JP2005114833A - Optical fiber module and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately and simply manufacture an optical fiber module provided with an optical fiber and a lens separated from the optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The end 12e of the optical fiber 11 and an end 14e of the lens 13 are ground by using a manufacturing tool 30 of which an edge angle is θ after fixing the optical fiber 11 and the lens 13 onto the base member 21, to form a tilt edge 12 inclined at θ to the vertical direction of the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 on the optical fiber 11, and to form a vertical edge 14 on the lens 13. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber module including an optical fiber, an optical component that emits light to or from the optical fiber, and a base member on which the optical component is mounted, a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical device. The present invention relates to an optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device including a fiber module.

  Conventionally, as an apparatus including an optical fiber, a collimating lens on which light from the optical fiber is incident, and a base member on which these are mounted, there is one described in Patent Document 1 below.

  In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, after joining an end face of an optical fiber and an end face of a collimating lens, these are fixed to a base member. In this method, the optical axis of the optical fiber and the optical axis of the collimating lens are aligned, and after joining them, they are fixed to the base member, so adjustment of the relative positional relationship between the two is relatively easy. It can be carried out.

  As described above, the optical fiber and the collimating lens are not only in contact with each other, but are sometimes separated due to the focal point of the collimating lens.

  As such an apparatus, there is one described in Patent Document 2 below. In this apparatus, since the optical fiber and the collimating lens are separated from each other, both are individually fixed to the base member. In this case, since the end face of the optical fiber comes into contact with the free space, the end face is inclined by 8 ° with respect to the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in order to avoid the adverse effect of the reflected light at the end face.

JP 2002-182131 A FIG.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-55276 FIG.

  However, in the apparatus of Patent Document 2 in which the end face of the optical fiber is separated from the optical component, the distance between the inclined end face of the optical fiber and the collimating lens is set to a target distance, or the inclined end face of the optical fiber is determined. There is a problem that it is difficult to direct the optical fiber in a given direction, and it takes time to fix the optical fiber to the base member.

  The present invention pays attention to such problems of the prior art, and provides an optical fiber module manufacturing method, an optical fiber module, and an optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device including the same, which can be manufactured accurately and easily. Objective.

The method for manufacturing an optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 1 for solving the above problem is as follows.
In a method of manufacturing an optical fiber module, comprising: an optical fiber; an optical component that emits light to the optical fiber or receives light from the optical fiber; and a base member that is mounted in a separated state.
A fiber fixing step of fixing the optical fiber to the base member;
A component fixing step of fixing the optical component to the base member apart from the optical fiber so that the optical axis of the optical component is positioned on the optical axis of the optical fiber;
After the fiber fixing step and before or after the component fixing step, the end of the optical fiber on the optical component side is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. An end face processing step to be formed at the end of the optical component side of the fiber;
It is characterized by having.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 2 comprises:
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 1,
In the fiber fixing step, the plurality of optical fibers are fixed to the base member so that optical axes of the plurality of optical fibers are parallel to each other,
In the end face processing step, among the plurality of optical fibers, at least the ends of the adjacent optical fibers are processed together.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 3,
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
In the end face processing step, a part of the base member is processed together with the end of the optical fiber, the inclined end face is formed on the optical fiber, and a fiber side inclined face is formed on the base member,
The inclined end surface of the optical fiber and the fiber-side inclined surface of the base member are positioned on substantially the same plane.

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber module according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes:
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The end face processing step is executed after the fiber fixing step and the component fixing step,
In the end surface processing step, a processing tool having a first blade surface and a second blade surface is used, and an end of the optical fiber on the optical component side is processed by the first blade surface of the processing tool. The end portion of the optical component on the optical fiber side is processed with the second blade surface of the tool, and at least in the process of the end surface processing step, the end portion on the optical component side of the optical fiber and the optical fiber side of the optical component It is characterized in that both ends of the material are processed at the same time.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 5,
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 4,
In the end surface processing step, a part of the base member is processed together with the end of the optical component, and an end surface is formed on the optical component and a side surface of the base member is also formed.
The end surface of the optical component and the component side surface of the base member are positioned on substantially the same plane.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 6,
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 4 and 5,
In the processing tool, an angle of the second blade surface with respect to the first blade surface forms the predetermined angle,
In the end face machining step, an optical fiber side end portion of the optical component is machined by the second blade surface of the processing tool, and a vertical end face substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical component is formed on the optical component. And forming the end of the optical fiber on the optical component side with the first blade surface of the processing tool, and tilting the predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. An inclined end face is formed.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 7,
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 6,
The optical component is a lens that focuses substantially parallel light from the opposite side of the optical fiber in the vicinity of the inclined end surface of the optical fiber,
When the focal length of the lens is f, the distance from the principal point of the lens to the vertical end surface is f1, and the predetermined angle is θ,
The processing depth by the processing tool, the processing depth d from the optical axis in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber,
d≈ (f−f1) / tan θ
It is characterized by being.

