JP3317301B2 - Optical waveguide - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flat optical waveguide suitable as an optical circuit component.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical subscriber systems, optical CATV,
Optical submarine cable systems, optical information processing systems, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as “optical systems” in the present invention) are being actively developed in technology. Optical circuit components such as star couplers, optical multiplexer / demultiplexers, optical switches, optical modulators, wavelength-independent couplers, and optical transmission modules that assemble these optical circuit components and optical elements such as semiconductor lasers and photodiodes are key. Indispensable as a device.

As optical circuit components, there are an optical fiber type device and an optical waveguide type device. The optical waveguide type device can integrate a plurality of functions of the optical fiber type device, and can reduce the size and cost. At the same time, mass production can be expected.

There are optical waveguides using a semiconductor substrate such as silicon as a substrate and those using a quartz glass substrate. The latter optical waveguide using a quartz glass substrate can be fusion spliced with an optical fiber. This is advantageous in that the polarization dependent loss is small.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of the structure of an optical waveguide using a quartz glass substrate. Reference numeral 41 denotes a quartz glass substrate; 42, a rectangular core waveguide formed on the quartz glass substrate 41; Is a clad formed on the quartz glass substrate 41 so as to cover the core waveguide 42. The core waveguide 42 and the clad 43 are formed such that the refractive index of the core waveguide 42 is higher than that of the clad 43. Each is doped with a dopant for controlling the refractive index.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of a method of manufacturing the optical waveguide shown in FIG. First, 3 inches in diameter and 1 thickness
A quartz glass wafer 51 of about mm is prepared, and a dopant-added SiO ₂ -based glass film 54 to be a core waveguide is finally formed thereon by an electron beam evaporation method (FIG. 5).
(A)). Next, the metal mask 5 is formed by a sputtering method.
5 (FIG. 5B), and a photoresist 56 is formed thereon by photolithography (FIG. 5B).
(C)). Next, the core waveguide 52 is patterned by reactive ion etching (RIE) (FIG. 5D).
Here, high-temperature heat treatment at 1200 ° C. or higher is performed in order to stabilize the refractive index of the core waveguide 52. Next, the raw material gas is subjected to a hydrolysis reaction by a flame deposition method to deposit a porous SiO ₂ -based glass film 57 to be a clad (FIG. 5E). Thereafter, the porous SiO ₂ -based glass film 57 is sintered by heating to 1200 ° C. or higher to obtain a clad 53 which is made vitrified (FIG. 5F). Next, dicing is performed for each optical waveguide 58 with a blade 59 (FIG. 5).
(G)), the optical waveguide shown in FIG. 4 is obtained.

[0007]

A prototype of a 2-input × 16-output waveguide-type optical star coupler was produced by the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 5, and 16 output-side ports of the waveguide-type optical star coupler were connected to the block surface. When an optical fiber array in which the ends of optical fibers were fixed to V-grooves formed at a predetermined pitch was connected, there were many ones with extremely large connection loss, and the yield was extremely poor.

As a result of studying the cause, not only the pitch between the core waveguides largely shrinks with respect to the design value due to the high-temperature heat treatment during the manufacturing process, but also, depending on the case, the mounting to the package becomes impossible. Since most of the optical fibers were warped, these deformations caused the axial deviation between the core waveguide and the optical fiber. These deformations vary considerably in the plane of the optical waveguide, the plane of the quartz glass wafer, and between wafers.
It could not be solved by designing for warpage.

The deformation of the optical waveguide causes not only the above-mentioned poor connection with the optical fiber, but also an optical circuit such as an optical multiplexer / demultiplexer or a wavelength-independent coupler whose characteristics depend on the length of the core waveguide. However, there is a problem that desired optical characteristics cannot be obtained.

Furthermore, not only the above-mentioned waveguide type optical star coupler having 2 inputs × 16 outputs, but also a conventional optical waveguide has an absorption loss of 1.39 μm wavelength light recognized as being caused by the presence of a hydroxyl group. Was. The cause was considered to be due to the conditions for forming the core waveguide film, and various investigations were made on the conditions for forming the core waveguide film. However, the light absorption loss at a wavelength of 1.39 μm could not be eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to enable high-precision connection to an optical fiber without causing axial misalignment, to achieve desired optical characteristics, and to achieve a wavelength of 1.39 μm. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical waveguide capable of reducing the light absorption loss of the optical waveguide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical waveguide capable of improving the production yield and reducing the cost by enabling high-precision connection of optical fibers.

