JPH03200106A - Optical waveguide lens - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the optical waveguide lens which can be easily produced and is suitable for mass production by forming an optical waveguide layer having a uniform thickness and the refractive index larger than the refractive index of a clad layer which is curved in a part of the region to form a curved surface by using an org. material or inorg. material which cures from a liquid state on the above-mentioned clad layer. CONSTITUTION:The clad layer 1 which is curved in a part of the region to form the curved surface is formed on a substrate 3 by using the org. material or inorg. material which cures from the liquid state. The optical waveguide layer 2 having the uniform thickness and the refractive index larger than the refractive index of the clad layer 1 is formed on this clad layer 1 by using the org. material or inorg. material which cures from the liquid state. A recessed part 2 A having the curved surface on the recessed part 1 A formed on the clad layer 1 is formed on the optical waveguide layer 2 as well. The optical waveguide layer inserted above and below by these recesses parts 1 A and 2 A is a diodesic lens 4. The optical waveguide lens is easily produced by an integral molding technique using a stamper, etc., in this way and this lens is suitable for mass production. The cost is reduced and the inexpensive supply of the optical waveguide lens is possible.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical waveguide lens formed in a two-dimensional waveguide.

Prior art and its problems An example of a conventional optical waveguide lens is a geodesic lens. A geodesic lens is a device in which a part of a two-dimensional waveguide is curved to form an appropriately curved surface, thereby performing a lens action on guided light. As an example of a geodesic lens formed on an optical waveguide layer on a substrate, a curved surface to be a geodesic lens is formed on a substrate such as glass or LINb Oa, and the top surface of the substrate including this curved surface is There is one in which an optical waveguide layer is formed by an ion exchange method.

In order to fabricate a geodesic lens on a substrate, it is necessary to polish the portion of the upper surface of the substrate where the geodesic lens is to be fabricated into a spherical shape. In addition, aspherical processing is required to create an aberration-free lens. Conventionally, methods such as ultrasonic impact processing, diamond honing, diamond cutting, and polishing have been used for this purpose.

However, the above curved surface machining method has the problem that it requires a long machining time using a computer-controlled, high-precision, special device, and is inferior in mass productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide an optical waveguide lens that can be manufactured in a relatively compact manner and is suitable for mass production.

The optical waveguide lens according to the invention has a cladding layer in which a part of the region is curved to form a curved surface using an organic or inorganic material that hardens from a liquid state on a substrate. The cladding layer is characterized in that an optical waveguide layer having a uniform thickness and a higher refractive index than the cladding layer is formed on the cladding layer using an organic material or an inorganic material that hardens from a liquid state.

According to this invention, since the optical waveguide lens is manufactured together with the optical waveguide layer using a perforated material or an inorganic material that hardens from a liquid state, the optical waveguide lens can be manufactured relatively easily using an integral molding technique using a stand bar or the like. It can be made. Therefore, it becomes suitable for mass production and has high reproducibility. Furthermore, the cost will be significantly reduced, making it possible to supply optical waveguide lenses at low prices.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view showing an example of an optical waveguide having an optical waveguide lens, and FIG. 1(B) is a sectional view taken along line r-1 in FIG. 1(^).

The optical waveguide is formed on a substrate 3 made of glass or the like with a refractive index n.

A cladding layer 1 is formed. A portion of the cladding layer 1 is formed with four portions IA having a curved surface. An optical waveguide layer 2 having a refractive index n2 is formed on the cladding layer 1. The thickness of the optical waveguide layer 2 is uniform. The refractive index n2 of the optical waveguide layer 2 is larger than the refractive index n1 of the cladding layer 1. Also on the optical waveguide layer 2, a four part 2A having a curved surface is formed on the four part IA formed in the cladding layer 1. The portion of the optical waveguide layer sandwiched between the top and bottom by these four portions IA and 2A becomes the geodesic lens 4. The optical waveguide layer 2 and the cladding layer 1 can be formed using, for example, an ultraviolet curing resin (UV curing resin).

The light introduced into the optical waveguide layer 2 propagates within the optical waveguide layer 2,
When passing through the area of the geodesic lens 4, it travels in a curved line according to Fermat's principle and changes its direction. The light is focused by the lens formation m of the geodesic lens 4.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the manufacturing process of an optical waveguide layer including the geodesic lens shown in FIG. Here, UV curable resin is used as the material for the cladding layer and the optical waveguide layer.

First, a master disk for the optical waveguide layer is produced by an electron beam lithography method. rn/li electron beam resist on substrate IC
L, by drawing a four-part pattern on this resist with an electron beam and developing it, a master having a four-part residual film resist 11 on the substrate 10 is produced (second
Figure (^)).