The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 8 comprises:
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The base member has a V-shaped cross-section, and a V-groove for an optical fiber extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the mounted optical fiber, and the cross-section has a V-shaped cross section. An optical component V-groove extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the later optical component is formed;
In the fiber fixing step, the optical fiber is fixed to the optical fiber V-groove of the base member, and in the component fixing step, the optical component is fixed to the component V-groove of the base member. To do.

The optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 9 for solving the above problem is,
In an optical fiber module comprising: an optical fiber; an optical component that emits light to the optical fiber or receives light from the optical fiber; and a base member that mounts the optical components apart from each other.
The base member is formed with a fiber mounting portion on which the optical fiber is mounted, a component mounting portion on which the optical component is mounted, and a boundary groove between the fiber mounting portion and the component mounting portion,
The optical fiber is fixed to the fiber mounting portion of the base member, and an end surface of the optical fiber on the optical component side forms an inclined end surface inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. The side surface on the optical fiber side of the boundary groove forms a fiber-side inclined surface that is positioned substantially on the same plane as the inclined end surface.

The optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 10 is:
The optical fiber module according to claim 9, wherein
The optical component is fixed to the component mounting portion of the base member, and the side surface of the boundary groove on the optical component side forms a component side surface that is located substantially on the same plane as the end surface of the optical component on the optical fiber side. It is characterized by.

The optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 11 is,
In the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 and 10,
The fiber mounting portion is a V groove for an optical fiber having a V-shaped cross section and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber after mounting,
The component mounting portion is a V groove for an optical component having a V-shaped cross section and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical component after mounting.

The optical fiber module of the invention according to claim 12 is:
In the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 to 11,
An antireflection film is formed on the inclined end face of the optical fiber and the end face of the optical component.

An optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device according to claim 13 for solving the above problem is
The optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the optical fiber includes one or more input optical fibers and one or more output optical fibers,
Separating / multiplexing light that has passed through the optical component from one or more input optical fibers, and sending the separated or multiplexed light to one or more output optical fibers via the optical component Means,
It is characterized by having.

The optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device of the invention according to claim 14 is:
The optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device according to claim 13,
Monitor means for monitoring light reflected by the inclined end face of one or more output optical fibers of the optical fiber module is provided.

  According to the present invention, since the inclined end face is formed at the end of the optical fiber after fixing the optical fiber to the base member, the optical fiber can be fixed to the base member without taking time and The distance between the inclined end surface and the collimating lens can be set to a target distance, and the inclined end surface of the optical fiber can be directed in a predetermined direction.

  Hereinafter, various embodiments of the optical fiber module according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, a first embodiment of an optical fiber module according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, before describing the details of the optical fiber module of the present embodiment, a usage form of the optical fiber module will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber module 10 of this embodiment is used as a component of an optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device. When this light demultiplexing / multiplexing device functions as a light demultiplexing device, a laser beam including a plurality of (for example, 32) wavelength components is emitted from one optical fiber, and several laser beams are emitted from this laser beam. The wavelength components are separated, and the separated wavelength components are output to four optical fibers. When this optical demultiplexer functions as an optical multiplexer, it emits laser light from four optical fibers, multiplexes these laser lights, and outputs them to one optical fiber. It is also possible to do. The number of output optical fibers when functioning as an optical demultiplexing device and the number of input optical fibers when functioning as an optical multiplexing device may be any number as long as they are natural numbers of 2 or more. For example, eight or 16 It may be individual.

  In addition to the optical fiber module 10, the optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device includes a first condensing optical system 1, a second condensing optical system 2, a reflective grating 3, and a MEMS (Mycro) having a plurality of micromirrors. Electro Mechanical System) 4, a monitor device 7 that monitors the incident state of light into the output optical fiber 11 b of the optical fiber module 10, and a control device 8 that drives and controls the MEMS 4 based on the monitoring result of the monitor device 7 It is equipped with.