[0013]

According to the present invention, a plurality of core waveguides made of silica-based glass are formed on a surface of a quartz glass substrate so as to cover the core waveguides. In an optical waveguide in which a clad made of silica-based glass having a lower refractive index than the core waveguide is formed on the surface of the quartz glass substrate, the quartz glass substrate is made of pure SiO ₂ substantially containing no chlorine. becomes, the Rukoto hydroxyl group concentration using anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate under 300ppm or less, the high-temperature heat treatment during the manufacturing process
The optical waveguide is prevented from contracting due to the
The optical waveguide is characterized in that the shrinkage of the optical waveguide is 2 μm or less . The present invention, in order to achieve the above object, Ri Na <br/> silica based glass on the surface of the quartz glass substrate, characteristics constitutes the dependent optical circuit by the length
Is formed with a plurality of core waveguides, in the quartz glass the optical waveguide cladding made of silica glass is formed to have a lower refractive index than the core waveguide on said surface of the substrate so as to cover the core waveguide, The quartz glass substrate is made of pure SiO ₂ containing substantially no chlorine, and is made of water.
The acid concentration is Rukoto using <br/> the following anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate 300 ppm, the high-temperature heat treatment during the manufacturing process
The desired characteristics of the optical circuit can be obtained by suppressing the contraction of the optical waveguide.
As well as the pitch between the core waveguides.
An optical waveguide characterized in that the shrinkage is 2 μm or less .

The present inventors have found that, in a synthetic quartz glass substrate made of pure SiO _{2, the} lower the hydroxyl group concentration, the higher the heat resistance. Therefore, if a synthetic quartz glass substrate made of pure SiO ₂ containing substantially no hydroxyl groups is used, the shrinkage and warpage of the optical waveguide become extremely small,
The connection with the optical fiber can be performed with high accuracy, and a circuit having a circuit size as designed can be obtained, so that desired optical characteristics can be achieved.

Further, the present inventors have found that the light absorption loss at a wavelength of 1.39 μm of the core waveguide is due to the presence of hydroxyl groups diffused from the substrate. Therefore, by substantially eliminating the hydroxyl groups in the substrate, the wavelength of the core waveguide is 1.39 μm.
m can be reduced.

The hydroxyl group concentration in the synthetic quartz glass substrate that can achieve the above object needs to be less than 300 ppm, preferably less than 100 ppm.
More preferably, it is desirable to make it less than 50 ppm.

When producing synthetic quartz glass, there is a method in which silicon tetrachloride is decomposed in an oxyhydrogen flame or a plasma flame to deposit silica, and chlorine is used as a means for reducing hydroxyl groups in the synthetic quartz glass. However, in these production methods and dehydration methods, 10 to 100 ppm of chlorine remains in the glass. However, since this residual chlorine causes a reduction in the softening temperature of the glass, that is, the heat resistance, it is also an important condition that the synthetic quartz glass substrate of the present invention contains substantially no chlorine.

Further, the synthetic quartz glass substrate has
It is required that the strain point temperature at which the viscosity becomes ^14.5 poise is 1000 ° C. or higher, more preferably 1050 ° C. or higher. The strain point temperature is defined as a value obtained by setting a wafer having a diameter of 6 inches and a thickness of 0.8 mm in a heating furnace,
The elongation at each temperature is measured by applying a load of 0 g, and the temperature is the temperature at which the viscosity of the sample becomes 10 ^14.5 poise. The strain point temperature increases as the amount of hydroxyl groups decreases, and the higher the strain point temperature, the smaller the thermal deformation of the substrate.

In the present invention, “pure SiO ₂ ”
Means heavy metals such as Fe and Cu, Na, C
This refers to SiO ₂ having a metal impurity concentration of 10 ppm or less such as an alkali metal such as a and K and an alkaline earth metal. These metal impurity concentrations must be 10 ppm or less, preferably 1 ppm or less, because they lower the strain point temperature and softening temperature of the glass, or diffuse into the core waveguide and affect its refractive index.

Further, using the optical waveguide using the above-mentioned anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate, an optical element comprising a light emitting element or a light receiving element is connected to one end of the core waveguide, and an optical fiber is connected to the other end of the core waveguide. If the connected optical module is configured, the connection failure with the optical fiber or the optical element due to the deformation of the optical waveguide does not occur, so that the yield can be improved and the price can be reduced. Furthermore,
If such an optical module is mounted on an optical transmitter or an optical receiver, a highly reliable optical system can be constructed.

