JP2555162B2 - Optical component optical axis fixing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a plurality of elements, for example, a light emitting element, a light receiving element,
The present invention relates to a method for fixing an optical axis of an optical component by using an optical branching element or the like.

[Prior Art] For example, a predetermined level of light is supplied to the fiber under measurement, and the light reflected from the fiber under measurement is detected to detect the loss characteristics of the fiber under measurement and a fault point search. In this case, a module including a plurality of optical components is used.

5 and 6 show an example of a module including such an optical component.

The optical components consist of a light emitting element 1, a light receiving element 2, a light branching element 3, a lens 4, etc. These optical components 1, 2, 3, 4 are screwed by aligning the optical axes to predetermined positions of a mount 5 which is an outer casing. Alternatively, it was fixed with an adhesive or the like.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, this type of module has a problem that when fixing an optical component, the structure of the mount 5 is complicated, the number of components is increased, and the component cost is increased. Also, especially optical parts 1,2,
The structure in which 3, 4 are fixed to the mount 5 with screws or the like requires a lot of assembly man-hours, is troublesome, and lacks reliability.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide an optical axis fixing method for an optical component, which enables accurate adjustment of the optical axis of the optical component without trouble. is there.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is arranged at a light emitting element collimator 6, a light receiving element collimator 7, and an intersection of optical axes of the light emitting element collimator and the light receiving element collimator. An optical component configured to include at least an optical branching unit 8 and an optical axis aligning member 9 to which a fiber can be attached and which is arranged to face the light emitting element collimator.
A method of fixing an optical axis of an optical component that is positioned and fixed on the same substrate 10, wherein the light emitting element collimator is provided in a holding hole 11 of a mold 12 formed in advance according to the outer shape of each optical component except the light emitting element collimator. Each optical component except the above is mounted respectively, and in a state where the substrate is positioned and placed on the optical component mounted in the holding hole, welding is performed from the through hole 10a formed in the substrate corresponding to the arrangement position of the optical component. Material is fixed to the substrate, the optical component is fixed to the substrate, the light emitting element collimator is placed on the substrate to emit light in a state where the fiber is attached to the optical axis aligning member, and the fiber is output from the light emitting element collimator. The optical axis between the light emitting element collimator and each of the optical components is adjusted while measuring the optical power incident on the optical element, and when the optical axis is adjusted to a desired state, it corresponds to the arrangement position of the light emitting element collimator. hand Filled with welding material from the through hole 10a formed in the serial board is characterized by fixing the light emitting element collimator to said substrate.

[Operation] The optical parts (the light receiving element collimator 7, the light branching means 8 and the optical axis aligning member 9) except the light emitting element collimator 6 are mounted in the holding holes 11 of the mold 12, and the substrate 10 is positioned and mounted on the optical parts. Each optical component is fixed to the substrate 10 by filling a welding material through the through hole 10a of the substrate 10 in the state of being placed. Thereafter, the light emitting element collimator 6 is mounted on the substrate with the fiber attached to the optical axis extending member 9.
The optical axis between the light emitting element collimator 6 and each optical component is adjusted while measuring the optical power which is placed on the device 10 and emits light and which is incident on the fiber from the light emitting element collimator 6. Then, when the optical axis is adjusted to a desired state, the through hole 10a of the substrate 10 is filled with a welding material to fix the light emitting element collimator 6 to the substrate 10.

Thus, the light emitting element collimator 6 which is the light output source
Since the optical axis can be adjusted at the end by adjusting the optical axis, the optical components 6, 7, 8 and the die 12 can be manufactured without requiring strict machining accuracy.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a module including an optical component according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the module.

In the module according to this embodiment, a plurality of optical components are aligned in optical axis and positioned and fixed on the same substrate by filling with a welding material. For example, loss measurement of a measured fiber and a failure point like an optical pulse tester. It is used when performing various characteristic measurements such as searching.

The optical component comprises a light emitting element collimator 6, a light receiving element collimator 7, and a light branching means 8. The light emitting element collimator 6 outputs a predetermined level of light, and the light emitting element 6a and the spherical lens 6b are housed in a holder 6c. Further, the light receiving element collimator 7 receives the light reflected from the fiber under measurement when the light is projected onto the fiber under measurement by the light emitting element collimator 6, and like the light emitting element collimator 6, the light receiving element 7a and The ball lens 7b is housed in the holder 7c. The light splitting means 8 is composed of a beam splitter, a prism or an AO switch,
The light from the light emitting element collimator 6 is guided to the measured fiber side, and the light from the measured fiber is branched to the light receiving element collimator 7 side.

The optical axis extending member 9 fixed on the substrate 10 described later has a through hole 9a formed in the longitudinal direction. When the optical components 6, 7 and 8 are positioned and fixed on the substrate 10, the through hole 9a is formed. The optical axes of the components 6, 7, and 8 are positioned with reference to the central axis of 9a.

