JP2004317627A - Mount, optical module and transmitting and receiving module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mount which can prevent the collision of the end face of an optical fiber and an optical element and also can keep spacing of the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element constant without increasing man-hours and the number of components and an optical module using this. <P>SOLUTION: A mount 10 is an mount which holds an optical fiber 7 and an optical element 2 so as to be able to be optically coupled and has an optical fiber housing hole 13 which is extended and formed so as to be able to house the tip part including the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and an optical element mounting part 11 which can mount the optical element 2 while making the element confront with the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 which is housed in the optical fiber housing part 13 and, moreover, a collision part 14 which assures spacing of the end face 9 of the fiber 7 and the element 2 by the collision of the end face 9 of the fiber 7 is formed in the optical fiber housing hole 13. Moreover, an optical module 1 uses this. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mount and an optical module for optically coupling an optical element such as a light emitting element or a light receiving element with an optical fiber.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, when signals are transmitted and received between a communication device and a large-scale computer, conversion between an electric signal and an optical signal and communication as an optical signal have been actively studied. In order to perform transmission by an optical signal, an electric signal is converted into an optical signal using a light emitting element, and the obtained optical signal is incident on an optical waveguide such as an optical fiber. In reception, an optical signal propagating through an optical fiber is made incident on a light receiving element, and the optical signal is converted into an electric signal using the light receiving element.
[0003]
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes an optical module using a surface-emitting type and a surface-receiving type optical element as a light emitting element and a light receiving element. In this optical module, the optical fiber is inserted and fixed in a through hole formed inside the platform (mount), and the optical element is arranged facing the open end of the through hole. Thereby, optical coupling between the optical element and the optical fiber is achieved.
In addition, in order to prevent the end face of the optical fiber from hitting the optical part of the optical element (the light emitting part of the light emitting element or the light receiving part of the light receiving element), Patent Document 2 discloses that the optical element has a stopper higher than the optical part. There is described a method of providing or closing part or all of a through hole with a light transmitting member such as a substrate or a tape.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-349307 A
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-159724 A
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the optical module described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the end face of the optical fiber hits the optical element and the optical element is damaged.
Even in the optical module described in Patent Document 2, when the stopper is a bump made of a solder ball or the like, the bump is crushed when the end face of the optical fiber hits, so that the collision between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element cannot be prevented. There is.
Further, if the height of the bumps is not constant, the end faces of the optical fiber may come into irregular contact, and may not function well as a stopper. In particular, when the end face of the optical fiber is polished obliquely with respect to the optical axis, if the most protruding portion of the end face deviates from the position of the stopper, it may hit the optical element.
The number of steps is increased due to the step of forming bumps on the optical element, and the crystal structure of the optical element may be destroyed when bump bonding is performed using ultrasonic waves.
Further, it is difficult to keep the distance between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element constant by a pump-based stopper due to variations in the size of the bumps and crushing of the bumps. For this reason, even if the end face of the optical fiber is applied to the bump, good coupling efficiency may not be obtained.
[0006]
On the other hand, if the through-hole is closed using a light-transmitting member such as a substrate or tape made of glass or plastic, the number of parts increases, which increases the number of processes and costs, and also ensures that attachment by adhesion or the like is performed. If not performed, there is a risk of peeling. Also, if the light transmissive member is attached with an adhesive, it is difficult to make the applied thickness of the adhesive constant, so that it is difficult to keep the distance between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element constant.
When a part of the through hole is closed, if the mounting position is shifted, it may not function as a stopper or may block the optical path. When the entire through-hole is closed, an AR coat is required on the surface of the light-transmitting member for closing the through-hole to prevent reflection, which further increases the cost.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can prevent a collision between an end face of an optical fiber and an optical element without increasing the number of steps and the number of parts, and furthermore, it is possible to prevent the end face of the optical fiber from interfering with the optical element. An object of the present invention is to provide a mount capable of keeping a constant interval and an optical module using the mount.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a mount for holding an optical fiber and an optical element so as to be optically coupled, the optical fiber housing being formed so as to be capable of accommodating a distal end portion including an end face of the optical fiber. A hole, an optical element mounting portion capable of mounting the optical element opposite to the end face of the optical fiber housed in the optical fiber housing hole, and the optical fiber housing hole has an optical fiber According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mount characterized in that a butt portion for securing an interval between the end surface of the optical fiber and the optical element is formed by the butt of the end face.