In an optical system in which optical circuit components such as an optical star coupler, an optical multiplexer / demultiplexer, an optical switch, an optical modulator, and a wavelength-independent coupler are inserted in an optical path such as an optical fiber line. However, since the optical circuit component has excellent optical characteristics and can be connected to the optical fiber with high precision, a highly reliable optical system can be constructed.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of an optical waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a quartz glass substrate, 2 is a rectangular core waveguide formed on the quartz glass substrate 1,
Reference numeral 3 denotes a clad having a lower refractive index than the core waveguide 2 and formed on the quartz glass substrate 1 so as to cover the core waveguide 2. The core waveguide 2 has, for example, a width and a height of 8 μm × 8 μm.
m, and the material is, for example, TiO ₂ —SiO ₂
System glass or the like is used. Cladding 3, for example, _{B 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5} -SiO 2 based glass or the like as the material is used, the composition ratio so that the relative refractive index difference between the core waveguide 2 is about 0.3% is adjusted ing.

In the optical waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a quartz glass substrate 1 is a synthetic quartz glass substrate made of pure SiO ₂ containing substantially no hydroxyl groups (hereinafter, an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate). It is).

In the conventional quartz glass wafer, deformation has occurred due to high temperature heat treatment in the optical waveguide manufacturing process. When the hydroxyl group concentration of the conventional quartz glass wafer was measured, 100 wafers
It had a hydroxyl group concentration of about 0 ppm, and was a water-containing synthetic quartz glass of 400 ppm or more even in the lowest part on the wafer surface.

Therefore, the present inventors consider that the hydroxyl group concentration in the substrate is related to the heat resistance of the substrate itself, and used a substrate having a low hydroxyl group concentration. It has been found that shrinkage and warpage of the optical waveguide can be extremely reduced even after high-temperature heat treatment during the manufacturing process. This is because the decrease in the number of hydroxyl groups makes it difficult for the substrate to be softened even when exposed to a high temperature, that is, the heat resistance is improved.

Actually, a waveguide type optical star coupler of 2 inputs × 16 outputs was prototyped from each wafer using 10 conventional water-containing synthetic quartz glass wafers and 10 anhydrous synthetic quartz glass wafers. The width of the entire 16 ports on the output side is 5 mm. As a result, the pitch between the core waveguides of the hydrated synthetic quartz glass substrate is approximately 4.
It shrank by 5 μm or more, and there was considerable variation (1 to 9 μm) within the wafer surface and between wafers. On the other hand, an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate has a hydroxyl group concentration of 2
The shrinkage can be suppressed to 2 μm or less even when the content is not less than 00 ppm and less than 300 ppm.
At ppm or less, shrinkage could be suppressed to 0.5 μm or less. As for the warp, the water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate has not only a warpage of 1 μm or more on average, but also about 10% of a warp amount of 2 μm or more, which is considered to be impossible to mount. When the synthetic quartz glass substrate has a hydroxyl group concentration of 200 ppm or more and less than 300 ppm, 0.8 μm
Hereinafter, the amount of warpage could be suppressed to 0.5 μm or less at 100 ppm or less and 0.2 μm or less at 50 ppm or less.

As described above, in order to suppress the deformation of the optical waveguide element, the hydroxyl group concentration in the synthetic quartz glass substrate must be 30%.
It is desirable that the hydroxyl group concentration is less than 0 ppm, preferably less than 100 ppm, and more preferably less than 50 ppm.

Next, an MZ (Mach-Zehnder) optical interferometer shown in FIG. 6 and a WDM (Wavelength div) shown in FIG.
ision Multi / demultiplexer) filters were prototyped.

In the MZ type optical interferometer 60 shown in FIG. 6, a first core waveguide 61 and a second core waveguide 62 are formed in two places close to each other to form two couplers 63 and 64. The first core waveguide 61 and the second core waveguide 62 between 64 are designed to have different lengths. The MZ type optical interferometer 60 is used for, for example, a long-distance optical transmission system or an optical amplifier of an optical fiber sensor. When the superimposed light of the signal light 1.55 μm is incident on the incident end of the first core waveguide 61, the signal light 1.55 μm
m is output from the output end of the first core waveguide 61, and the light is split for each wavelength so that 0.98 μm of the excitation light is output from the output end of the second core waveguide.

