JPH01164906A - Branch coupler for optical fiber - Google Patents
Branch coupler for optical fiberInfo
- Publication number
- JPH01164906A JPH01164906A JP62324896A JP32489687A JPH01164906A JP H01164906 A JPH01164906 A JP H01164906A JP 62324896 A JP62324896 A JP 62324896A JP 32489687 A JP32489687 A JP 32489687A JP H01164906 A JPH01164906 A JP H01164906A
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- optical fiber
- optical
- substrate
- grooves
- branch
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 26
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000005530 etching Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000001259 photo etching Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 239000006089 photosensitive glass Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 abstract description 11
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 abstract description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 3
- 229910052716 thallium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- -1 thallium ions Chemical class 0.000 description 5
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005342 ion exchange Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910001415 sodium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 241000511976 Hoya Species 0.000 description 1
- WHXSMMKQMYFTQS-UHFFFAOYSA-N Lithium Chemical compound [Li] WHXSMMKQMYFTQS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 101000611641 Rattus norvegicus Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 15A Proteins 0.000 description 1
- FKNQFGJONOIPTF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sodium cation Chemical compound [Na+] FKNQFGJONOIPTF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003513 alkali Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910052744 lithium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910001414 potassium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- ZIBGPFATKBEMQZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N triethylene glycol Chemical compound OCCOCCOCCO ZIBGPFATKBEMQZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Optical Communication System (AREA)
- Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)
Abstract
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】
（技術分野）
本発明は、入力端に入射した光信号を複数の出力端に分
配するための光ファイバー用分岐結合器に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to an optical fiber branching/coupling device for distributing an optical signal incident on an input end to a plurality of output ends.
（従来技術）
光ファイバーにより伝送されてきた光信号を複数の機器
に分配する場合には、透光性基板に分岐光路が形成され
た分岐結合器を用い、一端に光ファイバーの出射口を、
他端に複数の光ファイバーの入射口を接続することによ
り行なわれている。(Prior art) When distributing an optical signal transmitted by an optical fiber to multiple devices, a branching coupler is used in which a branching optical path is formed on a transparent substrate, and the output port of the optical fiber is connected to one end of the branching coupler.
This is done by connecting the input ports of multiple optical fibers to the other end.
ところで、このような分岐結合器と光ファイバーの結合
は、分岐光路に対向させて形成した基板の溝に光ファイ
バーを嵌合させることにより行なわれている。Incidentally, such a branch coupler and optical fiber are coupled by fitting the optical fiber into a groove in a substrate formed to face the branch optical path.
従来、この結合用の溝は、プレス装３により形成されて
いるが、大食りな装置を必要とするばかりでなく、寸法
精度が低いという問題があった。Conventionally, this coupling groove has been formed by a press device 3, but there have been problems in that it not only requires a large-sized device but also has low dimensional accuracy.
（目的）
本発明はこのような問題に鑑みてなされたものであって
、その目的とするところは簡便な方法により寸法精度の
高い結合用の溝を形成することができる光ファイバー用
分岐結合器を提供することにある。(Purpose) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a branching coupler for optical fibers that can form coupling grooves with high dimensional accuracy using a simple method. It is about providing.
（発明の概要）
すなわち、本発明が特徴とするところは、フォトエツチ
ングにより結合用溝を形成した点にある。(Summary of the Invention) That is, the present invention is characterized in that the coupling groove is formed by photoetching.
（実施例）
そこで以下に本発明の詳細を図示した実施例に基づいて
説明する。(Example) The details of the present invention will be described below based on illustrated examples.
Ｍ１図は本発明の一実施例を示したものであって、図中
符号１は本発明が特徴とする光ファイバー用分岐結合器
で、光透過性を有するガラス基板２の表面近傍には分岐
すべき光路に対応させて光路３が形成され、各光路の端
部にはフォトエツチングにより結合用の溝４．５．６を
形成して構成されている。Figure M1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and reference numeral 1 in the figure is an optical fiber branching coupler, which is a feature of the present invention. Optical paths 3 are formed corresponding to the optical paths to be used, and coupling grooves 4, 5, and 6 are formed at the ends of each optical path by photoetching.
第２図は、上述した光ファイバー用分岐結合器の製造工
程を示すものであって、所定の寸法に成型された、可及
的に透明度が高く、しかもリチウムやカリウムイオン等
を含む感光性ガラス、例えばＨＯＹＡ社牲ＰＥＧ−３等
の感光性ガラスからなる基板２の表面に、第３図に示し
たように光ファイバーを結合すべき溝の位置に合せて窓
を穿設したマスクＭを載雪する。この状態で、ガラス基
板が感応する波長の光を照射すると、マスクＭの窓Ｗ、
Ｗ、Ｗに一致した部分だけが光照射を受けて感光する（
第２図工）。FIG. 2 shows the manufacturing process of the above-described optical fiber branching coupler, in which a photosensitive glass molded to predetermined dimensions, as transparent as possible, and containing lithium, potassium ions, etc. For example, on the surface of a substrate 2 made of photosensitive glass such as PEG-3 manufactured by HOYA Corporation, a mask M with a window formed in alignment with the position of the groove where the optical fiber is to be coupled is placed as shown in Fig. 3. . In this state, when the glass substrate is irradiated with light of a wavelength to which it is sensitive, the window W of the mask M,
Only the parts that match W and W receive light irradiation and are exposed to light (
2nd drawing).