When this light demultiplexing / multiplexing device functions as a light demultiplexing device, the optical fiber module 10 includes one input optical fiber 11a, four output optical fibers 11b ₁ , 11b ₂ , 11b ₃ , 11b ₄ , Micro collimating lens 13a to which light from input optical fiber 11a is input, and micro collimating lenses 13b ₁ , 13b ₂ and 13b for outputting light to output optical fibers 11b ₁ , 11b ₂ , 11b ₃ and 11b ₄ , respectively. ₃ and 13b ₄ and a base member 20 on which these are mounted. The input optical fiber micro-collimator lens 13a plays a role of converting the light from the input optical fiber 11a into a parallel light beam, and the output optical fiber micro-collimator lenses 13b1 to ₄ are the first condenser lens 1. It plays a role of focusing the parallel beam to the end surface _{12b 1 to 4} of each of the output optical fiber _{11b 1 to 4} from. Each of the microcollimator lenses 13a, 13b1 to ₄ has substantially the same shape, and is composed of a cylindrical portion and a convex lens portion formed on one boundary bottom surface of the cylindrical portion. In other words, the shape is a shape obtained by cutting a plano-convex lens into a columnar shape around the optical axis. Each of the microcollimator lenses 13a and 13b1 to ₄ is arranged such that the other boundary bottom surface of the cylindrical portion, that is, the bottom surface on the side where the convex lens portion is not formed, faces the optical fiber.

  The MEMS 4 includes a micromirror array 5 in which a plurality of micromirrors are arranged one-dimensionally, and a mirror driver 6 that individually drives each micromirror that constitutes the micromirror array 5. Each of the micromirrors is a plane mirror having almost the same size, and the size is about 50 μm square. The size of each micromirror is not limited to about 50 μm square, and may be 10 μm to several 100 μm square. The MEMS 4 functions as a beam steering mechanism, and adjusts the incident position of light with respect to the output optical fiber 11b in accordance with a signal from the monitor device 7.

The monitor device 7 includes a monitor optical system that guides reflected light from the incident end faces 12b ₁ to ₄ of the output optical fibers 11b _{1 to 4 in} a specific direction, and a two-dimensional light receiving device that receives the light guided by the monitor optical system. And a sensor. The monitor device 7 outputs an output signal of the two-dimensional light receiving sensor to the control device 8.

The light from the input optical fiber 11a of the optical fiber module 10 is made into a substantially parallel light beam by the micro collimating lens 13a, and then collected in the grating 3 through the first condensing optical system 1 and the second condensing optical system 2. The light is split into light of each wavelength component by the demultiplexing action of the grating 3. The light of each wavelength component is condensed on the micromirror array 5 by the second condenser lens 2, reflected by any one of the micromirrors, and directed in the target direction. The light from each micromirror passes through the second condensing optical system 2 and is again condensed on the grating 3 and receives the multiplexing action of the grating 3 to each of the output optical fibers 11b _{1 to 4} or Multiplexed into light directed to at least one output optical fiber. Each light from the grating 3 is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by the first condensing optical system 1 through the second condensing optical system 2, and is output by the micro collimating lenses _13b1 to 13 for output optical fibers. focused on the end surface _{12b 1 to 4} of the use optical fiber _{11b 1 to 4.} Most of the light reaching the end faces 12 b ₁ to ₄ b is incident on the output optical fibers 11 b ₁ to ₄ , but part of the light is reflected toward the monitor device 7. The two-dimensional light receiving sensor of the monitor device 7 sends to the control device 8 position information indicating at which position the reflected light from the end faces 12 b ₁ to ₄ b is received and the light amount information of the received light. The control device 8 outputs a drive signal to the mirror driver 6 of the MEMS 4 in order to finely adjust the inclination of each micro mirror of the MEMS 4 based on the position information and the light amount information.

In the above example, the light separation / multiplexing device functions as a light separation device. However, in the above device, light in a specific wavelength range is output from each of the plurality of output optical fibers 11b _{1 to 4.} Since these lights are combined and then incident on one input optical fiber 11a, the above apparatus can also function as an optical multiplexing apparatus.

  Next, the manufacturing procedure of the optical fiber module of this embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the above-mentioned input optical fiber 11a and a plurality of output optical fiber _{11b 1 to 4} (hereinafter, collectively referred to as optical fiber 11), a plurality of micro-collimator lenses 13a, 13b _{1 To 4} (hereinafter collectively referred to as micro collimating lens 13) and base member 20 are prepared. These input optical fiber 11a, output optical fibers _11b1-4 , microcollimator lenses 13a, _13b1-4 , and base member 20 are all made of quartz. Therefore, these thermal expansion coefficients, particularly the linear expansion coefficients, are almost the same. The base member 20 may be made of other materials as long as the linear expansion coefficient is substantially the same as that of the optical fiber 11 or the like, in other words, substantially the same as quartz.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base member 20 includes a lower base member 21 and an upper base member 27. The lower base member 21 includes fiber mounting portions 22a, 22b, 22b,... (Hereinafter collectively referred to as a fiber mounting portion 22) on which the input optical fiber 11a and the output optical fibers 11b ₁ to ₄ are mounted, and each optical fiber. 11a, 11b _{1 to 4} lens mounting portions 23a, 23b, 23b,... (Hereinafter collectively referred to as lens mounting portion 23) on which micro collimating lenses 13a, 13b _1-4 are mounted, and both mounting portions 22, 23. And a boundary groove 24a formed therebetween. The upper base member 27 includes fiber mounting portions 28a, 28b, 28b,... (Hereinafter collectively referred to as a fiber mounting portion 28) on which the input optical fiber 11a and the output optical fibers 11b ₁ to ₄ are mounted, respectively. Lens mounting portions 29a, 29b, 29b,... (Hereinafter collectively referred to as lens mounting portions 29) on which the micro collimating lenses 13a, 13b _1-4 for each of the optical fibers 11a, 11b _1-4 are mounted. Yes. The fiber mounting portions 22a, 22b, 22b,... Of the lower base member 21 are all the same shape, and the lens mounting portions 23a, 23b, 23b,. Also, the fiber mounting portions 28a, 28b, 28b,... Of the upper base member 27 are all the same shape, and the lens mounting portions 29a, 29b, 29b,. The fiber mounting portions 22 and 28 of the base members 21 and 27 are V-grooves for optical fibers that have a V-shaped cross section and extend in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 after mounting. The lens mounting portions 23 and 29 of the base members 21 and 27 are also V-grooves for lenses that have a V-shaped cross section and extend in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the micro collimating lens 13 after mounting. is there. The lens V-grooves 23 and 29 are configured so that the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 mounted in the optical fiber V-grooves 22 and 28 and the optical axis of the micro collimating lens 13 mounted in the lens V-grooves 23 and 29 are substantially the same. It is formed at a matching position. Further, the boundary groove 24a of the lower base member 21 extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the V grooves 22 and 23 extend, and the lens side surface thereof is perpendicular to the direction in which the V grooves 22 and 23 extend. The lens-side vertical surface 26a is formed, and the fiber-side side surface forms a fiber-side inclined surface 25a inclined at a predetermined angle (for example, 8 °) with respect to the direction in which the V-grooves 22 and 23 extend. . Here, the boundary groove is not formed in the upper base member 27, but the boundary groove may also be formed in the upper base member 27. Further, as described above, the boundary groove of the lower base member 21 may be formed as the temporary boundary groove 24a at this stage, and then formed as the final boundary groove 24 as described later. The final boundary groove 24 may be formed suddenly after the optical fiber 11 and the micro collimating lens 13 are fixed to the lower base member 21 without forming the boundary groove 24a.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, each optical fiber 11 is dropped into each optical fiber V-groove 22 of the lower base member 21, and each micro-collimator lens 13 is dropped into each lens V-groove 23. Each is fixed using a cured resin. That is, a fiber fixing step and a component (lens) fixing step are executed. At this time, the end portion 12e of the optical fiber 11 is made to coincide with the edge of the fiber-side inclined surface 25a of the temporary boundary groove 24a or slightly protrudes from the edge of the fiber-side inclined surface 25a to the lens V-groove side. And the optical fiber 11 is fixed in this state. The end portion 14e of the macro collimating lens 13 is also made to coincide with the edge of the lens side vertical surface 26a of the temporary boundary groove 24a or slightly protrude from the edge of the lens side vertical surface 26a to the fiber side V groove side. In this state, the micro collimating lens 13 is fixed. As described above, when the optical fiber 11 and the micro collimating lens 13 are fixed, the boundary groove 24a is provisional because it is positioned with reference to the edge of the temporary boundary groove 24a. It is preferable to form 24a.

