JPH07104151A - Optical coupling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the optical coupling device which is used for an optical communication device, etc., eliminates the need for inserting optical fibers worked to a spherical shape at their front ends by one piece each into capillaries and fixing the fibers at a coupling position and is capable of shorting packaging time. CONSTITUTION:The optical fibers 17 of a specified length are inserted into the capillaries 16 to produce optical coupling parts 15; thereafter, the optical coupling parts 15 are aligned and fixed to a substrate 11 mounted with a light emitting element array 14. The optical fiber array 19 is inserted into the capillaries 16 of the optical coupling parts 15 and is pressed to the optical fibers 17, by which optical coupling is attained and, therefore, the need for working the optical fiber array 19 to the spherical shape is eliminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical coupling device used in an optical communication device or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An array module in which an optical element array and an optical fiber array are combined requires a highly accurate alignment technology across multiple axes, and thus requires a great deal of time for adjustment and assembly processes. Optical axis adjustment and simplification of the assembly process are necessary to reduce the cost and mass production of modules. Therefore, the improvement of the processing accuracy and the mounting accuracy of the parts is being pursued, and the examination of no adjustment is being promoted.

FIG. 4 shows an example of this. In this example, as the optical element array, an end face type light emitting element array and an optical fiber array are mounted on the same substrate. As shown in the figure, the light emitting element array 44 is fixed at a predetermined position on the Si substrate 41 by a high precision bonding device with an accuracy of the order of μm or less, and the light emitting element array 44 is formed by photolithography and anisotropic etching. A plurality of V-grooves 42 are formed with an accuracy of the order of μm or less so as to be parallel to the optical axis and face the light emitting surface. The inner diameter of these V grooves 42 is equal to the outer diameter of the optical fiber 45, and the outer diameter dimensional accuracy is μm.
The thin tubes 43 formed with an accuracy of the order or less are fixed, and the optical fibers 45 are inserted into these thin tubes 43, respectively, and are optically coupled to the light emitting element array 44.

For adjusting the optical axis heights of the light emitting element array 44 and the optical fiber 45, the outer diameter of the thin tube 43 is selected so that the optical fiber 45 can be positioned at the height corresponding to the center of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element array 44. Therefore, it can be easily adjusted. This method includes a V groove 42 having a width and depth dimension accuracy of μm order or less, a V groove 42 having an outer diameter and inner diameter dimension accuracy of μm order or less, and a thin tube having an outer diameter and inner diameter dimension accuracy of μm order or less. By using 43, the alignment in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) and the horizontal method (X-direction) with respect to the surface of the substrate 41 is not necessary, and therefore the adjustment is performed only in the optical axis direction (Z-direction). The process can be simplified.

In the optical coupling between the light emitting element array 44 and the optical fiber array 45 described above, the optical fiber array 45 is used.
In order to increase the coupling efficiency by reducing the difference between the spot diameters of 9 μm (single mode fiber) and 1 μm, for example, the tip of the optical fiber is processed into a spherical shape to collect the light and the spot diameter of the light emitting element array 44 A method of approaching is performed. In this method, since the spherical lens is integrated with the optical fiber, it is not necessary to separately mount a condenser lens, and the configuration and alignment of the optical coupling system can be simplified.

[0006]

However, in order to reduce the diameter of the spherical tip and process the spherical fiber with high accuracy in order to enhance the light-collecting effect, each fiber is polished while rotating the fiber. Since it is necessary to process, for example, ribbon fibers in which four-core optical fibers are arrayed cannot be processed at one time, and it has not been possible to use the above-described optical coupling device. Therefore, an optical fiber with a spherical tip (hereinafter,
It is necessary to insert each fiber into a thin tube one by one and fix it at the coupling position, and there is a problem that the mounting time becomes longer as the number of fiber arrays increases.

[0007]

A first configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is an optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a substrate,
A plurality of grooves are formed on the substrate at a pitch equal to the array pitch of the optical element array, and thin tubes are arranged in alignment with the grooves, while the inner and outer diameters of the thin tubes are equal to the thin tubes. Optical fibers having the same end face shape are inserted to form an optical coupling component, and a marker is formed on the substrate at a position separated from the optical element array by a predetermined distance, and the optical element array is aligned with the marker. The center of the tip of the optical fiber on the side opposite to is arranged in a straight line, and the rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the optical element array is fixed at the center of the thin tube. The optical fiber array having an outer diameter equal to that of the optical fiber is inserted into a tube end of the thin tube which does not face the optical element array, and is fixed by pressing the optical fiber in the thin tube. .

A second structure of the present invention for achieving the above object is an optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a substrate, wherein the substrate is an array of the optical element array. A plurality of grooves are formed at a pitch equal to the pitch, and first capillaries are arranged in alignment in the portions of the grooves facing the optical element array, respectively, while the first capillaries are arranged in the first capillaries. Optical fibers having the same inner diameter and outer diameter of the capillaries and the same end face shape are inserted to form an optical coupling component, and a marker is formed on the substrate at a position separated from the optical element array by a certain distance. The center of the tip of the optical fiber on the side facing the optical element array is aligned in line with the marker, and the rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the optical element array is the first thin tube. Side not facing the optical element array It is fixed on the same plane as the tube end or on the outside of the tube end, and is fixed to the portion of the groove not facing the optical element array as an optical fiber connecting portion with the optical axis of the optical fiber. The second capillaries whose inner diameter centers coincide with each other are arranged in line, and the optical fiber arrays are inserted into the second capillaries from the side not facing the optical element array and fixed by being pressed against the optical fibers. It is characterized by

A third structure of the present invention which achieves the above object is an optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a first substrate, wherein the first substrate has the optical element. A plurality of first grooves are formed at a pitch equal to the array pitch of the element array, and a second substrate having second grooves facing each other at a pitch equal to the first grooves is fixed to the first substrate. While the thin tubes are arranged in alignment between the first groove and the second groove, optical fibers having the same inner and outer diameters and the same end face shape are inserted into the thin tubes. An optical coupling component is formed, and a marker is formed on the first substrate at a position separated from the optical element array by a predetermined distance, and the optical fiber on the side facing the optical element array is aligned with the marker. The tip centers of the optical elements are arranged in a straight line, and the optical element The rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the ray is positioned and fixed in the center of the thin tube, while the tube end of the thin tube not facing the optical element array has an outer diameter equal to that of the optical fiber. Each of the optical fiber arrays is inserted and fixed by being pressed against the optical fibers in the capillaries.

[0010]

According to the present invention, an optical fiber of a certain length is inserted into a thin tube to separately produce an optical coupling component, and then this optical coupling component is aligned and arranged on a substrate on which an optical element array is mounted. , Insert the optical fiber array into the thin tube of the optical coupling part,
By pressing against the end of the optical fiber and optically coupling, it is not necessary to process the optical fiber array with a ball, and therefore a ribbon fiber whose tip is cut with a normal multi-core cutter can be used. It is possible to combine them all at once without combining them one by one.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment relates to claim 1, wherein an edge emitting element array is used as the optical element array. In FIG. 1, 11 is a first substrate, 12 is a first V groove provided on the first substrate 11, 13 is a marker, 14 is a light emitting element array, 15 is an optical coupling component, 16 is a thin tube, and 17 is a tip. The spherical fiber, 19 is the core of the ribbon fiber.

The first substrate 11 has, for example, a width of 5 m.
An Si substrate with m × 10 mm length and a thickness of 450 μm is used. The light emitting element array mounting portion and the marker 13 are further formed on the first substrate 11 by the thin film technique by photolithography and anisotropic etching with accuracy of the order of μm or less, for example, 178 μm and a depth of 123 μm. Four V-grooves 12 are formed with a pitch of 250 μm. In order to fix the light emitting element array 14, for example, a predetermined amount of AuSn is vapor-deposited on the light emitting element array mounting portion. The pitch of the first V-grooves 12 was adjusted to the array pitch of the light emitting element array 14.

In the first V-shaped groove 12, the first thin tubes 16 are arranged in alignment, and the spherical fibers 17 are inserted in the first thin tubes 16 to form the optical coupling member 15. Has been done. The first thin tube 16 has, for example, an inner diameter 12
6μm ± 1μm, outer diameter 249μm ± 1μm, length 7mm
Is. However, the inner diameter of the first thin tube 16 on the side not facing the light emitting element array 14 spreads in a cone shape, and the maximum inner diameter is 180 μm.
m ± 5 μm. Each of the front spherical fibers 17 is an optical fiber whose end face shape on the side facing the light emitting element array 14 is spherically processed, and for example, a multimode front spherical fiber having a radius of curvature of 50 μm, an outer diameter of 125 μm and a length of 5 mm is used. To be done.

The light emitting element array 14 is provided on the first substrate 11.
A marker 13 indicating the position of the tip of the front spherical fiber 17 is formed at a position spaced a certain distance from. This marker 13
In accordance with the above, the spherically processed tip center of the side of the front spherical fiber 17 facing the light emitting element array 14 is arranged on a straight line. On the other hand, the light emitting element array 1 of the front spherical fiber 17
The rear end on the side not facing 4 is fixed in a state of being inserted into the first thin tube 16 and within 3 mm from the tube end on the side not facing the light emitting element array 14 of the first thin tube 16. . In FIG. 1A, the front spherical fiber 17 is shown with hatching in order to distinguish it from the others.

A core wire 19 of a ribbon fiber is inserted into a tube end of the first thin tube 16 which does not face the light emitting element array 14, and is fixed by being pressed against the rear end of the front spherical fiber 17 in the thin tube 16. The ribbon fiber is, for example, a 4-core multimode fiber with a pitch of 250 μm, and the core wire 19 is stripped off and the end face is cut by a commercially available multicore fiber cutter. If necessary, the end faces may be collectively polished.

The optical coupling device of the present embodiment having the above structure is assembled as follows. First, the first substrate 11
Then, the light emitting element array 14 was aligned and fixed with an accuracy of the order of μm or less by a high accuracy bonding device (not shown). In order to fix the light emitting element array 14, a predetermined amount of AuSn, for example, is vapor-deposited on the light emitting element array mounting portion in advance. Next, the optical coupling component 15 is inserted into the first groove 12 by using a jig (not shown), and is fixed by adhesion with accuracy of the order of μm or less at a position where the tip of the tip spherical fiber 16 is aligned with the marker 13. To do.

Subsequently, the core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber is inserted into the first thin tube 16 and pressed against the rear end of the front spherical fiber 17 in the optical coupling component 15, thereby completing the optical coupling device of this embodiment. . The core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber may be bonded and fixed to a substrate (not shown), if necessary. Further, the light emitting element array 14 and the first substrate 11 may be integrated. Furthermore, the first V groove 12 may be processed into a U groove by high precision cutting.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. This embodiment relates to claim 2. In FIG. 2, 11 is a first substrate, 12 is a first V groove formed in the first substrate 11,
Reference numeral 3 is a marker, 14 is a light emitting element array, 15 is an optical coupling component, 16 is a thin tube, 17 is a spherical fiber, 18 is a second thin tube which is an optical fiber connecting portion, and 19 is a ribbon fiber core wire.

The first substrate 11 has, for example, a width of 5 m.
An Si substrate with m × 10 mm length and a thickness of 450 μm is used. The light emitting element array mounting portion and the marker 13 are further formed on the first substrate 11 by the thin film technique by photolithography and anisotropic etching with accuracy of the order of μm or less, for example, 178 μm and a depth of 123 μm. Four V-grooves 12 are formed with a pitch of 250 μm. In order to fix the light emitting element array 14, for example, a predetermined amount of AuSn is vapor-deposited on the light emitting element array mounting portion. The pitch of the first V-grooves 12 was adjusted to the array pitch of the light emitting element array 14.

At the portion of the first V-shaped groove 12 facing the light emitting element array 14, the first thin tubes 16 are arranged in alignment, and the first spherical fibers 1 are provided in these first thin tubes 16.
The optical coupling members 15 are configured by inserting 7 in each.
The first thin tube 16 has, for example, an inner diameter of 126 μm ± 1 μm,
The outer diameter is 249 μm ± 1 μm and the length is 2 mm. Each of the front spherical fibers 17 is an optical fiber whose end face shape on the side facing the light emitting element array 14 is spherically processed, and for example, a multimode front spherical fiber having a radius of curvature of 50 μm, an outer diameter of 125 μm, and a length of 5 mm is used. To be done.

The first substrate 11 has a light emitting element array 14
A marker 13 indicating the position of the tip of the front spherical fiber 17 is formed at a position spaced a certain distance from. This marker 13
In accordance with the above, the spherically processed tip center of the side of the front spherical fiber 17 facing the light emitting element array 14 is arranged on a straight line. On the other hand, the light emitting element array 1 of the front spherical fiber 17
The rear end on the side not facing 4 is fixed at a position matching the tube end on the side not facing the light emitting element array 14 of the first thin tube 16. In FIG. 1A, the front spherical fiber 17 is shown with hatching in order to distinguish it from the others.

In the portion of the first V-shaped groove 12 that does not face the light-emitting element array 14, the second thin tubes 18 are aligned and arranged as optical fiber connecting portions, and the second thin tube 18 has a ribbon fiber. The core wire 19 is inserted and is pressed and fixed to the rear end of the front spherical fiber 17. The first thin tube 16 has, for example, an inner diameter of 126 μm ± 1 μm and an outer diameter of 2
The length is 49 μm ± 1 μm and the length is 5 mm. However, the inner diameter of the first thin tube 18 on the opposite side of the light emitting element array 14 spreads in a cone shape, and has a maximum of 180 μm ± 5 μm. The ribbon fiber is, for example, a 4-core multimode fiber with a pitch of 250 μm, and the core wire 19 is stripped off and the end face is cut by a commercially available multicore fiber cutter. If necessary, the end faces may be collectively polished.

The optical coupling device of this embodiment having the above structure is assembled as follows. First, the first substrate 11
Then, the light emitting element array 14 was aligned and fixed with an accuracy of the order of μm or less by a high accuracy bonding device (not shown). In order to fix the light emitting element array 14, a predetermined amount of AuSn, for example, is vapor-deposited on the light emitting element array mounting portion in advance. Next, using a jig (not shown), the optical coupling component 15 is inserted into the portion of the first groove 12 that faces the light emitting element array 14, and at the position where the tip of the tip spherical fiber 16 is aligned with the marker 13. Fix by adhesion with an accuracy of the order of μm or less.

Subsequently, the second thin tube 18 is inserted into a portion of the first groove 12 which does not face the light emitting element array 14 by using a jig (not shown), and the second thin tube 18 is inserted into the first thin tube 1.
While being pressed against 6, it is fixed by adhesion with an accuracy of the order of μm or less. Then, the core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber is inserted into the second thin tube 18 and pressed against the rear end of the front spherical fiber 17 in the optical coupling component 15, thereby completing the optical coupling device of the present embodiment. The core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber may be bonded and fixed to a substrate (not shown), if necessary. Further, the light emitting element array 14 and the first substrate 11 may be integrated. Furthermore, the first V groove 12 may be processed into a U groove by high precision cutting.

A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the optical coupling component 15 is fixed by the second substrate 21 with respect to claim 3, and other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment described above. In FIG. 3, 21 is a second substrate, and 22 is a second V groove formed in the second substrate 21.

A second substrate 21 is fixed to the first substrate 11, and the second substrate 21 has, for example, a width of 3 mm ×
A Si substrate having a length of 2 mm and a thickness of 450 μm is used. On the second substrate 21, a second V groove 22 having the same pitch, width and depth as the first V groove 12 provided on the first substrate 11 is provided.
Are formed so as to face the first V-shaped groove 12, respectively. Between the first V-groove 12 and the second V-groove 22, the first thin tubes 16 are arranged in alignment, and the first spherical tubes 17 are inserted into the first thin tubes 16, respectively. The optical coupling member 15 is configured.

The optical coupling device of this embodiment having the above structure is assembled as follows. First, the optical coupling component 15
To a second V of the second substrate 21 using a jig (not shown).
It is inserted into the groove 22 and aligned and fixed by adhesion so that the front spherical ends of the front spherical fibers 16 are aligned in a straight line perpendicular to the optical axis. Next, the optical coupling component 15 fixed to the second substrate 21 is attached to the first substrate 11 by using a jig (not shown).
In the second V-shaped groove 22 and is fixed by adhesion at the position where the tip end of the tip-end fiber 17 coincides with the marker 13.

As a result, the optical coupling components 15 can be aligned and fixed to the first substrate 21 at once. Subsequently, the core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber is inserted into the first thin tube 16 and pressed against the rear end of the front spherical fiber 17 in the optical coupling component 15, thereby completing the optical coupling device of the present embodiment. The optical coupling component 15 and the ribbon fiber core wire 19
If it is necessary to enhance the mechanical strength between the optical coupling component 15 and the ribbon fiber, both the optical coupling component 15 and the core wire 19 of the ribbon fiber may be fixed to a substrate (not shown).

[0029]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, in the optical coupling device of the present invention, an optical fiber whose end face is processed like a spherical fiber is cut into a predetermined length,
An optical coupling component is manufactured by inserting and fixing it into a thin tube having an inner diameter equal to the outer diameter of the optical fiber, and this optical coupling component is aligned and fixed to the substrate on which the light emitting element array is mounted, and then, By inserting the optical fiber array into the thin tube of the optical coupling part and pressing it against the optical fiber for optical coupling, it is not necessary to process the optical fiber array with a spherical tip. Therefore, as the optical fiber array, a ribbon fiber whose tip is cut by a commercially available multi-core cutter can be used, and the multi-cores can be combined at one time without connecting the individual spherical fibers, Therefore, the time required for the coupling can be shortened. Further, as the optical fiber fixed to the optical coupling component, a spherical fiber having a constant curvature can be selected in advance, and the distance between the optical element array and the optical fiber can be set on the substrate fixed to the optical coupling component. Since the marker for keeping constant is provided, the optical coupling efficiency between channels can be made constant. Further, since the optical coupling is performed by pressing the optical fiber array end and the optical fiber end of the optical coupling component, even if the optical fiber array is cracked after the optical coupling device is completed, the optical fiber array can be replaced. This has the advantage that there is no need to assemble a new optical coupling device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 relates to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) is an enlarged view of an optical coupling component and a ribbon fiber core wire, and FIG. 1 (b).
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an optical coupling device.

FIG. 2 relates to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of an optical fiber connecting portion, an optical coupling component and a ribbon fiber core wire, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an optical coupling device. is there.

FIG. 3 relates to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 (a) is an enlarged view of an optical coupling component and a ribbon fiber core wire, and FIG. 3 (b).
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an optical coupling device. .

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional optical coupling device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 First Substrate 12 First V-Groove 13 Marker 14 Light-Emitting Element Array 15 Optical Coupling Component 16 Capillary Tube 17 Precursor Fiber 18 Second Capillary Tube 19 Ribbon Fiber Core Wire 21 Second Substrate 22 Second V-Groove 41 Substrate 42 V-groove 43 Capillary tube 44 Light emitting element array 45 Optical fiber array

Front page continued (72) Inventor Yukio Irita 1-3-1 Gotenyama, Musashino City, Tokyo NTT Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a substrate, wherein a plurality of grooves are formed on the substrate at a pitch equal to the array pitch of the optical element array. While the thin tubes are arranged in alignment in the grooves, optical fibers having the same inner diameter and outer diameter and the same end face shape are inserted into the thin tubes to form an optical coupling component, and the optical fiber is formed on the substrate. Is formed with a marker at a position spaced apart from the optical element array by a certain distance, and the center of the tip of the optical fiber on the side facing the optical element array is aligned in line with the marker. The rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the array is positioned and fixed in the center of the thin tube, while the tube end of the thin tube not facing the optical element array has an outer diameter equal to that of the optical fiber. The optical fiber array There is inserted each optical coupling device characterized in that it is fixed against the optical fiber at Said sub tube. 2. An optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a substrate, wherein a plurality of grooves are formed on the substrate at a pitch equal to the array pitch of the optical element array. The first thin tubes are arranged in alignment in the portion of the groove facing the optical element array, while the inner diameter and outer diameter of the first thin tubes are equal to the first thin tubes, and the end face shapes are respectively different. Equal optical fibers are inserted to form an optical coupling component, and a marker is formed on the substrate at a position apart from the optical element array by a certain distance, and a marker is formed on the side facing the optical element array according to the marker. The center of the tip of the optical fiber is arranged in a straight line, and the rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the optical element array is flush with the tube end on the side not facing the first thin tube optical element array. Located at or outside the pipe end The second capillaries, whose inner diameter centers coincide with the optical axis of the optical fiber, are arranged in line at the portions of the groove that are not fixed to the optical element array while being fixed at the position. The optical coupling device is characterized in that the optical fiber arrays are inserted into the second capillaries from the side not facing the optical element array, and are fixed by being pressed against the optical fibers. 3. An optical coupling device for coupling an optical element array and an optical fiber array mounted on a first substrate, wherein the first substrate has a plurality of pitches equal to the array pitch of the optical element array. A second substrate having a first groove formed therein and having second grooves facing each other at the same pitch as the first groove is fixed to the first substrate, and the first groove and the second groove are fixed. While the thin tubes are arranged in alignment between the grooves, optical fibers having the same inner diameter and outer diameter and the same end face shape are inserted into the thin tubes to form an optical coupling component, and
A marker is formed on the first substrate at a position apart from the optical element array by a predetermined distance, and the tip centers of the optical fibers on the side facing the optical element array are aligned in line with the marker. The rear end of the optical fiber on the side not facing the optical element array is fixed at the center of the thin tube, while the optical fiber is attached to the tube end of the thin tube not facing the optical element array. An optical coupling device, wherein each of the optical fiber arrays having an outer diameter equal to that is inserted and fixed by being pressed against the optical fiber in the narrow tube.