In this mount, a light emitting element or a light receiving element can be used as an optical element.
[0009]
It is preferable that a communication path communicating with the optical fiber receiving hole is opened between the abutting portion and the optical element mounting portion.
When the optical element is a light-emitting element or a light-receiving element, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the communication path is larger than the size of the optical part of the optical element over the entire length of the communication path.
[0010]
In the case where the communication path is provided, as the abutting portion, the diameter decreases toward the step portion formed perpendicular to the extending direction of the optical fiber receiving hole or the optical element mounting portion, and the minimum diameter is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber. The tapered hole can be reduced.
The communication path may be a cylindrical hole having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber, a groove having a width smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber, a tapered hole, or the like.
When the mount of the present invention is made of a light-transmitting material, the optical fiber receiving hole may be a bottomed hole, and the abutting portion may be a bottom surface of the optical fiber receiving hole.
[0011]
In the above-mentioned mount, it is preferable that an interval between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element is set to an interval at which a good coupling efficiency can be obtained between the optical fiber and the optical element.
The present invention can also be applied to a mount having a plurality of sets of optical fiber receiving holes and optical element mounting portions as an array type mount.
[0012]
An optical module can be manufactured by accommodating an end portion including an end surface of an optical fiber in the optical fiber accommodating hole of the mount of the present invention and mounting the optical element on the optical element mounting portion.
By optically connecting an optical module whose optical element is a light emitting element and an optical module whose optical element is a light receiving element, a transmission / reception module can be manufactured.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the optical module of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a mount used for the optical module.
The optical module 1 includes an optical element 2, an optical fiber 7 optically coupled to the optical element 2, a mount 10 for holding the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 so as to be optically coupled, and a control semiconductor element 5 The tip including the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 is accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole 13 of the mount 10, the optical element 2 is mounted on the optical element mounting part 11 on one end of the mount 10, 18, the semiconductor element 5 is mounted. The optical fiber receiving hole 13 is terminated by an abutting portion 14 formed inside the mount 10, and a communication communicating with the optical fiber receiving hole 13 is provided between the abutting portion 14 and the optical element mounting portion 11. The passage 16 is open.
[0014]
The mount 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and one end surface thereof is an optical element mounting portion 11 on which the optical element 2 such as a light emitting element or a light receiving element can be mounted. Further, as described later in detail, the optical fiber 2 has an optical fiber accommodation hole 13 in which the optical fiber 7 optically coupled to the optical element 2 can be inserted and accommodated. The mount 10 may be integrally formed by injection molding, molding, or the like using an appropriate molding material such as ceramics such as alumina or aluminum nitride, glass such as quartz glass or silicate glass, or plastic. It is possible to produce by.
Here, the shape of the mount 10 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not particularly limited, and may be another shape such as a column shape or a hexagonal column shape.
[0015]
The optical element 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can be optically coupled to the optical fiber 7, but for optical communication, for example, there are a light emitting element and a light receiving element. Examples of the light emitting element include a surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and a laser diode (LD). The light receiving element includes, for example, a photodiode (PD).
The optical element 2 is mounted on the optical element mounting section 11 with an optical part 2a (for example, a light emitting section of a light emitting element or a light receiving section of a light receiving element) involved in optical coupling facing the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7.
The semiconductor element 5 is for controlling the optical element 2. Specifically, when the optical element 2 is a light emitting element, a driving IC or the like that drives the light emitting element according to an electric signal input from the outside is used. When the optical element 2 is a light receiving element, an amplifier or the like that adjusts the output of the electric signal output from the light receiving element and outputs the adjusted signal to the outside is used.
[0016]
The optical element 2 and the semiconductor element 5 are electrically connected by the electrode pattern 4 formed from the side surface 18 of the mount 10 to the optical element mounting portion 11. The optical element 2 is electrically connected to the electrode pattern 4 by fixing the optical element 2 to the electrode pattern 4 on the optical element mounting portion 11 using a conductive material 3 such as an Au bump, an Au / Sn bump, solder, or a conductive adhesive. Connected.
