JP2002221633A - Optical fiber array and method for manufacturing optical fiber array - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive optical fiber array with high quality in which an optical fiber is housed in the state that it is completely brought into contact with a supporting surface because a relative positional deviation and a deformation or the like hardly occur in the optical fiber housed in the inside and also because the optical fiber hardly floats up from the supporting surface which supports the optical fiber. SOLUTION: In the optical fiber array, a resin layer having a plurality of grooves is formed on a clad supporting surface of a substrate consisting of the clad supporting surface different in height and the optical fiber supporting surface, and the optical fibers are housed in the grooves.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical fiber array and a method for manufacturing the same.

In recent years, attention has been focused on optical fibers mainly in the field of communications. In particular, in the field of IT (information technology), communication technology using optical fibers is required for maintenance of a high-speed Internet network. Optical fiber has low loss,
It has features such as high bandwidth, small diameter and light weight, no induction, and resource saving.A communication system using optical fibers with this feature has a higher number of repeaters than a communication system using a conventional metallic cable. Can be greatly reduced, construction and maintenance become easier, economical communication system,
High reliability can be achieved.

In addition, in an optical fiber, not only light of one wavelength but also light of many different wavelengths can be simultaneously multiplexed and transmitted over one optical fiber. There is a great advantage that a transmission path can be realized and a video service or the like can be supported.

In optical fiber communication, in order to connect a light receiving element and a terminal device (a personal computer, a mobile device, a game, etc.) from an optical fiber via an optical waveguide, a plurality of optical fibers are separated at a predetermined interval. In order to achieve this, an optical fiber array is used.

Techniques related to such an optical fiber array are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos.
No. 2,264,843 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-264844. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-264841 discloses that an optical fiber is aligned and accommodated in each of a plurality of V-grooves formed in a substrate, and the substrate, the optical fiber and a holding member are integrally fixed via an adhesive. In addition, there is disclosed an optical fiber array in which the distal end of the optical fiber projects a predetermined length from the end surfaces of the substrate and the pressing member.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-264843 discloses that an optical fiber is aligned and accommodated in each of a plurality of V-grooves formed in a substrate, and the substrate, the optical fiber, and a pressing member are bonded via an adhesive. An optical fiber array which is integrally fixed and in which optical fibers are completely housed in a V-groove is disclosed. In this optical fiber array, since the optical fiber is completely housed in the V-groove, compressive stress on the optical fiber by the pressing member can be prevented, and deformation of the optical fiber and the like can be reliably prevented. Things.

[0007]

In such a conventional optical fiber array, a substrate or a holding member made of a hard material such as ceramic, glass, or silicon has been used. When the groove surrounding the optical fiber is made of a hard material, if the groove has irregularities, the optical fiber may be deformed or damaged.

When a V-groove is formed on a substrate made of a hard material as described above, the processing must be performed by machining such as grinding and polishing. Is within a range of about several μm,
It was not easy. Also, when the V-groove is formed,
If the slopes have different degrees of inclination, this causes the optical fiber to be unable to be stored at a desired position.

In the formation of a V-groove by machining,
Since the V-grooves cannot be formed at once, and the grooves must be formed one by one, variations may occur in each groove, which may cause relative displacement between optical fibers. , In some cases, deformed into optical fiber,
In some cases, this may cause disconnection or cracking. When such a positional shift or deformation occurs, information cannot be transmitted accurately via the optical fiber.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems Accordingly, the present inventors have:
As a result of diligent studies to solve the above problems, a support surface having a different height is formed on the substrate, a resin layer is formed on at least the higher support surface, and a groove for accommodating the optical fiber in the resin layer. After forming an optical fiber array, it was found that an optical fiber array in which the above-mentioned problems did not occur could be manufactured by storing an optical fiber in this groove to form an optical fiber array, and completed the present invention. Furthermore, the present inventors have also found that a plurality of grooves can be formed at a time with high precision by forming the grooves by using a laser processing method or an exposure and development processing method.

That is, in the optical fiber array according to the present invention, a resin layer having a plurality of grooves is formed on the clad support surface of a substrate comprising a clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface having different heights. Wherein an optical fiber is housed therein.

In the optical fiber array according to the present invention, the substrate is a clad support substrate whose upper surface is the clad support surface, and an optical fiber support substrate whose upper surface is the optical fiber support surface and which is thinner than the clad support substrate. The resin layer is formed on the clad support surface, and a guide exposed at the bottom of the groove is formed on the clad support surface. The cladding support substrate may be bonded to a side surface orthogonal to the guide so as to be lower than the surface.

In the optical fiber array according to the present invention, the substrate may be a clad support substrate having an upper surface serving as the clad support surface, and an optical fiber support surface having an upper surface serving as the optical fiber support surface. A fiber support substrate, the resin layer is formed on the clad support surface, a guide is formed on the bottom surface of the groove, and further, a side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide. A notch may be formed at a lower portion of the optical fiber supporting substrate to fit the optical fiber supporting substrate, and the optical fiber supporting substrate may be fitted and bonded to the notch.

Further, in the optical fiber array of the present invention, an adhesive layer may be formed on at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove. Further, in the optical fiber array of the present invention, a lid portion covering the optical fiber may be formed on the resin layer.

The first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention is characterized by including at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the upper surface of the clad support substrate; and (B) the upper surface of the side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide is lower than the upper surface of the clad support substrate. (C) a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the clad supporting substrate, and (D) a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the clad supporting substrate. A groove forming step of forming a groove so that the guide is exposed on the bottom surface; and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove.

A second method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention is characterized by including at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on an upper surface of a clad support substrate; (B) a cut which is previously fitted to the optical fiber support substrate at a lower portion of a side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide; A supporting substrate bonding step of forming a notch, fitting and bonding an optical fiber supporting substrate thinner than the cladding supporting substrate to the notch, and (C) forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the cladding supporting substrate A forming step, (D) a groove forming step of forming a groove in the resin layer such that a guide is exposed on the bottom surface thereof, and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove.

In the first or second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, after the optical fiber housing step, at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove is filled with an uncured adhesive. It is desirable to include an adhesive filling step and an adhesive layer forming step of curing the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step to form an adhesive layer.

In the first or second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, before the optical fiber housing step, an adhesive filling step of filling the groove with an uncured adhesive is included. After the fiber housing step, it is desirable to include an adhesive layer forming step of curing the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step to form an adhesive layer.

It is preferable that the method for producing an optical fiber array according to the first or second aspect of the present invention further includes a lid forming step of forming a lid covering the optical fiber on the resin layer.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, an optical fiber array according to the present invention will be described. In the optical fiber array of the present invention, a resin layer having a plurality of grooves is formed on the clad support surface of a substrate including a clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface having different heights, and the optical fibers are stored in the grooves. It is characterized by having been done.

In the optical fiber array of the present invention, the groove for accommodating the optical fiber is formed in the resin layer, and the resin is softer than a hard base material such as ceramic or glass. Even if deformation such as swelling occurs, the optical fiber is less likely to be damaged or deformed, and an increase in connection loss due to the deformation can be prevented. Further, in the case of the resin layer, since the grooves are easily formed collectively, there is no variation in shape between the grooves, and there is no relative displacement. Further, since the optical fiber array of the present invention has many parts formed of resin, it can be manufactured at a lower cost than conventional optical fiber arrays made of ceramic or the like.

In the optical fiber array according to the present invention, the resin layer is formed on the clad support surface of the substrate including the clad support surfaces having different heights and the optical fiber support surface. Is higher than the optical fiber supporting surface, and furthermore, the difference in the height is
By making the thickness of the coating resin of the optical fiber the same, the optical fiber (cladding portion) is housed in the groove formed in the resin layer, and the optical fiber having the coating resin is formed on the optical fiber supporting surface. The cladding part of the optical fiber and the part on which the coating resin is formed can be placed (stored) in a completely contacted state without rising from the respective support surfaces. it can.

In the optical fiber array of the present invention, the substrate has a clad support substrate having an upper surface serving as the clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface having an upper surface.
An optical fiber support substrate that is thinner than the clad support substrate, the resin layer is formed on the clad support surface, and a guide exposed at the bottom of the groove is formed. As the optical fiber supporting surface is lower than the cladding supporting surface,
It is desirable that the clad support substrate is bonded to a side surface orthogonal to the guide. Since the upper surface of the optical fiber support substrate can be an optical fiber support surface, it is not necessary to form the optical fiber support surface by cutting,
The flatness of the optical fiber support surface can be kept low, and the optical fiber support surface can be easily made parallel to the clad support surface. It is possible to reliably prevent the optical fiber from being relatively displaced or deformed due to the inclination of the optical fiber support surface with respect to the optical fiber. In the following description, such an optical fiber array is referred to as an “optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention”.

In the optical fiber array of the present invention, the substrate has a clad support substrate having an upper surface serving as the clad support surface, and an upper surface serving as an optical fiber support surface.
An optical fiber support substrate thinner than the clad support substrate, the resin layer is formed on the clad support surface, and a guide exposed at the bottom of the groove is formed. At the lower part of the side surface orthogonal to the guide of the substrate, a notch that fits into the optical fiber support substrate is formed, and in the notch,
It is desirable that the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted and adhered. In addition to being able to obtain the same effect as the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, the contact area between the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate is increased, so that the adhesive strength between the two is excellent. And
As a result, the strength of the optical fiber array also becomes excellent. In the following description, such an optical fiber array is referred to as an “optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention”.

Hereinafter, as an optical fiber array of the present invention,
The optical fiber array according to the first present invention and the optical fiber array according to the second present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings. The substrate of the optical fiber array according to the present invention has two supporting members, a clad supporting substrate and an optical fiber supporting substrate, like the optical fiber array according to the first present invention and the optical fiber array according to the second present invention. The structure is not limited to a structure including a substrate, and the substrate may have a structure in which the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate are integrally formed.