The WDM filter 70 shown in FIG. 7 includes an input waveguide 71 and a plurality of output waveguides 72 (eight in FIG. 7), which are arrayed waveguides 7 of a plurality of waveguides having different lengths.
5, an input slab waveguide 73 and an output slab waveguide 74 are connected between the input waveguide 71 and the output waveguide 72 and the array waveguide 75, respectively. The WDM filter 70 is provided in a light source unit of a transmitter such as a wavelength division multiplexing optical transmission system or a light receiving unit of a receiver.
The signal light of each of the wavelengths is demultiplexed and emitted from each waveguide of the output waveguide 72 for each wavelength, or the signal light of λ1 to λ8 incident from each waveguide of the output waveguide 72 is multiplexed and input and guided. The light exits from the wave path 71.

The MZ type optical interferometer shown in FIG.
As a result of trial production of each of the WDM filters shown in (1) and (2), the circuit size of any of the optical waveguides having a water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate was reduced due to shrinkage, and 30% or less satisfied the desired optical characteristics. On the other hand, an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate hardly shrinks, so that the hydroxyl group concentration is less than 300 ppm, 85% or more, and 100% or less.
95% or more at less than ppm, almost 100% at less than 50ppm
Satisfy the desired optical characteristics.

Thus, from the viewpoint of the optical characteristics of the optical waveguide element, the hydroxyl group concentration in the synthetic quartz glass substrate is 300 pp.
m, preferably less than 100 ppm, more preferably less than 50 ppm.

When synthetic quartz glass is used, when silicon tetrachloride is used or when it is subjected to a dehydration treatment by exposing it to an atmosphere containing chlorine gas, chlorine is taken into the glass, and this residual chlorine is used to soften the glass. This is a factor that lowers the temperature, that is, the strain point temperature. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when depositing synthetic quartz glass, a source gas containing no chlorine such as methoxysilane is used, and dehydration is performed in a vacuum or in an inert gas atmosphere without using chlorine. Thereby, chlorine is not substantially contained in the substrate.

Further, heavy metals such as Fe and Cu, Na, C
Alkali metals and alkaline earth metals such as a and K also lower the strain point temperature of the glass or diffuse into the core waveguide to affect the refractive index. Therefore, in the present invention, in the production of synthetic quartz glass, a high-purity raw material is used to suppress the metal impurity concentration to 10 ppm or less, preferably 1 ppm or less.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the strain point temperature and the hydroxyl group concentration in various types of quartz glass. Here, the strain point temperature is a diameter of 6 inches and a thickness of 0.8 as described above.
Set the mm of the wafer in a heating furnace, to measure the amount of elongation at the respective temperatures under a load of 500 g, the viscosity of the sample 10 ^14.5
Poise temperature. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the water-based synthetic quartz glass having a hydroxyl group concentration of 400 ppm or more, which has been conventionally used as a substrate, has a strain point temperature of 1000 ° C. or less, whereas the anhydrous synthetic quartz glass having a hydroxyl group concentration of 100 ppm or less has a ° C or higher. As described above, the difference due to the hydroxyl group concentration greatly affects the strain point temperature, that is, heat resistance. To reduce thermal deformation even after high-temperature heat treatment, the strain point temperature at which the viscosity of 10 ^14.5 poise is reached is 1000
C. or higher, more preferably 1050.degree. C. or higher, and still more preferably 1100.degree. C. or higher (having a hydroxyl group concentration of 10 ppm or lower). Natural quartz glass has a higher strain point temperature than anhydrous synthetic quartz glass, but has a metal impurity concentration of several tens of ppm or more, and the metal impurity diffuses into the core waveguide and changes the refractive index. Since it has an unfavorable effect on optical characteristics, it is not suitable as a substrate for an optical waveguide.

Next, the present inventors investigated the effects of the hydroxyl group concentration of the substrate on the light absorption loss of the core waveguide at a wavelength of 1.39 μm in order to obtain a water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate and an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate. A prototype of a straight waveguide having a rectangular section of 8 μm × 8 μm and a length of 6 cm was manufactured by using the method described above, and loss wavelength characteristics were measured. The results are shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b).