Next, nickel (Ni) was deposited on this 1 (;
By drying +2A by ■1 (Fig. 2 (B)) and separating the master disc, the Nilagel stand bar 12 was changed to 11? (Figure 2 (C)).

Next, UV curing resin 1C, which is the material of the cladding layer, is injected onto the transparent substrate 3, and a nickel standby 12 is placed on top of it.
A pressure is applied between the board 3 and the nickel standber 12 so that the distance between the board 3 and the nickel standber 12 becomes a predetermined value, and vibration is applied if necessary. Then, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the back surface of the substrate 3 to cure the UV curing resin (FIG. 2(D)).

After the UV curing resin has hardened, peel off the stand bar 12 (
Figure 2 (E)). As a result, a cladding layer 1 having four portions IA made of UV curable resin is formed on one surface of the substrate 3.

Next, a stand bar 1 for forming the recess 2A of the optical waveguide layer 2
No. 3 is produced by the same method as the steps shown in FIGS. 2(A) to (C).

Next, UV curing resin 2C, which is the material for the optical waveguide layer, is injected onto the cladding layer 1 that has already been produced, and the nickel stumper 13 is placed on top of it, and the distance between the cladding layer 1 and the nickel stumper 13 is adjusted. The substrate 3
Pressure is applied between the stand bar 13 and the stand bar 13, and vibration is applied if necessary. The UV curable resin 2C used here has a higher refractive index than the UV curable resin IC used when forming the cladding layer 1. The refractive index of UV-curable resins can be changed by changing the fluorine content.

Then, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the back surface of the substrate 3 to harden the UV curing resin (FIG. 2(F)).

After the UV curing resin has hardened, remove the stand bar 13 (
Figure 2 (G)). As a result, an optical waveguide lens made of UV curing resin is formed on one surface of the substrate 3.

In the above manufacturing process, the standby bar 12 and standby bar 13 are
2 and 1, each with a separate standby standby] 2 and 1
3, but it is also possible to fabricate an optical waveguide lens using only one standber. Also, cladding layer 1
The optical waveguide layer 2 can also be formed by spin-coding a UV curable resin thereon.

Fig. 3 (^) shows another embodiment, and is a perspective view showing an example of an optical waveguide that connects an optical waveguide lens, and Fig. 3 (B) is along the line ■-■ of Fig. 3 (A). FIG. In these figures, the same components as those shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B) are designated by the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted.

In the optical waveguide shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a convex portion IB having a curved surface is formed in a part of the cladding layer. Also on the optical waveguide layer 2, there is a convex portion I formed in the cladding layer.
A convex portion 2B having a curved surface is formed at B. The portion of the optical waveguide layer sandwiched between the top and bottom by these convex portions IB and 2B becomes the geodesic lens 5.

In the optical waveguides shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the light introduced into the optical waveguide layer 2 propagates within the optical waveguide layer 2, and when passing through the area of the geodesic lens 4, Fermat's principle is applied. It moves in a curved line and changes its direction. The light is focused by the lens action of the geodesic lens 4.

The optical waveguide layer including the geodesic lenses shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(B) can be fabricated by fabricating a standber in which convex portions 2B and 3B are formed.
) can be carried out in the same manner as the manufacturing process.

In the above embodiment, the cladding layer 1 and the optical waveguide layer 2
Although a UV-curable resin is used as the material, the present invention is not limited to this, and other liquid organic materials or inorganic materials that can be cured by heating or the like can also be used. Examples of thermosetting inorganic materials include:

Examples include coating liquids for forming thermosetting films.

There are many types of coating liquids, but Z
rO, TiO, AN O, 5in22 2 2
Those containing 31 Da are preferred. Furthermore, a nonlinear angular mechanical material can also be used for the optical waveguide layer 2.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(^) and (B) show examples of the present invention. (A) is a perspective view showing an example of an optical waveguide having an optical waveguide lens, and (B) is a perspective view of an example of the optical waveguide having an optical waveguide lens. It is a sectional view along the I-1 line. FIGS. 2(^) to (G) show an example of the manufacturing process of an optical waveguide layer including the geodesic lens shown in FIG. 1. Figures 3 (^) and (B) show other embodiments. (^) is a perspective view showing an example of an optical waveguide that connects an optical waveguide lens, and (B) is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 3 (^). 1...Clad layer. 2... Optical waveguide layer. 1, A, 2A...four parts 1B, 2B...convex part. 3... Board. 4.5...Geodesic lens. that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cladding layer with a curved surface in some areas is formed on a substrate using an organic material or an inorganic material that hardens from a liquid state. An optical waveguide lens characterized in that an optical waveguide layer is formed of a material with a uniform thickness and a refractive index higher than that of a cladding layer.