  Next, the lens side end 12a of each optical fiber 11 and the fiber side end 14a of each microcollimating lens 13 are ground using a processing tool 30 as shown in FIG. That is, an end face processing step is performed. The processing tool 30 used in this end face processing step has a first blade surface 31 and a second blade surface 32. The second blade surface 32 extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis R of the processing tool 30, and the first blade surface 31 is inclined at an angle of about 8 ° with respect to the second blade surface 32.

  As described above in the section of the background art, when the end face of an optical fiber is in contact with free space, in general, this end face is perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in order to avoid the adverse effects caused by the reflected light at the end face. Tilt about 8 °. For this reason, the inclination θ of the first blade surface 31 with respect to the second blade surface 32 of the processing tool 30 is set to about 8 °.

  In this end surface processing step, the second blade surface 32 of the processing tool 30 is made to coincide with a predetermined position (final position of the vertical end surface 14) of the micro collimating lens 13 in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the micro collimating lens 13. Thereafter, the machining tool 30 is lowered in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and the fiber side end of the micro collimating lens 13 is formed on the second blade surface 32 of the machining tool 30 as shown in FIG. The final vertical end face 14 is formed on the micro collimating lens 13 by grinding the portion 14e, and the lens-side vertical face 26a of the lower base member 21 is also ground to form the final lens-side vertical face 26. Further, in the descending process of the processing tool 30, the first edge surface 31 of the processing tool 30 is used to grind the lens-side end portion 12 e of the optical fiber 11 to form the inclined end surface 12 on the optical fiber 11. The fiber-side inclined surface 25a of the base member 21 is also ground to form the final fiber-side inclined surface 25.

  When the processing tool 30 reaches a processing depth to be described later, the processing tool 30 is moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the microcollimating lens 13 and in the horizontal direction, and the fiber side end portion 14e of the remaining microcollimating lens 13 and The lens side end portion 12 e of the remaining optical fiber 11 is ground to form the vertical end surface 14 on the remaining microcollimating lens 13 and the inclined end surface 12 is formed on the remaining optical fiber 11. Further, in this process, the temporary lens side vertical surface 26a and the temporary fiber side inclined surface 25a remaining on the lower base member 21 are also ground to obtain the final lens side vertical surface 26 and the final fiber side inclined surface. 25 and the boundary groove 24 is finished. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3E, each inclined end face 12 of each optical fiber 11 and the fiber side inclined face 25 of the lower base member 21 are located on the same plane, and each micro collimating lens The 13 vertical end surfaces 14 and the lens side vertical surface 26 of the lower base member 21 are also located on the same plane.

  Here, grinding is performed while lowering the processing tool 30, and when the processing depth described later is reached, the processing tool 30 is moved horizontally. This makes it easy to understand the concept of processing depth. In actuality, the machining tool 30 is positioned to the machining depth described later, and the machining tool 30 is moved horizontally, and grinding is performed for the first time by this horizontal movement, where there is no machining target. It is preferable to do. The processing tool 23 is not only moved in the horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the micro collimating lens 13, but also the optical axis of the optical fiber 11, the direction in which the fiber mounting portion 22 extends, and the lens mounting portion 23. It may be moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction.

  Next, the processing depth of the processing tool 30 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, the focal length of the micro collimating lens 13 is f, the distance from the principal point M of the lens 13 to the final vertical end face 14 is f1, and the optical fiber 11 is inclined from the final vertical end face 14 of the micro collimating lens 13. The distance to the end surface 12 is f2, the processing depth from the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 is d, and the angle of the first blade surface 31 with respect to the second blade surface 32 of the processing tool 30 is θ.

