective material that either enables it to form a flexible sheet or a rigid, hard, grid-like mat which has aligned zero warp optical fibers embedded therein. The structure shown can be used to provide sensing, imaging or communications. It can be utilized for optical backplanes for opto-electronic systems or a housing for opto-electronic components. Several types of interconnects or connectors can be fabricated according to the present invention capable of interfacing with the woven structure in an array-based, optical or opto-electronic, active or passive interconnect/connector scenario. The invention may also be used in highly parallel, high performance computer systems and sensing systems.

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First Claim