JP4207903B2 - Manufacturing method of optical fiber array - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes a plurality of optical fiber strands aligned and held between a pair of plate-like members, and a connection target (for example, an optical fiber on an optical circuit board) disposed to face the axial direction of the optical fiber strand. Column, optical waveguide column or optical element) and an optical fiber array manufacturing method that facilitates optical and mechanical coupling work between the optical fiber strands, and in particular, the accuracy of the alignment interval in the optical fiber strands. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical fiber array, which can be manufactured at a low cost without being lowered.

  Conventionally, in order to connect an optical fiber to a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) such as an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) or an optical star coupler, a plurality of optical fiber strands (sheathed strips) are used. The exposed optical fiber itself, that is, the one composed of the core and the clad is referred to as an optical fiber strand, but in a narrow sense, it refers to a portion exposed by peeling off the outer sheath of the optical fiber core wire). An optical fiber array is used.

  In this type of optical fiber array, there are mainly two types of cores of optical fiber cores, a normal pitch of 250 μm and a half pitch of 127 μm. As the number of PLCs increases, the waveguide substrate becomes larger. A half-pitch optical fiber array is desired from the standpoint of avoiding the manufacturing process.

  As a method of manufacturing such a half-pitch optical fiber array, an optical fiber element aligned with the V-groove of a glass substrate (V-groove substrate) on which a plurality of guide grooves (V-grooves) having a V-shaped cross section is formed. A wire is sandwiched between a V-groove substrate and a holding plate (generally called a cover plate, but the function is different from the cover plate of the present invention), and the gap between the V-groove substrate, the holding plate, and the optical fiber Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a method of filling an adhesive with an adhesive and curing the adhesive to form an optical fiber array.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9A, the optical fiber 94 aligned with the V-groove substrate 93 is brought into close contact with the optical fiber fixing substrate 91 on which the optical fiber fixing adhesive 92 is applied on a flat surface (FIG. 9A). 9B), the optical fiber 94 is fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate 91 by curing the adhesive 92, and further has a flat surface for reinforcement, and the reinforcing resin material 95 is provided on this surface. The provided cover plate 96 (see FIG. 9C) is overlapped with the optical fiber fixing substrate 91 to which the optical fiber 94 is fixed, and the optical fiber 94 is sandwiched between a pair of plate members (see FIG. 9D). In addition, a method for manufacturing an optical fiber array in which the reinforcing resin material 95 is cured to form an integral structure is also known (see Patent Document 3).

  By the way, since the method described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 incorporates a V-groove substrate formed with high dimensional accuracy as a constituent member of the optical fiber array, the optical fiber array is also expensive. There was a problem.

  On the other hand, although the method described in Patent Document 3 uses the V-groove substrate 93 as an optical fiber strand alignment jig, the expensive V-groove substrate 93 is not incorporated into the optical fiber array, so that an inexpensive optical fiber is used. An array can be realized. However, in the half-pitch optical fiber array, the diameter of the optical fiber 94 is 125 μm, and the pitch of the aligned optical fibers 94 is 127 μm, so the gap between the optical fibers 94 is about 2 μm. Since it is narrow, the space formed when the optical fiber 94 is fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate 91, that is, the optical fiber fixing substrate 91 and the optical fiber element in which the optical fiber fixing adhesive 92 is applied on a flat surface. The reinforcing resin material 95 is unlikely to enter the space surrounded by the line 94, and the gap 97 may remain in the space after the cover plate 96 is bonded and fixed (see FIG. 9D).

  When the gap 97 is generated between the optical fiber 94 and the optical fiber fixing substrate 91, the fixing strength of the optical fiber 94 to the optical fiber fixing substrate 91 is weakened. Therefore, when polishing the end face of the optical fiber array. In some cases, the optical fiber 94 is damaged.

  Further, the reinforcing resin material 95 swells due to the moisture that has permeated into the gap 97, and there is a possibility that the strength of the optical fiber array is lowered and the core is displaced.

  Under such a technical background, the present inventor has already proposed a manufacturing method of an optical fiber array in which the periphery of the optical fiber is filled with a resin without generating the above-mentioned gap (PCT / JP2004 / 017205). No. description).