First, an optical fiber array according to the first invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of the optical fiber array according to the first invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a part of the optical fiber array shown in FIG. is there. Further, FIG.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a substrate used for the optical fiber array shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the substrate shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber array 10
The substrate 100 is a plate-shaped clad support substrate 11
And an optical fiber supporting substrate 110 in a plate shape thinner than the cladding supporting substrate 11. A resin layer 12 is provided on the cladding supporting substrate 11 (cladding supporting surface 11 a). Groove 1 for storing
3 are formed, and the optical fibers 15 from which the surrounding coating resin 16 has been peeled off are accommodated in the grooves 13 in parallel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the groove 13 is formed so that its wall surface is substantially perpendicular to the cladding support surface 11a. The size is inscribed in Further, a guide 14 is exposed at the bottom of the groove 13, and the optical fiber 15 is exposed.
When the optical fiber 15 is stored, the optical fiber 15 is placed on the guide 14. As described above, the optical fiber 15 mounted on the guide 14 is a clad portion having the core 17 near the center by peeling off the surrounding coating resin 16.

The substrate 100 is composed of a plate-shaped clad support substrate 11 and a plate-shaped optical fiber support substrate 110 thinner than the clad support substrate 11.
As shown in (a), the clad support substrate 11 has a plurality of groove-shaped guides 14 formed in parallel on the clad support surface 11a. As shown in FIG. 3B, the optical fiber supporting substrate 110 has an upper surface (the optical fiber supporting surface 110).
a) is lower than the cladding support surface 11a,
Side surface 11 of clad support substrate 11 orthogonal to guide 14
b.

Although not shown, the groove 13 of the optical fiber array 10 may be formed so that the wall surface is inclined so that the width of the bottom surface is reduced. When a groove having such a shape is formed, the proportion occupied by the groove is reduced, and the strength of the resin layer can be sufficiently ensured.

The groove of the optical fiber array may be formed by a curved surface. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the groove may be substantially arc-shaped or U-shaped. When the groove having such a shape is formed, the optical fiber can be housed in a surface contact, so that the optical fiber can be more securely fixed at a predetermined position. In this specification, the U-shape includes not only a shape obtained by combining a parallel line and a semicircle, but also a shape obtained by combining two lines whose width is reduced downward and an arc.

It is desirable that the depth of the groove 13 is ２〜 to ／ of the diameter of the optical fiber 15. If the depth is less than 1/2, the optical fiber may be displaced after storing the optical fiber.
Although there is no problem in storing the optical fiber in a predetermined position, depending on the diameter of the optical fiber, with high accuracy,
This is because it becomes difficult to form the grooves all together at low cost. A more desirable depth is 10/10 to 11/10.

In general, considering the diameter of an optical fiber used for optical communication, the depth of the groove 13 is 50 to 400.
μm is desirable. If it is less than 50 μm, depending on the diameter of the optical fiber to be stored, misalignment is likely to occur, and if it exceeds 400 μm, there is no problem in storing the optical fiber at a predetermined position, but with high accuracy and low cost. This is because it becomes difficult to form the grooves all together. More preferably, it is 60 to 250 μm. Specifically, when using an optical fiber having a diameter of 125 μm,
The depth of the groove is desirably 62.5 to 187.5 μm.

The width of the groove 13 is not particularly limited.
100-400 μm is desirable, and 150-250 μm is more desirable. If the width of the groove 13 is less than 100 μm, the optical fiber 15 may not be able to be housed. On the other hand, the groove 13 having a width of more than 400 μm has a diameter of 400 μm.
Since there is almost no use of optical fiber exceeding
There is no need to form too much. However, when an optical fiber having a diameter exceeding 400 μm is used, a groove having a width exceeding 400 μm may be formed.

In the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, when an adhesive layer is formed on at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove, the width of the groove is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber. It may be large. This is because the optical fiber is fixed by the adhesive layer. In the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the width of the groove is larger than the diameter of the optical fiber, and an adhesive layer is formed on a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove. . This is because in such an optical fiber array, the effect of forming a guide on the bottom surface of the groove can be significantly obtained. The effect of forming a guide on the bottom surface of the groove will be described later.

The resin layer 12 may be composed of two or more layers. This is because forming the resin layer 12 with two or more layers may be suitable for forming a groove having a desired shape. This will be described in detail when describing the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention. Also,
By forming the resin layer 12 into two layers, forming a resin layer having better adhesion to the substrate as a lower layer, and forming a resin layer having better shape retention as an upper layer, a higher quality optical fiber array can be obtained.

In the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, a resin layer may be formed on the optical fiber support surface 110a. In this case, the resin layer is formed on the optical fiber support surface 110a. Desirably, it is formed only on the side outer edge. When the resin layer having such a shape is formed on the optical fiber supporting surface 110a, the optical fiber whose periphery is covered with the coating resin can be stored on the optical fiber supporting surface 110a. The retention and stability of the optical fiber 15 are improved, and the optical fiber is less likely to be displaced.

Further, an adhesive layer (not shown) may be formed between the clad support substrate 11 and the resin layer 12 in order to secure the adhesion between them. It should be noted that whether or not to form an adhesive layer may be appropriately selected in consideration of the combination of the substrate and the resin layer.

In the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that an adhesive layer is formed on at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion. This is because the optical fiber is securely fixed at a predetermined position. Whether the adhesive layer is formed or not may be appropriately selected in consideration of the shape of the optical fiber and the groove, the combination of the diameter of the optical fiber and the width of the groove, and the like.

In the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a cover for covering the optical fiber is formed on the resin layer. By forming the lid, the optical fiber can be fixed more reliably, and the optical fiber array is more likely to be misaligned even when the optical fiber array receives an external impact, especially when it is impacted from above. Because it is hard to do.

Also, between the lid and the resin layer,
An adhesive layer may be formed to secure the adhesion between the two and to securely fix the optical fiber. It should be noted that whether or not to form the adhesive layer may be appropriately selected in consideration of the combination of the lid and the resin layer, the shape of both, and the like. Further, an adhesive layer may be formed between the lid and the optical fiber.

Next, each member constituting the optical fiber array according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be sequentially described in detail. The substrate constituting the optical fiber array according to the first invention is composed of a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate, and these materials include, for example, ceramic, aluminum nitride, mullite, zirconia, silicon carbide, and alumina. Inorganic materials such as silicon, quartz, glass, etc .; Metal materials such as copper, iron, nickel, etc .; Organic materials such as thermosetting resins, thermoplastic resins, photosensitive resins, composites thereof, and glass fibers in these organic materials And the like impregnated with a reinforcing material such as Specific examples of the organic material such as the thermosetting resin include those similar to those described in the resin layer described later. As the thermosetting resin, a conventionally known thermosetting resin used for a substrate of a printed wiring board and an insulating layer can be used.

The shape of the clad support substrate is not particularly limited, but is usually plate-like, and its size may be appropriately selected according to the size of the optical fiber array.

On the upper surface (cladding support surface) of the cladding support substrate, a plurality of groove-shaped guides are formed in parallel, and the number is the same as the number of optical fibers to be housed. The guide is formed for mounting an optical fiber on the upper part thereof, and plays a role of preventing the optical fiber from shifting in the left-right direction. Therefore, the cladding support surface is formed in parallel from one end to the other end. The intervals at which the guides are formed are appropriately adjusted according to the diameter of the optical fiber to be placed and the size of the optical fiber array to be manufactured. Note that the diameter of the optical fiber is the diameter of the clad portion from which the surrounding coating resin has been peeled off.

The cross-sectional shape of the guide is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, any shape such as a rectangular shape, an inverted triangular shape, or an inverted trapezoidal shape. Any shape can be used as long as it can prevent the fiber from shifting in the left-right direction. Although the size of the cross section of such a guide is not particularly limited, it is usually desirable that the width on the clad support surface is 10 to 30 μm and the depth thereof is 3 to 10 μm. This is because it is possible to prevent the optical fiber placed above the optical fiber from being displaced in the left-right direction and to accurately control the position of the optical fiber to be stored. Further, it is preferable that such a guide is formed so as to be exposed at a central portion of the bottom surface of the groove when the resin layer having the groove is formed on the clad support surface. This is to ensure that the optical fiber is placed on the upper part of the optical fiber and to prevent displacement in the left-right direction.

The portion of the clad support surface that comes into contact with the resin layer may be subjected to a roughening treatment or a smut treatment, or a coating material layer may be formed.
This is because the adhesion to the resin layer can be improved.

Although the shape of the optical fiber supporting substrate is not particularly limited, it is usually plate-shaped, and its size may be appropriately selected according to the size of the optical fiber array. Thinner than the clad support substrate.

It is desirable that the difference in thickness between the optical fiber supporting substrate and the clad supporting substrate is the same as the thickness of the coating resin formed around the optical fiber. By adjusting the difference in thickness between the optical fiber support substrate and the clad support substrate in this way, when bonding these support substrates, the bottom surface can be made the same plane, which facilitates the bonding. is there. In this case, the clad portion from which the coating resin has been peeled is placed on the clad support surface, and the optical fiber with the coating resin formed around it is placed on the upper surface (optical fiber support surface) of the optical fiber support substrate. Then, the clad portion and the coating resin portion of the optical fiber can be placed in a state of being completely in contact with each other without being lifted from the respective support surfaces.

Such an optical fiber supporting substrate is bonded to a side surface of the cladding supporting substrate orthogonal to the guide. Here, the optical fiber supporting substrate is bonded so that the optical fiber supporting surface is parallel to the clad supporting surface. This is because, when the optical fiber array is manufactured, the relative displacement of the optical fibers and the occurrence of deformation, disconnection, cracks, and the like in the optical fibers are prevented. The bonding between the optical fiber support substrate and the clad support substrate includes, for example,
An adhesive such as a thermosetting resin can be used.

As the material of the resin layer constituting the optical fiber array, for example, a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin,
Examples of the resin include a resin obtained by partially sensitizing a thermosetting resin, and a resin composition containing at least one of the photosensitive resins.

The thermosetting resin includes, for example, epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyimide resin, bismaleimide resin, polyphenylene resin, polyolefin resin, fluororesin and the like. Specific examples of the epoxy resin include a novolak epoxy resin such as a phenol novolak type and a cresol novolak type, and an alicyclic epoxy resin modified with dicyclopentadiene.

Further, specific examples of the polyimide resin include:
For example, there are polyimides represented by the following chemical formulas (1) to (4).

[0053]

Embedded image

(Where n represents an integer of 1 to 5)

[0055]

Embedded image

(In the formula, m represents an integer of 1 to 5.)