The substrate 10 to which the optical components 6, 7, 8 are fixed has a planar shape, and tapered through holes 10a are formed at the mounting positions of the components 6, 7, 8 on the substrate 10. Then, each of the parts 6, 7 and 8 has a through hole 1 based on the central axis of the optical axis extending member 9.
While being placed on 0a, the optical axis is aligned and fixed by being filled with the welding material from the through hole 10a. At this time, the mounting surfaces of the components 6, 7 and 8 on the substrate are flat, so that a sufficient welding area can be secured. Further, the heat dissipation effect of the optical component, particularly the light emitting element collimator 6, can be improved.

Next, a method of assembling the module configured as described above will be described.

First, other optical components 7 and 8 except the light emitting element collimator 6
The optical axis aligning member 9 is mounted in the holding hole 11 of the mold 12, and the substrate 10 is placed on the mounted component. In this state, the through hole 10 formed in the substrate 10 corresponding to each of the parts 7, 8 and 9
Fill the solder from a and fix each part. Next, the fourth
As shown in the figure, the fiber collimator 13 is attached to the optical axis aligning member 9.
(The fiber 13a is attached to the sleeve 13c so as to be located concentrically with the lens 13b, and when light is incident in the direction of the arrow, parallel light is emitted from the lens 13b.)
With the attached, the light emitting element collimator 6 is placed on the substrate 10 to emit light, and this light is made incident on the fiber collimator 13. Then, while measuring the power of this light, the optical axis between the light emitting element collimator 6 and the optical axis extending member 9 is adjusted. At this time, since collimated light is output from the light emitting element collimator 6, there is a margin in the amount of misalignment allowed on the optical axis alignment surface between the light emitting element collimator 6 and the fiber collimator 13, and assembly adjustment is easy. Can be done. Then, when the optical axis is adjusted to the optimum state, the light emitting element collimator 6 is positioned, and the solder is filled and fixed from the through hole 10a of the substrate 10 like the other components 7, 8 and 9. Next, after housing the substrate 10 to which the respective parts 6, 7, 8 and 9 are attached in a case housing (not shown), a case such that nitrogen gas or the like is injected into the case housing so that the case is kept airtight. A lid member is fixed and sealed on the opening of the housing.

By the way, when the fiber mounted on the optical axis extending member 9 is a single mode fiber, the positional accuracy cannot be obtained only by the mechanical accuracy of the mold 12, so that the light of the light emitting element collimator 6 is actually connected. Positioning is performed by making it incident on the fiber.

If the fiber diameter is large, the mold
The mechanical accuracy of 12 is sufficient for the light emitting element collimator 6
Can be positioned.

As described above, in the above-described method, the light emitting element collimator 6 which is a light output source is positioned last and the optical axis of the whole can be adjusted, so that the optical components 6, 7, 8 and the mold 12 are strictly adjusted. It can be manufactured without requiring machining accuracy.

Even when the light branching means 8 having polarization dependency is used and the positional accuracy is required between the light emitting element collimator 6 and the other parts 7 and 8, the final light emitting element collimator 6 is used. It can be easily dealt with by adjusting.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the optical axis fixing method for an optical component of the present invention, the light emitting element collimator, which is a light output source, is positioned last, so that the entire optical axis can be adjusted with high accuracy. It is possible to manufacture each optical component and mold without requiring strict processing accuracy. Further, even if the light branching means having polarization dependency is used and the positional accuracy is required between the light emitting element collimator and other optical parts, it is possible to easily adjust the final light emitting element collimator. Can be dealt with.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a module including an optical component to which the optical axis fixing method for an optical component according to the present invention is applied,
2 is a sectional view of the same, FIG. 3 is a view showing an assembled state of the optical component, FIG. 4 is a view showing an adjustment state between a light emitting element collimator and each component in the optical axis structure, FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing an example of a conventional optical axis fixing structure of an optical component, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the same side. 6,7,8 …… Optical parts, 9 …… Optical axis alignment member, 10 …… Board, 1
0a ... through hole.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-194207 (JP, A) JP-A-61-9610 (JP, A) JP-A-62-222204 (JP, A) JP-A-62- 100715 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light emitting element collimator (6), a light receiving element collimator (7), an optical branching means (8) arranged at an intersection of optical axes of the light emitting element collimator and the light receiving element collimator, and a fiber. The optical axis of the optical component for mounting and fixing the optical component, which is configured to include at least the optical axis extending member (9) facing the light emitting element collimator, on the same substrate (10). A fixing method, wherein each optical component excluding the light emitting element collimator is mounted in a holding hole (11) of a mold (12) preformed in accordance with the outer shape of each optical component excluding the light emitting element collimator, In a state where the substrate is positioned and placed on the optical component mounted in the holding hole, the welding material is filled through the through hole (10a) formed in the substrate corresponding to the position where the optical component is arranged. Parts on the board The light emitting element collimator is mounted on the substrate to emit light in a state where a fiber is attached to the optical axis aligning member, and the light is emitted while measuring the optical power incident on the fiber from the light emitting element collimator. An optical axis between the element collimator and each of the optical components is adjusted, and when the optical axis is adjusted to a desired state, a through hole (10a) formed in the substrate corresponding to the arrangement position of the light emitting element collimator. A method of fixing an optical axis of an optical component, further comprising filling a welding material to fix the light emitting element collimator to the substrate.