  That is, this manufacturing method includes a first step of aligning a plurality of optical fiber strands 104 with an optical fiber strand aligning jig 103 having a plurality of guide grooves (see FIG. 10A), and aligning the optical fiber strands. The temporary fixing substrate 101 is brought into contact with the temporarily fixing resin material 102 side of the temporarily fixing substrate 101 coated with the temporarily fixing resin material 102 on a flat surface with the optical fiber wires 104 aligned by the jig 103. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber 104 to the optical fiber fixing substrate 105 (see FIGS. 10A to 10B), and the optical fiber strand 104 temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate 101 to an optical fiber fixing substrate 105 having a flat surface. In the third step of fixing via the resin material 106 (see FIGS. 10C to 10D), the temporary fixing substrate 101 and the optical fiber wire 104 are mounted together with the temporarily fixing resin material 102 provided on the flat surface thereof. In the fourth step of separation (see FIG. 11A), a cover plate 108 is placed on the side where the temporary fixing substrate 101 of the optical fiber strand 104 fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate 105 is separated via a resin material 107. It was the method comprised by the 5th process (refer FIG. 11B-FIG. 11C) to fix.

  According to this manufacturing method, the optical fiber wire 104 is pressed against the temporary fixing resin material 102 side of the temporary fixing substrate 101 with the temporary fixing resin material 102 applied to the flat surface to regulate the position, Although the optical fiber strand 104 is fixed by the fixing resin material 102, this fixing is temporary fixing, and the temporary fixing substrate 101 is attached from the optical fiber strand 104 together with the temporary fixing resin material 102 provided on the flat surface thereof. To be separated. Since the cover plate 108 can be fixed after the gap formed between the temporary fixing substrate 101 and the optical fiber 104 is sufficiently filled with the resin materials 106 and 107, the manufactured light The gap is not generated around the optical fiber 104 in the fiber array, and is sufficient between the optical fiber 104 and the optical fiber fixing substrate 105 and between the optical fiber 104 and the cover plate 108. It was a method capable of interposing a resin layer.

  By the way, when carrying out this manufacturing method, the thickness of the optical fiber fixing substrate or the cover plate may be selected in response to the selection of the temporary fixing substrate or in response to the recent demand for reduction in the thickness of the optical fiber array. When the length is set small, a new problem has been found that the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber strands in the optical fiber array tends to be lowered due to the following reasons.

  For example, when the temporary fixing substrate is made of a material that causes elastic deformation, when the temporary fixing substrate 101 on which the optical fiber 104 is temporarily fixed is separated from the optical fiber alignment jig 103 ( 10C), the bending phenomenon of the temporary fixing substrate 101 suppressed by the optical fiber strand alignment jig 103 due to the curing shrinkage of the temporarily fixing resin material 102 is caused to temporarily fix the optical fiber strand 104. This is likely to occur in a direction in which the surface is concave and the opposite side surface is convex, and as a result, there is a problem that the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber strands decreases.

  In addition, when the thickness of the optical fiber fixing substrate is set to be small, when the temporary fixing substrate 101 is separated from the optical fiber fixing substrate 105 to which the optical fiber strand 104 is fixed (see FIG. 11A), Due to curing shrinkage, the bending phenomenon of the optical fiber fixing substrate 105 that has been suppressed by the temporary fixing substrate 101 is likely to occur in a direction in which the fixing surface of the optical fiber 104 is concave and the opposite side surface is convex. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber strands is similarly lowered. Further, even when the thickness of the cover plate is set to be small, the bending phenomenon of the cover plate 108 due to the curing shrinkage of the resin material 107 causes the fixing surface of the optical fiber 104 to be concave and the opposite side surface to be convex. It was easy to occur in the direction.

  When the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber strands is lowered, there has been a problem that a significant loss of optical signals occurs when connecting to a planar optical circuit or the like arranged to face each other.

  Further, the above-described optical fiber array manufacturing method shown in FIGS. 10 to 11 is low in productivity because it is a method of manufacturing a set of optical fiber arrays at a time in the production process.

  Patent Documents 4 to 5 disclose a method of assembling a plurality of optical fiber arrays on a wide V-groove and then cutting and separating them to obtain a plurality of optical fiber arrays.

However, in these methods, since it is necessary to cut a wide V-groove, there is a problem that the assembled optical fiber array is adversely affected by thermal and mechanical effects, and expensive cutting equipment is required. There was a problem that the work took time and the productivity was inferior.
JP-A-11-242127 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-326704 JP 2000-193844 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-48453 JP-A-10-115728

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and the object of the present invention is that there is no gap around the optical fiber in the manufactured optical fiber array, and the optical fiber An inexpensive optical fiber array in which a sufficient resin layer can be interposed between the optical fiber and the optical fiber fixing substrate and between the optical fiber and the cover plate, and the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber is not lowered. It is in providing the manufacturing method of.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array that can assemble a plurality of optical fiber arrays at the same time, can be quickly and easily integrated and separated, and has little influence on the quality of the separation operation.