[0057]

Embedded image

(Where l represents an integer of 1 to 5)

[0059]

Embedded image

(Where p represents an integer of 1 to 5)

Examples of the polyolefin resin include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, cycloolefin resins, and copolymers of these resins.

Examples of the cycloolefin resin include 2-norbornene and 5-ethylidene-2-
Examples include homopolymers or copolymers of monomers composed of norbornene or derivatives thereof, and the derivatives include cycloolefins such as 2-norbornene,
Examples thereof include amino groups for forming crosslinks, maleic anhydride residues, and maleic acid-modified ones. Further, as a monomer when synthesizing the copolymer, for example,
Examples include ethylene and propylene.

Examples of the thermosetting resin which has been photosensitized include those obtained by imparting photosensitivity to the above thermosetting resin. As a method for imparting photosensitivity to the thermosetting resin, for example, a methacrylic acid or acrylic acid is reacted with a thermosetting group (for example, an epoxy group in an epoxy resin) of the thermosetting resin to give an acrylic group. A method or the like can be used. Examples of the photosensitive resin include an acrylic resin.

Examples of the thermoplastic resin include phenoxy resin and polyether sulfone (PE
S), polysulfone (PSF), polyphenylene sulfone (PPS), polyphenylene sulfide (PPE)
S), polyphenyl ether (PPE), polyetherimide (PI) and the like.

The resin composition for forming the resin layer may contain two or more of a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, and a photosensitive resin. Combination of resin and thermoplastic resin,
Photosensitive resin (hereinafter also includes photo-cured thermosetting resin)
And a thermoplastic resin are desirable.

Examples of the combination of the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin include a combination of a phenol resin and a polyethersulfone, a polyimide resin and a polysulfone, an epoxy resin and a polyethersulfone, and a combination of an epoxy resin and a phenoxy resin. Can be When the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin are combined, the mixing ratio is as follows: thermosetting resin / thermoplastic resin = 95/5 to 50 /
50 (weight ratio) is desirable. This is because in this range, the toughness value is high and it is difficult to deform when subjected to an external impact.

Examples of the combination of a photosensitive resin and a thermoplastic resin include a combination of an epoxy resin in which at least a part of an epoxy group is acrylated with polyethersulfone, and a combination of an acrylic resin and a phenoxy resin. When the photosensitive resin and the thermoplastic resin are combined, the mixing ratio is as follows: photosensitive resin / thermoplastic resin = 95 /
5 to 50/50 (weight ratio) is desirable. This is because in this range, the toughness value is high and it is difficult to deform when subjected to an external impact.

The combination of the resin compositions used when the resin layer is composed of two or more layers is not particularly limited. For example, a resin composition of photosensitive resin / thermoplastic resin = 50/50 in the lower resin layer And a combination using a resin composition of photosensitive resin / thermoplastic resin = 90/10 for the upper resin layer. In the case of such a combination, the lower resin layer has a reduced amount of the photosensitive resin, so that the substrate and the resin layer can be securely adhered to each other, and the wall surface thereof is exposed and exposed to the development process. It is suitable for forming a groove having a curved surface. On the other hand, since the upper resin layer contains a large amount of a photosensitive resin, the groove can be surely formed by exposure and development.
A specific method for forming the groove will be described later in detail.

The resin composition used for forming the resin layer of such an optical fiber array may contain, for example, a curing agent, a solvent, and the like, if necessary, in addition to the above resin components.

Further, the resin composition may contain particles. By adjusting the blending amount of the particles to be contained, the viscosity of the resin composition can be adjusted, and the shape retention of a film formed by applying the resin composition can be improved. Further, by adjusting the blending amount of the particles, the resin layer to be formed can have its coefficient of thermal expansion matched with the substrate or the like, and suppress the occurrence of cracks due to the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between them. can do. Further, since the particles serve as a buffer against external impact, cracks and the like hardly occur in the resin layer, and as a result, damage, deformation and the like hardly occur in the optical fiber. Also, depending on the type of particles to be contained, the optical fiber array to be manufactured can be colored in an arbitrary color, and the flame retardancy of the optical fiber array can be improved.

The particles are desirably at least one of resin particles, inorganic particles, and metal particles. The resin particles are a thermosetting resin, a thermoplastic resin,
Photosensitive resin, resin in which a part of thermosetting resin is sensitized,
A resin composite of a thermosetting resin and a thermoplastic resin, and
It is desirable to use at least one of a resin composite of a photosensitive resin and a thermoplastic resin.

Examples of the thermosetting resin include an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a polyimide resin, a bismaleimide resin, a polyphenylene resin, a polyolefin resin, a fluororesin, and the like. Examples of the epoxy resin include a novolak epoxy resin such as a phenol novolak type and a cresol novolak type, and an alicyclic epoxy resin modified with dicyclopentadiene.

As the polyimide resin, for example,
Examples include the polyimides represented by the above chemical formulas (1) to (4).

Examples of the polyolefin resin include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, cycloolefin-based resins, and copolymers of these resins.

Examples of the cycloolefin resin include 2-norbornene and 5-ethylidene-2-
Examples include homopolymers or copolymers of monomers composed of norbornene or derivatives thereof, and the derivatives include cycloolefins such as 2-norbornene,
Examples thereof include amino groups for forming crosslinks, maleic anhydride residues, and maleic acid-modified ones. Further, as a monomer when synthesizing the copolymer, for example,
Examples include ethylene and propylene.

Examples of the thermoplastic resin include phenoxy resin and polyether sulfone (PE
S), polysulfone (PSF), polyphenylene sulfone (PPS), polyphenylene sulfide (PPE)
S), polyphenyl ether (PPE), polyetherimide (PI) and the like.

Examples of the photosensitive resin include an acrylic resin. Examples of the resin obtained by partially sensitizing the thermosetting resin include those obtained by imparting photosensitivity to the above-described thermosetting resin. Specifically, for example, a resin to which an acrylic group is added by reacting methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, or the like with a thermosetting group (for example, an epoxy group in an epoxy resin) of a thermosetting resin can be used.

The resin composite of the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin includes, for example, a resin containing at least one of each of the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin.

The resin composite of the photosensitive resin and the thermoplastic resin includes, for example, at least a resin obtained by partially sensitizing the photosensitive resin or the thermosetting resin and the thermoplastic resin. Resins and the like containing one kind at a time are exemplified.

As the resin particles, resin particles made of rubber can also be used. As the above rubber,
For example, polybutadiene rubber, various modified polybutadiene rubbers such as epoxy-modified, urethane-modified and (meth) acrylonitrile-modified, and (meth) acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber containing a carboxyl group are exemplified.

The inorganic particles are preferably made of at least one of an aluminum compound, a calcium compound, a potassium compound, a magnesium compound and a silicon compound.

Examples of the aluminum compound include alumina and aluminum hydroxide, and examples of the calcium compound include calcium carbonate and
Calcium hydroxide and the like, as the potassium compound, for example, potassium carbonate and the like, as the magnesium compound, for example, magnesia, dolomite, basic magnesium carbonate and the like, as the silicon compound, For example, silica, zeolite and the like can be mentioned. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Further, as the inorganic particles, those made of phosphorus and / or a phosphorus compound can be used. When these are used, the flame retardancy of the resin layer can be further improved. The phosphorus is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include red phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, purple phosphorus, and red phosphorus. Among these, red phosphorus is desirable because it can impart flame retardancy to the resin layer with a small amount of compounding, and has high stability and excellent safety during work.

The phosphorus compound is not particularly limited.
Examples include phosphorus oxides such as diphosphorus trioxide and diphosphorus pentoxide, and metal phosphides such as iron phosphide, copper phosphide, titanium phosphide, nickel phosphide, and manganese phosphide. These phosphorus and phosphorus compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Further, the particles made of phosphorus or a phosphorus compound may be coated with a resin such as a phenol resin or an inorganic compound such as aluminum hydroxide in order to enhance stability.

Commercially available particles of such phosphorus and phosphorus compounds include, for example, Nova Excel F5 manufactured by Rin Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd .; Master etc. are mentioned.

The resin layer containing phosphorus or a phosphorus compound has the above-mentioned effects, that is, has excellent crack resistance and hardness, and has flame retardancy. Therefore,
The optical fiber array on which the resin layer is formed satisfies the UL 94 (flame retardancy test of polymer material) criterion in the UL test standard.
This satisfies the criterion of 0.

As the metal particles, for example, Au, A
g, Cu, Pd, Ni, Pt, Fe, Zn, Pb, A
Examples thereof include those made of l, Mg, Ca, and the like, and among these, those made of Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Ni, and Pt are desirable. In addition, these metal particles may have a surface layer coated with a resin or the like in order to ensure insulation of the resin layer.

The shape of the particles is desirably at least one of a spherical shape, an elliptical spherical shape, a crushed shape, and a polyhedral shape. Among them, a spherical shape is more preferable because cracks are less likely to occur, and even if stress is generated in the resin layer by heat or thermal shock, the stress is easily relieved.

The blending amount of the above particles is preferably from 10 to 80% by weight, more preferably from 20 to 70% by weight. If the content of the particles is less than 10% by weight, when the optical fiber array is used in a severe environment (such as a high temperature environment), cracks may occur in the resin layer or the hardness of the resin layer may not be sufficient. ,
The durability of the optical fiber array may be poor. On the other hand, if the compounding amount of the particles exceeds 80% by weight, the hardness of the resin layer is sufficiently high but brittle, and the quality of the optical fiber array may be deteriorated. In the case of forming a groove, the resin layer (resin composition) may not be sufficiently exposed to form a groove as designed.

When an adhesive layer is provided between the substrate and the resin layer or at least a part of the groove not containing the optical fiber, the adhesive layer may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. Examples of the resin include a resin in which a part of a thermosetting resin, a thermosetting resin is sensitized, and a resin such as a photosensitive resin. Specifically, a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, and a silicone resin, an ultraviolet curable resin, or the like can be used.

The adhesive used for forming the adhesive layer may include the above-mentioned inorganic particles, resin particles, metal particles, and the like, in addition to the above-mentioned resin components. This is because matching of the thermal expansion coefficient and improvement in flame retardancy can be achieved. Further, the adhesive may include a curing agent, a reaction stabilizer, a photopolymerizing agent, a solvent, and the like. This is because the fluidity of the adhesive can be improved.

