JPH06331848A - Method for fixing optical fiber to v-groove substrate for fixing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to easily fix optical fibers with good accuracy even if a V-grooved substrate for fixing not provided with suction holes in V-grooves is used by installing V-grooved substrates for temporally holding subjected to vacuum suction through suction holes to the V-grooved substrate for fixing while holding the optical fiber thereon. CONSTITUTION:The V-grooved substrate 6b for temporally holding for placing the optical fibers and the V-grooved substrate 6a for temporally holding for placing the optical fibers are arranged on both sides coinciding with the V-groove direction of the V-grooved substrate 1 for fixing and have the V-grooves 4a, 4b like the V-grooved substrate 1 for fixing and are further provided with the suction holes 7a, 7b penetrated to the bottom of the substrate base to the bottom parts of respective V-grooves. Then the vacuum suction is executed through the suction holes 7a, 7b of the V-grooved substrates 6a, 6b for temporally holding, by which coated optical fibers 2a and optical fibers 1b are held attracted in the respective grooves 4a, 4b. After the coated optical fibers 2a 2b are arranged to the V-grooved substrate for fixing, the optical fibers 2b and the respective V-grooves 4 of the V-grooved substrate 1 for fixing are fixed by adhesives.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of mounting a plurality of optical fibers in parallel on a fixing V-groove substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a plurality of optical fibers are fixed to a fixing V-groove substrate in order to manufacture an optical fiber array used for connection with an optical connector or an optical waveguide substrate, FIG.
As shown in the perspective views of (a) and (b), a suction hole 27 penetrating from the V groove bottom portion 22 of the fixing V groove substrate 21 to the substrate bottom surface 23 is provided, and vacuum suction is performed by the suction hole 27. Therefore, a method of fixing the optical fiber to each V groove 24 with an adhesive is adopted (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-57).
17913).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional fixing method, it is necessary to provide the suction holes 27 in all of the fixing V-groove substrates 21, but it is very difficult to form the suction holes 27. It takes a long time to manufacture, and when the optical fiber and each V groove 24 are fixed by the adhesive, the adhesive flows into the suction holes 27 and becomes clogged, and it becomes impossible to perform sufficient suction thereafter. There was a point.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a method of fixing a plurality of optical fibers in a plurality of V grooves formed in a fixing V groove substrate. Then, a temporary holding V-groove substrate having suction holes at the bottom of each V-groove is arranged on one side or both sides in a state of being aligned with each V-groove direction of the fixing V-groove substrate, and vacuum suction is performed from the suction holes. Then, while holding the optical fiber in each V groove of the temporary holding V groove substrate and the fixing V groove substrate, each V groove of the fixing V groove substrate and the optical fiber are fixed by an adhesive. is there.

[0005]

According to the present invention, while holding the optical fiber on the V-groove substrate for temporary holding in which the vacuum suction is performed in the suction hole,
By installing the fixing V-groove substrate on the fixing V-groove substrate, even if a fixing V-groove substrate having no suction hole in the V-groove is used, the V-groove can be fixed easily and accurately. In addition, the temporary holding V-groove substrate having the suction hole at the bottom of the V-groove, which is difficult to process, can be used repeatedly.

[0006]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below. 1 to 4 show three embodiments of the present invention, in which the same members are designated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a fixing V-groove substrate 1 has a coated optical fiber installation portion 3 for mounting a coated optical fiber 2a and an V-groove 4. It is composed of an optical fiber installation part 5 for installing 2b. Further, the V of the fixing V-groove substrate 1 is
On both sides corresponding to the groove direction, a temporary holding V-groove substrate 6a for mounting the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b.
A temporary holding V-groove substrate 6b for placing the
Similar to the fixing V-groove substrate 1, it has V-grooves 4a and 4b, and suction holes 7a which penetrate from the bottom of each V-groove to the bottom surface of the substrate.
7b is provided. Then, the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a, 6
By performing vacuum suction on the suction holes 7a, 7b of b, the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b are connected to the respective V grooves 4a,
4b, the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b are installed on the fixing V-groove substrate, and then the optical fiber 2b and each V-groove 4 of the fixing V-groove substrate 1 are fixed with an adhesive. To do. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2, the pressing plate 8 is placed and the pressing plate 8 is also adhesively fixed. Further, the vacuum suction of the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a and 6b is stopped and removed, the excess portion of the optical fiber 2b is removed by cutting or the like, and then the end face 9 of the optical fiber installation portion 3 is polished, whereby the optical fiber array is formed. Is produced.

The widths, depths, and intervals of the V grooves 4, 4a, 4b of the fixed V groove substrate 1 and the temporary holding V groove substrates 6a, 6b are such that the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b are used.
The size of the suction holes 7a and 7b at the bottom of the V-groove is set so that the coated optical fibers 2a and 2b can be attracted well. 2a and the diameter of the optical fiber 2b may be the same or smaller. Further, in this embodiment, the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a and 6b are arranged on both sides of the fixing V-groove substrate 1, but the arrangement may be made on only one side. further,
After holding the coated optical fibers 2a and 2b on the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a and 6b, respectively, the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a and 6b or the fixing V-groove substrate 1 are moved,
Optical fiber 2a, optical fiber 2b on the fixed V-groove substrate 1
May be installed.

According to the fixing method as described above, the optical fiber can be easily and accurately fixed to the fixing V-groove substrate 1 which is easy to manufacture because it is a substrate having no suction hole. Further, the V-groove substrates 6a and 6 for temporary holding, which are difficult to manufacture because they are substrates having the suction holes 7a and 7b.
b is not adhered to the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b, and each V groove 4 of the fixing V groove substrate 1 and the optical fiber 2b.
It can be used repeatedly to stop and remove the vacuum suction after bonding with.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber vacuum sucked by the temporary holding V-groove substrates 6a and 6b of the first embodiment. The pressing plate 18 is pressed on 2b.
Thereby, the holding power of the coated optical fiber 2a and the optical fiber 2b can be further increased.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, which is a temporary holding V for holding the coated optical fiber 2a.
The V-groove spacing of the groove substrate 6a is different between the fixing V-groove substrate 1 side and the opposite side. In this way, the temporary holding V
The V-grooves 4a and 4b of the groove substrates 6a and 6b do not need to be linear in shape, and workability can be improved.

[0011]

As described above, according to the method of fixing the optical fiber to the fixing V-groove substrate according to the present invention, one side or both sides of the fixing V-groove substrate are aligned with each V-groove direction. A V-groove substrate for temporary holding having a suction hole at the bottom of each V-groove is arranged, vacuum suction is performed from the suction hole, and the optical fiber of each V-groove substrate for temporary holding and V-groove substrate for fixing By fixing each V-groove of the fixing V-groove substrate and the optical fiber with an adhesive while holding the groove in the groove, it is possible to easily and easily use a fixing V-groove substrate having no suction hole in the V-groove. The V-groove substrate for temporary holding, which can be accurately fixed and has a suction hole at the bottom of the V-groove, which is difficult to process, can be used repeatedly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a method of fixing an optical fiber to a fixing V-groove substrate of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an optical fiber array manufactured according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the method of fixing the optical fiber of the present invention to the fixing V-groove substrate.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the method of fixing the optical fiber of the present invention to the fixing V-groove substrate.

5A is a perspective view showing a conventional fixing V-groove substrate, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing a state in which FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2: V-groove substrate for fixing 2a: coated optical fiber 2b: optical fiber 3: coated optical fiber installation part 4, 4a, 4b, 24: V groove 5: optical fiber installation part 6a, 6b: temporary holding V-groove substrate 7a, 7b, 27: Suction hole 8: Holding plate used for fixing V-groove substrate 18: Holding plate used for temporary holding V-groove substrate 9: End face 22: V-groove bottom 23: Substrate bottom

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method of fixing a plurality of optical fibers in a plurality of V-grooves formed on a fixing V-groove substrate, wherein one side or V-groove of the fixing V-groove substrate is aligned with each V-groove direction. V-groove substrates for temporary holding having suction holes at the bottom of each V-groove are arranged on both sides, and vacuum suction is performed from the suction holes to fix the optical fiber to the V-groove substrate for temporary holding and the V-groove substrate for fixing. Each V
A method for fixing an optical fiber to a fixing V-groove substrate, characterized in that each V groove of the fixing V-groove substrate and the optical fiber are fixed by an adhesive while being held in the groove.