Method and apparatus for using a hologram to control the optical field distribution of light generated by a light source and launched into an end of an optical waveguide

1. An optical transmitter for use in a communications link, the transmitter comprising:

a laser light source that is controllable to produce laser light;

a laser controller for controlling the laser light source;

an optical coupling system including at least a diffractive coupling element, the optical coupling system receiving laser light produced by the laser light source, the diffractive coupling element comprising a substrate material having a phase distribution pattern formed therein, the phase distribution corresponding to a computer-generated hologram, wherein the diffractive coupling element provides light received by the optical coupling system with a selected intensity distribution pattern, wherein the selected intensity distribution pattern is selected based on a determination that the intensity distribution pattern should be effective at substantially avoiding refractive index defects in a center region and in an edge region of an optical fiber of the communications link, and wherein the optical coupling system couples the light having the selected intensity distribution pattern provided by the diffractive coupling element into an end of an optical fiber of the communications link.

2. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the substrate material of the diffractive coupling element has surface thickness variations that correspond to phase values of the selected computer-generated hologram.

3. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the substrate material of the diffractive coupling element has index of refraction variations that correspond to phase values of the selected computer-generated hologram.

4. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the selected computer-generated hologram is selected from a plurality of computer-generated holograms based on a determination as to whether the selected hologram has a phase distribution pattern that is transformable into an intensity distribution pattern that substantially matches the selected intensity distribution pattern.

5. The optical transmitter of claim 4 , wherein the laser light produced by the laser light source has at least two modes, and wherein the diffractive coupling element causes said at least two modes to spatially overlap one another, the spatial overlapping of said at least two modes having an effect of reducing mode selective noise caused by optical misalignment.

6. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the phase distribution pattern is radially asymmetric relative to an optical axis of the optical coupling system.

7. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the phase distribution pattern is radially symmetric relative to an optical axis of the optical coupling system.

8. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the laser light source comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode (VCSEL).

9. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the laser light source comprises an edge emitting laser diode.

10. The optical transmitter of claim 1 , wherein the optical coupling system further comprises:

at least one refractive coupling element, the refractive coupling element receiving laser light produced by the laser light source and coupling at least a portion of the received light through refraction onto the diffractive coupling element.

11. The optical transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the substrate material of the diffractive coupling element also contains the refractive coupling element.

12. A method for designing a diffractive coupling element for controlling a launch of laser light from a laser source into an end of an optical fiber, the method being performed by one or more computers, the method comprising:

selecting a target intensity distribution pattern for laser light to be launched from a laser source into an end of an optical fiber, wherein the selected intensity distribution pattern is selected based on a determination that the intensity distribution pattern should be effective at substantially avoiding refractive index defects in a center region and in an edge region of the optical fiber;

selecting a hologram that has a phase distribution pattern that is transformable into the selected intensity distribution pattern; and

designing a diffractive coupling element to be used in an optical coupling system of an optical transmitter, the diffractive coupling element design including a design of a substrate material having the phase distribution pattern of the selected hologram formed therein.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein selecting the target intensity distribution pattern comprises:

generating a plurality of candidate intensity distribution patterns and analyzing each intensity distribution pattern to decide whether the pattern being analyzed will be effective at avoiding refractive index defects in a center portion and in edge portions of the optical fiber; and

selecting one of the candidate intensity distribution patterns as the target intensity distribution pattern based on the determination that the selected target intensity distribution pattern should be effective at avoiding refractive index defects in the center and edge regions of the optical fiber.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting a hologram comprises:

(a) generating at least a first candidate hologram in a computer, the computer-generated hologram comprising a candidate phase distribution pattern, the candidate phase distribution pattern comprising a plurality of phase values;

(b) transforming the candidate phase distribution pattern into a candidate intensity distribution pattern, the candidate intensity distribution pattern comprising a plurality of intensity values;

(c) comparing the intensity values of the candidate intensity distribution pattern with respective intensity values of the target intensity distribution pattern to determine respective intensity difference values;

(d) if each of the intensity difference values is sufficiently small or zero, selecting the candidate hologram to be said selected hologram; and

(e) if each of the intensity difference values is not sufficiently small or zero, adjusting one or more of the phase values of the candidate phase distribution pattern and repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) until a determination is made at step (d) that each of the intensity difference values is sufficiently small or zero.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein designing the diffractive coupling element includes:

mapping the phase values of the phase distribution pattern of the selected hologram to one or both of variations in a surface thickness of the substrate material design and variations in an index of refraction of the substrate material design.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the suitable substrate material glass.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the suitable substrate material plastic.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the suitable substrate material polymer.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the suitable substrate material is a semiconductor material.

20. A method for designing and manufacturing a diffractive coupling element for controlling a launch of laser light from a laser source into an end of an optical fiber, the method comprising:

with one or more computers executing one or more computer programs:

selecting a target intensity distribution pattern for laser light to be launched from a laser source into an end of an optical fiber, wherein the selected intensity distribution pattern is selected based on a determination that the intensity distribution pattern should be effective at substantially avoid refractive index defects in a center region and in an edge region of the optical fiber of the communications link;

selecting a hologram that has a phase distribution pattern that is transformable into the selected intensity distribution pattern; and

designing a diffractive coupling element to be used in an optical coupling system of an optical transmitter, the diffractive coupling element design including a design of a substrate material having the phase distribution pattern of the selected hologram formed therein;

and

manufacturing a diffractive optical element corresponding to the designed diffractive optical element.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

assembling an optical transmitter, wherein assembling the optical transmitter includes configuring an optical coupling system of the optical transmitter to include the manufactured diffractive coupling element.