When a lid is formed on the optical fiber array, the lid may be made of aluminum nitride,
Inorganic materials such as mullite, zirconia, silicon carbide, alumina, silicon, quartz, glass, etc .; metallic materials such as copper, iron, nickel, etc .; thermosetting resins, thermoplastic resins, photosensitive resins,
Organic materials such as these composites, and those obtained by impregnating these organic materials with a reinforcing material such as glass fiber are exemplified.

Further, the resin layer and the lid may be made of the same material. This is because the adhesiveness between the resin layer and the lid portion becomes more excellent, and inconvenience caused by a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the two does not occur. Further, when the material of the lid is an inorganic material (hard material), deformation and the like are less likely to occur in response to an external impact. Further, when an adhesive layer is provided between the lid and the resin layer, or between the lid and the optical fiber (part of the optical fiber non-housing section), For example, the same material as the adhesive layer formed between the substrate and the resin layer described above may be used.

The optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention having such a configuration can be manufactured, for example, by the following method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Next, a method of manufacturing the optical fiber array according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The first method for producing an optical fiber array of the present invention is characterized by including at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the upper surface of the clad support substrate; and (B) the upper surface of the side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide is lower than the upper surface of the clad support substrate. (C) a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the clad supporting substrate, and (D) a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the clad supporting substrate. A groove forming step of forming a groove so that the guide is exposed on the bottom surface; and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove.

In the first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, the grooves for accommodating the optical fibers are formed in the resin layer, so that the grooves can be formed with high precision. In particular, when the grooves are formed in a lump, variations between the grooves are eliminated, and even if the positions of the grooves are slightly shifted with respect to the substrate, the relative positions of the grooves do not shift. , And the yield is improved. Therefore, according to the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention, an inexpensive and high-quality optical fiber array can be manufactured.

In the first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, a substrate is manufactured using a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate thinner than the clad support substrate. That is, the upper surface of the optical fiber supporting substrate can be used as the optical fiber supporting surface, and since it is not necessary to form the optical fiber supporting surface by cutting, the flatness of the optical fiber supporting surface can be suppressed considerably. In addition, the above substrate is manufactured by bonding the optical fiber supporting substrate to the clad supporting substrate. At this time, by adjusting the bonding angle, the optical fiber supporting surface can be easily placed on the upper surface of the clad supporting substrate. (Cladding support surface), it can be parallel to the
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of relative displacement, deformation, breakage, and the like of the optical fiber due to unevenness of the optical fiber support surface and inclination with respect to the clad support surface. In the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention, a guide for mounting an optical fiber may be formed only on the clad support surface when the substrate is manufactured. Since the step of forming the optical fiber support surface by cutting the portion including the optical fiber is unnecessary, the processing time can be reduced, the productivity is excellent, and the optical fiber array can be manufactured at low cost.

The first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention will be described below in the order of steps.

(1) In the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, first, the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate made of the above-mentioned ceramic, metal, resin or the like are manufactured. As described in the first optical fiber array according to the present invention, these support substrates are usually plate-shaped, and the optical fiber support substrate is manufactured so as to be thinner than the clad support substrate. Further, it is desirable that the difference in height between the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate be adjusted so as to be the same as the thickness of the resin coating the periphery of the optical fiber. Further, it is desirable to polish the upper surfaces of these support substrates formed in a predetermined size and shape. This is to prevent the optical fiber from being displaced or damaged when the optical fiber is placed on these surfaces in a later step.

(2) Next, the above step (A), that is, a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the upper surface (cladding support surface) of the clad support substrate is performed.

In the step (A), a plurality of groove-shaped guides are formed on the clad support surface using a cutting member capable of cutting hard materials such as ceramics, metals, and resins. As the cutting member, for example,
A diamond cutter and the like.

(3) Next, in the step (B), that is, on the side surface of the clad support substrate perpendicular to the guide, the upper surface is thinner than the clad support substrate so that the upper surface is lower than the upper surface of the clad support substrate. A supporting substrate bonding step of bonding the optical fiber supporting substrate is performed.

In this step, one side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide formed in the above step (A) and the optical fiber support substrate coated with an adhesive on the entire side surface are attached to the optical fiber support substrate. Bonding is performed so that the difference in height between the surface and the clad support surface is the same as the thickness of the coating resin that covers the periphery of the optical fiber. The optical fiber support surface is bonded so as to be parallel to the clad support surface.
As the adhesive, for example, a thermosetting resin or the like can be used. The step (B) can be performed before the step (E) described later.

(4) Next, the step (C), that is, a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the clad support substrate is performed.

In the step (C), the resin layer is coated on the clad support substrate, or a resin film made of the resin composition is pressed on the clad support substrate to form a resin layer. Form.

When applying the resin composition, a solution of the resin composition whose viscosity has been adjusted in advance is applied by using a method such as a curtain coater, a roll coater, or printing, and then dried to give a resin layer. When a resin film is pressure-bonded, a resin composition containing a thermosetting resin (including a thermosetting photosensitive resin) that has been semi-cured in advance and brought into a B-stage state is pressed. Alternatively, a resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin (including a photosensitive resin having thermoplasticity) formed in a plate shape in advance may be pressed. At the time of press bonding, a heat treatment may be used in combination as necessary.

The resin layer formed in this step may be completely cured or may be in a semi-cured state.
Specifically, in the post-process, when forming a groove using exposure and development processing, it is desirable to be in a semi-cured state, and when forming a groove using laser processing, it is completely cured. It may be in a state or a semi-cured state.
In addition, in order to form a groove using exposure and development processing, in the case of a semi-cured state, it is desirable to cure (semi-cured) to the extent that a skin layer is formed on the surface layer. In addition, the skin layer is a hard layer formed on the surface layer part because the surface layer part is rapidly hardened at the time of exposure.

In this step, a resin layer may be formed on the optical fiber supporting surface. In this case, it is desirable that the resin layer formed on the optical fiber supporting surface is formed only on the side outer edge of the optical fiber supporting surface. This is because the optical fiber can be housed on the optical fiber supporting surface while the coating resin is formed around the optical fiber, and the positional deviation of the optical fiber is less likely to occur. The resin layer formed on the optical fiber supporting surface may be formed on the entire optical fiber supporting surface. In this case, while forming a groove in the resin layer provided on the clad support substrate in a later groove forming step,
If a resin layer on the optical fiber support surface is formed only on the side outer edge of the optical fiber support surface, a groove-shaped optical fiber housing portion is formed in the resin layer on the optical fiber support surface. Good.

(5) Next, the step (D), that is, a groove forming step of forming a groove in the resin layer so that a guide is exposed on the bottom surface is performed. When a resin layer is formed using the resin composition containing a photosensitive resin in the step (C), this step is desirably performed by exposing and developing. Therefore, in this case, in the step (C), a resin layer in a semi-cured state is formed. In particular,
After a mask on which a pattern corresponding to a groove to be formed is placed on the resin layer, exposure processing is performed. As a method of drawing a pattern on a mask, for example, a lift-off method or the like can be used for a mask targeting a negative photosensitive resin, and an etching method can be used for a mask targeting a positive photosensitive resin. Processing or the like can be used.

Further, by performing a developing process using a developing solution, a groove is formed in the resin layer so that the guide is exposed on the bottom surface thereof. After the exposure treatment, if necessary, the resin layer is completely cured by using a heat treatment or the like. If the resin layer is not completely cured, the optical fiber may be displaced when the optical fiber is stored.

The developer is not particularly limited, and a commonly used developer such as an acid solution, an alkali solution, and an organic solvent may be used depending on the type of the resin layer. In addition, the above-described development processing can be performed, for example, by immersing the substrate on which the resin layer is formed in a developer or spraying the resin layer with the developer.

The detailed conditions for performing the exposure and development processes, that is, the amount of exposure and the type of developer are not particularly limited, and the composition of the resin composition, the thickness of the resin layer to be formed,
What is necessary is just to select suitably considering the shape of a groove | channel, etc.

When the resin layer is composed of two or more layers, the step (C) (resin layer forming step)
And the step (D) (groove forming step) may be repeated. Such a method of repeatedly performing the resin layer forming step and the groove forming step is such that the width of the bottom surface is reduced.
It is suitable as a method for forming a groove having a wall surface inclined or a groove formed with a curved surface.

In this case, by changing the composition of the resin composition used for forming the lower resin layer and the composition of the resin composition used for forming the upper resin layer, the bottom surface of the resin layer is more suitably formed. A groove formed with a slanted wall surface or a groove formed with a curved surface can be formed so that the width is reduced. Specifically, for example, the lower resin layer is formed using a resin composition having a low photosensitive resin content (for example, photosensitive resin / thermoplastic resin = 50/50), and the upper resin layer is exposed to light. Resin composition with high content of conductive resin (for example, photosensitive resin / thermoplastic resin = 90/10)
By using, a groove formed by a curved surface can be formed.

Also, grooves can be formed in the resin layer by performing laser processing instead of the above-described exposure and development processing. When performing the laser treatment, the groove can be formed regardless of the type of the resin composition used to form the resin layer. Examples of the laser used for the laser processing include a carbon dioxide laser, an excimer laser, a UV laser, and a YAG laser. These lasers may be used properly in consideration of the shape of the groove to be formed, the composition of the resin composition, and the like.

When the grooves are formed, the grooves can be collectively formed by irradiating laser light from a hologram excimer laser through a mask. Also,
When a short-pulse carbon dioxide laser is used, a groove can be formed in the resin layer without further damage.

Further, even when laser light is irradiated through the optical system lens and the mask, the grooves can be formed at once. This is because laser light having the same intensity and the same irradiation angle can be applied to the entire resin layer through the optical lens and the mask. Note that such laser processing may be performed on the resin layer in a semi-cured state, or may be performed after the resin layer is completely cured.

When the grooves are formed by laser processing, particularly when the grooves are formed by using a carbon dioxide gas laser, it is desirable to perform desmear processing after the laser processing is completed. The desmear treatment can be performed using, for example, an oxidizing agent composed of an aqueous solution such as chromic acid or permanganate. Further, the treatment may be performed by oxygen plasma, mixed plasma of CF ₄ and oxygen, corona discharge, or the like.