  Since the inclined end face 12 of the optical fiber 11 is ideally positioned at the focal point of the micro collimating lens 13, in order to realize this, as shown in the following (Equation 1), the micro collimating lens 13 The focal length f of the micro collimating lens 13 needs to be obtained by adding the distance f1 from the vertical end face 14 to the inclined end face 12 of the optical fiber 11 to the distance f1 from the principal point M to the final vertical end face 14 There is.

f = f1 + f2 (Equation 1)
By the way, the relationship of the following (Equation 2) is established between f2 and the machining depth d because the cutting edge angle of the machining tool 30 is θ.

tan θ = f2 / d (Equation 2)
When this (Equation 2) is arranged with the processing depth d using (Equation 1), the following (Equation 3) is obtained.

d = f2 / tan θ
= (F−f1) / tan θ (Equation 3)
Since the machining depth d shown in (Equation 3) is the machining depth when (Equation 1) is established, the second vertical edge surface 31 of the machining tool 30 is used as the final vertical end face of the microcollimator lens 13. 14, the lens 13 and the optical fiber 11 are ground while lowering the processing tool 30, and the processing depth by the processing tool 30 reaches the processing depth d represented by (Equation 3). Then, the inclined end face 12 of the optical fiber 11 is positioned at the focal position of the micro collimating lens 13. Note that “=” in (Equation 3) may be replaced with “≈” in consideration of an error in the movement of the machining tool 30.

  Therefore, also in this embodiment, the machining tool 30 is moved horizontally from the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 after being lowered from the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 by the machining depth d represented by (Equation 3).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the optical fiber 11 is fixed to the lower base member 21, the end portion 12 e of the optical fiber 11 is ground to form the inclined end surface 12. By adjusting the position of the blade, the inclined end surface 12 of the optical fiber 11 can be easily positioned at the focal position of the micro collimating lens 13, and the inclined end surface 12 of the optical fiber 11 is substantially on the same plane. Can be positioned. For this reason, in this embodiment, there is almost no trouble in fixing the plurality of optical fibers 11 to the lower base member 21, and the inclined end face 12 of each optical fiber 11 is accurately positioned at the target position, and Directed in the desired direction.

  As described above, when the inclined end faces 12 of the plurality of optical fibers 11 can be accurately oriented in a desired direction, light reflected on the inclined end faces 12, that is, stray light can be managed relatively easily. For the management of the stray light, specifically, the stray light is captured by the monitor device 7 as in the present embodiment, and a light absorbing material is disposed where the stray light is directed, and the stray light is separated and multiplexed. For example, to prevent diffusion into the optical path of the control device.

  As shown in FIG. 3E, inclined end faces 12 are formed on all optical fibers 11, vertical end faces 14 are formed on all microcollimating lenses 13, and the final boundary groove 24 of the lower base member 21 is finished. Then, as shown in FIG. 5F, the antireflection film 15 is formed on the inclined end faces 12 of all the optical fibers 11 and the vertical end faces 14 of all the microcollimator lenses 13. The antireflection film 15 is formed by, for example, vacuum deposition. In this embodiment, as described above, each inclined end face 12 of each optical fiber 11 and the fiber-side inclined face 25 of the lower base member 21 are located on substantially the same plane, and each vertical end face of each micro-collimating lens 13. 14 and the lens side vertical surface 26 of the lower base member 21 are also located on substantially the same plane, so that the thickness of the antireflection film 15 can be formed extremely uniformly.

  When the antireflection film 15 is formed, the upper base member 27 is overlaid on the lower base member 21 and the upper base member 27 is bonded to the lower base member 21 as shown in FIG.

  This completes the manufacture of the optical fiber module 10. Then, as described above, the optical fiber module 10 is incorporated into the optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device as one component.

  Next, an optical fiber module according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  The optical fiber module 10 of the first embodiment has a free space between the optical fiber 11 and the micro collimating lens 13, but the optical fiber module 40 of the present embodiment has an optical fiber 11 and a micro collimating lens 50. In addition to the free space, a part of the base member 41 exists. In other words, the cylindrical portion of the micro collimating lens 13 in the first embodiment is integrated with the base member 41, and only the convex lens portion of the micro collimating lens 13 forms the micro collimating lens 50 of the present embodiment, which is the base member 41. It is provided in a part of. Therefore, the base member 41 in this embodiment is formed of the same quartz as the micro collimating lens 50.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, the base member 41 of this embodiment includes a fiber mounting portion 42 on which the optical fiber 11 is mounted, and a lens on which the microcollimator lens 50 is mounted on the extension line of the optical axis of each optical fiber 11. A mounting portion 43 and a boundary groove 44 formed between the mounting portions 42 and 43 are provided. Similar to the first embodiment, the fiber mounting portion 42 is a V-groove for optical fiber that has a V-shaped cross section and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 after mounting. The boundary groove 44 extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the optical fiber V-groove 42 extends, and the lens side surface of the boundary groove 44 is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the V groove 42 extends. The fiber side side surface forms a fiber side inclined surface 45 inclined at a predetermined angle (for example, 8 °) with respect to the direction in which the V groove 42 extends. The lens-side vertical surface 46 forming the boundary groove 44 also exists on the extension line of the optical axis of the optical fiber 11 when the optical fiber 11 is mounted in the optical fiber V-groove 42, and this lens-side vertical surface A flat surface opposite to the optical fiber V-groove 42 with respect to 46 forms the lens mounting portion 43. That is, the lens mounting portion 43 is a plane corresponding to the boundary bottom surface of the micro collimating lens 50 of the first embodiment. The lens mounting portion 43 is a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber 11, and the micro collimating lens 50 is bonded thereto. The micro collimating lens 50 may be fused to the lens mounting portion 43.