In order to solve the above problems, the present inventor has conducted intensive research. When a technique for avoiding the bending phenomenon of all of the temporary fixing substrate, the optical fiber fixing substrate, or the cover plate is employed, an optical fiber is used. It has been found that the alignment accuracy of the strands is hardly lowered so much. The present invention has been completed based on such technical findings.

That is, the invention according to claim 1
A plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in alignment between a pair of plate-like members having a flat surface, and the optical fiber strands and the plates are made of a resin material filled between the optical fiber strands and between the plate-like members. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array in which the tips of the optical fiber strands are fixed and arranged and exposed at the same interval as the optical path to be connected arranged opposite to each other,
A first step of aligning the plurality of optical fiber strands with an optical fiber strand aligning jig in which a plurality of guide grooves are formed across the length in the length direction;
The temporary fixing substrate is brought into contact with the temporary fixing substrate whose temporary fixing resin material is coated on a flat surface to the optical fiber aligned by the optical fiber alignment jig. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber to
A third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate having a flat surface through a resin material;
A fourth step of separating the temporary fixing substrate from the optical fiber together with the temporary fixing resin material provided on the flat surface;
A fifth step of fixing the cover plate via a resin material on the side where the temporary fixing substrate of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate is separated;
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which comprises each process of the following and employ | adopts all the means as described in the following (1)-(3),
(1) The temporary fixing substrate is made of a rigid body that does not substantially cause elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2) Temporarily fixing the first reinforcing plate for preventing deformation of the optical fiber fixing substrate to the surface opposite to the side on which the optical fiber strand is fixed of the optical fiber fixing substrate.
(3) Temporarily fixing the second reinforcing plate for preventing the deformation of the cover plate to the surface of the cover plate opposite to the side on which the optical fiber is fixed.
On the surface of the second reinforcing plate that is temporarily fixed to the cover plate, a concave groove that is narrower than the cover plate and that is used for the separation operation of the second reinforcing plate and the cover plate is provided. Features.

Next, the invention according to claim 2
A plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in alignment between a pair of plate-like members having a flat surface, and the optical fiber strands and the plates are made of a resin material filled between the optical fiber strands and between the plate-like members. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array in which the tips of the optical fiber strands are fixed and arranged and exposed at the same interval as the optical path to be connected arranged opposite to each other,
A first step of aligning the plurality of optical fiber strands with an optical fiber strand aligning jig in which a plurality of guide grooves are formed across the length in the length direction;
The temporary fixing substrate is brought into contact with the temporary fixing substrate whose temporary fixing resin material is coated on a flat surface to the optical fiber aligned by the optical fiber alignment jig. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber to
A third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate having a flat surface through a resin material;
A fourth step of separating the temporary fixing substrate from the optical fiber together with the temporary fixing resin material provided on the flat surface;
A fifth step of fixing the cover plate via a resin material on the side where the temporary fixing substrate of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate is separated;
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which comprises each process of the following and employ | adopts all the means as described in the following (1)-(3),
(1) The temporary fixing substrate is made of a rigid body that does not substantially cause elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2) Temporarily fixing the first reinforcing plate for preventing deformation of the optical fiber fixing substrate to the surface opposite to the side on which the optical fiber strand is fixed of the optical fiber fixing substrate.
(3) Temporarily fixing the second reinforcing plate for preventing the deformation of the cover plate to the surface of the cover plate opposite to the side on which the optical fiber is fixed.
Each of the optical fiber alignment jig, the temporary fixing substrate, and the first reinforcing plate is constituted by a common plate having a plate width on which a plurality of optical fiber fixing substrates can be mounted simultaneously, and the common plate On the surface of the first reinforcing plate to be temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate and within the area where each optical fiber fixing substrate is mounted, the first reinforcing plate is narrower than the optical fiber fixing substrate. A concave groove is provided for separation operation from the optical fiber fixing substrate.

The invention according to claim 3
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 2,
Protrusions for determining the mounting position of each optical fiber fixing substrate are provided on the surface of the first reinforcing plate constituted by the common plate that is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate,
The invention according to claim 4
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 1 or 2 ,
The rigid body constituting the temporary fixing substrate is glass or ceramics having a thickness of 2 mm or more,
The invention according to claim 5
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 1 or 2 ,
The first reinforcing plate is detachably temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate after the third step , and the first reinforcing plate is separated from the optical fiber fixing substrate after the fifth step,
The invention according to claim 6
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 1 or 2 ,
The first reinforcing plate is detachably temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate before the third step , and the first reinforcing plate is separated from the optical fiber fixing substrate after the fifth step. .

Next, the invention according to claim 7 provides:
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The thickness of the optical fiber fixing substrate and the cover plate is 0.8 mm or less,
The invention according to claim 8 is:
Based on the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Each surface roughness Ra (arithmetic average roughness) of the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate and the optical fiber fixing substrate on which these reinforcing plates are temporarily fixed and the cover plate on the side in contact with each other is 0.2 μm or less. It is characterized by being.

