JPH06250034A - Base plate for optical waveguide chip and production of optical waveguide chip - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently produce the optical waveguide chip by eliminating the influence of reflection at the end faces of the chip from the base plate for the optical waveguide chip. CONSTITUTION:The respective chips are cut out of the base plate 1 for the optical waveguide chips along cutting lines 6 for segmenting and cutting parallel with the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguides 4 formed by properly shifting the optical waveguide units of every adjacent chips in this longitudinal direction in order to eliminate the influence of the reflection at the end faces of the chips and cutting lines 5 for segmenting and cutting inclined by a proper angle theta to the lines perpendicular thereto at the time of forming the optical waveguides 3, 4 on the base plate 1. Accordingly, the chips ore cut along the perpendicular line to the cutting lines 6 for taking place of the cutting lines 5. Then the chips are formed with good accuracy at a specified value without variation in the angle theta of inclination of the end faces by each of the respective chips as compared with the conventional method of diagonally cutting the end faces at every chip. In addition, the cutting stages are decreased and the desired optical waveguide chips are efficiently produced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mother plate for manufacturing an optical waveguide chip and a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide chip.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a mother board for an optical waveguide chip has a section 12 (dotted line) in which a linear optical waveguide 13 is formed on a silicon wafer 11 which is a flat substrate. Area) and another section 14 in which the linear optical waveguide 13 adjacent to the linear optical waveguide 13 of the section in the non-longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) is formed are in a normal arrangement (longitudinal and lateral directions). The desired row is regularly arranged.
The same applies below). The individual optical waveguide chips are manufactured from this optical waveguide chip mother board by, as shown in FIG. 6, one end of the optical waveguide chip mother board 11 from which the linear optical waveguide 13 is formed. 1
2 (so-called optical waveguide chip), the area 14 and the like are individually cut out, and the optical waveguide chip 12 is provided with an optical waveguide chip 13 in order to prevent reflection of light at the end face of the optical waveguide 13. The tip of the was obliquely cut (along the line indicated by the alternate long and short dash line) at a constant angle θ.

[0003]

However, in the production of an optical waveguide chip from a conventional optical waveguide chip mother plate in which the sections in which the optical waveguides are formed in this way are arranged in the normal manner, the following process is performed. There was a problem. That is, when the optical waveguide chip is manufactured from the optical waveguide chip mother plate in which the section where the optical waveguide is formed in this way is formed in a regular array pattern on the flat substrate, Section 12 formed (so-called optical waveguide chip) and section 14
After cutting out and, the tip of the optical waveguide 13 of each cut out optical waveguide chip 12 is obliquely cut at a constant angle θ, so the cutting process is complicated. In addition, since the tip of the optical waveguide is obliquely cut at a constant angle θ for each of the section 12 (optical waveguide chip) and the section 14 in which the optical waveguide is formed, the optical waveguide of each optical waveguide chip 12 is cut. There was also the problem that the cutting accuracy of the tip varied.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and the cutting process for manufacturing the individual optical waveguide chips is simple, and the optical fibers of the individual optical waveguide chips obtained by the cutting process are simple. (EN) Provided are a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, and a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide chip from the mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, which makes it easy to manufacture an optical waveguide chip with less variation in cutting precision of the waveguide tip.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, claim 1 of the present invention.
According to the invention, at least one optical waveguide is formed in a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, which is formed by arranging at least one optical waveguide in a vertical and horizontal direction on a flat substrate in at least one row. The section is shifted in the lateral direction (longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) at a constant angle from another section in which at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide of the section is formed, It is a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, which is formed in an array. According to the invention of claim 2, at least one section in which the optical waveguide is formed is arranged in one section from the optical waveguide chip mother board formed by arranging at least one row in the vertical and horizontal directions on the flat plate substrate. In manufacturing an optical waveguide chip in which at least one optical waveguide is formed, as a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, a section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed, and a non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide in the section At least one adjacent optical waveguide is formed in such a manner that it is offset in the horizontal direction (longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) at a constant angle and arranged in at least one row in the vertical and horizontal directions. Using the optical waveguide chip mother board, the optical waveguide chip mother board, at least one section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed, and the optical waveguide in the section are adjacent to each other in the non-longitudinal direction. An optical waveguide chip, characterized in that it is cut in the vertical direction (non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) based on a shift angle given in advance in the horizontal direction of both the image sections with another section in which the waveguide is formed. Is a manufacturing method.

In the present invention, the optical waveguide pattern and the number of arrangements in the section where the optical waveguide is formed are not limited in any way.
A splitter structure such as x8, 2x8, or 1x16 may be adopted. In addition, in the horizontal direction (optical section) of both the section in which the optical waveguide is formed and the other section in which the optical waveguide is formed adjacent to the non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the optical waveguide in the section. The shift angle θ given in advance in the non-longitudinal direction of the waveguide is not specified at all, for example, 6 °, 7 °, 9 °, 11 °, but it should be at least 5 ° or more at the optical waveguide end face of the optical waveguide chip. It is desirable to prevent the reflection of light.

[0007]

The optical waveguide chip mother board of the present invention is an optical waveguide chip mother board formed by arranging at least one optical waveguide section in at least one row in a vertical and horizontal direction on a flat substrate. A section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed is laterally arranged at a constant angle with another section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed adjacent to a non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the optical waveguide of the section. Direction (longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide), they are arranged in a staggered manner, so at the time of manufacturing a section (optical waveguide chip) in which individual optical waveguides are formed, formation of at least one optical waveguide on a flat substrate And a plurality of other sections having optical waveguides adjacent to each other in the non-longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) of the formed optical waveguide in the section, in the lateral direction (optical Was previously given in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide). By cutting in the vertical direction according to the angle of splitting, a number of other sections in which the optical waveguides adjacent to each other in the non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the optical waveguides in the section are formed are The end face of the optical waveguide of each waveguide chip can be divided in the lateral direction (longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) of both image sections in a form having a shift angle given in advance. Therefore, light in at least one optical waveguide formed section on the flat plate substrate and light in a plurality of vertical sections in which at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the optical waveguide of the section is formed The end faces of the waveguide can be finished with the same cutting accuracy.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Example 1 FIG. 1 is a top view of a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip according to an example of the present invention, in which a section 2 in which one optical waveguide 4 having one branch 3 is provided on a silicon wafer 1, Four are formed adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. The section 2 provided with one optical waveguide 4 having one branch 3 is adjacent to the optical waveguide 4 of the section 2 having one branch 3 in the non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction). Optical waveguide 4 having one branch 3
There for the other image group ^2, which is provided one, laterally are formed are arranged offset at an angle (7. 25 °) of θ (the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide). The optical waveguide chip mother board of the present invention having the above-described pattern is used to form a line 5 (in the figure, a vertical direction (optical waveguide) (Indicated by a dotted line inclined at an angle of θ) in the longitudinal direction). Next, from the obtained optical waveguide chip group (image group 2 and image group ^2, the coupled body of)
The partition 2 adjacent in the vertical direction (non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide)
And the section 2 ′ are cut along an adjacent line 6 (indicated by a dashed line in the figure) to obtain the individual optical waveguide chips 2 ^, 2 ^,
Got An enlarged view of the obtained optical waveguide chip 2 provided with one optical waveguide 4 having one branch portion 3 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the optical waveguides 7 and 7 ′ branched into two at the branching portion 3
The tip end surface of the optical waveguide 8 reaching the tip end portion and the branching portion 3 have already been finished in an end portion shape having an angle of 7.25 ° obliquely. The cut end face may be further polished thereafter.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 is a top view of an optical waveguide chip mother board of another embodiment of the present invention. One optical waveguide 40 having three branch portions 30 is provided on a silicon wafer 10. Four divided areas 20 are formed adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. The section 20 provided with one optical waveguide 40 having three branch portions 30 is adjacent to the non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the optical waveguide 40 having three branch portions 30 of the section. The optical waveguide 40 having three branching portions 30 is formed so as to be displaced in the lateral direction at an angle of θ ° (11 °) with respect to the other partition 20 ′. The optical waveguide chip mother board of the present invention having the above-described pattern is used to form a line 50 (in the figure) that connects the tip ends of the branch portions 30 of the optical waveguides 40 of the compartments 20 'and 20' that are vertically adjacent to each other. , And was cut along the longitudinal direction (non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) indicated by a dotted line inclined at an angle of θ °. Next, from the obtained optical waveguide chip group (image-ku 20 and image-ku ^20, the coupled body of) the image-ku 20 adjacent in the vertical direction (non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) and the image-gu 20 'and, The individual optical waveguide chips 20, 20 are cut by cutting along the adjacent line 60 (indicated by a dotted line in the drawing).
^, It was obtained. Optical Waveguide 4 Having Three Obtained Branches 30
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the optical waveguide chip 20 provided with one 0.
Shown in. As shown in the drawing, the end faces 70, 7 of the optical waveguide are branched from the branching portion 30 into two and further branched into two.
0'70''70 ^,, and the optical waveguide 8 reaching the branch portion 30
The front end surface of 0 was already finished in an end shape having an angle of 11 ° obliquely.

[0010]

As described above, according to the mother plate for an optical waveguide chip of the present invention, at least one of the sections on the flat substrate is manufactured in manufacturing the section (optical waveguide chip) in which each optical waveguide is formed. A section in which one optical waveguide is formed and another section in which an optical waveguide adjacent to the optical waveguide formed in the section in the non-longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) is formed are Direction (longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) in the longitudinal direction (non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide) according to the offset angle θ given in advance, so that other optical adjacent to the non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide in the section A large number of sections in which the waveguides are formed can be collectively cut by a single cutting process so that the end faces of the optical waveguides of the respective waveguide chips have a predetermined inclination angle. Therefore, a section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed on the flat plate substrate and a plurality of at least one optical waveguides adjacent to each other in the non-longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the optical waveguide of the section are formed. The end faces of the optical waveguide in the compartment can be finished with the same cutting accuracy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of an optical waveguide chip manufactured by the method of the present invention from the optical waveguide chip mother board of Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view of an optical waveguide chip manufactured by the method of the present invention from an optical waveguide chip mother board of Example 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a conventional mother plate for an optical waveguide chip.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining a method of manufacturing an optical waveguide chip from a conventional mother plate for an optical waveguide chip.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 10, 11 ... Silicon wafer 2, 2 ', 12, 14, 20, 20' ... Section 3, 30 ... Branch part of optical waveguide 4, 40 ... Branched optical waveguide 5, 6, 50, 60 ... Cutting line for dividing images 7 ... Optical waveguide tip surface 13 ... Straight optical waveguide θ ... Inclination angle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical waveguide chip mother board formed by arranging at least one optical waveguide formed section in at least one row in a vertical and horizontal direction on a flat substrate, wherein at least one optical waveguide is formed. A section and another section in which at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the optical waveguide of the section in the non-longitudinal direction is formed are arranged so as to be laterally offset at a constant angle. Characteristic optical waveguide chip mother board. 2. An optical waveguide chip mother board formed by arranging at least one row in the vertical and horizontal directions on a flat substrate, the at least one optical waveguide being formed in at least one optical waveguide. In the production of the optical waveguide chip prepared as described above, as a mother plate for an optical waveguide chip, a section in which at least one optical waveguide is formed and at least one optical waveguide adjacent in the non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide of the section are provided. Using the optical waveguide chip mother plate formed by arranging the other divisions formed in the lateral direction at a constant angle in at least one row in the vertical and horizontal directions on the flat substrate, Mother board, at least one section in which the optical waveguide is formed and other sections in which at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the non-longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide of the section is formed,
A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide chip, characterized by performing cutting processing in a vertical direction based on a shift angle given in a horizontal direction between both image sections.