When the resin layer is formed on the entire optical fiber supporting surface in the step (C), the groove is formed and the optical fiber is formed on the resin layer on the optical fiber supporting surface in this step. A groove-shaped optical fiber storage portion for storing the entire coating resin is formed, and the resin layer on the optical fiber support surface is formed only on the side outer edge of the optical fiber support surface. The optical fiber storage section can also be formed by exposure / development processing or laser processing.

(6) Next, the above-mentioned step (E), that is, an optical fiber housing step of housing an optical fiber in the groove formed in the resin layer is performed. In this step, after aligning the optical fibers at positions corresponding to the grooves formed in the resin layer using an aligner, the optical fibers are housed in the grooves. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, it is desirable that the optical fiber be housed in the groove after removing the coating resin at the end. This is because the coating resin is soft and easily deformed, and when deformed during storage or after storage, this leads to displacement of the optical fiber. Further, the optical fiber may be housed in such a manner that its end face and the side face of the resin layer are aligned so as to form the same plane,
The optical fibers may be housed in an aligned manner so that the end faces protrude from the side faces of the resin layer by a certain length. Through these steps, an optical fiber array as shown in FIG. 1 can be manufactured.

After the optical fiber is housed in the groove through the step (E), it is preferable to perform a lid forming step of forming a lid covering the optical fiber on the resin layer. The lid can be formed, for example, by applying a resin composition on the resin layer or by pressing a resin film on the resin layer.

More specifically, when applying the resin composition, a solution of the resin composition whose viscosity has been adjusted in advance is applied by using a method such as a curtain coater, a roll coater, or printing, followed by drying and drying. It can be formed by performing a curing treatment. In the case of pressing a resin film, a resin composition containing a thermosetting resin which has been brought into a B-stage in advance is pressed or a thermoplastic resin which has been formed into a plate is pressed in advance, and then , By performing a curing treatment. During crimping,
If necessary, a heat treatment may be used in combination.

The lid is formed of aluminum nitride,
Inorganic materials such as mullite, zirconia, silicon carbide, alumina, silicon, quartz and glass; and hard materials such as metal materials such as copper, iron and nickel can also be used.

In this case, it is desirable to form an adhesive layer between the resin layer and the lid. This is because it is difficult to obtain strong adhesion between the completely cured resin and the hard material.

The adhesive layer may be formed, for example, by storing an optical fiber in a resin layer, applying an uncured adhesive on the resin layer, and then placing a lid made of a hard material at a predetermined position. After placing the optical fiber in the resin layer, a method for curing the uncured adhesive, or storing the optical fiber in the resin layer, placing the lid in a predetermined position, After the uncured adhesive is poured into the gap between the uncured adhesive and the lid, the method can be performed using a method of curing the uncured adhesive.

In the first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, after the step (E), at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove is filled with an uncured adhesive. It is desirable to include a filling step and an adhesive layer forming step of curing the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step and forming an adhesive layer.Furthermore, after the adhesive layer forming step, It is desirable to include the lid forming step described above. In this case, since the adhesive is filled in the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove, the optical fiber can be more securely fixed at a predetermined position.

In the adhesive filling step, an uncured adhesive is filled into a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove, for example, a gap surrounded by the clad support substrate, the resin layer, and the optical fiber. Specifically, for example, an uncured adhesive is poured from the side surface of the groove in which the optical fiber is stored, and the uncured adhesive is filled in the optical fiber non-storage portion of the groove. In this case, the uncured adhesive is filled in the groove by surface tension. Here, since the optical fiber is placed on the guide, it is hard to be shifted in the left-right direction,
The storage position of the optical fiber may shift due to the shearing stress when filling the uncured adhesive. Therefore, in this step, the uncured adhesive is poured while the optical fiber is held by the aligner used in the above step (E), an adhesive layer is formed through a subsequent step, and then the aligner is removed. Is desirable.

Next, in the adhesive layer forming step, the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step is cured to form an adhesive layer. Conditions for curing the uncured adhesive are heat treatment and light (ultraviolet light) in consideration of the composition of the adhesive and the like.
What is necessary is just to select a process etc. suitably.

The first method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention includes, before the step (E), an adhesive filling step of filling the groove with an uncured adhesive. After the step, it is desirable to include an adhesive layer forming step of curing the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step and forming an adhesive layer.Further, after the adhesive layer forming step, It is desirable to include the lid forming step described above.

In the adhesive filling step, after the resin layer and the groove are formed on the clad support surface through the step (D), an uncured adhesive is filled in the groove of the clad support substrate. In this step, the groove is filled with an uncured adhesive in advance, so that the optical fiber is housed in a later step, and the uncured adhesive is cured to form the adhesive layer when the adhesive layer is formed. It can be securely fixed by the resin layer.

After performing the above-mentioned adhesive filling step,
The step (E) (optical fiber housing step) is performed, and then an adhesive layer forming step is performed. Here, after storing the optical fiber, until the uncured adhesive is cured,
The storage position of the optical fiber may be shifted. Therefore, after the optical fiber is stored in the groove, it is desirable that the optical fiber is held by the aligner until the uncured adhesive is cured.

In the adhesive layer forming step, the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step is cured to fix the optical fiber to form an adhesive layer. The conditions for curing the uncured adhesive may be appropriately selected from heat treatment, light (ultraviolet) treatment, and the like in consideration of the composition of the adhesive and the like.

Here, after the above-mentioned step (E) and before the above-mentioned adhesive layer forming step, the above-mentioned adhesive filling step may be performed again. In this case, in the adhesive filling step, the amount of the adhesive to be filled in the groove is reduced so that when the optical fiber is stored in the step (E), a certain gap is formed. In the adhesive filling step to be performed again, it is desirable that the optical fiber non-housing portion (the gap) in the groove is completely filled with the adhesive. The optical fiber can be securely fixed by the resin layer, and the displacement of the optical fiber can be more reliably prevented.

After forming the optical fiber array in this manner, the optical fiber array, the waveguide, the light receiving element,
Forming product recognition marks such as unevenness and identification marks, identification numbers, serial numbers, manufacturing identification marks, product names, company names, barcodes, etc. on the substrate or lid, etc. as a guide for connection with light emitting elements, devices, etc. Is also good.

In an optical fiber array in which a resin layer having such a groove is formed, the optical fiber accommodated in the optical fiber array is connected to an optical device such as a waveguide, a light receiving element, a light emitting element, etc. So that various modules such as the Internet, TV, games, and mobile can be operated.

Next, an optical fiber array according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view schematically showing an example of a substrate constituting an optical fiber array according to the second present invention, and FIG. 4B is an exploded perspective view showing an optical fiber array according to the second present invention. It is a perspective view of the board | substrate which comprises.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the substrate 200
It is composed of a clad support substrate 21 and an optical fiber support substrate 210. The clad support substrate 21 is substantially plate-shaped, and has a plurality of groove-shaped guides 24 formed in parallel on its upper surface (cladding support surface 21a). Substrate 210
A notch 29 is formed so as to fit into the notch 29. FIG.
As shown in (b), the optical fiber supporting substrate 210 which is thinner than the cladding supporting substrate 21 has a plate shape, and one end thereof is fitted into and bonded to the notch 29 of the cladding supporting substrate 21.

The optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises:
The shape of the substrate 200 (the clad support substrate 21 and the optical fiber support substrate 210) is different only from the above-described optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention. That is, other members constituting the optical fiber array according to the second present invention,
For example, the resin layer and the like have the same structure, material, and the like as the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention. Therefore, here, the structure of the substrate 200 will be mainly described.

Hereinafter, the substrate constituting the optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention will be described in more detail. As described above, the substrate constituting the optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention is composed of a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate, and these materials include, for example, ceramic, aluminum nitride, mullite, zirconia, Inorganic materials such as silicon carbide, alumina, silicon, quartz, and glass; metallic materials such as copper, iron, and nickel; organic materials such as thermosetting resins, thermoplastic resins, photosensitive resins, and composites thereof; A material in which a reinforcing material such as glass fiber is impregnated into a material may be used. Specific examples of the organic material such as the thermosetting resin include the same materials as those described in the resin layer of the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention. As the thermosetting resin, a conventionally known thermosetting resin used for a substrate of a printed wiring board and an insulating layer can be used.

Although the shape of the clad support substrate is not particularly limited, a plurality of groove-shaped guides are generally formed in parallel on the clad support surface, and the lower part of the side surface orthogonal to the guide is fitted to the optical fiber support substrate. It is a substantially plate-like shape with cutouts that match, and the size may be appropriately selected according to the size of the optical fiber array.

A plurality of groove-shaped guides are formed in parallel on the clad support surface, and the number is the same as the number of optical fibers to be housed. The guide is formed for mounting an optical fiber on the upper part thereof, and plays a role of preventing the optical fiber from shifting in the left-right direction. Therefore, the cladding support surface is formed in parallel from one end to the other end. The intervals at which the guides are formed are appropriately adjusted according to the diameter of the optical fiber to be placed and the size of the optical fiber array to be manufactured.

The shape of the cross section of the guide is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an arbitrary shape such as a rectangular shape, an inverted triangular shape, or an inverted trapezoidal shape. Any shape may be used as long as the optical fiber can be prevented from shifting in the left-right direction. The size of the cross section of such a guide is not particularly limited, but usually, the width on the clad support surface is 10 to 30 μm and the depth is 3 to 10 μm.
μm is desirable. This is because it is possible to prevent the optical fiber placed above the optical fiber from being displaced in the left-right direction and to accurately control the position of the optical fiber to be stored. Also, such a guide,
When a resin layer having a groove on the clad support surface is formed,
It is desirable that the groove be formed so as to be exposed at the center of the bottom surface.

The notch is formed to fit the optical fiber supporting substrate, and is formed below a side surface of the cladding supporting substrate orthogonal to the guide (hereinafter, also referred to as a cladding supporting substrate side surface). I have. Although the shape of the notch is not particularly limited, a surface perpendicular to the side surface of the clad support substrate (hereinafter, also referred to as a notch upper surface) and a surface parallel to the side surface of the clad support substrate (hereinafter, notch) (Referred to as a side surface). This is because when the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted into and bonded to the notch, the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate can be made parallel.