According to the method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 1 or 2 ,
A first step of aligning the plurality of optical fiber strands with an optical fiber strand aligning jig in which a plurality of guide grooves are formed across the length in the length direction;
The temporary fixing substrate is brought into contact with the temporary fixing substrate whose temporary fixing resin material is coated on a flat surface to the optical fiber aligned by the optical fiber alignment jig. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber to
A third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate having a flat surface through a resin material;
A fourth step of separating the temporary fixing substrate from the optical fiber together with the temporary fixing resin material provided on the flat surface;
A fifth step of fixing the cover plate via a resin material on the side where the temporary fixing substrate of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate is separated;
Since all the steps described in the following (1) to (3) are employed,
(1) The temporary fixing substrate is made of a rigid body that does not substantially cause elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2) Temporarily fixing the first reinforcing plate for preventing deformation of the optical fiber fixing substrate to the surface opposite to the side on which the optical fiber strand is fixed of the optical fiber fixing substrate.
(3) Temporarily fixing the second reinforcing plate for preventing the deformation of the cover plate to the surface of the cover plate opposite to the side on which the optical fiber is fixed.
Temporary fixing resin material or optically aligned optical fiber strands with high accuracy and no distortion by avoiding bending phenomenon of temporary fixing substrate, optical fiber fixing substrate and cover plate due to curing shrinkage of resin material It is possible to obtain a fiber array, and the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate are separated from the optical fiber fixing substrate and the cover plate and do not remain as components of the completed optical fiber array. A small optical fiber fixing substrate and a cover plate can be applied, and a thin optical fiber array can be obtained.

Moreover, according to the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on invention of Claim 1 ,
On the surface of the second reinforcing plate that is temporarily fixed to the cover plate, a groove that is narrower than the cover plate and provided for the separation operation of the second reinforcing plate and the cover plate is provided. It has the effect that the separation operation when removing the second reinforcing plate from the cover plate can be simplified.

Next, according to the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 2 ,
Since all of the optical fiber alignment jig, the temporary fixing substrate, and the first reinforcing plate are constituted by a common plate having a plate width on which a plurality of optical fiber fixing substrates can be mounted simultaneously, a plurality of light beams It is possible to assemble the fiber array at the same time, and unlike the prior art described in Patent Documents 4 to 5, there is no need to cut / separate components, so heat or vibration during the cutting / separation work. It has the effect of making it possible to avoid adverse effects caused by the above.

Moreover, according to the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on invention of Claim 2 ,
On the surface of the first reinforcing plate constituted by the common plate that is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate and within the region where each optical fiber fixing substrate is mounted, the first reinforcing plate is narrower than the optical fiber fixing substrate and Since the concave groove provided for the separation operation of the one reinforcing plate and the optical fiber fixing substrate is provided, there is an effect that the separation work of the first reinforcing plate and the optical fiber fixing substrate can be simplified.
In particular, according to the method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 3,
Since a protrusion for determining the mounting position of each optical fiber fixing substrate is provided on the surface of the first reinforcing plate constituted by the common plate that is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate, each optical fiber fixing substrate Has the effect of easily determining the mounting position and improving the positional accuracy,
Moreover, according to the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on invention of Claim 6,
Before the third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate, the first reinforcing plate is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate in a separable manner. Since the first reinforcing plate is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate before the fiber strand is mounted, the temporary fixing operation is simplified and the manufacturing time can be shortened.
According to the method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to the invention of claim 8,
Each surface roughness Ra (arithmetic average roughness) of the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate and the optical fiber fixing substrate on which these reinforcing plates are temporarily fixed and the cover plate on the side in contact with each other is 0.2 μm or less. Therefore, the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate can be temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate and the cover plate by using a temporarily fixing resin material with an appropriate strength. When removing the plate and the second reinforcing plate, the related parts can be reliably separated without damaging them.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

  The manufacturing method of the optical fiber array according to this embodiment uses an optical fiber strand alignment jig as in the invention described in PCT / JP2004 / 017205, and a plurality of sets of optical fiber arrays are spaced apart. A wide optical fiber aligning jig is applied so that it can be assembled at the same time.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, a layer made of the temporarily fixing resin material 12 is uniformly formed on the flat surface of the temporarily fixing substrate 11, while a plurality of layers are formed at intervals of 127 μm, which is the core interval of the half-pitch optical fiber array. The optical fiber 14 is accommodated in each guide groove of the optical fiber alignment jig 13 in which the guide grooves are formed in the length direction. The temporary fixing substrate 11 is made of a rigid material having a thickness of 2 mm or more, and a wide temporary fixing substrate 11 is used so that a plurality of sets of optical fiber arrays can be assembled at intervals. As described above, the wide optical fiber alignment jig 13 is also used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a temporary fixing substrate 11 in which a layer made of the temporary fixing resin material 12 is uniformly formed with respect to an optical fiber alignment jig 13 in which optical fiber strands 14 are aligned. And the temporary fixing resin material 12 is cured while maintaining the contact between each optical fiber 14 and the temporary fixing substrate 11.