The optical element 2 is mounted on the optical element mounting section 11 such that the position of the optical portion 2 a is adjusted to the position of the opening 17 of the communication path 16.
[0017]
The semiconductor element 5 is connected to the electrode pattern 4 by a material such as a gold tin solder, a bump such as gold (Au) or Au / Sn, a conductive adhesive, and a gold wire.
It is preferable that the semiconductor element 5 is mounted on the side surface 18 of the mount 10 because another substrate or the like for mounting the semiconductor element 5 on the outside becomes unnecessary, but this is not essential in the present invention. The electrical connection between the optical element 2 and the semiconductor element 5 may be ensured by mounting the semiconductor element 5 on an external substrate or the like and connecting the semiconductor element 5 to the electrode pattern 4 via a wire, a cord, or the like.
[0018]
In the vicinity of the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7, the coating 7a is removed to expose the bare optical fiber 8 (hereinafter, the bare optical fiber may be simply referred to as "optical fiber"). The bare optical fiber 8 is a normal one having a clad 8b around a core 8a, and the type thereof is not particularly limited, such as a silica-based optical fiber, a plastic-clad optical fiber, and an all-plastic optical fiber.
[0019]
Inside the mount 10, an optical fiber receiving hole 13, an abutting portion 14, and a communication path 16 are formed in this order from the end face 12 facing the optical element mounting section 11 toward the optical element mounting section 11.
The opening 15 of the optical fiber receiving hole 13, the opening 17 of the communication path 16, the boundary between the optical fiber receiving hole 13 and the abutting part 14, the boundary between the abutting part 14 and the communicating path 16, and the change in diameter at the optical fiber receiving hole 13. Corners and corners, such as portions to be cut, may be chamfered (C) or rounded (R).
[0020]
The optical fiber accommodating hole 13 is adapted to accommodate and hold the optical fiber 7 therein, and the cylindrical large diameter portion 13a accommodating the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a and the bare optical fiber 8 are provided. It has a cylindrical small diameter portion 13c to be accommodated, and a tapered portion 13b communicating between the large diameter portion 13a and the small diameter portion 13c.
The central axis of the large diameter portion 13a, the tapered portion 13b, the small diameter portion 13c, and the communication path 16 of the optical fiber receiving hole 13 coincide with each other.
The diameter c of the small diameter portion 13c is preferably slightly larger than the diameter (cladding diameter) of the bare optical fiber 8 so that the cladding 8b of the optical fiber 7 can be just accommodated. For example, when the cladding diameter is 125 μm, preferably 126. To 133 μm, and more preferably 126 to 128 μm.
The diameter of the large diameter portion 13a is made larger than the diameter (coating diameter) of the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a.
[0021]
The abutting portion 14 is a step portion formed perpendicular to the extending direction of the optical fiber receiving hole 13 (the left-right direction in FIG. 2). A communication path 16 extends from the center of the abutting part 14 toward the center of the optical element mounting part 11.
Here, the communication path 16 is a cylindrical hole having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bare optical fiber 8 (the cladding diameter of the optical fiber 7). For example, in the case of an optical fiber having a core diameter of 62.5 μm and a cladding diameter of 125 μm, the diameter a of the communication path 16 is preferably 110 μm or less, more preferably in the range of 65 to 100 μm.
[0022]
When the optical fiber 7 is accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole 13, the bare optical fiber 8 is inserted into the small-diameter portion 13 c, and the end face 9 is further abutted against the abutting portion 14. Is aligned with the central axis of the optical fiber receiving hole 13, and the distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 is kept constant.
Optical coupling between the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 is performed when light emitted from one of the optical fibers 7 passes through the communication path 16 and enters the other.
[0023]
The distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 is preferably set to a distance at which good coupling efficiency can be obtained between the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2. In the mount of the present embodiment, , And the length of the communication path 16. The length varies depending on the type and specifications of the optical element 2 and the core diameter of the optical fiber 7, but is usually 10 to 200 μm, and more preferably 50 to 100 μm.
