JPH08160262A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To connect an optical fiber to optical parts by an optical connector without adjusting the optical axis. CONSTITUTION: In the optical connector optically connecting optical parts provided on a substrate 100 to an optical fiber 510, an arrayed optical part 2 having plural optical windows 23 provided with a first pitch on one end surface 22, an arrayed optical fiber arranging part 4 setting the optical fibers 510 provided corresponding to the respective optical windows 23 with a second pitch on the substrate 100 so as to become mutually parallel and an arrayed optical parts setting part 5 for arranging the arrayed optical parts 2 on the substrate 100 while making the optical windows 23 oppose to the corresponding tips 32 of the optical fibers 510, are provided respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector for connecting an optical fiber and an optical component without adjustment. As optical communication spreads not only to the trunk line but also to the terminal, it is expected that a large amount of optical connectors will be used for connecting the optical fiber and the light emitting or light receiving element at the terminal. For this reason,
There is a strong demand for optical connectors that can be manufactured and connected easily and inexpensively.

However, since the diameter of the optical fiber is small,
The optical axis must be precisely aligned and connected. For this reason, extremely high precision machining is required for the optical connector, resulting in high cost. In addition, complicated operations and expensive equipment are required to adjust the optical axis, which is an obstacle to the spread of optical communication at the end.

Therefore, there is a demand for an optical connector which can be easily manufactured without precision processing and can be connected by simple adjustment.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an optical connector for connecting an optical fiber and an optical component, for example, a light emitting element or a light receiving element, one using a substrate having an alignment portion formed on its surface and one using a lens to widen a light beam It is widely used.

A method using a substrate having an alignment portion formed is to form a V groove on the surface of a silicon substrate having a (100) plane as a main surface by utilizing anisotropic etching, and use this as a guide groove for an optical fiber. By doing so, the optical axis of the optical fiber is positioned. On the other hand, positioning of optical components other than optical fiber is difficult. For this reason, some positioning methods have been devised in order to mount the optical component on the substrate in alignment with the optical axis of the optical fiber.

For example, Hayashi et al. In the Proceedings of the National Conference on Semiconductor and Materials Division of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, 1987, 2-338 (1987), Technical Report of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, OEQ93.
─145 (December 1993), Sasaki et al. Discloses a method of forming a thin film electrode on the surface of a substrate by photolithography, and flip-chip bonding a semiconductor element on the electrode to position the semiconductor element. That is, flip chip bonding is performed with a low melting point metal, and by utilizing the fact that the molten metal becomes spherical due to surface tension, the position within the substrate surface of the semiconductor element is self-aligned with the electrode on the substrate surface and at the same time high It is adjusted by the amount of molten metal. Therefore, an optical connector in which the semiconductor element is positioned in self-alignment and can be connected without adjustment is realized.

However, in the method using the flip chip bonding, since the positioning is performed by using the spherical melt, the positional deviation is easily caused by a slight external force. Further, in this method, the thin film electrode must be formed in the vicinity of the deep V groove provided for fixedly setting the optical fiber. For this reason, the alignment accuracy and patterning accuracy in photolithography deteriorate, and it is difficult to form a thin film electrode with an accurate size at an accurate position. As a result, a deviation of the optical axis between the optical component and the optical fiber occurs.

Further, there is a positional deviation between the optical axis of the optical component and the flip chip bonding electrode provided on the optical component. For example, in a normal optical semiconductor component using a semiconductor, a flip chip bonding electrode is formed after forming an optical element. At this time, due to an alignment error in photolithography, a positional deviation occurs between the flip-chip bonding electrode that serves as the alignment reference of the optical component and the optical axis.

As described above, in the method using the flip chip bonding, the alignment error when the optical component is fixedly set on the substrate and the element and the flip chip bonding electrode existing in the optical component are present. From both sides of the alignment error between the two, an alignment error occurs between the optical axis of the optical component and the optical axis of the optical fiber. As a result, the loss of the optical connector increases.

Another example of a method of aligning optical parts is 199.
Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, 4-266 (19
In 93), Kurata et al. Disclose a method in which a semiconductor element is aligned based on a marker attached to the surface of a substrate and then bonded with a low melting point metal.

In this method, the marker is often formed in the vicinity of the V groove, and in such a case, the alignment error of lithography becomes large, and the marker pattern cannot be precisely formed. Therefore, the positional accuracy of fixedly setting the optical component on the base deteriorates.

Further, this method requires a device for precisely moving and fixing the optical component in order to align the marker on the base with the marker on the optical component. Such devices are expensive and require a long time to connect.

As another fixed method of optical components, CA
Armiento et al., Electronics letters 6th june 199
1, Vol.27, No.12, (1991), p.1109-1111, a method of forming a rail-like protrusion made of a metal film on the surface of the base and positioning the optical component by fitting this protrusion Is disclosed.

However, it is not easy to form a high protrusion in a precise shape at a precise position on the surface of the substrate on which the V groove is formed. On the other hand, a method of relaxing the positioning accuracy clearance by using a lens is disclosed by Miyagawa et al. In Proceedings of the 1992 Autumn Conference of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, 4-235 (1992). In this method, a beam passage groove is formed on the surface of a silicon substrate by a laser abrasion method, an inverted pyramid-shaped recess is further formed by etching, and a microsphere lens is fitted into the recess. The spherical lens widens the light beam and facilitates optical coupling with the semiconductor element bonded on the substrate.

However, in this method, it is necessary to use the laser abrasion method for forming the beam passage groove, and the processing requires a long time. As a result, the manufacturing throughput is reduced, and it is not possible to manufacture at low cost.

To more precisely fix the optical component on the surface of the substrate, an anisotropic method in which a mating groove having a trapezoidal groove on the surface of the substrate made of silicon single crystal or compound semiconductor single crystal is exposed There is a method in which a fitting protrusion having a trapezoidal cross section, which is also formed on the surface of the optical component by anisotropic etching, is fitted into the fitting groove by a flexible etching. With this method, the error when fixing the optical component to the substrate can be made extremely small.

However, a mask alignment error in lithography for forming the mesa stripe-shaped fitting protrusion on the surface of the optical component still remains. For this reason, a positioning error occurs between the optical axis of the optical component and the fitting protrusion, which in turn causes a misalignment between the optical axis of the optical component and the optical axis of the optical fiber. This misalignment is smaller than that of the conventional alignment method described above. However, with the method of using the alignment by fitting the fitting protrusion and the fitting groove, the position of the optical component cannot be determined and adjusted by the fitting protrusion and the fitting groove. Therefore, the misalignment of the optical axis once generated cannot be corrected. For this reason, optical parts and bases with high processing accuracy are required, and the manufacturing throughput is reduced. In addition, the process of forming the mesa-stripe-shaped fitting protrusion is
This is more complicated than the formation of electrodes, etc., and causes a decrease in manufacturing throughput and yield.

[0018]

As described above, the conventional optical connector requires a precise alignment device in order to align the optical axes of the optical fiber and the optical component on the base body, In addition, there is a problem that it takes a long time for alignment.

In the conventional optical connector proposed for making such alignment unnecessary, a precise pattern is formed because the pattern is formed on the substrate on which the deep V groove for fixing the optical fiber is formed. There is a problem that precise alignment is difficult because it cannot be done, and that it is not mechanically fixed during alignment, which easily causes misalignment.

Further, the method using the microsphere lens has a drawback that the manufacturing throughput is inferior. Further, the method of fitting the mesa stripe-shaped fitting protrusion of the optical component in the fitting groove of the base body has a drawback in that the positional deviation between the fitting protrusion of the optical component and the optical axis cannot be corrected.

According to the present invention, at least a pair of optical fibers and optical components can be easily optically coupled by arranging the optical fibers or optical components in an array form having different pitches on the substrate and optically connecting them. It is an object of the present invention to provide a realized optical connector.

[0022]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention, and shows a plan view of an optical connector for optically connecting an optical component and an optical fiber on a substrate. FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of the second configuration of the present invention, and shows the optical connector in a perspective view. FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a twelfth embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of an optical connector for connecting a semiconductor laser device and an optical fiber.

In order to solve the above problems, the first structure of the optical connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the optical connector for optically connecting the optical component provided on the optical fiber 510 to the array optical component 2 having the plurality of optical windows 23 provided on the straight line at the first pitch on the one end face 22. Array light in which the optical fibers 510 provided corresponding to the optical windows 23 are fixed in parallel to each other at a second pitch different from the first pitch in one plane on the base 100. The fiber fixed part 4 and the optical window 510 corresponding to the optical window 23.
Of the array optical component 2 for fixing the array optical component 2 on the base 100 so as to face the respective tip ends 32 of the array optical component 2 and the second configuration. 14, a moving plate 120 fixedly mounted on the base 100 so as to be positioned at a first pitch along one direction in the upper surface of the base 100, and fixed to the moving plate 120 and attached to one end face. First optical component 1510 having an optical window and the base 1
00, a second optical component 1410 having an optical window on one end surface thereof, and at least one of the first optical component 1510 and the second optical component 1410 is A plurality of optical windows provided at a second pitch different from the first pitch, and the first optical component 1510 and the second optical component 1410 are arranged such that the optical windows face each other. The third configuration is characterized in that it is fixedly installed on the base body 100, and the third and third configurations refer to FIG. 30 and have one or a plurality of optical windows on one end face. The components 1510 and 1410 are fixed on the base 100 so that they can be positioned at a first pitch and a second pitch along one direction in the upper surface of the base 100 and the optical windows face each other. Configure.

[0024]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention and shows a plan view of an optical connector for optically connecting an optical component and an optical fiber on a substrate. 1A shows an optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B shows a conventional optical connector.

With reference to FIG. 1A, in the first configuration of the present invention, an array optical fiber fixed section 4 for fixedly setting a plurality of optical fibers 510 on the base 100 in an array at a pitch P _2. Equipped with. The arrayed optical fiber fixed portion 4 is composed of, for example, a plurality of parallel V-shaped grooves formed on the upper surface of the base 100, and the cylindrical optical fiber 510 is fitted and positioned and fixed therein. . Therefore, the optical fiber 510 fixedly installed in the arrayed optical fiber fixed part 4 is fixed by arranging the fiber optical axis 31 which is the optical axis of the optical fiber 510 in parallel with the pitch P ₂ therebetween. It should be noted that the array optical fiber fixed section 4 may be any one as long as the optical fiber 510 is fixed on the substrate 100, and does not necessarily have to be on the base 100.

The first configuration further includes the array optical component 2. The array optical component 2 includes an optical fiber 510.
An optical window 23 for inputting / outputting the signal light 24 is provided on the one end face 22 of the optical fiber 510 facing the tip 32 of the optical fiber 510. The optical window 23 is used for the array optical component 2
It is a window for inputting / outputting light to / from an optical element, which is formed in parallel with the pitch P ₂ therein, and is provided along a straight line with the pitch P ₂ . Incoming / outgoing light of the optical element, for example, signal light 24 is transmitted through the optical window 23 of the array optical component 2 and is emitted or incident along the optical component optical axis 21 which is the optical axis of the optical element in the array optical component 2. To do. Note that the optical window 23 does not necessarily have to be an object such as a transparent body and to transmit light, and it is sufficient if the light can be input and output. Such an optical window is, for example, a region of the surface of the semiconductor light emitting device from which light is emitted, a light incident face of the photoelectric conversion device, or a region corresponding to the core of the end face of the optical fiber, and more generally, Corresponds to a portion for inputting or outputting light to the optical component.

The base body of this structure is provided with an array optical component fixed portion 5 for fixing the array optical component 2 on the base substrate 100. The array optical component fixed part 5 positions and fixes the array optical component 2 such that the optical component optical axis 21 is parallel to the fiber optical axis 31. The array optical component 2 and the optical fibers 510 arranged in an array are fixed so that all optical axes are in one plane, for example, in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate 100. The array optical component fixed part 5 has a face-down bonding electrode 200 made of a pad-like thin film provided on the surface of the substrate 100, and has a similar thin film electrode provided on the bottom surface of the array optical component 2. Aligned, connected and fixed. The thin film electrode provided on the bottom surface of the array optical component 2 is formed in alignment with the optical element formed in the array optical component 2. Since the array optical component 2 is fixed to the array optical component fixing section 5 in a fixed position and direction, at the same time, the position and direction of the optical component optical axis 21, which is the optical axis of the optical element, is fixed to the base 100. To be done.