マスクを外しガラスを熱処理した段階で、エツチング液
Ｅに浸漬すると、パターンに対応する部分だけが厚さ方
向に侵食を受ける。このようにして、所定の深さ、つま
り光ファイバーを接続したとき、光ファイバーのコアが
導波路に対向する深さまでエツチングを進行させた段階
で、基板２をエツチング液Ｅから引上げて水洗いを行な
う（■）。After the mask has been removed and the glass has been heat-treated, if it is immersed in etching solution E, only the portion corresponding to the pattern will be eroded in the thickness direction. In this way, when etching has progressed to a predetermined depth, that is, to a depth where the core of the optical fiber faces the waveguide when the optical fibers are connected, the substrate 2 is pulled up from the etching solution E and washed with water (■ ).
この基板上に、第４図に示したように形成すべき導波路
の形状に合せた窓Ｗ′を設けたマスクＭ′を載冒し、２
段階埋め込みイオン交換法により導波パターンを形成す
る（Ｉｔｌ）。A mask M' provided with a window W' matching the shape of the waveguide to be formed is placed on this substrate as shown in FIG.
A waveguide pattern is formed by a stepwise embedding ion exchange method (Itl).
すなわち、まず、タリウムイオン中において、ガラス内
のナトリウムイオンをタリウムイオンと交換する。これ
により基板の裏面側が凸となる断面半円形タリウムイオ
ン層Ｔが形成される（ｒＶ）。つぎにナトリウイオン等
の所定のアルカリイオン雰囲気中においてイオン交換を
行なうことにより上部のタリウムイオン層を内部に埋め
込み、タリウムイオン層Ｔ′を断面略々円形に整形する
（Ｖ）。That is, first, sodium ions in the glass are exchanged with thallium ions in thallium ions. As a result, a thallium ion layer T having a semicircular cross section with a convex surface on the back side of the substrate is formed (rV). Next, by performing ion exchange in a predetermined alkali ion atmosphere such as sodium ion, the upper thallium ion layer is buried inside, and the thallium ion layer T' is shaped into a substantially circular cross section (V).
このようにして構成した分岐結合器１の溝４．５．６に
光ファイバーＦ、−Ｆの先端部を嵌合し、導波路３の端
部と光ファイバーＦ、Ｆの先端部に屈折率マツチング用
接着剤Ｂを塗布し°Ｃ突合わせる（第５図）。The tips of the optical fibers F and -F are fitted into the grooves 4.5.6 of the branching coupler 1 constructed in this way, and the ends of the waveguide 3 and the tips of the optical fibers F and F are used for refractive index matching. Apply adhesive B and butt together at °C (Figure 5).
これにより光ファイバーＦのコアと分岐結合器の導波路
断面でのフレネル反射を可及的に少なくした状態で結合
することが可能となる。This makes it possible to couple the core of the optical fiber F with the Fresnel reflection at the cross section of the waveguide of the branching coupler while minimizing as much as possible.
なお、この実施例においてはＹ字型分岐路に例を採って
説明したが、他の分岐パターンに対しても同様に適用で
きることは明らかである。Although this embodiment has been explained by taking a Y-shaped branch road as an example, it is clear that the present invention can be similarly applied to other branch patterns.
（効果）
以上、説明したように本発明によれば、イオン交換可能
な元素を含むフォトエッチジグ用感光性ガラスを基板と
し、前記基板の光ファイバー結合位置に合せて光ファイ
バーの嵌合が可能な溝をエツチングにより形成したので
、ガラス用プレス装置等の大骨りな装Ｍを必要とするこ
となく、しかもエツチング加工が有する高い精度でもっ
て結合用の溝を形成することができる。(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, a photosensitive glass for photoetching jig containing an ion-exchangeable element is used as a substrate, and a groove into which an optical fiber can be fitted is aligned with the optical fiber coupling position of the substrate. Since the grooves are formed by etching, the coupling grooves can be formed with the high accuracy of etching without requiring a large-scale equipment such as a press machine for glass.
岐結合器の斜視図、第２図は同上装置の製造工程を示す
説明図、第３．４図は、それぞれ同上製造過程で使用す
るマスクの一例を示す説明図、及び第５図（イ）（ロ）
は、それぞれ同上分岐結合器と光ファイバーとの接続状
態を示す断面図である。A perspective view of the branch coupler, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the manufacturing process of the same device, FIG. 3.4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a mask used in the manufacturing process of the same, and FIG. 5 (A) (B)
2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing the connection state between the branch coupler and the optical fiber, respectively.
１・・・・光ファイバー用分岐結合器
２・・・・基板 ３・・・・導波路４
．５．６・・・・結合用溝
Ｆ、Ｆ・・・・光ファイバー1... Optical fiber branching coupler 2... Substrate 3... Waveguide 4
．． 5.6...Coupling groove F, F...Optical fiber
Claims (1)
ガラスを基板とし、前記基板の光ファイバー結合位置に
合せて光ファイバーの嵌合が可能な溝をエッチングによ
り形成するとともに、各溝を結ぶように導波路を形成し
てなる光ファイバー用分岐結合器。A photosensitive glass for photoetching containing an ion-exchangeable element is used as a substrate, and grooves into which optical fibers can be fitted are formed by etching in accordance with the optical fiber coupling positions of the substrate, and waveguides are formed to connect each groove. A branching coupler for optical fibers formed by forming.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62324896A JPH01164906A (en) | 1987-12-21 | 1987-12-21 | Branch coupler for optical fiber |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62324896A JPH01164906A (en) | 1987-12-21 | 1987-12-21 | Branch coupler for optical fiber |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPH01164906A true JPH01164906A (en) | 1989-06-29 |
Family
ID=18170835
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62324896A Pending JPH01164906A (en) | 1987-12-21 | 1987-12-21 | Branch coupler for optical fiber |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH01164906A (en) |
-
1987
- 1987-12-21 JP JP62324896A patent/JPH01164906A/en active Pending
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