title: Optomechanics for a four-stage hybrid-self-electro-optic-device-based free-space optical backplane.
abstract: We present the design, fabrication, and testing of optomechanics for a free-space optical backplane mounted in a standard 6U VME backplane chassis. The optomechanics implement an optical interconnect consisting of lenslet-to-lenslet, as well as conventional lens-to-lens, links. Mechanical, optical, electrical, thermal, material, and fabrication constraints are studied. Design trade-offs that affect system scalability and ease of assembly are put forward and analyzed. Novel mounting techniques such as a thermal-loaded interference-fitted lens-mounting technique are presented and discussed. Diagnostic tools are developed to quantify the performance of the optomechanics, and experimental results are given and analyzed.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Boisset
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ayliffe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Goodwill
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kabal
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlasek