JPH05196836A - Connecting method for optical connector and optical element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely connect an optical element without mis-alignment of optical axes by inserting connecting shafts provided either of an optical connector and the optical element into pipes provided on the other thereof and fixing the inserted parts thereof. CONSTITUTION:The pipes 14 are provided via a connecting part 15 integrally with a holder 8 on both sides of the body of the optical connector 12. The connecting shafts 20 are integrally provided in parallel with the body 16 via arm parts 19 on both sides of the body 16 of the optical element 13. The optical connector 12 and the optical element 13 are positioned in the correct connecting position by fitting of the connecting shafts 20 and the pipes 14 with each other, by which optical fibers and optical waveguides are aligned and connected. A thermal stress is generated at the time of welding points, i.e., the fitting ends of the connecting shafts 20 and the pipes 14 by a YAG laser in the state, but the connecting shafts 20 and the pipes 14 are securely fitted with each other and, therefore, the shifting and moving of the optical connector 12 and the optical element 13 are obviated even at the time the thermal stress is generated in the weld part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of connecting an optical connector holding an optical fiber and an optical element.

Conventionally, a UV bonding method or a YAG welding method has been adopted as a method for connecting an optical connector holding an optical fiber and an optical element having an optical waveguide. This conventional method will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 is fixed by UV resin bonding or YAG welding. UV
In resin bonding, a fluid UV curable resin material is applied to the edge portions of the photonector 2 and the optical element 3 to bond them, but the UV curable resin material shrinks during its curing, so An optical axis shift occurs between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide. However, in the connection of the optical fibers, alignment with an accuracy of 0.1 μm is required, so the above-mentioned problem of optical axis deviation cannot be ignored.

Further, even in the case of welding using a YAG laser, as shown in FIG. 6, of the contact surfaces 5 of the optical connector 2 and the optical element 3, for example, four points at the edges are welded, but the welding portion 6 is heated. A stress is generated, and the optical connector 2 and the optical element 3 become
It is easy to move in the direction, and especially the movement is likely to be non-uniform in each welded portion 6, so that the fixation of the optical connector 2 and the optical element 2 becomes uncertain and the optical axis shift easily occurs.

[0004]

The end face of the optical connector and the end face of the optical element are butted against each other, and the abutting face is subjected to UV bonding or YAG.
In the conventional connection method of fixing by welding, there is a problem that the fixing of the optical connector and the optical element is uncertain, and the optical axis shift occurs at the connecting portion between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for connecting an optical connector and an optical element, which solves the above problems.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of connecting an optical connector holding an optical fiber and an optical element having an optical waveguide, to a pipe provided in either the optical connector or the optical element, and in the other. It is characterized in that the provided connecting shaft is inserted and the insertion end is fixed.

Further, according to the present invention, instead of the pipe and the connecting shaft, the groove provided in either the optical connector or the optical element is fitted with the connecting body provided in the other, and the fitting portion is also fitted. Alternatively, the optical connector and the optical element may be fixed to each other.

[0008]

By fitting the pipe and the connecting shaft or the concave groove and the connecting body to each other, the optical connector and the optical element are connected to each other to maintain a predetermined connection position, and moreover, when the fitting portion is fixed. The optical connector and the optical element are positioned and do not move due to the fitting of the respective members, and the optical axis of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide do not shift.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an optical connector 12 and an optical element 13 according to a first embodiment of the present invention are separated, and FIG.
[FIG. 3] is a plan view showing a state in which the both are connected and partially cut. As shown in each drawing, the main body 7 of the optical connector 12 is configured by fixing a V-groove substrate 9 made of a silicon substrate to a holder 8 made of, for example, stainless steel. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, while holding the end portion of the optical fiber tape core wire 11 in the main body 7 and peeling off the jacket of the tip end portion of the tape core wire to expose each optical fiber, the V-groove substrate 9 is formed. Each V groove 10
, And a pressing plate (not shown) is pressed on it.
Pipes 14 are provided on both sides of the body 7 of the optical connector 12 integrally with the boulder 8 via connection portions 15.

On the other hand, the main body 16 of the optical element 13 is composed of a holder 17 made of, for example, stainless steel, and a silicon substrate.
An optical waveguide substrate 18 having an optical waveguide is mounted and configured. Connecting shafts 20 are integrally provided on both sides of the body 16 of the optical element 13 in parallel with the body 16 via arm portions 19. The connecting shaft 20 extends in both end directions of the main body 16, and the tip end of the connecting shaft 20 projects outward from both end parts of the optical element 13. This connecting shaft 20 is connected to the pipe 14 of the optical connector 12.
Optical fiber of the optical connector 12 by inserting into
The cores of the optical waveguides of the optical element 13 are aligned with each other, and both can be connected.