Further, the diameter a of the communication path 16 depends on the size of the optical portion 2a of the optical element 2, but is preferably larger than the optical portion 2a if possible.
[0024]
According to the optical module and the mount of the present embodiment, the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the optical fiber receiving hole 13 and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 is merely abutted against the abutting part 14, so that the abutting part 14 serves as a stopper. The collision between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be prevented. In addition, the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 can be positioned to keep the distance from the optical element 2 constant. Since the butting portion 14 is integrally formed inside the mount 10, it can be manufactured without increasing the number of steps and the number of parts.
When another component made of a light transmitting member is used as an optical fiber stopper as in a conventional mount, an AR coat is required on the surface of the light transmitting member. Since no other components are used, the step of applying the AR coating to the light transmitting member can be omitted, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
[0025]
FIG. 3 is a view showing a mount according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The mount 20 is a modified example of the mount 10 of the first embodiment. Similarly, one end surface is an optical element mounting portion 21 on which the optical element 2 is mounted. The optical fiber receiving hole 23, the abutting part 24, and the communication path 26 are formed in this order from the end face 22 facing the optical element mounting part 21 toward the optical element mounting part 21.
The material and the manufacturing method of the mount 20 and the method of manufacturing the optical module using the mount 20 can be the same as the case of the mount 10 of the first embodiment.
[0026]
Like the mount 10 of the first embodiment, the optical fiber accommodation hole 23 has a large diameter portion 23a for accommodating the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a and a small diameter portion 23c for accommodating the bare optical fiber 8. , A tapered portion 23b communicating the large diameter portion 23a and the small diameter portion 23c.
The diameter c of the small diameter portion 23c is larger than the diameter (cladding diameter) of the optical fiber 8 so that the cladding 8b of the optical fiber 8 can be accommodated. Preferably, the diameter is slightly larger than the cladding diameter. For example, when the cladding diameter is 125 μm, it is preferably 126 to 133 μm, and more preferably 126 to 128 μm.
[0027]
Then, the abutting portion 24 is a tapered hole having a diameter decreasing toward the optical element mounting portion 21 continuously from the small diameter portion 23c and having a minimum diameter smaller than the cladding diameter of the optical fiber 8, The communication path 26 is a continuous cylindrical hole at a location where the diameter of the abutting portion 24 is minimum.
[0028]
The diameter a of the opening 27 of the communication path 26 depends on the size of the optical part 2a of the optical element 2, but if possible, it is desirable to make it larger than the optical part 2a. It is desirable to make the diameter larger than the diameter of the core 8a.
It is desirable that the taper angle of the abutting portion 24 be wider than the spread angle of light passing through the communication path 26. Thereby, the coupling efficiency between the optical element 2 and the optical fiber 7 can be improved. The light passing through the communication path 26 is light emitted from the light emitting section 2a toward the optical fiber 7 when the optical element 2 is a light emitting element, and is light when the optical element 2 is a light receiving element. This is light emitted from the fiber 7 toward the light receiving element.
The central axes of the large-diameter portion 23a, the tapered portion 23b, the small-diameter portion 23c, the tapered hole serving as the abutting portion 24, and the communication path 26 of the optical fiber accommodation hole 23 coincide with each other. In addition, the corners and corners of the optical fiber housing hole 23, the abutting portion 24, the inner surface of the communication path 26, the openings 25 and 27, and the like may be chamfered (C) or rounded (R).
[0029]
As described above, the abutting portion 24 is a tapered hole formed so that the inner surface is continuous between the small diameter portion 23c having a diameter larger than the cladding diameter of the optical fiber 7 and the communication path 26 having a diameter smaller than the cladding diameter. Therefore, when the diameter of the tapered hole 24 matches the clad diameter of the optical fiber 7, the peripheral edge of the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the tapered hole 24 come into contact, and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 abuts. It has become.
The distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 at the time of abutment is determined by the diameter and length of the communication path 26, the taper angle of the tapered hole 24, and the like. It is preferable to set an interval at which a good coupling efficiency can be obtained.