  In the manufacture of the optical fiber module 40 of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the base member 41, the optical fiber 11 and the micro collimating lens 50 are prepared. As shown in FIG. The micro collimating lens 50 is bonded to the lens mounting portion 43 of the base member 41 while being fixed to the optical fiber V-groove 42 of the base member 41. When the micro collimating lens 50 is bonded, for example, a parallel light beam is emitted from the lens mounting portion 43 side to the end face of the optical fiber 11 that has been previously fixed, and in this state, The micro collimating lens 50 may be disposed on the lens mounting portion 43, and the micro collimating lens 50 may be adhered to a position where the light image formed on the end face of the optical fiber 11 is the smallest and circular.

  When the fixing of the optical fiber 11 and the micro collimating lens 50 is completed, the processing tool 30 used in the first embodiment grinds the lens side end surface of the optical fiber 11 and the fiber side inclined surface 45a of the base member 41. As shown in FIG. 6B, the inclined end surface 12 is formed on the lens side end surface of the optical fiber 11 and the inclined end surface 12 and the fiber side inclined surface 12 of the base member 41 are positioned on substantially the same plane. In this grinding, the fiber-side vertical surface of the base member 41 may be ground as in the first embodiment, but basically it is not necessary to grind here.

  In addition, in the above embodiment, although all mount a some optical fiber, you may apply this invention to what mounts one optical fiber. In each of the above embodiments, the lower base member is formed as a single member. However, a plurality of members connected to each other and integrated may be used as the base member. In the above description, the optical fiber module has been described as one component of the optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device, but it goes without saying that this may be applied to other devices.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the light separation apparatus in 1st embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing (the 1) which shows the manufacture procedure of the optical fiber module in 1st embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing (the 2) which shows the manufacture procedure of the optical fiber module in 1st embodiment which concerns on this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure which shows the base member in 1st embodiment which concerns on this invention, Comprising: The same figure (a) is a side view of a base member, The same figure (b) is a b arrow directional view of the same figure (a), FIG. (C) is a c arrow line view of the same figure (a). It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the shape of the processing tool in 1st embodiment which concerns on this invention, and processing depth. It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacture procedure of the optical fiber module in 2nd embodiment which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

3: Reflective grating, 4: MEMS, 5: Micromirror array, 7: Monitor device, 8: Control device, 10, 40: Optical fiber module, 11: Optical fiber, 11a: Input optical fiber, 11b: For output Optical fiber, 12: Inclined end face, 13, 13a, 13b, 50: Micro collimating lens, 14: Vertical end face, 20, 40: Base member, 21: Lower base member, 22, 28, 42: Fiber mounting portion (optical fiber V groove), 23, 29, 43: lens mounting portion (V groove for lens), 24: boundary groove, 25: fiber side inclined surface, 26: lens side vertical surface, 27: upper base member, 30: processing tool , 31: first blade surface, 32: second blade surface

Claims (14)