That is, FIG. 1 shows the connecting shaft 2 of the optical element 13.
0 shows the state before fitting the pipe 14 of the optical connector 12, and FIG. 2 shows the state where the pipe 14 is fitted on the connecting shaft 20. In FIG. 2, the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 1
4 is further advanced, the main body 7 of the optical connector 12 and the end surface of the main body 16 of the optical element 13 finally come into contact with each other, and the optical fiber and the optical waveguide are preferably slightly moved by the fitting of the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14. After adjustment, they are aligned and connected without any optical axis shift. After that, points 21 shown by four dotted circles in FIG. 2 are welded using a YAG laser. YAG
The laser power was 5 J / pulse, and the work distance was 50 mm, and irradiation was performed for 5 msec. In addition, at each welding point 21, the welding position is the fitting end 22 of the pipe 14 and the connecting shaft 20 as shown in FIG. 3, and the positions of the fitting end 22 are arranged at three equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Were welded at the same time.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. As described above, by fitting the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14 together, the optical connector 12 and the optical element 13 are positioned at the correct connection positions, and the optical fiber and the optical waveguide are aligned and connected. In this state, the welding point 21 indicated by a dotted circle, that is, the fitting end portion 22 of the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14
Although a thermal stress is generated when welding is performed with a YAG laser, since the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14 are firmly fitted to each other, the optical connector 12 and the optical element 13 do not shift even by the thermal stress of the welded portion. That is, the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14 are fitted to each other over a predetermined length, and even if thermal stress is generated in the fitting end portion 22, the fitting shaft 22 is regulated by the fitted portion, and light is transmitted as in the conventional case. Connector 12 and optical element 13
Compared to welding by simply butting each end surface of
The thermal stress generated in 3 has almost no effect on the displacement of the main bodies 7 and 16 of the optical connector 12 and the optical element 13.

Further, when the welding ends 23 of the connecting shaft 20 and the pipe 14 are simultaneously welded at the three welding portions 23 as shown in FIG. 3, the thermal stress generated during welding is dispersed in the circumferential direction. The force in the X direction shown in FIG. Further, the connecting shaft 20 is provided apart from the optical element body 16 via the arm portion 19, and therefore, the connecting shaft 20 is provided.
Since the fitting end portion 22 of the pipe 14 is also separated from the optical element body 16 and the optical connector body 7, and there is a gap between them,
There is no problem in welding the three welded portions 23 of the fitting end portion 22 at equal intervals. Although not shown, even if the connecting shaft 20 is provided on the optical connector 12 side and the pipe 14 is provided on the optical element 13 side, the same operation as that of the first embodiment is achieved.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the connecting shaft 20 of the first embodiment is used.
In place of the pipe 20, in the first embodiment, the groove 20 is provided on both sides of the optical connector 12 instead of the pipe 20 in the first embodiment. This second
In the embodiment, for example, a single stainless plate is cut out and molded to form the holder 17, the arm portion 19, and the connecting body 23.
Can be integrally molded. As a result, the accuracy of the optical waveguide substrate 18 provided on the holder 17 is also improved, and the axis alignment with the V groove 9 for guiding the optical fiber of the connector body 7 is also accurate and easy. Since other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment,
The same elements as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the connector 23 and the optical element 13 are positioned and fixed by fitting the connector 23 into the groove 24, and the connector 23 and the groove 24 are fitted together. The parts can be YAG welded to connect the two, and the thermal stress generated in the welded parts does not affect the optical connector body 7 and the optical element body 16.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When connecting the optical connector and the optical element, the optical connector and the optical element are pre-positioned by fitting the pipe and the connecting shaft or the concave groove and the connecting body, respectively, and then the fitting portion is welded. Since it is fixed, the factor that causes the optical axis misalignment between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide that occurs at the fixed part at the time of connection can be reliably removed at the fitting part of each member described above, and the connection loss can be reduced. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view showing a state in which the optical connector and the optical element of the first embodiment are connected.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view within a dotted circle of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional method for connecting an optical connector and an optical element.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a connection portion formed by conventional YAG welding.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Optical fiber ribbon, 12 ... Optical connector, 13
... optical element, 14 ... pipe, 20 ... connecting shaft, 23 ... connecting body, 24 ... concave groove.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Shigeru Hirai 1 Taya-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Yokohama Works (72) Shinji Ishikawa 1 Taya-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Sumitomo Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Yokohama Works

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of connecting an optical connector holding an optical fiber and an optical element having an optical waveguide, wherein a connecting shaft provided on the other side is inserted into a pipe provided on one of the optical connector and the optical element. Then, a method of connecting an optical connector and an optical element, characterized in that the insertion end is fixed. 2. A method of connecting an optical connector holding an optical fiber and an optical element having an optical waveguide, wherein a groove provided in one of the optical connector and the optical element is fitted with a connector provided in the other. And a method of connecting an optical connector and an optical element, characterized in that the fitting portion is fixed.