JPH05333225A - Fiber array and its production - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the fiber array which permits easy processing and can exactly position an optical fiber housing part at the time of assembly and the process for production of this fiber array. CONSTITUTION:A V-grooved base plate 1 consists of an upper plane 4 formed with a V-groove 7 for housing the bare fiber and a lower plane 6 in contact therewith via a level difference 5. A fiber fixing base plate 2 for fixing the bare fiber is placed on the upper plane 4 of the V-grooved base plate 1 and an upper base plate 3 having a hollow groove 8 for housing the coating part is placed on the lower plane 6 of the V-grooved base plate 1, then the fiber array is used. The lower plane 6 of the V-grooved base plate 1 and the hollow groove 8 of the upper base plate 3 are formed by grinding and pressing and, therefor, the production thereof is easy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fiber array for aligning and fixing a single or a plurality of optical fibers and connecting it to an optical element, and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional fiber array used for connecting an optical fiber and an optical element is a V-array as shown in FIG.
A V-groove substrate that is composed of a groove substrate 50 and an upper substrate 51.
A V groove 52 for accommodating the bare fiber and a spot facing portion 53 for accommodating the coating portion of the fiber are formed at 50, and the upper substrate is also formed.
51 was also formed with a spot facing 54 for accommodating the fiber coating.

However, each member of such a fiber array is made of a hard and brittle material such as zirconia ceramics or crystallized glass, and since the spot facing portions 53 and 54 are processed by the ultrasonic processing method, The processing required a considerable amount of time and skill. In addition, since it is necessary to process each piece one by one, the manufacturing efficiency is low, and the size and position accuracy are poor. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the size in order to surely accommodate the fiber coating portion. Assemble the V-groove substrate first
The optical fiber is placed on 50, and it is fixed by pressing it with the upper substrate 51.At that time, since the size of the counterbore portions 53 and 54 is large, even if the fiber coating is placed on the counterbore portion 53, the bare fiber remains The optical fiber itself is not always surely placed on the V-groove 52, and since the optical fiber itself is wound, the bare fiber is positioned in the V-groove 52, and then the optical fiber is some cm behind the V-groove substrate 50 by some method. I had to fix it. After that, the upper substrate 51 is placed and pressed to be fixed. At that time, the upper substrate 51 is likely to be displaced with respect to the V-groove substrate 50, so that the relative misalignment of the covering storage portion with respect to the V-groove 52 of the V-groove substrate 50 may be prevented. There was a drawback that it was likely to occur.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, provides a fiber array which is easy to process and can accurately position an optical fiber housing portion during assembly, and a manufacturing method thereof. It was completed in order to do.

[0005]

The fiber array of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, has an upper plane in which a V groove for accommodating a bare fiber is formed and a lower plane which is in contact with the upper plane through a step. A V-groove substrate having a V groove substrate, a fiber fixing substrate mounted on an upper plane of the V groove substrate for fixing a bare fiber, and a concave groove for accommodating a coating portion on a lower surface of the V groove substrate. It is characterized by comprising an upper substrate for fixing the portion. Further, according to the fiber array manufacturing method of the present invention, the lower plane of the V-groove substrate and the concave groove of the upper substrate are formed by grinding and pressing.

[0006]

The fiber array of the present invention is different from the conventional one in that the V-groove substrate is formed with the V-groove for accommodating the bare fiber, the upper plane and the lower plane which is in contact with the V-groove via the step. It is sufficient to form only the concave groove for housing the covering portion. Therefore, unlike the conventional spot facing portion, these V groove and concave groove can be easily and accurately machined by a machining method using a grinding wheel or the like. Further, in the fiber array of the present invention, by positioning the end face of the upper substrate in close contact with the stepped portion of the V-groove substrate, the positioning of both can be easily performed, and the relative position of the coating housing portion with respect to the V-groove of the V-groove substrate. Misalignment can be reduced. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 1 is a V-groove substrate, 2 is a fiber fixing substrate, and 3 is an upper substrate. These are made of brittle materials such as ceramics, glass, crystallized glass, etc., and at least the fiber fixing substrate 2 and the upper substrate 3 can be seen from the outside so that the arrangement state of the optical fibers can be seen from the outside. Since an adhesive may be used, it is preferably made of a transparent material.

The V-groove substrate 1 is composed of an upper flat surface 4 and a lower flat surface 6 which is in contact with the upper flat surface 4 via a step 5, as shown in the drawing. The upper flat surface 4 has a V groove 7 for accommodating a bare fiber.
Are formed by a machining method using a grinding wheel or the like. Since the outer diameter of the coating portion of the optical fiber is generally about 0.4 mm, the height of the step 5 is set to about 0.2 mm, and when the coating portion of the optical fiber is placed on the lower plane 6, the bare fiber is V-shaped. It should be located at the center of 7.

The fiber fixing substrate 2 is in close contact with the upper surface of the upper flat surface 4 of the V-groove substrate 1 to fix the bare fiber at the center of the V-groove 7. For this purpose, a flat plate with a flat surface is used. The upper substrate 3 is placed on the lower flat surface 6 of the V-groove substrate 1, and the lower surface thereof has a groove 8 for accommodating the coating portion of the optical fiber. This groove 8 can also be processed easily and accurately by a machining method using a grinding wheel or the like. A resin injection port can be appropriately formed in the fiber fixed substrate 2 and the upper substrate 3.

In order to assemble an optical fiber with the fiber array of the first embodiment constructed as described above, first, V
The upper substrate 3 is placed on the lower flat surface 6 of the groove substrate 1, and the end surface of the upper substrate 3 is brought into close contact with the step 5 of the V-groove substrate 1. As a result, both members are positioned in the longitudinal direction, and a tunnel-shaped hole is formed by the lower flat surface 6 and the concave groove 8 of the upper substrate 3. If the distance from the side surface of the concave groove center of the upper substrate 3 and the distance from the same side surface of the V groove center of the V groove substrate 1 are made to coincide, the V groove 7 is covered only by making the side surfaces coincide. When the relative positions of the accommodating parts are aligned and the optical fiber is inserted into the interior from the outside, the bare fiber of the optical fiber is aligned with the center of the V groove 7 formed on the upper plane 4 of the V groove substrate 1. Here, since the concave groove 8 of the coating housing portion is processed with high precision in accordance with the coating of the fiber, the optical fiber once inserted is maintained in this state. Therefore, the fiber fixing substrate 2 may be placed on the upper flat surface 4 of the V-groove substrate 1 to press the bare fiber, and a thermosetting resin or the like may be injected to bond and fix the bare fiber.

Thus, the fiber array of the present invention is V
The V groove 7 of the groove substrate 1 and the concave groove 8 of the upper substrate 3 can be easily and accurately formed by machining, and the number of manufacturing steps can be significantly reduced. Also, when assembling, the upper substrate 3
Can be easily positioned only by closely contacting with the step 5 of the V-groove substrate 1, and relative displacement of the coating housing portion with respect to the V-groove of the V-groove substrate can be reduced as compared with the conventional case. Can be assembled accurately.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which positioning portions 9 and 10 with respect to the width direction of the V-groove substrate 1 are formed at the end portions of the fiber fixing substrate 2 and the upper substrate 3. Only the difference from the first embodiment. By bringing the positioning portions 9 and 10 into close contact with the end surface of the V-groove substrate 1, positioning in the width direction of the V-groove substrate 1 can be easily performed without the need for another jig. Along with the fact that the positioning in the longitudinal direction can be performed by using the step 5, the positioning accuracy during use can be further improved.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of V-grooves 7 are formed on the upper plane 4 of the V-groove substrate 1 and a plurality of concave grooves are formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 3. 11 is formed. The fiber array of the third embodiment is used when connecting a plurality of optical fibers at the same time as shown in the drawing, and when setting an extremely thin and transparent optical fiber, the bare optical fiber The fibers can be reliably set in the respective V-grooves 7 and, once set, the coated portions of a plurality of optical fibers can be fixed by the concave grooves 11 on the lower surface of the upper substrate 3, so that the workability is greatly improved. There is an advantage that can be made. In addition, the plurality of concave grooves 11
Since the sub-micron precision like the V groove 7 is not required, it is possible to perform molding by pressing or the like. Further, the upper substrate 3 itself may be made of resin or metal.

[0014]

As described above, the fiber array of the present invention does not need to form a spot facing portion by ultrasonic machining as in the conventional case, and can be easily manufactured by grinding and pressing. In assembly, positioning in the longitudinal direction is facilitated by utilizing the step of the V-groove substrate. Further, when the positioning of the upper substrate is completed, the size and position accuracy of the concave groove of the upper substrate are good, so that the bare fiber can be easily positioned in the V groove by inserting the optical fiber later, and the optical fiber once inserted Since the optical fiber is fixed by the covering portion, there is no need to fix the optical fiber externally, and there is an advantage that the assembly can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 V-groove substrate 2 Fiber fixing substrate 3 Upper substrate 4 Upper plane 5 Step 6 Lower plane 7 V-groove 8 Recessed groove 9 Positioning part 10 Positioning part 11 Plural recessed grooves

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 27, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of V-grooves 7 are formed on the upper plane 4 of the V-groove substrate 1 and a plurality of concave grooves are formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 3. 11 is formed. The fiber array of the third embodiment is used when connecting a plurality of optical fibers at the same time as shown in the drawing, and when setting an extremely thin and transparent optical fiber, the bare optical fiber fiber can be reliably set in the V groove 7, also because it respectively fixed by the lower surface of the groove 11 of the upper substrate 3 covering portions of the plurality of optical fibers after setting once, greatly workability There is an advantage that can be improved. Since the plurality of recessed grooves 11 are not required to have submicron accuracy like the V groove 7, they can be formed by press working or the like. Further, the upper substrate 3 itself may be made of resin or metal. Change
If the optical fiber is a multi-core tape, the upper substrate 3
The concave groove 11 on the lower surface is a single wide groove as shown in FIG.
can do.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A V-groove substrate having an upper plane on which a V-groove for housing a bare fiber is formed and a lower plane contacting the V-groove via a step, and a bare fiber placed on the V-groove substrate to form a bare fiber. 1. A fiber array comprising: a fiber fixing substrate to be fixed; and an upper substrate having a concave groove for accommodating a covering portion on a lower surface thereof and placed on a lower plane of a V-groove substrate to fix the covering portion. 2. An end portion between the fiber fixing substrate and the upper substrate,
The fiber array according to claim 1, wherein a positioning portion is formed in the width direction of the V-groove substrate. 3. The fiber array according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of V grooves are formed on the V groove substrate, and a plurality of concave grooves are formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate. 4. The method of manufacturing a fiber array according to claim 1, wherein the lower flat surface of the V-groove substrate and the concave groove of the upper substrate are formed by grinding and pressing.