FIGS. 3A and 3B show loss wavelength characteristics of a linear waveguide using a water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate (hydroxyl concentration: 420 ppm) and an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate (hydroxyl concentration: 50 ppm), respectively. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a graph, in which the horizontal axis represents light wavelength and the vertical axis represents absorption loss. As shown in FIG. 3A, when a water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate is used, an absorption peak of 1 dB or more appears at a wavelength of 1.39 μm. On the other hand, when the anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate shown in FIG. 3B was used, this absorption peak was not observed. Therefore, in order to reduce the light absorption loss of the core waveguide at a wavelength of 1.39 μm, not only the conditions for forming the core waveguide but also the hydroxyl group concentration of the substrate must be reduced.

In the above description, the numerical value of each hydroxyl group concentration is a value measured by an infrared spectrophotometer (manufactured by JASCO Corporation).

[0040]

As described in detail above, according to the optical waveguide of the present invention, since the optical waveguide is hardly deformed during the manufacturing process, it can be connected to the optical fiber array with high precision without causing axial misalignment. And can achieve desired optical characteristics.

Further, since hydroxyl groups do not diffuse from the substrate to the core waveguide, light absorption loss at a wavelength of 1.39 μm can be reduced.

Furthermore, by enabling high-precision connection between the optical waveguide and the optical fiber, the production yield of the optical module can be improved and the price can be reduced. If mounted on a receiver, a highly reliable optical system can be constructed.

Also, since the optical circuit component has excellent optical characteristics and can be connected to the optical fiber with high precision,
For example, an optical system in which an optical circuit component is inserted in the optical path such as an optical fiber line can be constructed as a highly reliable system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of an optical waveguide according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a strain point temperature and a hydroxyl group concentration in various types of quartz glass.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams showing loss wavelength characteristics of a linear waveguide using a water-containing synthetic quartz glass substrate and an anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of an optical waveguide using a quartz glass substrate.

FIGS. 5A to 5F are explanatory views each showing an example of steps of a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example of an MZ optical interferometer.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a WDM filter.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 quartz glass substrate 2 core waveguide 3 clad 41 quartz glass substrate 42 core waveguide 43 clad 51 quartz glass wafer 52 core waveguide 53 clad 54 dopant-added SiO ₂ glass film 55 metal mask 56 photoresist 57 porous SiO ₂ system Glass film 58 Optical waveguide 59 Blade 60 type optical interferometer 61, 62 Core waveguide 63, 64 Coupler 70 Filter 71 Input waveguide 72 Output waveguide 73 Input slab waveguide 74 Output slab waveguide 75 Array waveguide

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshikazu Kamoshida 5-1-1, Hidaka-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Nippon Electric Cable Co., Ltd. Optro System Laboratory (56) References JP-A-5-181031 ( JP, A) JP-A-5-241035 (JP, A) JP-A-6-67198 (JP, A) JP-A-5-97466 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , (DB name) G02B 6/12-6/14 G02B 6/30

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of core waveguides made of silica-based glass are formed on a surface of a quartz glass substrate, and a lower refractive index than the core waveguide is provided on the surface of the quartz glass substrate so as to cover the core waveguide. In the optical waveguide in which a clad made of silica-based glass having a refractive index is formed, the quartz glass substrate is a pure S substantially free of chlorine.
It consists iO _2, the hydroxyl group concentration by Rukoto using the following anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate 300 ppm, high temperatures during the manufacturing process
The core waveguide is formed by suppressing shrinkage of the optical waveguide due to heat treatment.
An optical waveguide characterized in that contraction of a pitch between paths is set to 2 μm or less . Wherein Ri Do silica based glass on the surface of the quartz glass substrate, constituting the dependent optical circuit characteristics by the length
A plurality of core waveguides are formed in the quartz glass the optical waveguide cladding made of silica glass is formed to have a lower refractive index than the core waveguide on said surface of the substrate so as to cover the core waveguide The quartz glass substrate is made of pure S substantially free of chlorine.
consists iO _2, the hydroxyl group concentration by Rukoto anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate under 300ppm or less, the high temperature during the manufacturing process
Suppressing the shrinkage of the optical waveguide due to heat treatment,
In order to obtain desired characteristics,
An optical waveguide characterized in that shrinkage of the pitch between the waveguides is 2 μm or less . 3. An anhydrous synthetic quartz glass substrate comprising: 10 ^14.5
The strain point temperature at which the viscosity of poise becomes 1000 ° C or higher
The optical waveguide according to claim 1, wherein: