JPH06308357A - Waveguide type optical module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve productivity by enabling the use of a refractive index adjusting agent and unnecessitating the airtightness of an optical fiber insertion part. CONSTITUTION:In a waveguide type optical module, a laser diode 5, a photodiode 8 and an optical waveguide 12 are packaged in a casing 1, and an optical fiber 14 inserted from the outside is connected to the optical waveguide 12. The casing 1 is provided with a partition 2 having light transmissivity dividing the inside thereof into two parts, and the laser diode 5 and the photodiode 8 are arranged on the one side space 1a divided by the partition 2, and the optical waveguide 12 is arranged on the other space 1b, and only one side space 1a is sealed airtightly. Thus, the optical waveguide 12 is connected to the optical fiber 14 by using the refractive index adjusting agent, and the airtighness of the insertion part where the optical fiber 14 is inserted into the casing 1 is unnecessitated to facilitate manufactures. Thus, the productivity is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical integrated circuit (OEIC: opto Electronic Integrated Circuits) for optical communication.
The present invention relates to a waveguide type optical module used for a part of the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a waveguide type optical module in which an optical fiber and an optical waveguide are connected has become more important in optical communication. This waveguide type optical module will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 101 in the drawing denotes a casing which is an outer shell of the waveguide type optical module, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a shallow bottom, and has a single space inside. Inside the housing 101, three pedestals 102, 104, 106 are provided, respectively. A laser diode 103 as a light emitting element is mounted on the base 102, a lens 105 is mounted on the base 104, and a base 106 is mounted.
Optical waveguides 107 are fixed to the respective optical waveguides. Further, a photodiode 110 with a holder as a light receiving element is fixed to the end of the optical waveguide 107. Housing 10 in which each member 103, 105, 107, 110 is stored
1 is closed by a lid 111. The optical fiber 108 is inserted into the housing 101 from the outside, and is aligned with the core 107 a of the optical waveguide 107 and abutted against the core 107 a of the optical waveguide 107.
It is fixed by 9.

By the way, in the waveguide type optical module having the above structure, in order to miniaturize the device, a bare chip without a protective layer is used as the laser diode 103 and the photodiode 110. When a bare chip is used, the inside of the housing 101 must be hermetically sealed to protect it. Therefore, the lid body 111 is hermetically sealed on the housing 101, and the gap is melted and sealed. Further, at a portion where the optical fiber 108 is inserted into the housing 101, a sealing portion 112 that surrounds the optical fiber 108 and is fitted to the housing 101 side to keep the inside of the housing 101 airtight is provided. ing.

The optical signal emitted from the laser diode 103 is condensed by the lens 105 and the optical waveguide 1
It is incident on the core 107a of No. 07 and is sent to the other party via the optical fiber 108 abutted on the core 107a.
Further, the optical signal from the other side is sent through the optical fiber 108, passes through the core 107a, and the photodiode 110.
And is converted into an electric signal or the like.

[0006]

By the way, the optical waveguide 1
If the abutting surface of the core 107a of No. 07 and the optical fiber 108 is a surface perpendicular to the traveling direction of light, the light is reflected on the surface and the optical signal is deteriorated. There is a connection method in which a refractive index adjusting agent is interposed. However, since the above-mentioned waveguide type optical module has a structure in which the inside is hermetically sealed, this connection method cannot be used.

Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional waveguide type optical module, a connection method is employed in which the core 107a of the optical waveguide 107 and the abutting surface of the optical fiber 108 are obliquely polished and abutted. Also, at the inlet of the optical fiber 108 to the housing 101, the sealing portion 112 is provided so that the outside air does not enter, and the optical fiber 10 is provided.
8 must be kept airtight. As a result,
There is a problem that the productivity of the waveguide type optical module cannot be improved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and makes it possible to connect an optical waveguide and an optical fiber by using a refractive index adjusting agent, and at the same time, the airtightness of an optical fiber insertion portion becomes unnecessary, thereby improving productivity. An object is to provide an improved waveguide type optical module.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a structure in which a light emitting element, a light receiving element and an optical waveguide are mounted in a housing, and an optical fiber from outside the housing is connected to the optical waveguide. In the waveguide type optical module, the housing is provided with a light-transmissive partition wall that divides the interior into two, and a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are arranged in one space partitioned by the partition wall and the other is The optical waveguide is arranged in the space (1), and only the one space is hermetically sealed.

It is desirable that at least one side surface of the light-transmissive partition wall is provided with an antireflection coating, or that the two surfaces are wedge-shaped not parallel to each other.

[0011]

Since only one space where the light emitting element and the light receiving element are mounted is hermetically sealed and the other space where the optical waveguide is mounted is not sealed, a refractive index adjusting agent is used for the optical waveguide and the optical fiber. Since it is possible to connect the optical fibers with each other and the airtightness of the insertion portion of the optical fiber to be inserted into the housing from the outside is not necessary, the manufacturing becomes easy. This allows
Productivity is improved.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a waveguide type optical module of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the waveguide type optical module of FIG.