  Next, by removing the optical fiber alignment jig 13, each optical fiber 14 is temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate 11 at 127 μm intervals as shown in FIG. A set of the above-described optical fiber strands 14 that are components of the optical fiber array is temporarily fixed in a state where they are aligned with each other at a predetermined interval. Since the temporary fixed substrate 11 is made of a rigid material having a thickness of 2 mm or more, the optical fiber strand aligning jig 13 is removed and the optical fiber strand aligning jig 13 is restrained. Even if the force is released, the temporary fixing substrate 11 is not bent by the stress caused by the curing shrinkage of the temporarily fixing resin material.

  Next, for each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 that will be a component of each optical fiber array after completion, the back side where the layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 is not formed is shown in FIG. The optical fiber fixing substrates 15 are prepared by the number of the optical fiber arrays to be assembled at the same time as shown in FIG. Then, a layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 for fixing the optical fiber strand 14 to the main surface is uniformly formed on the flat surface.

  The first reinforcing plate 10 also has a wide width on which a plurality of sets of optical fiber arrays to be assembled at the same time can be mounted, and on the surface on which the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 of the first reinforcing plate 10 is temporarily fixed. In the region where each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is mounted, there is a concave groove (formed with the bottom surface inclined so that the depth of the groove becomes gradually smaller in the depth direction) 21 used for the separation operation. Furthermore, a protrusion 22 that determines the mounting position of each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is formed along the length direction of the groove 21.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 on which a layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 is formed is bonded to the temporary fixing substrate 11 together with the first reinforcing plate 10. The optical fiber 14 is held between the temporary fixing substrate 11 and the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 while controlling the position with respect to the wire 14, and the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 is cured in this state.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the temporary fixing substrate 11 is separated from the optical fiber strand 14 together with the layer made of the temporary fixing resin material 12 provided on the flat surface thereof, so that the optical fiber strand 14 is spaced at 127 μm intervals. Are fixed in alignment with each optical fiber fixing substrate 15. By this separation operation, each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 loses the temporary fixing substrate 11 which is the reinforcing means existing on the side of the optical fiber 14, but is fixed by the first reinforcing plate 10 because it is reinforced. The resin material 16 does not bend due to stress caused by curing shrinkage.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the cover plate 18 in which the second reinforcing plate 19 is temporarily fixed in advance using a temporarily fixing resin material (not shown) on the back surface side where the layer made of the reinforcing resin material 17 is not formed. Are prepared by the number of corresponding optical fiber fixing substrates 15. In addition, on the surface of the second reinforcing plate 19 on which the cover plate 18 is temporarily fixed, a concave groove used for the separation operation (the bottom surface is inclined so that the depth of the groove gradually decreases in the depth direction). 23) is provided.

  And each cover by which the layer which consists of the resin material 17 for a reinforcement as shown in FIG. 7 was formed in the side by which the board | substrate 11 for temporary fixing of each optical fiber fixed board | substrate 15 to which the optical fiber 14 was fixed was isolate | separated. After the plates 18 are overlaid and the optical fiber 14 is held by a pair of plate-like members made up of the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18, the reinforcing resin material 17 is cured, whereby the optical fiber 14 and A sufficient resin layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 and the reinforcing resin material 17 can be present between the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and between the optical fiber 14 and the cover plate 18.

  Note that, when the reinforcing resin material 17 is cured, each cover plate 18 is reinforced by the second reinforcing plate 19 even if stress due to curing shrinkage of the reinforcing resin material 17 acts on each cover plate 18. It is not bent because it is.

  Thereafter, the second reinforcing plate 19 is separated from the cover plate 18 as shown in FIG. 8 by pushing the wedge-shaped flat bar into the concave groove 23 of each second reinforcing plate 19, and the wedge-shaped flat bar is moved to the first. Each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is separated from the first reinforcing plate 10 by being pushed into each concave groove 21 of one reinforcing plate 10 as shown in FIG.

