JP2000147330A - Ferrule supporting member and optical element module using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical element module which allows the fine regulation of the front end position of an optical fiber with respect to an optical element without degrading the characteristics of the optical fiber. SOLUTION: The light emitting element module is constituted to mainly have a supporting substrate 6 on which a semiconductor light emitting element 4 is supported, a ferrule 10 which is inserted and fixed with the front end portion of the optical fiber 8 containing diffraction gratings and a lower ring 12 which is used to connect the supporting substrate 6 and the ferrule 10 and to position the front end of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4. The lower ring 12 has a disk-shaped substrate part 12a and is formed with a ferrule insertion part 12b in the central part of the substrate part 12a. Further, the substrate part 12a is provided with a groove part 12e and the thickness of the substrate part 12a is formed as a thin part thinner than other portions in the portion provided with such groove part 12e.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical element module constituted by combining an optical element and an optical fiber functioning as a waveguide, and a ferrule support member used for the optical element module.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, an optical element module in which an optical element such as a light emitting element and a light receiving element is combined with an optical fiber is widely used in fields such as optical information communication. Such an optical element module is disclosed, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,865,410.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, a housing in which an optical element is fixed, a ferrule (sleeve) in which an end portion of an optical fiber is inserted and fixed, and a ferrule support member (washer) for connecting the ferrule and the housing. It is mainly provided for. In such an optical element module,
The housing and the ferrule are fixed by inserting the ferrule into the ferrule insertion hole of the ferrule support member and fixing the ferrule support member to the housing. Further, in such an optical element module, after the ferrule supporting member in which the ferrule is inserted is fixed to the housing, the ferrule is moved with the insertion portion into the ferrule supporting member serving as a fulcrum, so that the position of the tip of the optical fiber relative to the optical element can be finely adjusted. The adjustment is performed to increase the optical coupling efficiency between the optical element and the optical fiber.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned optical element module has the following problems. That is, in the optical element module, the ferrule supporting member in which the ferrule is inserted is fixed to the housing, and then the ferrule is moved with the insertion portion into the ferrule supporting member as a fulcrum, so that the fine position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element is reduced. Since the adjustment is performed, the ferrule is bent at the insertion portion into the ferrule support member. As a result, the optical fiber included in the ferrule also bends, and the propagation efficiency of light propagating in the optical fiber decreases.

In particular, when a resonator is formed using an optical fiber having a built-in diffraction grating and a light emitting element to form a light emitting element module, the interval between the diffraction gratings changes.
The output efficiency of the light emitting element module decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical element module capable of finely adjusting the position of the tip of an optical fiber with respect to the optical element without deteriorating the characteristics of the optical fiber included in the ferrule. Another object of the present invention is to provide a ferrule support member used for the same.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a ferrule supporting member of the present invention connects an optical element supporting member on which an optical element is supported and a ferrule on which an end portion of an optical fiber is inserted and fixed. A ferrule support member used for positioning the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element, the ferrule support hole having a ferrule insertion hole into which the ferrule is inserted, and a substrate portion fixed to the optical element support member; Is characterized in that a thin-walled portion is formed in a peripheral portion of the.

Since a thin portion is formed in the periphery of the ferrule insertion hole, fine adjustment of the tip position of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element is performed by moving the ferrule with the insertion portion into the ferrule support member as a fulcrum. Even so, it is possible to prevent the thin portion from being deformed and causing the ferrule or the optical fiber included in the ferrule to be curved.

In the ferrule support member of the present invention,
The substrate portion may have two facing surfaces, and the thin portion may be formed by providing a groove on at least one of the two facing surfaces.

By forming the thin portion by providing the groove, the thin portion can be easily formed.

In the ferrule supporting member of the present invention,
The groove may be provided at a corresponding position on both of the two facing surfaces.

By providing grooves at both corresponding positions on the two facing surfaces, the thin portion can be easily formed and the thin portion can be more easily deformed.

In the ferrule support member of the present invention,
It may be further characterized by further comprising a tubular portion fixed to the substrate portion and extending the ferrule insertion hole in the longitudinal direction of the ferrule.

By extending the ferrule insertion hole with the cylindrical portion, the area of the overlapping portion between the inner wall of the ferrule insertion hole and the outer wall of the ferrule increases, and the ferrule and the ferrule support member are firmly fixed. . Further, since the area of the portion where the inner wall of the ferrule insertion hole and the outer wall of the ferrule overlap increases, the external force applied to the ferrule when finely adjusting the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element is dispersed.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an optical element module according to the present invention comprises an optical element supporting member on which an optical element is supported, a ferrule in which the tip of an optical fiber is inserted and fixed, an optical element supporting member and a ferrule. And a ferrule support member used for positioning the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element, wherein the ferrule support member has a ferrule insertion hole into which a ferrule is inserted, and a light source. It is characterized in that it has a substrate portion fixed to the element supporting member, and a thin portion is formed around the ferrule insertion hole.

By using a ferrule support member having a thin portion formed around the ferrule insertion hole, the ferrule is moved with the insertion portion into the ferrule support member as a fulcrum, and fine adjustment of the tip position of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element is performed. , Even if the thin part is deformed, ferrule,
Alternatively, the optical fiber included in the ferrule is prevented from being curved.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An optical element module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The optical element module according to the present embodiment is a light emitting element module including an optical fiber having a built-in diffraction grating and a light emitting element, and forming a resonator between the light emitting element and the diffraction grating. Note that the ferrule support member according to the embodiment of the present invention is included in the light emitting element module according to the present embodiment.

First, the configuration of the light emitting element module according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a light emitting element module according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the internal structure of the light emitting element module according to the present embodiment.

The light emitting element module 2 has a supporting substrate (optical element supporting member) on which a semiconductor light emitting element (optical element) 4 is supported.
6, a ferrule 10 in which the tip of an optical fiber 8 having a built-in diffraction grating is inserted and fixed, and a support substrate 6 and a ferrule 10 connected to position the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4. And a lower ring (ferrule support member) 12 used for the housing 1
4 is provided.

The housing 14 is formed of Kovar, and is configured by connecting a rectangular parallelepiped main body 16 and a cylindrical tubular portion 18. An inert gas (for example, nitrogen gas) is sealed in the housing 14 in order to prevent deterioration of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 and other components included therein. A plurality of external leads 20 are provided on both sides of the main body 16 of the housing 14 for supplying a drive current to the semiconductor light emitting element 4 and extracting a light receiving signal of a photodiode described later.

The semiconductor light emitting device 4 contained in the housing 14 is formed by sandwiching an active layer made of InGaAsP with a clad layer made of InP, and supplying a current to the active layer to form a population inversion. It is a light emitting element that generates stimulated emission light. Here, in particular, in the semiconductor light emitting element 4, one of the two end faces including the end of the active layer (hereinafter, referred to as a light emitting end face) has a low reflectivity of about 0.1 to 1%. A film is formed, and a high reflection film having a reflectance of about 85% is formed on the other end surface (hereinafter, referred to as a light reflection end surface).

The semiconductor light emitting element 4 is fixed on a pedestal 22. The pedestal 22 is provided on an L-shaped support substrate 6 composed of a first flat plate portion 6a and a second flat plate portion 6b perpendicular to each other. It is fixed on the first flat plate portion 6a. Therefore, the semiconductor light emitting device 4 is connected to the support substrate 6 via the pedestal 22.
It is supported by. Here, the pedestal 22 is made of CuW, and the support substrate 6 is made of Kovar.
The heat generated in can be effectively released.

Light emitted from the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is applied to the optical fiber 8 in a portion of the second flat plate portion 6 b of the support substrate 6 which faces the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4. Is provided.
A photodiode 26 for detecting the intensity of light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device 4 is fixed to the support substrate 6 behind the light reflecting end face of the semiconductor light emitting device 4. By feeding back the intensity of the light detected by the photodiode 26 to the drive current of the semiconductor light emitting device 4, the intensity of the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting device 4 can be made constant.

A Peltier device 28 is provided below the support substrate 6.
Are provided, and the first flat plate portion 6b of the support substrate 6 is
It is fixed in contact with the Peltier element 28. Here, the Peltier element is an element having a cooling capacity by the Peltier effect, and the Peltier element 28 effectively removes heat generated from the semiconductor light emitting element 4 or the optical fiber 8. Further, the Peltier element 28 is fixed to the inner wall of the main body 16 of the housing 14, and as a result,
The components of the semiconductor light emitting element 4, the pedestal 22, the support substrate 6, the photodiode 26, and the Peltier element 28 are the housing 1
4 fixed.

The optical fiber 8 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 18 of the housing 14, and is provided with a substantially spherically polished tip facing the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4. A plurality of diffraction gratings 30 are formed at predetermined intervals in a position (particularly, a core portion) at a position retracted from the tip of the optical fiber 8. The spacing between the diffraction gratings 30 is determined according to the wavelength of the laser light to be output. That is, assuming that the wavelength of the laser light to be output is λ, the refractive index of the core of the optical fiber 8 is n, and the interval between the diffraction gratings 30 is d, diffraction is performed to satisfy 2nd = mλ (m is an arbitrary integer) (1) The spacing d of the grating 30 is determined. When the diffraction grating 30 has the above configuration, the semiconductor light emitting element 4
A resonator is formed between the light-reflecting end face and the diffraction grating 30, and a laser beam having a wavelength λ is generated.

At the tip of the optical fiber 8, a ferrule 10 for protecting the tip of the optical fiber 8 is provided. The ferrule 10 is a cylindrical container made of stainless steel. By inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber 8 inside the ferrule 10, the tip of the optical fiber 8 is protected from impact or the like.

The lower end of the ferrule 10 (the end closer to the end of the optical fiber 8) is provided with a lower ring 12, the rear end of the ferrule 10 is provided with an upper ring 36, and A cylindrical cup 38 that covers the ferrule 10 is provided between the ring 12 and the upper ring 36.

The lower ring 12 is made of stainless steel and has a disk-shaped substrate portion 12a as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2 and the perspective view of FIG. Substrate part 12a
A ferrule insertion hole 12b having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the ferrule 10 is formed at the center of the ferrule 10, and the tip of the ferrule 10 is inserted into the ferrule insertion hole 12b of the lower ring 12. Further, the substrate unit 1
An annular groove 12e is provided at a position corresponding to both of the two surfaces 12c and 12d facing each other so as to surround the ferrule insertion hole 12b. In a portion where the groove 12e is provided, The thickness of the substrate part 12a is a thin part which is thinner than other parts.

The ferrule 10 and the lower ring 12 are fixed by spot welding a plurality of points (for example, two points) using a YAG laser or the like.

The upper ring 36 is made of stainless steel and has a disk shape. An insertion hole 36a having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the ferrule 10 is formed in the center of the disc shape.
0 is inserted into the insertion hole 36a of the upper ring 36. The ferrule 10 and the upper ring 36 are fixed by spot welding a plurality of points.

The cup 38 is made of stainless steel and has an opening and one surface 12 of the lower ring 12.
c is fixed by spot welding a plurality of points. The bottom of the cup 38 has a ferrule 1
A hole 38a through which a 0 is inserted is formed, and the bottom of the cup 38 and the edge of the upper ring 36 are fixed by spot welding at a plurality of points.

The lower ring 12 is disposed so that the other surface 12d faces the second flat plate portion 6b of the support substrate 6, and the lower ring 12 is arranged so that the tip of the optical fiber 8 and the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 face each other. By performing spot welding at a plurality of points in the positioned state, the second flat plate portion 6b of the support substrate 6 is formed.
Fixed to

The positioning of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is performed more specifically by a method as shown in FIG. That is, first, FIG.
As shown in (a), the tip of the ferrule 10 provided at the tip of the optical fiber 8 is inserted into the hole 6 c of the support substrate 6.

Subsequently, the lower ring 12 is fitted to the distal end of the ferrule 10 to roughly position the distal end of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4, and as shown in FIG. The ferrule 10 and the lower ring 12, and the lower ring 12 and the support substrate 6 are fixed by spot welding in order at S1 and S2 in FIG. 4B, respectively.

Thereafter, the cup 38 and the upper ring 36 are placed over the ferrule 10 to fix the opening of the cup 38 and the lower ring 12, and then the ferrule 10 and the lower ring 1 are fixed.
By moving the ferrule 10 with the fixed point at 2 as a fulcrum, fine adjustment of the tip position of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is performed. After the fine adjustment is completed, as shown in FIG.
6, the upper ring 36 and the cup 38 are
(C) The parts are fixed by spot welding sequentially at S3 and S4. By such a method, the positioning of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is performed with high accuracy.

Next, the operation and effect of the light emitting element module according to the present embodiment will be described. The light emitting element module 2 according to the present embodiment has a thin portion formed around the ferrule insertion hole 12b, so that the lower ring 12
Even when the ferrule 10 is moved with the insertion portion (fixed point) into the fulcrum to finely adjust the position of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4, the thin portion deforms and the ferrule 10 or Curving of the optical fiber 8 contained in the ferrule 10 is prevented.

This point will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. At the time of manufacturing the light emitting element module, fine adjustment of the tip position of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is performed by moving the ferrule 10 with the fixed point between the ferrule 10 and the lower ring 12 as a fulcrum as described above. Therefore, the conventional lower ring 1 having no thin portion is provided.
When 2 is used, as shown in FIG. 5A, the ferrule 10 is curved at a fixed point between the ferrule 10 and the lower ring 12. As a result, the optical fiber 8 included in the ferrule 10 also bends, and the propagation efficiency of light propagating in the optical fiber decreases, and the interval between the diffraction gratings 30 changes, so that the output efficiency of the light emitting element module decreases. Will drop.

On the other hand, when the lower ring 12 provided with a thin portion is used as in the light emitting element module 2 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Since the thin part is deformed instead of 0, the ferrule 1
It is possible to prevent the optical fiber 8 included in the ferrule 10 from being curved. Therefore, it is possible to finely adjust the position of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4 while keeping the light propagation efficiency in the optical fiber 8 and the output efficiency of the light emitting element module 2 extremely high.

In the light emitting device module 2 according to the present embodiment, the thin portion is formed by providing the groove 12e at a position corresponding to both of the two surfaces 12c and 12d facing the substrate 12a. Therefore, the thin portion can be easily formed, and the thin portion can have a shape that is extremely deformable.

Next, a modification of the light emitting element module according to the above embodiment will be described. Here, each modification is a modification in which the shape of the lower ring 12 is modified, and other components are the same as those of the light emitting element module 2 according to the above embodiment. explain.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the shape of the lower ring 40 according to the first modification. The difference between the lower ring 40 according to the present modification and the lower ring 12 according to the above-described embodiment is that, in the lower ring 12 according to the above-described embodiment, two facing surfaces 12c and 12d of the substrate 12a.
The groove 12e is provided at both corresponding positions to form the thin portion, whereas the lower ring 4 according to this modification is
0, two facing surfaces 40 of the substrate portion 40a
c, 40d, the surface 40 on the side facing the support substrate 6
The only difference is that a groove 40e is provided only in d and a thin portion is formed. Two facing surfaces 40c, 4 of the substrate portion 40a
By providing the groove 40e on only one of the 0d and forming the thin portion, the thin portion can be easily formed as compared with the case where the groove is provided on both surfaces.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the shape of the lower ring 42 according to the second modification. The lower ring 42 according to the present modification is the lower ring 40 according to the first modification.
What is different from the first embodiment is that the lower ring 4
0, two facing surfaces 40 of the substrate portion 40a
c, 40d, the surface 40 on the side facing the support substrate 6
Although a thin portion is formed on d in a position apart from the outer periphery of the ferrule insertion hole 40b by a predetermined distance, an annular groove 40e is provided to form a thin portion. However, in the lower ring 42 according to the present modification, Of the two surfaces 42c and 42d facing the substrate portion 42a, on the surface 42d on the side facing the support substrate 6 and in contact with the outer periphery of the ferrule insertion hole 42b, an annular groove portion 42e is provided to form a thin portion. Is formed. Even when the groove 42e is formed in this manner, the position of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is kept fine while maintaining the propagation efficiency of light in the optical fiber 8 and the output efficiency of the light emitting element module 2 extremely high. Adjustment can be performed.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the shape of the lower ring 44 according to the third modification. The lower ring 44 according to the second modification is the lower ring 42 according to the second modification.
The difference from the second embodiment is that the lower ring 4
2, two facing surfaces 42 of the substrate portion 42a
c, 42d, the surface 42 on the side facing the support substrate 6
Although a thin portion is formed by providing a groove portion 42e in the lower ring 44d, a substrate portion 44
The point that the thin portion is formed by providing the groove portion 44e on the surface 44c of the two surfaces 44c and 44d facing the surface a that is not opposed to the support substrate 6. Even when the groove 44e is formed in this way, the position of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4 is kept fine while maintaining the light propagation efficiency in the optical fiber 8 and the output efficiency of the light emitting element module 2 at extremely high levels. Adjustment can be performed.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the shape of the lower ring 46 according to the fourth modification. The difference between the lower ring 46 according to the present modification and the lower ring 12 according to the above-described embodiment is that the lower ring 12 according to the above-described embodiment is configured by the disk-shaped substrate portion 12a, but according to the present modification. The lower ring 46 is configured to further include a cylindrical portion 46f fixed to the substrate portion 46a and extending the ferrule insertion hole 46b in the longitudinal direction of the ferrule 10. By extending the ferrule insertion hole 46b with the cylindrical portion 46f, the area of the portion where the inner wall of the ferrule insertion hole 46b and the outer wall of the ferrule 10 overlap can be increased. Therefore, the ferrule 10 and the lower ring 46
Is firmly fixed, and it is possible to disperse the external force applied to the ferrule 10 when finely adjusting the position of the tip of the optical fiber 8 with respect to the semiconductor light emitting element 4. As a result, the ferrule 10 and the ferrule 10
It is possible to more efficiently suppress the curvature of the optical fiber 8 included in the optical fiber.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show a lower ring 40 according to the first modification, a lower ring 42 according to the second modification, and a lower ring 44 according to the third modification, respectively. The lower ring 4 provided with the same cylindrical portions 48f, 50f, and 52f as the lower ring 46 according to the modification of the fourth embodiment.
8, 50, 52. Even if the lower ring has such a shape, the inner wall of the ferrule insertion hole 46b and the ferrule 1
The area of the portion where the outer wall of the ferrule 10 overlaps with the outer wall of the ferrule 10 can be increased, and the curvature of the ferrule 10 and the optical fiber 8 included in the ferrule 10 can be suppressed more efficiently.

The optical element module according to the above-described embodiment is a light-emitting element module including an optical fiber having a built-in diffraction grating and a light-emitting element and forming a resonator between the light-emitting element and the diffraction grating. This may be a light-emitting element module including a normal optical fiber without a built-in diffraction grating and a light-emitting element, or a light-receiving element module including an optical fiber and a light-receiving element. .

[0046]

According to the ferrule support member of the present invention, a thin portion is formed around the ferrule insertion hole.
Even when the fine adjustment of the tip position of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element is performed, the thin portion is prevented from being deformed and the ferrule and the optical fiber are prevented from being curved. As a result, while maintaining high light propagation efficiency in the optical fiber,
Fine adjustment of the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element can be performed. In particular, when the ferrule support member of the present invention is used for a light emitting element module including an optical fiber having a built-in diffraction grating and a light emitting element, the output efficiency of the light emitting element module is maintained in an extremely high state. This makes it possible to finely adjust the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the light emitting element.

Further, in the ferrule support member of the present invention, by forming a thin portion by providing a groove, the thin portion can be easily formed.

In the ferrule support member of the present invention, the thin portion can be easily formed by providing the groove at the corresponding position on both of the two facing surfaces, and the thin portion can be further deformed. It can be easily raked.

The ferrule supporting member of the present invention has a cylindrical portion and extends the ferrule insertion hole, so that the area of the portion where the inner wall of the ferrule insertion hole and the outer wall of the ferrule overlap can be increased. . Therefore, the ferrule and the ferrule support member are firmly fixed, and it is possible to disperse the external force applied to the ferrule when finely adjusting the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element. As a result, the curvature of the ferrule and the optical fiber included in the ferrule can be suppressed more efficiently.

Further, the optical element module of the present invention uses a ferrule supporting member having a thin part formed around the ferrule insertion hole, so that the tip position of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element can be finely adjusted. Even if there is, the thin portion is prevented from being deformed and the ferrule and the optical fiber are prevented from being curved. As a result, it is possible to finely adjust the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element while maintaining the light propagation efficiency in the optical fiber at a high level. In particular,
In a light emitting device module including an optical fiber having a built-in diffraction grating and a light emitting device, while maintaining the output efficiency of the light emitting device module in an extremely high state, the position of the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the light emitting device is Fine adjustment can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a light emitting element module.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the internal structure of the light emitting element module.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a method of positioning the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when positioning the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the light emitting end face of the semiconductor light emitting element.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a lower ring.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Light emitting element module, 4 ... Semiconductor light emitting element, 6 ... Support substrate, 8 ... Optical fiber, 10 ... Ferrule, 12,4
0, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 ... lower ring, 14 ... housing, 16 ... body part, 18 ... cylindrical part,
Reference numeral 20: external lead, 22: pedestal, 26: photodiode, 28: Peltier element, 30: diffraction grating, 36: upper ring, 38: cup

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A ferrule for connecting an optical element supporting member supporting an optical element and a ferrule having an optical fiber tip inserted and fixed thereto, and for positioning the tip of the optical fiber with respect to the optical element. A support member, comprising a ferrule insertion hole for inserting the ferrule and a substrate fixed to the optical element support member;
A ferrule supporting member, wherein a thin portion is formed around the ferrule insertion hole. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate portion has two facing surfaces, and the thin portion is formed by providing a groove on at least one of the two facing surfaces. Item 2. The ferrule support member according to item 1. 3. The ferrule support member according to claim 2, wherein the grooves are provided at corresponding positions on both of the two facing surfaces. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical portion fixed to said substrate portion, said cylindrical portion extending said ferrule insertion hole in a longitudinal direction of said ferrule. The ferrule support member as described. 5. An optical element supporting member on which an optical element is supported, a ferrule into which an end portion of an optical fiber is inserted and fixed, and an optical fiber supporting the optical element by connecting the optical element supporting member and the ferrule. An optical element module comprising: a ferrule support member used for positioning a tip of the optical device; wherein the ferrule support member has a ferrule insertion hole into which the ferrule is inserted and is fixed to the optical element support member. With
An optical element module, wherein a thin portion is formed around the ferrule insertion hole.