The upper surface of the notch is a surface on which the optical fiber supporting surface of the optical fiber supporting substrate comes into contact when the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted into the notch, and is the side opposite to the side of the cladding supporting substrate from the side of the cladding supporting substrate. Is formed toward the side surface. This is because a sufficient contact area can be secured between the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate, and the adhesive strength between them can be sufficiently increased.

The upper surface of the notch should be strictly parallel to the clad support surface, and its flatness should be as small as possible. Since an adhesive layer is formed between the notch upper surface and the optical fiber support surface to bond and fix them, even if there is slight inclination or unevenness on the upper surface of the notch, By adjusting the thickness of the agent layer and the like, the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate can be in a parallel state, and even if there is some flatness on the upper surface of the cutout, there is almost no problem, When the flatness of the notch is made as small as possible, the positional accuracy between the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate is improved.

The cutout side surface is formed from the bottom surface of the clad support substrate to the clad support surface, and preferably has substantially the same shape (area) as the side surface of the optical fiber support substrate. When the optical fiber support substrate is fitted into the notch, the bottom surface of the clad support substrate and the bottom surface of the optical fiber support substrate can be flush with each other, and these substrates can be easily bonded. is there.

Here, it is desirable that the side surfaces of the cutouts do not have exactly the same shape (area) as the side surfaces of the optical fiber supporting substrate because the adhesive layer for bonding the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate is not required. This is to ensure the thickness of the sheet.

On the clad support surface, a resin layer similar to the resin layer described in the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention is formed. May have been subjected to a roughening treatment or a smut treatment, or may have a coating material layer formed thereon. This is because the adhesion to the resin layer can be improved.

Although the shape of the optical fiber supporting substrate is not particularly limited, it is usually plate-shaped, and its size may be appropriately selected in accordance with the size of the optical fiber array. It is adjusted so as to be thinner than the clad support substrate, and it is preferable that the height is substantially the same as the height of the cutout side surface. Note that a resin layer similar to the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention may be formed on the optical fiber supporting surface of the optical fiber supporting substrate.

When the optical fiber support substrate and the clad support substrate are bonded together, the difference between the clad support surface and the optical fiber support surface may be the same as the thickness of the coating resin formed around the optical fiber. desirable. On the clad support surface, the clad portion where the coating resin of the optical fiber is peeled is placed, and on the optical fiber support surface, the optical fiber with the coating resin formed around it is placed. This is because the portion and the coating resin portion can be placed in a completely contacted state without floating from the respective support surfaces.

Such an optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted and bonded to the notch of the cladding supporting substrate. Here, the optical fiber supporting substrate is bonded so that the optical fiber supporting surface is parallel to the clad supporting surface. This is because, when the optical fiber array is manufactured, the relative displacement of the optical fibers and the occurrence of deformation, disconnection, cracks, and the like in the optical fibers are prevented. In addition, for bonding the optical fiber support substrate and the clad support substrate, for example, an adhesive such as a thermosetting resin can be used.

The optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention having such a configuration can be manufactured, for example, by the following method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention.

Next, a method of manufacturing the optical fiber array according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. A second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention is characterized by including at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on an upper surface of a clad support substrate; (B) a cut which is previously fitted to the optical fiber support substrate at a lower portion of a side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide; A supporting substrate bonding step of forming a notch, fitting and bonding an optical fiber supporting substrate thinner than the cladding supporting substrate to the notch, and (C) forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the cladding supporting substrate A forming step, (D) a groove forming step of forming a groove in the resin layer such that a guide is exposed on the bottom surface thereof, and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove.

In the optical fiber array manufacturing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the grooves for accommodating the optical fibers are formed in the resin layer, so that the grooves can be formed with high precision. In particular, when the grooves are formed in a lump, variations between the grooves are eliminated, and even if the positions of the grooves are slightly shifted with respect to the substrate, the relative positions of the grooves do not shift. , And the yield is improved. In the optical fiber array manufacturing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove is filled with an adhesive, so that the optical fiber can be more reliably fixed at a predetermined position. Therefore, according to the second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention, an inexpensive and high-quality optical fiber array can be manufactured.

In the second method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, a substrate is manufactured using a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate thinner than the clad support substrate. That is, the upper surface of the optical fiber supporting substrate can be used as the optical fiber supporting surface, and since it is not necessary to form the optical fiber supporting surface by cutting, the flatness of the optical fiber supporting surface can be suppressed considerably. In addition, the above-mentioned substrate is manufactured by fitting and bonding the optical fiber supporting substrate to the notch of the clad supporting substrate. At this time, by adjusting the bonding angle, the optical fiber supporting surface can be easily formed. Can be made parallel to the upper surface (cladding support surface) of the cladding support substrate, and thus, in the manufactured optical fiber array, the relative position of the optical fiber due to the unevenness of the optical fiber support surface and the inclination with respect to the clad support surface. It is possible to prevent displacement, deformation, breakage and the like from occurring. Further, the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted and bonded to a notch formed at a lower portion of a side surface orthogonal to the guide formed on the cladding supporting surface, so that the contact area between the cladding supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate is large. Thus, an optical fiber array having excellent adhesive strength can be manufactured. Further, in the method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention, when manufacturing the substrate, a guide for mounting an optical fiber may be formed only on the clad support surface, and, of course, the guide once formed. Since the step of forming the optical fiber support surface by cutting the portion including the above is unnecessary, the processing time can be shortened, the productivity is excellent, and the optical fiber array can be manufactured at low cost.

The method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention is different from the method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention in that the structures of the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate to be manufactured in advance, and The step B), that is, the supporting substrate bonding step is different. Therefore, the description here will focus on the method of manufacturing the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate, and the support substrate bonding step.

In the second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, first, a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate made of a hard material such as ceramic, metal or resin as described above are manufactured.

In the production of the clad support substrate,
First, a plate-shaped raw material substrate made of the above hard material is prepared. Then, using a diamond cutter or the like, a notch composed of a plane perpendicular to and parallel to the side surface of the raw material substrate (a notch upper surface and a notch side surface) is formed below one side surface of the raw material substrate. Substrate. Note that, as described above, the notch can be formed by first preparing a plate-shaped raw material substrate and then performing a cutting process on the raw material substrate. In the case of consisting of, a notch is formed in the raw material molded body to be manufactured first, and the raw material molded body is subjected to a baking treatment or a thermosetting treatment, so that the raw material molded body is cut at the lower portion of the side surface without performing the above cutting processing. A clad support substrate having a notch may be manufactured. The notch produced in this way is adjusted to a size that can fit the optical fiber support substrate.

The optical fiber supporting substrate is plate-shaped, and is made of the same ceramic, metal,
It is manufactured using a hard material such as a resin. Specifically, it can be manufactured by performing cutting processing on a raw material substrate manufactured in an appropriate size.In particular, when the clad support substrate is made of ceramic, resin, or the like, a raw material molded body to be manufactured first is prepared. An optical fiber supporting substrate may be manufactured without performing the above-described cutting process by manufacturing the raw material molded body in a predetermined size and performing a baking treatment or a thermosetting treatment on the raw material molded body. The optical fiber supporting substrate is manufactured so as to be thinner than the clad supporting substrate (see FIG. 4).

The thickness of the optical fiber supporting substrate manufactured in this manner is determined by the height of the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate when the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted and bonded to the notch in the step (B). It is desirable to adjust the difference so that the difference is similar to the thickness of the coating resin that covers the periphery of the optical fiber.
Further, it is desirable to polish the upper surfaces of these support substrates formed in a predetermined size and shape. This is because, when an optical fiber is placed on these surfaces in a later process, the optical fiber is prevented from being displaced or damaged.

Next, the above-mentioned step (A), that is, a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the clad support surface, using the manufactured clad support substrate, is performed by the optical fiber array of the first present invention. Of the manufacturing method (A). Note that this guide is formed from the end face of the clad support substrate having the notch to the opposite end face.

Next, the above-mentioned step (B), that is, the supporting substrate bonding step, is performed, and the optical fiber supporting substrate thinner than the cladding supporting substrate is fitted into the notch of the previously prepared cladding supporting substrate. Glue.

In this step, an adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the notch and the entire side surface of the notch, and the optical fiber supporting substrate is fitted into and bonded to the notch. Further, the clad support surface is bonded so as to be parallel to the optical fiber support surface. As the adhesive, for example, a thermosetting resin or the like can be used. This (B)
Can be performed before the following step (E).

Next, the above-mentioned steps (C) to (E) are performed. That is, after forming a resin layer having a groove on the clad support substrate, the optical fiber is housed in the resin layer. Specifically, for example, the method may be performed using the same method as the steps (C) to (E) of the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention.

After the optical fiber is housed in the groove through the above steps, a lid for covering the optical fiber is formed on the resin layer in the same manner as in the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention. It is desirable to perform a lid forming step.

The method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention is similar to the method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention. An adhesive filling step of filling at least a part of the non-storage portion with an uncured adhesive, and an uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step is cured to form an adhesive layer forming an adhesive layer. Preferably, after the adhesive layer forming step, the lid forming step described above is included.

In the second method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, like the first method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the first invention, before the step (E), an uncured groove is formed in the groove. An adhesive filling step of filling the adhesive, and after the step (E), an adhesive layer forming step of curing the uncured adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step to form an adhesive layer Preferably, the method further includes a lid forming step of forming a lid on the resin layer after the adhesive layer forming step. After the step (E) and before the adhesive layer forming step, the above-described adhesive filling step may be performed again.

In this case, in the adhesive filling step performed before the step (E), the amount of the adhesive filled in the groove is reduced, and when the optical fiber is stored in the step (E), It is preferable that the gap is formed and that the adhesive is completely filled in the optical fiber non-housing portion (the gap) of the groove in the adhesive filling step performed again. The optical fiber can be securely fixed by the resin layer, and the displacement of the optical fiber can be more reliably prevented.

The optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention manufactured as described above is provided with irregularities and product recognition marks which serve as a guide for connection in the same manner as the manufacturing method of the first aspect of the present invention. It may be formed in a part or the like.

In the optical fiber array in which the resin layer having such a groove is formed, the optical fiber accommodated in the optical fiber array is connected to an optical device such as a waveguide, a light receiving element, a light emitting element, etc. So that various modules such as the Internet, TV, games, and mobile can be operated.

As described above, as the optical fiber array of the present invention,
The optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention and the optical fiber array according to the second aspect of the present invention in which the substrate comprises a clad supporting substrate and an optical fiber supporting substrate have been described. The substrate may have a structure in which the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate are integrally formed.

In order to manufacture the optical fiber array of the present invention comprising such a substrate, first, a plate-like body made of a material as described in the optical fiber array according to the first present invention is manufactured. Next, a substrate having a clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface having different heights on its upper surface is prepared by subjecting the plate-like body to cutting. Then, by performing the same resin layer forming step, groove forming step and optical fiber storing step as the optical fiber array according to the first aspect of the present invention on the substrate, the clad supporting substrate and the optical fiber supporting substrate are integrated. The optical fiber array of the present invention formed in a specific manner can be manufactured.

In order to manufacture an optical fiber array in which a guide is formed on the bottom of a groove formed in the resin layer of the optical fiber array, a cutting member such as a diamond cutter is used on the entire upper surface of the plate. After forming a groove-shaped guide at a predetermined position, after cutting the plate-shaped body, or after cutting the plate-shaped body to form a clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface, A groove-shaped guide may be formed on the clad support surface using a cutting member such as a diamond cutter, but in consideration of processing efficiency, productivity, and the like, the plate-shaped body is cut to form After forming the fiber supporting surface, it is more preferable to form a guide on the cladding supporting surface.

[0174]

The present invention will be described in more detail below.

(Example 1) (1) After firing, the surface was polished to a thickness of 10 m.
The starting material was a clad support substrate 51 made of silicon m and an optical fiber support substrate made of silicon having a thickness of 5 mm, the surface of which was polished.

(2) Next, using a diamond cutter, a width of 20 μm and a depth of 7 μm were formed on the cladding support substrate 51.
The guide 54 having an inverted triangular cross section is
Seven pieces were formed in parallel at an interval of 0 μm (see FIG. 5A). Although only four guides 54 are formed in FIG. 5A, this diagram is a schematic view, and in this embodiment, seven guides 54 are formed as described above.

(3) Next, the above-mentioned optical fiber supporting substrate is bonded to the side surface where the upper surface of the cladding supporting substrate 51 and the guide 54 are orthogonal to each other so that the bottom surface of the optical fiber supporting substrate is flush with the bottom surface of the cladding supporting substrate 51. did. The bonding between the clad support substrate 51 and the optical fiber support substrate is performed by applying an uncured adhesive composition containing an epoxy resin to one entire side surface of the optical fiber support substrate, and then bonding the clad support substrate 51 to the optical fiber support substrate. And heat-treated to cure the adhesive composition. At this time, the height difference between the upper surface (cladding support surface) of the clad support substrate 51 and the upper surface (optical fiber support surface) of the optical fiber support substrate is the same as the thickness of the resin coating the periphery of the optical fiber. there were.

(4) Next, the resin composition solution prepared by the following method was applied to the clad support substrate 5 using a curtain coater.
1 has a cured thickness of 131 μm (thickness of 150 when applied)
μm), and then dried at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes and 100 ° C. for 30 minutes to form a semi-cured resin layer 52 (see FIG. 5B). In the semi-cured resin layer 52, a skin layer was formed on the surface.

[0179]Preparation of resin composition solution  Novolak type epoxy resin acrylate as resin component
40 parts by weight of a compound and bisphenol A type epoxy
35 parts by weight of resin, imidazole curing agent 4 times as curing agent
Parts, silica particles having an average particle diameter of 10 μm as inorganic particles
10 parts by weight, 3.0 parts by weight of a photopolymerization initiator, and a reaction stabilizer
1.0 part by weight of an amine compound, and as a solvent
After mixing 15 parts by weight of toluene, the viscosity of the mixture
6min^{− 1}Becomes 10 ± 1 Pa · s at 25 ° C
To obtain a resin composition solution.

(5) Next, a mask in which the portion facing the groove forming portion is drawn in black, that is, a black line having a width of 150 μm,
Seven masks drawn at intervals of 200 μm are placed in close contact with the resin layer 52 in a semi-cured state (see FIG. 5C), and using an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp at 1200 mj / cm ² for 15 minutes. Exposure was performed under the conditions. Further, after the exposure was completed, development processing was performed using diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DMDG).

(6) Next, the resin layer after the development processing is
Full curing under conditions of 100 ° C. for 30 minutes and 150 ° C. for 3 hours, width 125 μm, depth 131 μm, spacing between grooves 2
The wall 53a is perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate 51 at a thickness of 00 μm, and a groove 53 is formed in the center of the bottom surface where the guide 54 is exposed.
This was formed (see FIG. 5D).

(7) Next, seven optical fibers (manufactured by Hitachi Cable, Ltd.) having a cladding diameter of 125 μm from which a part of the coating resin formed around the optical fiber was peeled off, were prepared, and were arranged using an aligner. The end faces were aligned and at 200 μm intervals. Thereafter, the groove 5 is held while being held by an aligner (not shown).
The optical fiber 55 was housed so as to be placed on the guide 54 formed on the bottom surface of No. 3. Thereafter, an uncured adhesive composition containing an epoxy resin is filled into the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove 53 from the end of the groove, and further subjected to a curing treatment to form an adhesive layer 56 (FIG. 5 ( e)).

(8) Next, an uncured adhesive composition containing an epoxy resin is applied and filled on the resin layer 52 containing the optical fiber 55 and on the optical fiber non-contained portion of the groove 53. A silicon substrate having the same size and the same material as the clad support substrate 51 is placed on the cladding support substrate 52, and the adhesive composition is cured by performing a heat treatment, thereby forming the adhesive layer 59 and the lid portion 57 made of silicon. The optical fiber array was manufactured by forming and removing the aligner (see FIG. 5 (f)). In the optical fiber array manufactured in this example, the depth of the groove: the diameter of the optical fiber フ ァ イ バ 1.05: 1.0, and the optical fiber was completely housed in the groove.

(Example 2) (1) A clad support substrate 61 and an optical fiber support substrate were prepared in the same manner as in (1) to (3) of Example 1, except that the material of the substrate was quartz. After forming seven guides 64 on the clad support substrate 61, these were adhered to produce a substrate (see FIG. 6A).

(2) Next, the resin composition solution prepared by the following method was applied on a substrate by a curtain coater so that the thickness after curing became 131 μm. Drying was performed at 100 ° C. for 30 minutes to form a semi-cured resin layer 62. In the semi-cured resin layer 62, a skin layer was formed on the surface thereof (see FIG. 6B).

[0186]Preparation of resin composition solution  Novolak type epoxy resin acrylate as resin component
40 parts by weight of a compound, and 35 parts by weight of a phenol resin,
As a curing agent, 4 parts by weight of an imidazole curing agent and inorganic particles
10 parts by weight of silica particles having an average particle diameter of 10 μm,
2.0 parts by weight of initiator, amine compound as reaction stabilizer
1.0 parts by weight and a toluene solution 10 as a solvent
After mixing the parts by weight, the viscosity becomes 6 min.^-1so
Stir at 25 ° C until 10 ± 1 Pa · s.
A fat composition solution was obtained.

(3) Next, the semi-cured resin layer 62 is exposed and developed by using the same method as the step (5) of the first embodiment (see FIG. 6C). A groove 63 was formed in the resin layer 62 by performing the main curing using the same method as in the step (6) of Example 1 (see FIG. 6D). In addition, the groove 63 formed through this process has a shape in which the wall surface 63a is inclined so that the width of the bottom surface is narrow, the width of the bottom surface is 120 μm, and the width of the upper surface is 150 μm. The depth is 131 μm, and the guide 64 is exposed at the center of the bottom surface.

(4) Next, the optical fiber 65 is housed in the groove 63 by using the same method as in the step (7) of the first embodiment. Then, an uncured adhesive composition was filled from the substrate and subjected to a curing treatment to form an adhesive layer 66 (see FIG. 6E).

(5) Next, the adhesive layer 69 and the lid 67 were formed by the following method to manufacture an optical fiber array. That is, on the resin layer 62 containing the optical fiber 65,
A solution similar to the resin composition solution used in the step (4) of Example 1 was applied with a curtain coater, and then dried (8).
10 minutes at 0 ° C. and 30 minutes at 100 ° C.) and a curing treatment (30 minutes at 100 ° C. and 3 hours at 150 ° C.). In this step, together with the lid 67, the adhesive layer 6
9 is formed. In the optical fiber array manufactured in this embodiment, the depth of the groove 63: the diameter of the optical fiber 65６５
1.05: 1.0, and the optical fiber 65 was completely housed in the groove 63.

Example 3 (1) Cladding support substrate made of 10 mm thick glass whose surface was polished, and optical fiber support substrate made of 5 mm thick glass whose surface was polished Was used as a starting material, and a notch having a height of 5.1 mm was formed in a lower portion of one side surface of the clad support substrate (see FIG. 4).

(2) Next, using a diamond cutter, a guide having a width of 15 μm, a depth of 5 μm and an inverted triangular cross section on the cladding support substrate in a direction perpendicular to the notches is used. Seven pieces were formed in parallel at intervals of 200 μm.

(3) Next, an optical fiber supporting substrate was bonded to the notch so that the bottom surface thereof was flush with the bottom surface of the cladding supporting substrate. Incidentally, the adhesion between the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate is performed by applying an uncured adhesive composition containing an epoxy resin to the notch, and then bonding the optical fiber support substrate into the notch. The heat treatment was performed to cure the adhesive composition.

(4) Next, the photosensitive polyimide solution prepared by the following method was applied on a substrate by a curtain coater so that the thickness after curing became 131 μm.
A drying treatment was performed at 0 ° C. for 10 minutes and at 100 ° C. for 30 minutes to form a semi-cured resin layer. In the semi-cured resin layer, a skin layer was formed on the surface.