In a method of manufacturing an optical fiber module, comprising: an optical fiber; an optical component that emits light to the optical fiber or receives light from the optical fiber; and a base member that is mounted in a separated state.
A fiber fixing step of fixing the optical fiber to the base member;
A component fixing step of fixing the optical component to the base member apart from the optical fiber so that the optical axis of the optical component is positioned on the optical axis of the optical fiber;
After the fiber fixing step and before or after the component fixing step, the end of the optical fiber on the optical component side is formed on an inclined end surface inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. End face machining process;
The manufacturing method of the optical fiber module characterized by having. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 1,
In the fiber fixing step, the plurality of optical fibers are fixed to the base member so that optical axes of the plurality of optical fibers are parallel to each other,
In the end face processing step, among the plurality of optical fibers, at least the ends of the adjacent optical fibers are processed together.
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
In the end face processing step, a part of the base member is processed together with the end of the optical fiber, the inclined end face is formed on the optical fiber, and a fiber side inclined face is formed on the base member,
The inclined end face of the optical fiber and the fiber-side inclined face of the base member are positioned on substantially the same plane;
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The end face processing step is executed after the fiber fixing step and the component fixing step,
In the end surface processing step, a processing tool having a first blade surface and a second blade surface is used, and an end of the optical fiber on the optical component side is processed by the first blade surface of the processing tool. The end portion of the optical component on the optical fiber side is processed with the second blade surface of the tool, and at least in the process of the end surface processing step, the end portion on the optical component side of the optical fiber and the optical fiber side of the optical component Simultaneously processing the end of
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 4,
In the end surface processing step, a part of the base member is processed together with the end of the optical component, and an end surface is formed on the optical component and a side surface of the base member is also formed.
The end surface of the optical component and the component side surface of the base member are positioned on substantially the same plane;
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 4 and 5,
In the processing tool, an angle of the second blade surface with respect to the first blade surface forms the predetermined angle,
In the end face machining step, an optical fiber side end portion of the optical component is machined by the second blade surface of the processing tool, and a vertical end face substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical component is formed on the optical component. And forming the end of the optical fiber on the optical component side with the first blade surface of the processing tool, and tilting the predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. Forming an inclined end face,
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to claim 6,
The optical component is a lens that focuses substantially parallel light from the opposite side of the optical fiber in the vicinity of the inclined end surface of the optical fiber,
When the focal length of the lens is f, the distance from the principal point of the lens to the vertical end surface is f1, and the predetermined angle is θ,
The processing depth by the processing tool, the processing depth d from the optical axis in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber,
d≈ (f−f1) / tan θ
A method for manufacturing an optical fiber module. In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The base member has a V-shaped cross-section, and a V-groove for an optical fiber extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the mounted optical fiber, and the cross-section has a V-shaped cross section. An optical component V-groove extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the later optical component is formed;
In the fiber fixing step, the optical fiber is fixed to the optical fiber V-groove of the base member, and in the component fixing step, the optical component is fixed to the component V-groove of the base member.
An optical fiber module manufacturing method. In an optical fiber module comprising: an optical fiber; an optical component that emits light to the optical fiber or receives light from the optical fiber; and a base member that mounts the optical components apart from each other.
The base member is formed with a fiber mounting portion on which the optical fiber is mounted, a component mounting portion on which the optical component is mounted, and a boundary groove between the fiber mounting portion and the component mounting portion,
The optical fiber is fixed to the fiber mounting portion of the base member, and an end surface of the optical fiber on the optical component side forms an inclined end surface inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. The side surface of the boundary groove on the side of the optical fiber forms a fiber side inclined surface located on the same plane as the inclined end surface.
An optical fiber module. The optical fiber module according to claim 9, wherein
The optical component is fixed to the component mounting portion of the base member, and the side surface of the boundary groove on the optical component side forms a component side surface that is located substantially on the same plane as the end surface of the optical component on the optical fiber side.
An optical fiber module. In the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 and 10,
The fiber mounting portion is a V groove for an optical fiber having a V-shaped cross section and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber after mounting,
The component mounting portion is a V groove for an optical component that has a V-shaped cross section and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optical component after mounting.
An optical fiber module. In the optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 to 11,
An antireflection film is formed on the inclined end face of the optical fiber and the end face of the optical component.
An optical fiber module. The optical fiber module according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the optical fiber includes one or more input optical fibers and one or more output optical fibers,
Separating / multiplexing light that has passed through the optical component from one or more input optical fibers, and sending the separated or multiplexed light to one or more output optical fibers via the optical component Means,
An optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device characterized by comprising: The optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device according to claim 13,
Monitoring means for monitoring light reflected by the inclined end face of the one or more output optical fibers of the optical fiber module;
An optical demultiplexing / multiplexing device.