[0030]
According to the mount of the present embodiment, the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the optical fiber receiving hole 23, and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 is merely abutted against the abutting part 24. 7 can be prevented from colliding with the optical element 2. In addition, the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 can be positioned to keep the distance from the optical element 2 constant. Further, the central axis (optical axis) of the optical fiber 7 and the central axis of the tapered hole 24 can be made to coincide with high accuracy, and the lateral displacement of the optical axis can be suppressed to improve the coupling efficiency with the optical element 2. it can.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a view showing a mount according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
The mount 30 is a modified example of the mount 20 of the second embodiment. Similarly, an optical element mounting portion 31 and light from an end face 32 facing the optical element mounting portion 31 inside the mount 30 are similarly provided. It has an optical fiber housing hole 33, an abutting part 34, and a communication path 36 which are sequentially formed toward the element mounting part 31.
Similarly to the mount described above, the optical fiber housing hole 33 is formed from the opening 35 side with a large diameter portion 33a for housing the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a, a tapered portion 33b, and a thin portion for housing the bare optical fiber 8. And a diameter portion 33c.
[0032]
The diameter c of the small diameter portion 33c is made larger than the clad diameter so that the clad 8b of the optical fiber 7 can be accommodated. For example, when the clad diameter is 125 μm, it is preferably 126 to 133 μm, and more preferably 126 to 128 μm.
Then, the abutting portion 34 is reduced in diameter toward the optical element mounting portion 31 and has a tapered hole whose minimum diameter is smaller than the cladding diameter of the optical fiber 8, and the communication path 36 has the same taper angle as the abutting portion 34. It is a continuous tapered hole.
[0033]
The central axis of the large diameter portion 33a, the tapered portion 33b, the small diameter portion 33c, the abutting portion 34, and the tapered hole 38 serving as the communication path 36 of the optical fiber housing hole 33 coincide with each other. The corners and corners of the optical fiber accommodating hole 33, the abutting portion 34, the inner surface of the communication path 36, the openings 35, 37, etc. may be chamfered (C) or rounded (R).
As described above, the diameter a of the opening 37 of the communication path 36 is desirably larger than the optical portion 2a of the optical element 2 if possible, and is larger than the diameter of the core 8a of the optical fiber 7. It is desirable. It is desirable that the taper angle of the tapered hole serving as the abutting portion 34 and the communication path 36 be wider than the spread angle of light passing through the communication path 36.
The distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 at the time of abutment is determined by the diameter a of the opening 37, the taper angle of the tapered hole 38, and the like. It is better to set the interval to obtain good coupling efficiency.
According to the mount 30 of the present embodiment, the same excellent effects as those of the mount of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled with high coupling efficiency.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a mount according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
As with the mounts 20 of the second and third embodiments, the mount 40 includes an optical element mounting portion 41 and a mount 40 extending from an end face 42 facing the optical element mounting portion 41 toward the optical element mounting portion 41. Has an optical fiber receiving hole 43, a butting portion 44, and a communication path 46 which are sequentially formed in the inside.
Here, the optical fiber housing hole 43 includes, in order from the opening 45 side, a large diameter portion 43a in which the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a is housed, and a tapered portion 43b. Further, the tapered portion 43b of the optical fiber receiving hole 43, the abutting portion 44, and the communication path 46 are tapered holes 48 having the same taper angle and continuous.
[0035]
As described above, the diameter a of the opening 47 of the tapered hole 48 on the optical element mounting portion 41 side depends on the size of the optical part 2a of the optical element 2, but if possible, the diameter a is larger than that of the optical part 2a. It is also desirable to make the diameter larger than the diameter of the core 8 a of the optical fiber 7. Also, it is desirable that the taper angle of the tapered hole 48 is wider than the spread angle of light passing through the communication path 46.
The distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 at the time of abutment is determined by the diameter a of the opening 47, the taper angle of the tapered hole 48, and the like. It is better to set the interval to obtain good coupling efficiency.
According to the mount 40 of the present embodiment, the same excellent effects as those of the mount of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled with high coupling efficiency.
[0036]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a mount according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
One end of the mount 50 is an optical element mounting portion 51 on which the optical element 2 is mounted. Inside the mount 50, an end surface 52 facing the optical element mounting portion 51 faces the optical element mounting portion 51. , An optical fiber receiving hole 53 is formed.