[0194]Preparation of photosensitive polyimide solution  Bis-phenol fluorene represented by the following chemical formula (5)
-Hydroxy acrylate and bis-aniline-fur
The molar ratio of orene to pyromellitic anhydride is 1: 4: 5.
Reaction of a random copolymer obtained by
40 parts by weight of amide were dissolved in 10 parts by weight of DMDG,
Photosensitive poly at a temperature of 25 ± 10 ° C.
A mid solution was prepared.

[0195]

Embedded image

(5) Next, the semi-cured resin layer is exposed and developed by using the same method as in the step (5) of the first embodiment. Grooves were formed in the resin layer by full-curing using the same method.
Note that the groove formed through this process has a shape in which the wall surface is inclined so that the width of the bottom surface is reduced, the width of the bottom surface is 120 μm, the width of the upper surface is 150 μm, and the depth is The height is 131 μm.

(6) Next, an optical fiber was housed in the groove of the resin layer by using the same method as in the step (7) of Example 1, and an adhesive layer was further formed. (7) Next, an uncured adhesive composition containing a phenol resin is applied to the resin layer containing the optical fiber, and a glass substrate having the same size and material as the clad support substrate is placed on the resin layer. Then, a heat treatment was performed to cure the adhesive composition to form a lid portion made of silicon, thereby producing an optical fiber array. In the optical fiber array manufactured in this example, the depth of the groove: the diameter of the optical fiber フ ァ イ バ 1.05: 1.0, and the optical fiber was completely housed in the groove.

Example 4 (1) Except that the material of the substrate was glass epoxy resin,
In the same manner as in (1) to (3) of Example 3, a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate were produced, and after forming seven guides on the clad support substrate, these were adhered to produce a substrate. did.

(2) Next, the resin composition solution prepared by the following method was applied on a substrate with a curtain coater so that the cured thickness became 131 μm, and then the coating was performed at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes. A drying treatment was performed at 100 ° C. for 30 minutes to form a resin layer in a semi-cured state. In the semi-cured resin layer, a skin layer was formed on the surface.

[0200]Preparation of resin composition solution  Novolak type epoxy resin acrylate as resin component
40 parts by weight of compound, bisphenol A type epoxy resin 35
Parts by weight, and 12 parts by weight of a phenoxy resin, and a curing agent
4 parts by weight of imidazole curing agent, average as inorganic particles
10 parts by weight of silica particles having a particle diameter of 10 μm and light
Benzophenone 1.0 part by weight as a polymerization initiator,
1.0 parts by weight of an amine compound as a stabilizer and a solvent
After mixing 15 parts by weight of a toluene solution as
But the rotation speed is 6min^-110 ± 1Pa at 25 ° C
-The mixture was stirred until s was reached to obtain a resin composition solution.

(3) Next, the semi-cured resin layer is exposed and developed by using the same method as in the step (5) of the first embodiment. Grooves were formed in the resin layer by full-curing using the same method.
The groove formed through this process has a wall surface perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate.

(4) Next, using the same method as in the step (7) of the first embodiment, the optical fiber is housed and the adhesive layer is formed. Further, the step (5) of the second embodiment is performed. A lid and an adhesive layer were formed using the same method as in the above, to manufacture an optical fiber array. In the optical fiber array manufactured in this example, the depth of the groove: the diameter of the optical fiber フ ァ イ バ
1.05: 1.0, and the optical fiber was completely accommodated in the groove.

With respect to the optical fiber arrays obtained in Examples 1 to 4, a detector was mounted on the end face of the optical fiber on the optical fiber array side, and light was introduced from the other end face of the optical fiber using a light emitting element. The storage accuracy of the optical fiber was evaluated by calculating the deviation from the design of the storage position of the optical fiber from the light detection position at that time. The results are shown in Table 1. Also,
After pressing the optical fiber array from above with a pressing force of 20 Pa for 20 minutes, the storage accuracy of the optical fibers was measured in the same manner as described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0204]

[Table 1]

As shown in Table 1, the deviation from the design of the storage position of the optical fiber in Examples 1 to 4 was 2% or less (with respect to the clad diameter), and the optical fiber was stored at a predetermined position with high accuracy. I was After the evaluation of the storage accuracy, the optical fiber array was disassembled and the surface of the optical fiber was observed with a microscope. As a result, no scratch or deformation was found on the surface of the optical fiber. Furthermore, the optical fiber arrays of Examples 1 to 4 were connected to a light receiving device in which seven light receiving elements were arranged, and the coupling loss was measured. The coupling loss was low, and the quality required as a product was sufficient. I was satisfied.

In the optical fiber arrays manufactured in Examples 1 to 4, when manufacturing the substrate of each optical fiber array, the guide may be formed only on the clad support substrate, and further, the optical fiber support surface is formed. Because there was no need to perform any cutting work to achieve high production efficiency,
It could be manufactured at low cost.

[0207]

As described above, in the optical fiber array of the present invention, since the groove for accommodating the optical fiber is formed in the resin layer, the groove is deformed such as unevenness or swelling. Even so, there is little risk that the optical fiber will be damaged or deformed, and it is possible to prevent an increase in connection loss due to this deformation. Further, in the case of the resin layer, since the grooves are easily formed collectively, there is no variation in shape between the grooves, and there is no relative displacement.
Further, since the optical fiber array of the present invention has many parts formed of resin, it can be manufactured at a lower cost than conventional optical fiber arrays made of ceramic or the like. Further, when the substrate constituting the optical fiber array of the present invention is composed of a clad support substrate and an optical fiber support substrate, the upper surface of the optical fiber support substrate becomes the optical fiber support surface, so that its flatness can be easily adjusted. Can be kept low, and when the optical fiber is placed on the substrate, there is no occurrence of displacement of the optical fiber. Further, since the guides need only be formed on the clad support substrate, the productivity is excellent and the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

In the first and second methods for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, the grooves for accommodating the optical fibers are formed in the resin layer, so that the grooves can be formed with high precision. In particular, when the grooves are formed in a lump, variations between the grooves are eliminated, and even if the positions of the grooves are slightly shifted with respect to the substrate, the relative positions of the grooves do not shift. The manufacturing cost is lower than before. In the first and second methods for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention, the substrate is manufactured using the clad support substrate and the optical fiber support substrate, and the upper surface of the optical fiber support substrate is provided with the optical fiber support surface. Therefore, the flatness of the optical fiber can be easily reduced, and when the optical fiber is placed on the substrate, the optical fiber is not displaced. Further, the guide may be formed only on the surface of the clad support substrate, and there is no need to form an optical fiber support surface for mounting an optical fiber having a coating resin around the surface by grinding. In addition, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.
Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, an inexpensive and high-quality optical fiber array can be manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of an optical fiber array of the first invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged sectional view schematically showing a part of the optical fiber array of the first invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a substrate constituting the optical fiber array according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate constituting an optical fiber array of the first invention.

FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a substrate constituting the optical fiber array according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate constituting an optical fiber array of the second invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a part of the manufacturing process in the method for manufacturing an optical fiber array of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a part of the manufacturing process in the method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 20, 30, 40 Optical fiber array 11, 21, 51, 61 Cladding support substrate 11a, 21a Cladding support surface 12, 52, 62 Resin layer 13, 53, 63 Groove 14, 24, 54, 64 Guide 15, 55 , 65 Optical fiber 100, 200 Substrate 110, 210 Optical fiber support substrate 110a, 210a Optical fiber support surface

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kotaro Hayashi 1-1, Ibigawa-cho, Ibi-gun, Gifu Prefecture F-term (reference) in Ogaki-kita Plant 2H036 JA01 LA02 LA05 LA07 LA08

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A substrate comprising a clad support surface and an optical fiber support surface having different heights, a resin layer having a plurality of grooves is formed on the clad support surface, and the optical fibers are housed in the grooves. An optical fiber array, characterized in that: 2. The substrate, comprising: a clad support substrate having an upper surface serving as the clad support surface; and an optical fiber support substrate having an upper surface serving as an optical fiber support surface and thinner than the clad support substrate. On the clad support surface, the resin layer is formed, and a guide exposed on the bottom surface of the groove is formed, and the optical fiber support substrate is such that the optical fiber support surface is lower than the clad support surface. 2. The optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber array is bonded to a side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide. 3. The substrate comprises: a clad support substrate having an upper surface serving as the clad support surface; and an optical fiber support substrate having an upper surface serving as an optical fiber support surface and thinner than the clad support substrate. On the clad support surface, the resin layer is formed, and a guide exposed on the bottom surface of the groove is formed. Further, the optical fiber support substrate is formed at a lower portion of a side of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide. The optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein a notch is formed to fit the optical fiber supporting substrate into the notch. 4. The optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is formed on at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove. 5. The optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein a lid for covering the optical fiber is formed on the resin layer. 6. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber array, comprising at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the upper surface of the clad support substrate; (B) the upper surface of the side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide is lower than the upper surface of the clad support substrate. A supporting substrate bonding step of bonding an optical fiber supporting substrate thinner than the cladding supporting substrate, (C) a resin layer forming step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the cladding supporting substrate, and (D) the resin layer A groove forming step of forming a groove so that the guide is exposed on the bottom surface; and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove. 7. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber array, comprising at least the following steps (A) to (E). (A) a guide forming step of forming a plurality of guides on the upper surface of the clad support substrate; (B) a cut which is previously fitted to the optical fiber support substrate at a lower portion of a side surface of the clad support substrate orthogonal to the guide; A supporting substrate bonding step of forming a notch and fitting and bonding an optical fiber supporting substrate thinner than the cladding supporting substrate to the notch; and (C) forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the cladding supporting substrate. A forming step, (D) a groove forming step of forming a groove in the resin layer so that a guide is exposed on the bottom surface, and (E) an optical fiber storing step of storing an optical fiber in the groove. 8. An adhesive filling step in which at least a part of the optical fiber non-housing portion of the groove is filled with an uncured adhesive after the step (E), and an unfilled adhesive filled in the adhesive filling step. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to claim 6, further comprising: curing the cured adhesive to form an adhesive layer. 9. An adhesive filling step for filling the groove with an uncured adhesive before the step (E), and after the step (E), the groove is filled in the adhesive filling step. The method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising a step of forming an adhesive layer by curing an uncured adhesive to form an adhesive layer. 10. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to claim 6, further comprising a lid forming step of forming a lid covering the optical fiber on the resin layer.