  In order to make the separation operation of the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18 from the first reinforcing plate 10 and the second reinforcing plate 19 more reliable, the first reinforcing plate 10 and the second reinforcing plate 19 and these reinforcing plates are used. The surface roughness Ra (arithmetic mean roughness) on the side of the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18 on which the optical fiber is temporarily fixed is in contact with each other is set to 0.2 μm or less.

  As a final step, the end surfaces of the pair of plate members composed of the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18 are flattened by polishing, and the tip end side of the optical fiber 14 is exposed to obtain the optical fiber array according to the present invention. It is done.

  Examples of the present invention will be specifically described below.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, an ultraviolet curable epoxy resin (temporary fixing resin material) is applied on a wide temporary fixing substrate 11 made of a flat plate, and a layer made of the temporary fixing resin material 12 having a thickness of about 5 μm is formed. Formed. In order to make the thickness of the layer made of the temporarily fixing resin material 12 uniform, an ultraviolet curable epoxy resin is once excessively adhered on the temporarily fixing substrate 11, and then the metal blade is temporarily attached to the temporarily fixing substrate. The coating was spread and evenly adjusted by moving horizontally while maintaining a distance of 5 μm from the surface of 11. Further, the temporary fixing substrate 11 is made of a rigid body (glass) having a thickness of 2 mm or more and having substantially no elastic deformation and plastic deformation in order to avoid bending of the substrate due to curing shrinkage of the resin. . In addition, the width dimension of the temporarily fixed substrate 11 was set to 23 mm so that three sets of optical fiber arrays having a set width of 5 mm at the time of completion could be assembled at an interval of 2 mm from each other.

  Next, in the vicinity of the wide optical fiber aligning jig 13 that is arranged in advance with the guide groove having a V-shaped cross section on the upper side, the layer made of the temporary fixing resin material 12 is on the lower side and temporarily fixed. A substrate 11 was disposed. Here, the arrangement interval of the guide grooves is 127 μm, and the width dimension of the optical fiber strand aligning jig 13 is set to 27 mm in order to mount the optical fiber strands 14 incorporated in the three sets of optical fiber arrays.

  Then, the optical fiber strand 14 is placed from the upper side of the optical fiber strand alignment jig 13, and the tip side thereof is accommodated in the guide groove of the optical fiber strand alignment jig 13. At this time, the temporary fixing substrate 11 is slightly above the optical fiber strand aligning jig 13 so that the layer of the temporary fixing resin material 12 of the temporary fixing substrate 11 does not contact the optical fiber strand 14. It is arranged.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the temporary fixing substrate 11 is moved downward to bring the layer made of the temporary fixing resin material 12 formed on the flat surface into close contact with the optical fiber 14. In this state, when the temporary fixing resin material 12 is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays through the temporary fixing substrate 11, a temporary fixing layer is formed and the optical fiber 14 is temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate 11. The

  Here, the temporarily fixing resin material 12 is not completely cured, and is sufficient to hold the optical fiber wires 14 on the temporarily fixing substrate 11 at intervals of 127 μm. When the substrate 11 is separated from the optical fiber 14, it is cured to such an extent that it does not become an obstacle. By this operation, the optical fiber strands 14 incorporated in the three sets of optical fiber arrays are bonded to the common temporary fixing substrate 11.

  Next, the optical fiber strand aligning jig 13 and the temporary fixing substrate 11 on which the optical fiber strands 14 are temporarily fixed are separated from each other, and become components of individual optical fiber arrays as shown in FIG. For the three optical fiber fixing substrates 15 having a thickness of 0.7 mm and a width dimension of 5 mm, the back side of the first reinforcing plate 10 on which the layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material (thermosetting epoxy resin) 16 is not formed is formed. The above optical fiber fixing resin material for temporarily fixing the optical fiber strand 14 on the flat surface by adhering to the upper surface using a temporary fixing resin material (ultraviolet curable epoxy resin). (Thermosetting epoxy resin) 16 is dropped to form a layer made of the optical fiber fixing resin material 16 uniformly.

  Also, the first reinforcing plate 10 is a wide one (a width dimension is 23 mm and a thickness is 2.5 mm) on which a plurality of optical fiber arrays to be assembled at the same time can be mounted, and the first reinforcing plate 10 In the region where each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is mounted on the surface on which the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is temporarily fixed, a concave groove used for the separation operation (the depth of the groove gradually decreases in the depth direction). , And a protrusion 22 for determining the mounting position of each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 along the length direction of the groove 21. Is formed. Then, by pressing the end surfaces of the three sets of optical fiber fixing substrates 15 against the protrusions 22, the respective optical fiber fixing substrates 15 are arranged at intervals of 2 mm. Further, in order to make the separation operation between the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the first reinforcing plate 10 more reliable, each of the first reinforcing plate 10 and the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 on which the reinforcing plate is temporarily fixed are in contact with each other. The surface roughness Ra (arithmetic average roughness) is finished to 0.2 μm or less.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, each optical fiber fixing substrate 15 on which a layer made of an optical fiber fixing resin material (thermosetting epoxy resin) 16 is formed is temporarily attached to the temporary fixing substrate 11 together with the first reinforcing plate 10. The optical fiber 14 is pressed against the fixed optical fiber 14 while controlling its position, and the optical fiber 14 is held between the temporary fixing substrate 11 and the optical fiber fixing substrate 15, and in this state, the optical fiber fixing resin material 16. Is cured to fix the optical fiber 14 to each optical fiber fixing substrate 15.