Reference numeral 1 in the figure denotes a casing which is an outer shell of the waveguide type optical module, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a shallow bottom like the conventional casing 101. The inside of the housing 1 is partitioned into two spaces by a partition wall 2. One of these spaces is a hermetically sealed space 1a that is hermetically sealed, and the other is an open space 1b that is not hermetically sealed. As the material of the housing 1, brass, nickel, Fe—Ni alloy, or the like is used.

The partition wall 2 is provided with two through holes (not shown) so that light can be transmitted between the optical waveguide 12 and each element 5, 8 described later. Quartz plate 3 for partition wall 2
Is installed to close the two through-holes and create two spaces 1.
The space between a and 1b is hermetically sealed. An antireflection coating is applied to the surface of the quartz plate 3 on the laser diode 5 side in order to prevent reflection of light. The space between the partition wall 2 and the quartz plate 3 is filled with a material having no problem in hermetic sealing, for example, low-melting glass, for sealing. Of the two spaces partitioned by the partition wall 2, pedestals 4 and 6 are provided in the sealed space 1a. These are arranged along the optical axis from one through hole of the partition wall 2. A laser diode 5 and a lens 7 are fixed to the pedestals 4 and 6, respectively. Further, the photodiode 8 with a holder is arranged on the optical axis from the other through hole of the partition wall 2.

A pedestal 11 is provided in the open space 1b, and an optical waveguide 12 is provided in the pedestal 11. The core 12a of one side (the left side in the drawing) of the optical waveguide 12 is aligned with each through hole of the partition wall 2 and is arranged on the same optical axis as the laser diode 5, the lens 7 and the photodiode 8. There is. The optical fiber 14 is introduced into the inside of the housing 1 from the introduction hole 15 on the other side surface (the right side surface in the drawing) of the pedestal 1.
In the state of being fixed to 6, the core 12a of the optical waveguide 12 is aligned and connected to the other end of the core 12a. This optical fiber 1
4 and the core 12a of the optical waveguide 12 are filled with a refractive index matching agent and butt-connected.

The lid 17 for covering the housing 1 is divided into two, and the respective lids 17a and 17b cover the two spaces of the housing 1 separately. A lid 17a is provided in the sealed space 1a.
And the gap is melted and hermetically sealed. The open space 1b is covered with a lid 17b and is fixed without being hermetically sealed. Further, in the open space 1b, the introduction hole 1
5 is not provided with the conventional sealing portion 112 and is not hermetically sealed.

As described above, since only the required portion is hermetically sealed and the introduction portion and the connecting portion of the optical fiber do not need to be hermetically sealed, the optical waveguide 12 and the optical fiber 14 are connected. Connection using a refractive index matching agent becomes possible, and the conventional sealing portion 112 is not necessary. As a result, the structure is simple and the manufacturing is easy, and the productivity of the waveguide type optical module is significantly improved.

Although the antireflection coating is applied to the surface of the quartz plate 3 in the above embodiment, it may be applied only to the laser diode 5 side or to both sides.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, one surface of the quartz plate 21 is not parallel to the other surface and forms an appropriate angle θ, instead of applying the antireflection coating to the side surface of the laser diode 5 of the quartz plate 3. Thus, it may be formed in a wedge shape.

Further, although low melting point glass is used as the material for filling the gap between the partition wall 2 and the quartz plate 3 in the above-mentioned embodiment, the bonding surface of the quartz plate 3 is metallized and the space between them is sealed with solder. You may.

[0022]

As described in detail above, according to the waveguide type optical module of the present invention, only the necessary portion is hermetically sealed, and the other portions are not required to be hermetically sealed. It becomes possible to connect the waveguide and the optical fiber by using a refractive index matching agent, and it is not necessary to seal the insertion portion of the optical fiber into the housing. As a result, the structure of the waveguide type optical module is simple, the manufacturing is easy, and the productivity is significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a waveguide type optical module according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the waveguide type optical module of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a modification of the waveguide type optical module of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional waveguide type optical module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Housing 2 Partition 3 Quartz Plate 5 Laser Diode 7 Lens 8 Photodiode with Holder 12 Optical Waveguide 12a Core 17a, 17b Lid

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A waveguide type optical module having a structure in which a light emitting element, a light receiving element and an optical waveguide are mounted in a housing, and an optical fiber from the outside of the housing is connected to the optical waveguide. A light-transmissive partition that divides the partition into two is provided, and a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are arranged in one space partitioned by the partition, and an optical waveguide is arranged in the other space, and only the one space is hermetically sealed. A waveguide type optical module characterized by being stopped. 2. The waveguide type optical module according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting partition wall has an antireflection coating on at least one side surface. 3. The waveguide type optical module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two surfaces of the optically transparent partition wall are not parallel to each other.