As a material of the mount 50, a material having high light transmittance at a wavelength of light used by the optical element 2 is used among glasses such as quartz glass and silicate glass, and plastic. Examples of the manufacturing method include injection molding, extrusion molding, and molding.
[0037]
Like the mount 10 of the first embodiment, the optical fiber housing hole 53 includes a large-diameter portion 53a that houses the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a and a small-diameter portion 53c that houses the bare optical fiber 8. And a tapered portion 53b communicating the large diameter portion 53a and the small diameter portion 53c. The diameter of the small diameter portion 53c is made larger than the clad diameter so that the clad 8b of the optical fiber 7 can be accommodated. For example, when the clad diameter is 125 μm, it is preferably 126 to 133 μm, and more preferably 126 to 128 μm.
[0038]
Then, the bottom surface of the optical fiber receiving hole 53 is a contact portion 54. The distance b between the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 is preferably set to a distance at which good coupling efficiency can be obtained between the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2. In the mount of the present embodiment, Is determined by the distance between the butting portion 54 and the end face on the optical element mounting portion 51 side. In addition, the inner surface of the optical fiber receiving hole 53 and the corners such as the opening 55 may be chamfered (C) or rounded (R).
[0039]
According to the mount 50 of the present embodiment, the optical fiber 7 is inserted into the optical fiber receiving hole 53, and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 is abutted against the abutting portion 54. Collision with the optical element 2 can be prevented, and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 can be positioned to keep the distance from the optical element 2 constant. Since the mount 50 is made of a material having high light transmittance, light can be transmitted through the portion 56 between the abutting portion 54 and the optical element mounting portion 51, and the end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 abutting on the abutting portion 54 can be formed. The optical element 2 can be optically coupled.
Since the butting portion 54 is integrally formed inside the mount 10, it can be manufactured without increasing the number of steps and the number of parts. Adhesion of a light transmissive material for preventing collision between the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 becomes unnecessary, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
[0040]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a mount according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
The mount 60 includes an optical element mounting portion 61 provided on one end surface 69, and an optical element formed inside the mount 60 from the end surface 62 facing the optical element mounting portion 61 toward the optical element mounting portion 61. It has a fiber receiving hole 63.
The optical fiber accommodation hole 63 accommodates, in order from the opening 65 side, the large-diameter portion 63a in which the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a is accommodated, the tapered portion 63b, and the bare optical fiber 8, in the same manner as the mount described above. And a small diameter portion 63c. The diameter of the small diameter portion 63c is made larger than the clad diameter so that the clad 8b of the optical fiber 7 can be accommodated.
[0041]
A groove 66 having a U-shaped cross section is formed in an end surface 69 of the mount 60 on the optical element mounting portion 61 side. The width of the groove 66 is smaller than the cladding diameter of the optical fiber 8. The bottom surface 66a of the groove 66 communicates with the small-diameter portion 63c of the optical fiber housing hole 63, and the step formed on the optical fiber housing hole 63 side when the groove 66 and the optical fiber housing hole 63 are in contact with each other forms an optical fiber. The end portion 64 of the fiber 7 is formed.
According to the mount 60 of the present embodiment, the space between the abutting portion 64 and the optical portion 2a of the optical element 2 is a space through which light can be transmitted by the groove 66, and thus the abutting portion 64 abuts. The end face 9 of the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled. The same excellent effects as those of the mount of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled with high coupling efficiency.
[0042]
FIG. 8 is a view showing a mount according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.
The mount 70 is formed inside the mount 70 from a plurality of optical element mounting portions 71 provided on one end surface 79 to the optical element mounting portion 71 from the end surface 72 facing the optical element mounting portion 71. A plurality of sets each including an optical fiber receiving hole 73, an end portion 74, and a communication path 76 are formed. Although the number of the optical fiber receiving holes 73 and the like is illustrated in FIG. 8 as four, the number is not particularly limited thereto, and may be two, three,.
[0043]
Similarly to the mount 10 of the first embodiment, the optical fiber receiving hole 73 includes, in order from the opening 75 side, a large-diameter portion 73a in which the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a is stored, a tapered portion 73b, and a bare light. A small-diameter portion 73c in which the fiber 8 is accommodated. The abutting portion 74 is a step formed perpendicular to the extending direction of the optical fiber receiving hole 73 (the vertical direction in FIG. 8), and the communication path 76 has a diameter of the bare optical fiber 8 (the cladding of the optical fiber 7). The opening 77 is open to the optical element mounting portion 71.
[0044]
According to the mount 70 of the present embodiment, the same excellent effects as those of the mount of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled with high coupling efficiency.
Since a plurality of sets of optical elements and optical fibers can be held and optically coupled, an array-type mount used for manufacturing an array-type optical module can be obtained.
The array-type optical module is manufactured by mounting an optical element and an optical fiber on the array-type mount 70 in the same manner as described in the optical module of the first embodiment, and disposing electrodes and the like. be able to.
[0045]
FIG. 9 is a view showing a mount according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.
The mount 80 is formed inside the mount 80, with a plurality of optical element mounting portions 81 provided on one end surface 89, and from the end surface 82 facing the optical element mounting portion 81 toward the optical element mounting portion 81. It has an optical fiber accommodation hole 83.
Similarly to the mount 60 of the above-described sixth embodiment, the optical fiber accommodation hole 83 includes, in order from the opening 85 side, a large-diameter portion 83a in which the optical fiber 7 with the coating 7a is accommodated, a tapered portion 83b, A small diameter portion 83c in which the bare optical fiber 8 is accommodated.
In addition, a groove 86 having a U-shaped cross section having a width smaller than the clad diameter of the optical fiber 8 is formed in the end face 89 on the optical element mounting portion 81 side. The bottom surface 86a of the groove 86 communicates with the small-diameter portion 83c of the plurality of optical fiber housing holes 83, and the groove 86 and the optical fiber housing hole 83 are in contact with each other and a step formed on the optical fiber housing hole 83 side. 84 is the end of the optical fiber 7.
[0046]
According to the mount 80 of the present embodiment, the same excellent effects as those of the mount of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the optical fiber 7 and the optical element 2 can be optically coupled with high coupling efficiency. A plurality of sets of optical elements and optical fibers can be held and optically coupled, and an array-type mount can be used for manufacturing an array-type optical module.
[0047]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to only the embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, the form of the communication path is not limited to a cylindrical hole or a tapered hole, but may be, for example, a triangular hole or a square hole.
Further, if an abutting portion is formed between the optical fiber receiving hole and the communication path, where the end face of the optical fiber can abut, the communication path may be wider than the inner diameter of the abutting portion, It may be a tapered hole whose diameter increases toward the optical element mounting portion.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the mount and the optical module of the present invention, the optical fiber is inserted into the optical fiber receiving hole, and the end face is merely abutted against the abutting part. Collision between the optical fiber and the optical element can be prevented, and the distance between the optical element and the optical element can be kept constant by positioning the end face of the optical fiber. Since the abutting portion is formed integrally with the mount, it can be manufactured without increasing the number of steps and the number of parts, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
When the optical element is a light-emitting element or a light-receiving element, it can convert an optical signal and an electric signal, and can perform transmission or reception of optical communication.
[0049]
When a communication path communicating with the optical fiber receiving hole is opened between the abutting portion and the optical element mounting portion, the end face of the optical fiber can be optically coupled to the optical element using the communication path as an optical path. In addition, since no other component made of a light-transmitting member is used as a stopper of the optical fiber, a step of applying an AR coating on the surface of the light-transmitting member can be omitted, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.
When the cross-sectional area of the communication path is wider than the size of the optical portion of the optical element over the entire length of the communication path, the coupling efficiency can be increased.
[0050]
When the abutting portion is a step formed perpendicular to the extending direction of the optical fiber receiving hole, the distance between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element can be kept constant regardless of the variation of the diameter of the optical fiber. Therefore, the coupling efficiency between the optical fiber and the optical element can be improved.
If the abutment part is a tapered hole whose diameter decreases toward the optical element mounting part and the minimum diameter is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber, the peripheral edge of the end face of the optical fiber and the inner peripheral surface of the tapered hole come into contact with each other. By doing so, the central axis (optical axis) of the optical fiber and the central axis of the tapered hole can be made to coincide with high accuracy, and the lateral displacement of the optical axis can be suppressed, and the coupling efficiency with the optical element can be improved. .
When the corners or corners of the optical fiber receiving hole and / or the abutting portion are chamfered or rounded, damage such as coating of the optical fiber inserted into the optical fiber receiving hole is suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIGS. 1A and 1B are a longitudinal sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, showing an example of an optical module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a mount of the optical module shown in FIG. 1; (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state where the optical fiber was accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole of this mount.
FIG. 3A is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an example of a mount according to a second embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state where the optical fiber was accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole of this mount.
FIG. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an example of a mount according to a third embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state where the optical fiber was accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole of this mount.
FIG. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of a mount according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state where the optical fiber was accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole of this mount.
FIG. 6A is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an example of a mount according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state where the optical fiber was accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole of this mount.
FIG. 7A is a perspective view illustrating an example of a mount according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view cut | disconnected in the direction along the groove part of this mount. (C) It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view cut | disconnected in the direction perpendicular | vertical to the groove part of a mount.
FIG. 8A is a perspective view illustrating an example of a mount according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of this mount.
FIG. 9A is a perspective view illustrating an example of a mount according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. (B) It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of this mount.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical module, 2 ... Optical element, 2a ... Optical part of an optical element, 7 ... Optical fiber, 8 ... Optical fiber (bare optical fiber), 9 ... End face of optical fiber, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 , 60, 70, 80 ... mount, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81 ... optical element mounting part, 13, 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83 ... optical fiber receiving hole , 14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84... Abutting portion, 16, 26, 36, 46, 66, 76, 86.

Claims (15)

A mount for holding an optical fiber and an optical element in an optically coupleable manner,
It is possible to mount the optical element so as to face the end face of the optical fiber accommodated in the optical fiber accommodation hole and the optical fiber accommodation hole formed so as to be capable of accommodating the tip end including the end face of the optical fiber. Optical element mounting part,
A mount, wherein the optical fiber receiving hole has a butting portion for securing an interval between the end surface of the optical fiber and the optical element by the abutting of the end surface of the optical fiber. The mount according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is a light emitting element or a light receiving element. The mount according to claim 1, wherein a communication path communicating with the optical fiber receiving hole is opened between the abutting portion and the optical element mounting portion. 4. The mount according to claim 3, wherein a cross-sectional area of the communication path is wider than a size of an optical portion of the optical element over the entire length of the communication path. The mount according to claim 3, wherein the abutting portion is a step formed perpendicular to an extending direction of the optical fiber receiving hole. The mount according to claim 3, wherein the abutting portion is a tapered hole whose diameter decreases toward the optical element mounting portion, and a minimum diameter is smaller than a diameter of the optical fiber. The mount according to claim 3, wherein the communication path is a cylindrical hole having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the optical fiber. The mount according to claim 3, wherein the communication path is a groove having a width smaller than a diameter of the optical fiber. The mount according to claim 6, wherein the communication path is a tapered hole that is continuous with the tapered hole at the abutting portion. 3. The optical fiber receiving hole according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber receiving hole is a bottomed hole, the abutting portion is a bottom surface of the optical fiber receiving hole, and the mount is made of a light transmitting material. 4. mount. The space between the end face of the optical fiber and the optical element is set to a distance at which a good coupling efficiency can be obtained between the optical fiber and the optical element. Mount as described in. The mount according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a corner and / or a corner of the optical fiber receiving hole and / or abutting portion is chamfered or rounded. 13. The mount according to claim 1, wherein the mount has a plurality of sets of an optical fiber receiving hole and an optical element mounting portion. A mount according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
An optical module, wherein a tip portion including an end face of an optical fiber is accommodated in an optical fiber accommodation hole of the mount, and an optical element is mounted on an optical element mounting portion of the mount. The optical module according to claim 14, wherein the optical element is a light emitting element, and the optical module according to claim 14, wherein the optical element is a light receiving element, and the optical modules are optically connected to each other. A transmission / reception module characterized by the above-mentioned.

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