  Then, by separating the temporary fixing substrate 11 from the optical fiber 14 together with the temporarily fixing resin material 12 provided on the flat surface, the optical fiber 14 is fixed at 127 μm intervals as shown in FIG. As a result, a structure in which three sets of optical fiber fixing substrates 15 are reinforced by the first reinforcing plate 10 is obtained.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the second reinforcing plate 19 is preliminarily formed using a temporarily fixing resin material (ultraviolet curable epoxy resin) on the back side where the layer made of the reinforcing resin material (thermosetting epoxy resin) 17 is not formed. The cover plates 18 that are temporarily fixed are prepared as many as the corresponding optical fiber fixing substrates 15. The second reinforcing plate 19 has a thickness of 2.5 mm, a width dimension of 5 mm, and a groove (groove toward the depth direction) provided for separation operation on the surface on which the cover plate 18 is temporarily fixed. 23) is formed with the bottom surface inclined at an inclination angle of 20 degrees so that the depths of the first and second layers gradually decrease. The cover plate 18 has a thickness of 0.7 mm, a width dimension of 5 mm, and each surface roughness on the side where the second reinforcing plate 19 and the cover plate 18 to which the reinforcing plate is temporarily fixed come into contact with each other. Ra (arithmetic mean roughness) is finished to 0.2 μm or less.

  And each cover by which the layer which consists of the resin material 17 for a reinforcement as shown in FIG. 7 was formed in the side by which the board | substrate 11 for temporary fixing of each optical fiber fixed board | substrate 15 to which the optical fiber 14 was fixed was isolate | separated. After the plates 18 are overlapped and the optical fiber 14 is held by a pair of plate-like members including the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18, the reinforcing resin material 17 is cured, whereby the optical fiber 14 is formed. A structure in which a surface sandwiched between the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18 and not provided with a resin material is reinforced by the second reinforcing plate 19 is obtained.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the second reinforcing plate 19 is separated from the cover plate 18, and the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 is separated from the first reinforcing plate 10. The first reinforcing plate 10 and the second reinforcing plate 19 are separated from each other by a wedge-shaped flat bar (not shown) having a tapered tip at 20 degrees, which is the same as the inclination angle of the respective concave grooves 21 and 23. ) Is pushed into the concave grooves 21 and 23.

  And the thickness dimension of the structure (refer FIG. 8) by which the optical fiber strand 14 after isolate | separating the 1st reinforcement board 10 and the 2nd reinforcement board 19 was clamped by the optical fiber fixed board | substrate 15 and the cover board 18 is 1.6 mm, which is the thickness of the completed optical fiber array.

  Finally, the end surfaces of the pair of plate-like members composed of the optical fiber fixing substrate 15 and the cover plate 18 are flattened by polishing, and the optical fiber array according to the embodiment is obtained by exposing the tip side of the optical fiber 14. .

  The optical fiber array obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention can be used for connection between a planar optical circuit (PLC) such as an arrayed waveguide diffraction grating (AWG) or an optical star coupler and an optical fiber. It has industrial applicability that can contribute to cost reduction and miniaturization of modules.

Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the process about the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which concerns on this invention. FIGS. 9A to 9D are explanatory views showing the steps of a manufacturing method of an optical fiber array according to a conventional method using an optical fiber strand alignment jig. FIGS. 10A to 10D are explanatory views showing the steps of the improved method of manufacturing an optical fiber array. FIGS. 11A to 11C are explanatory views showing the steps of the improved method for manufacturing an optical fiber array.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 1st reinforcement board 11 Temporary fixing board | substrate 12 Temporary fixing resin material 13 Optical fiber strand aligning jig 14 Optical fiber strand 15 Optical fiber fixing board 16 Optical fiber fixing resin material 17 Reinforcing resin material 18 Cover plate 19 Second reinforcing plate 21 Groove 22 Protrusion 23 Groove

Claims (8)

A plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in alignment between a pair of plate-like members having a flat surface, and the optical fiber strands and the plates are made of a resin material filled between the optical fiber strands and between the plate-like members. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array in which the tips of the optical fiber strands are fixed and arranged and exposed at the same interval as the optical path to be connected arranged opposite to each other,
A first step of aligning the plurality of optical fiber strands with an optical fiber strand aligning jig in which a plurality of guide grooves are formed across the length in the length direction;
The temporary fixing substrate is brought into contact with the temporary fixing substrate whose temporary fixing resin material is coated on a flat surface to the optical fiber aligned by the optical fiber alignment jig. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber to
A third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate having a flat surface through a resin material;
A fourth step of separating the temporary fixing substrate from the optical fiber together with the temporary fixing resin material provided on the flat surface;
A fifth step of fixing the cover plate via a resin material on the side where the temporary fixing substrate of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate is separated;
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which comprises each process of the following and employ | adopts all the means as described in the following (1)-(3),
(1) The temporary fixing substrate is made of a rigid body that does not substantially cause elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2) Temporarily fixing the first reinforcing plate for preventing deformation of the optical fiber fixing substrate to the surface opposite to the side on which the optical fiber strand is fixed of the optical fiber fixing substrate.
(3) Temporarily fixing the second reinforcing plate for preventing the deformation of the cover plate to the surface of the cover plate opposite to the side on which the optical fiber is fixed.
On the surface of the second reinforcing plate that is temporarily fixed to the cover plate, a concave groove that is narrower than the cover plate and that is used for the separation operation of the second reinforcing plate and the cover plate is provided. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber array. A plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in alignment between a pair of plate-like members having a flat surface, and the optical fiber strands and the plates are made of a resin material filled between the optical fiber strands and between the plate-like members. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array in which the tips of the optical fiber strands are fixed and arranged and exposed at the same interval as the optical path to be connected arranged opposite to each other,
A first step of aligning the plurality of optical fiber strands with an optical fiber strand aligning jig in which a plurality of guide grooves are formed across the length in the length direction;
The temporary fixing substrate is brought into contact with the temporary fixing substrate whose temporary fixing resin material is coated on a flat surface to the optical fiber aligned by the optical fiber alignment jig. A second step of temporarily fixing the optical fiber to
A third step of fixing the optical fiber strand temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing substrate to the optical fiber fixing substrate having a flat surface through a resin material;
A fourth step of separating the temporary fixing substrate from the optical fiber together with the temporary fixing resin material provided on the flat surface;
A fifth step of fixing the cover plate via a resin material on the side where the temporary fixing substrate of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate is separated;
In the manufacturing method of the optical fiber array which comprises each process of the following and employ | adopts all the means as described in the following (1)-(3),
(1) The temporary fixing substrate is made of a rigid body that does not substantially cause elastic deformation and plastic deformation.
(2) Temporarily fixing the first reinforcing plate for preventing deformation of the optical fiber fixing substrate to the surface opposite to the side on which the optical fiber strand is fixed of the optical fiber fixing substrate.
(3) Temporarily fixing the second reinforcing plate for preventing the deformation of the cover plate to the surface of the cover plate opposite to the side on which the optical fiber is fixed.
Each of the optical fiber alignment jig, the temporary fixing substrate, and the first reinforcing plate is constituted by a common plate having a plate width on which a plurality of optical fiber fixing substrates can be mounted simultaneously, and the common plate On the surface of the first reinforcing plate to be temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate and within the area where each optical fiber fixing substrate is mounted, the first reinforcing plate is narrower than the optical fiber fixing substrate. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber array, wherein a concave groove is provided for separation from the optical fiber fixed substrate.   A protrusion for determining a mounting position of each optical fiber fixing substrate is provided on a surface of the first reinforcing plate constituted by the common plate that is temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate. Item 3. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to Item 2. 3. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein the rigid body constituting the temporarily fixing substrate is glass or ceramics having a thickness of 2 mm or more. The said first reinforcing plate is detachably temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate after the third step, and, and separating the first reinforcing plate from the optical fiber fixing substrate after the fifth step according Item 3. The method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to Item 1 or 2 . The first reinforcing plate is detachably temporarily fixed to the optical fiber fixing substrate before the third step , and the first reinforcing plate is separated from the optical fiber fixing substrate after the fifth step. The manufacturing method of the optical fiber array of Claim 1 or 2 .   The method for manufacturing an optical fiber array according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the thickness of the optical fiber fixing substrate and the cover plate is 0.8 mm or less.   Each surface roughness Ra (arithmetic average roughness) of the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate and the optical fiber fixing substrate on which these reinforcing plates are temporarily fixed and the cover plate on the side in contact with each other is 0.2 μm or less. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein

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