The array optical component fixed portion 5 for determining the position and direction of the array optical component 2 has the optical axis of the optical element formed in the array optical component 2, that is, the optical component optical axis 21 is the fiber optical fiber. It is formed so as to coincide with the shaft 31. However, due to an alignment error between the thin film electrode on the bottom surface of the array optical component 2 and the optical element, the optical axis of the optical element expected from the thin film electrode (hereinafter, referred to as “fixed axis” 26) and the actual light. An alignment error δ ₃ usually occurs between the optical axis of the element and the optical axis. as a result,
Even if the array optical component 2 is aligned using the mechanical alignment means so that the fixed axis 26 coincides with the fiber optical axis 31, a alignment error occurs between the optical component optical axis 21 and the fiber optical axis 31. yields δ ₃ . In addition, referring to FIG.
Such an error similarly occurs in the optical connector that connects one optical fiber 3 and the optical component 2A having one optical element, which is seen in the conventional example.

In this configuration, with reference to FIG. 1A, the optical window 23 of the array optical component 2 and the optical fibers 510 fixedly arranged in an array correspond to each one. The optical window 23 and the optical fiber tip 32 which are in a mutually corresponding relationship are opposed to each other and fixed. Furthermore, the pitch of the array of optical fibers 510, that is, the pitch P ₂ of the fiber optical axes 31 is
The pitch of the optical windows 23 of the array optical component 2, that is, the fixed axis 2
It is made to differ from the pitch P _{1 of} 6 by Δ.

The array optical component 2 and the optical fiber 510.
In the above arrangement, a pair of fixed shafts 26 and
If the fiber optical axes 31 are aligned, they will be located on both sides.
The fixed axis 26 and the fiber optical axis 31 are ± Δ,
A deviation of ± 2Δ, ... As a result, optical components
Error δ between optical axis 21 and fiber optical axis 31₁, Δ₂,
δ ₃,,, is the fixed axis 26 and the optical axis of the fiber optical axis
Δ for matching pairs₃, Δ for pairs located on both sides₃±
Δ, δ₃± 2Δ, ... Therefore, the array light
Pitch P of optical window 23 of component₁And the optical fiber 510
Pitch P₂The difference Δ between the optical axis 21 of the optical component and the optical axis of the fiber
Positioning error δ with 31₃About the same size or
If smaller, optical component optical axis 21 and fiber optical axis 31
Error with ₃You can always make smaller pairs.

In this configuration, a set having a small error between the optical component optical axis 21 and the fiber optical axis 31 is selected and used for actual optical transmission. Therefore, an optical connector with a small optical coupling loss is realized. Note that such selection may be performed, for example, by selecting the one having the strongest light incident from the array optical component to the plurality of optical fibers connected to the optical connector, or by injecting the light into each of the optical fibers to obtain the array light. This is done by selecting the one with the highest light intensity measured by the part.

Further, the difference Δ between the pitch P ₁ of the optical window 23 of the array optical component 2 and the pitch P ₂ of the optical fiber 510 is
It is also possible to make the size twice the permissible error between the setting axis 26 and the fiber optical axis 31 or a size close to this value. As a result, even with a small number of arrays, the error between the optical axis 21 of the optical component and the optical axis 31 of the fiber can be set within an allowable value for the array optical component having an error δ ₃ that fluctuates in a large range.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of the second configuration of the present invention, and shows the optical connector in a perspective view. FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of the second configuration principle of the present invention, and shows a plan view of the optical connector.

In the second configuration of the present invention, referring to FIG. 14, the second optical component 1410 is fixed on the base 100,
On the other hand, the first optical component 1510 that is optically coupled with the second optical component 1410 is provided on the moving plate 120. Each of the first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 has a plurality of optical windows on one end surface of which at least one is arranged in an array.

First, the case where the first optical component 1510 has a plurality of optical windows and the second optical component 1410 has one optical window will be described. With reference to FIG. 14, a second optical component 1410, for example, a semiconductor laser device 410 is fixed on the base body 100. The laser element 410 is fixed by, for example, using a bonding electrode 420 formed on the surface of the laser element 410 and bonding it to a ceramic plate 100a having a face-down bonding electrode 200 formed on the surface thereof. It can be made by sticking on the base 100.

The first optical component 1510, for example, an optical fiber array composed of a plurality of optical fibers 510, is attached to the moving plate 12.
It is fixed at 0. The optical fiber 510 is fixed so that its tip is directed toward the second component 1410 and forms an array having the second pitch P ₂ . Therefore, the tip of the optical fiber 510 constitutes an array of optical windows provided at the second pitch P ₂ .

The moving plate 120 includes the moving plate 120 and the base body 1.
00 is used to position the substrate 100 mechanically. Such means include, for example, positioning grooves 120 provided on the moving plate 120 at a pitch P _1.
It is also possible to use a means for fitting the positioning protrusion 1007 provided on the substrate 100 to the substrate 1. Further, as a more precise positioning means, a V groove, which will be described later in the embodiment, can be used. The positioning means moves and positions the movable plate 120 along the optical window at a pitch substantially equal to the pitch P ₂ of the optical window of the first optical component 1510. Therefore _, any one of the optical windows of the first optical component 1510 in the array can be opposed to the optical window of the first optical component.

[0038] In this configuration, the pitch P ₁ to position the moving plate 120 is _different from the pitch P ₂ of the optical window of the first optical component 1510. As a result, the second optical component 141
The positions of the optical windows facing 0 and the first optical component 1510 are displaced by the difference Δ between the pitch P ₁ and the pitch P ₂ from before the movement each time the moving plate 120 is moved by one pitch and fixed. is there.

Therefore, referring to FIG. 15A, the first optical component 1510, for example, the optical fiber 510, and the second optical component 1410, for example, the laser element 410, are aligned with the moving plate 120. 1 when mechanical alignment is performed using the optical axis 31 and the optical fiber optical axis 31 and the optical component optical axis 21 of the laser element 410 cause an alignment error δ ₃ .
5 (b), the moving plate 120 is displaced by N pitches from its alignment position (N = 3 in FIG. 15 (b)).
Represents the case of ), The alignment error δ between the optical fiber optical axis 31 and the optical component optical axis 21 is δ≈δ ₃ −NΔ, and the alignment error δ is obtained by the same operation as the first configuration of the present invention described above. Can be made smaller.

In this configuration, since the second optical component 1410, for example, the laser element 410 can be integrated into one unit, it is possible to inexpensively use an optical component which is difficult to form an array or an expensive optical component. Or it can be easily manufactured.

In the above-mentioned second configuration, the first optical component 1510 may have one optical window and the second optical component 1410 may have a plurality of optical windows.

For example, referring to FIG. 14, as the second optical component, a semiconductor laser array in which laser elements are arranged in an array is used instead of the laser element 410 on the base 100, and the first optical component is used. As an alternative, a single optical fiber can be used instead of the array of optical fibers 510 fixed to the moving plate 120. Also in such a configuration, the same effect can be obtained by the action similar to the action of the second configuration described above. The same applies even if the optical fiber and the laser element are replaced with each other in the above-described second configuration. In particular, one semiconductor element is placed on the moving plate 120 and the substrate 10
The configuration of arranging the optical fibers 510 in an array on 0
Considering that the array of optical fibers is precisely arranged, it is preferable from the viewpoint of easy manufacture of a single semiconductor element.

Further, in the second configuration of the present invention, both the first optical component 1510 and the second optical component 1410 can both have a plurality of optical windows. In this configuration, the pitch of the optical windows of the second optical component 1410 fixed on the base 100 is P ₃ , and the moving plate 1 is
Let P _{2 be} the pitch of the optical windows of the first optical component 1510 fixed to 20 and P _{1 be} the movement pitch of the moving plate 120.
Let Δ = P ₃ −P ₁ and Δ ′ = P ₂ −P ₁ . Further, it is assumed that the optical axes of the first first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 of the array are aligned at a certain moving position of the moving plate 120. At this time, the deviations δ ⁰ of the optical axes of the first to n-th first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 of the array are δ ⁰ = 0, Δ + Δ ′, 2 (Δ + Δ ′), 3 (Δ +
Δ '), ... Next, the displacement δ ¹ of the optical axis after moving the movable plate 120 by one pitch is δ ¹ = −Δ ′, Δ, 2Δ + Δ ′, 3Δ + 2Δ ′, 4Δ +
3Δ ′, ... Further, deviation [delta] ² of the optical axis after the moving plate 120 1 and the pitch ^{movement, δ 2 = -2Δ ', Δ} -Δ', 2Δ, 3Δ + Δ ', 4Δ +
2Δ ', ...

In this configuration, by appropriately selecting Δ and Δ ′, the number of pitches for moving the moving plate 120 can be reduced, or the number of array elements can be reduced.
For example, by selecting Δ = Δ ′, δ ⁰ = ^0, 2Δ ′, 4Δ ′, 6Δ ′, ..., δ ¹ = −Δ ′, Δ ′, 3Δ ′, 5Δ ′, 7Δ ′, ...・
.., it is possible to generate the number of shifts approximately twice the number of elements in the array by moving the moving plate 120 by one pitch. Further, by setting Δ = 2Δ ′, it is possible to form the number of shifts that is approximately three times the number of elements in the array by moving two pitches. Therefore, even if the number of elements in the array is small, a large alignment error can be corrected. In addition, if the number of elements is the same, the alignment accuracy can be increased.

In the third structure of this structure, referring to FIG. 30, the second optical component 1410, for example, the laser element 410 is used.
And a first optical component 1510, for example, the optical fiber 510, and an optical window provided on one end face of the optical component 1510, 1410, for example, a light emitting surface provided on the end face of the laser element 410 and the optical fiber 510. Are mounted on the base body 100 with their tip surfaces facing each other.

First optical component 1510 and second optical component 1
410 move parallel to each other on the base 100 at different first pitches and second pitches, and are aligned and fixed.

In the optical connector using the single optical element in this configuration, the first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 made of the single optical element are simultaneously positioned at the adjacent positioning positions at the first pitch and the second pitch. By sequentially moving, the optical coupling loss at each positioning position is measured, and the first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 are fixed to the position where the optical coupling loss is the smallest. Here, the single optical element means an element having one optical window involved in optical coupling of the optical connector.

The sequential movement of the optical components is the same as that of the first configuration in which the first and second optical components 1510 and 1410 are sequentially arranged in an array with different pitches with reference to FIG. The result is similar to that of the first configuration. That is, similar to the first configuration, the first and second optical components 1410, 1 facing each other at any position to be positioned.
The optical axis of 510 is the most coincident and the optical coupling loss is the smallest, which is the same effect as the first configuration. further,
With this configuration, since the optical components can be individual and one optical element, there is an effect that the optical components can be easily manufactured and the components can be easily replaced.

In this structure, the first optical component 1510 and the second optical component 1410 may be arranged in an array of optical elements at a pitch P ₃ and a pitch P ₄ , respectively.

In such a configuration, the difference between the pitches of the optical elements of the first and second optical components 1510 and 1410, Δ = P ₄
Since −P ₃ can be regarded as the same as Δ in the above-mentioned first configuration, this configuration also has the same operation as in the first configuration.

Further, in this configuration, the first optical component 15
10 moves at pitch P ₁ . This first optical component 15
As a result of the movement of 10 in one pitch, the relative position between one optical window of the first optical component and the optical window of the second optical component adjacent by one pitch is the pitch of the optical elements of the first optical component 1510. A difference between P ₃ and the movement pitch P _{1 of} the first optical component 1510, Δ ′ = P ₃ −P _1, is produced. Similarly, for the second optical component 1410, the difference between the pitch P ₄ of the optical elements of the second optical component 1410 and the movement pitch P _{2 of} the second optical component 1510, Δ ″ = P ₄ −P ₂ . Occurs.

Since these Δ ′ and Δ ″ can be regarded as the same as Δ ′ in the second configuration, in this configuration, the first and second optical components are independently set to 1 When the pitch is moved, the amount of deviation generated between the optical axes of the first and second optical components is Δ + Δ '+ Δ ". Therefore, according to this configuration, Δ, Δ ′, and Δ ″ can be combined as three independent variables, and the alignment error can be corrected with a size corresponding to each combination. If the number of arrays of the first and second optical components is the same, it is possible to generate a remarkably multi-step correction amount as compared with the first and second configurations, so that precise alignment is performed.

[0053]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below with reference to examples. (1) First, an example of the first configuration will be described.

The first embodiment of the present invention relates to an optical connector for connecting one laser element in a semiconductor laser array and one optical fiber in an optical fiber array. Figure 2
1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of an optical connector for connecting a semiconductor laser array and an optical fiber array.

Referring to FIG. 2, as the array optical component 2,
Five embedded mesa stripe semiconductor laser devices 410
A semiconductor laser array 400 was used in which the above were arrayed in an array on a semiconductor substrate. The pitch P ₁ of this semiconductor laser array 400 is 252 μm. Therefore, 252 on its side
Optical windows for emitting light are provided on a straight line parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate at a pitch of μm.

The semiconductor laser array 400 is fixed by flip chip bonding to the surface of a ceramic plate 1002a bonded to the upper surface of a rectangular parallelepiped Kovar block 1002. The ceramic plate 1002a has thin film wiring formed on the surface thereof, and each laser element 41
0 and flip chip bonding are electrically connected.

As described above, according to the flip chip bonding, the thin film wiring formed on the surface of the ceramic plate 1002a and the semiconductor laser array 400 can be aligned in self alignment with an accuracy of, for example, about ± 1 μm. it can. On the other hand, the thin film wiring is connected to the ceramic plate 1002a.
The accuracy of alignment on the surface and the accuracy of alignment of the flip chip bonding electrodes on the surface of the semiconductor laser array 400 are both about 0.5 μm. Therefore, the total alignment error of the laser element 410 is ± 2 μm, which exceeds the allowable error of ± 1 μm for coupling the optical fibers.

The substrate 100 is made of Kovar, and its upper surface is divided into two parts. An array optical fiber fixed portion 4 for fixing the optical fibers 510 in an array is provided on one side, and the array light on the other side is provided. A square block mounting hole 1001 into which the Kovar block 1002 is loosely fitted in the component fixed part 5
Is provided.

The Kovar block 1002 having the semiconductor laser array 400 fixed on the upper surface is provided with the block mounting hole 1
It is inserted into 001 and is held in a state where the upper and lower positions are aligned with a predetermined position, and the laser welding is used as it is, to the side surface of the Kovar block 1002 and the block mounting hole 1001.
A welded portion 1004 provided on the periphery of and is fixed by spot welding. The holding and welding of the Kovar block 1002 can be performed by a commonly used alignment device.

In this embodiment, an optical fiber array cable 500 in which five optical fibers 510 having a diameter of 125 μm are arranged in a plane is used. The optical fibers 510 are fixed in an array on the upper surface of the ceramic block 1003. Five parallel V-grooves 300 are formed on the upper surface of the ceramic block 1003 at a pitch of 250 μm, and the optical fibers 510 are fitted in the V-grooves 300 and are arranged at equal intervals in parallel and at a constant height. Fixed. The lower surface of the ceramic block 1003 is metallized to form a metallized portion 1003a.

The ceramic block 1003, to which the optical fiber 510 is fixed, is used as an array optical fiber fixed portion provided on the upper surface of the base 100 so that the tip of the optical fiber 510 faces the optical window of the semiconductor laser array 400. Put. Furthermore, this ceramic block 1003
By sliding on the upper surface of the substrate 1, the fiber optical axis 31 shown in FIG. 1 and the fixed axis 26 are aligned so as to substantially coincide with each other. Then, while maintaining this position, the metallized portion 1003a exposed on the side surface of the ceramic block 1003 and the base are spot-welded at the welded portion 1005 and fixed by laser welding.

The optical fiber 510 is aligned by moving the ceramic block so that the semiconductor laser element 410 emits light and the intensity of light incident on the optical fiber 510 is maximized. Further, the semiconductor laser array 400 and the optical fiber 510 can be mechanically aligned based on the outer shapes thereof. In the former case, the fiber optical axis 31 and the optical component optical axis 21 shown in FIG. 1 are aligned, and in the latter case, the fiber optical axis 31 and the fixed axis 26 shown in FIG. 1 are aligned. It

Finally, the semiconductor laser element 410 is caused to emit light, and the optical fiber 510 having the highest incident light intensity in the optical fiber array cable is selected. The selected optical fiber 510 is connected to the optical fiber to be connected in the backbone fiber cable. When using this optical connector, it is possible to reduce the power consumption by stopping the operations of the semiconductor laser devices 410 other than the selected set.

According to the present embodiment, even if there is a positioning error of ± 1 μm or more, which is the tolerance of deviation of the optical axis between the laser element and the optical fiber, if the error is within ± 5 μm, five light beams will be emitted. ± 5μ because one of the fibers is within the allowable value
Even if there is a large alignment error of m, optical coupling can be performed without any trouble. Therefore, no precise alignment is required.

In the present embodiment, by increasing the number of laser elements and optical fibers, that is, the number of arrays, optical coupling can be performed without any trouble even if there is a large alignment error. For example, by using 9 arrays, ± 9 μm
Can be tolerated.

Further, in the present embodiment, the pitch of the five optical fibers is 251 μm, so that the pitch difference from the pitch of 252 μm of the semiconductor laser array can be 1 μm. At this time, if the alignment accuracy between the optical fiber and the semiconductor laser array is within ± 2.5 μm, the optical axis of any one of the optical fibers is aligned within 0.5 μm. Therefore, highly accurate alignment of the optical axis is facilitated.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention,
Represents an optical connector. In this embodiment, referring to FIG. 3, a silicon plate having a (100) plane as its main surface is used as the base body 100. The surface of the silicon plate is protected by an oxide film.

The upper surface of the substrate 100 is divided into two perpendicular to the <110> direction, one side being the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 and the other side being the array optical component fixed portion 5. The array optical fiber fixed portion 4 has five V-grooves 30 parallel to the <110> direction.
0 is formed. Each of the five optical fibers 510 protruding from the tip of the optical fiber array cable 500 is fitted into and fixed to the five V-shaped grooves 300. The upper opening width of the V groove 300 is 200 μm, the depth at this time is about 250 μm, and the diameter of the optical fiber 510 is 12 μm.
5 μm. The V-groove 300 is manufactured by using anisotropic etching of silicon, and the V-groove 300 is manufactured by a method similar to the method of manufacturing the V-groove in the third embodiment of the present invention described later in detail.

The array optical component fixed portion 5 is provided with two rails 2001 parallel to both sides of the extension line of the center line of the V groove 300. This rail 2001 has five V-grooves 300
5 sets are provided corresponding to.

As the array optical component 2, a semiconductor laser array 400 having five laser elements 410 arranged in an array.
To use. This semiconductor laser array 400 is similar to the semiconductor laser array 400 in the above-described first embodiment, but the rail 2001 is fitted to the surface (the surface on the side where the active region of the laser element 410 is formed). A rail groove 4001 is formed. Semiconductor laser array 40
The position 0 is aligned by fitting the rail groove 4001 to the rail 2001 provided on the surface of the base 100, and is fixed at the same time. Such rail 2001 and rail groove 4
001 may be, for example, an aluminum rail having a height of 5 μm and a width of 20 μm, and a rail groove having a height of 10 μm and a width of 25 μm. In this case, since the width of the rail 2001 is narrower than the width of the rail groove 4001 by 5 μm, an error of ± 2.5 μm may occur at the time of fitting. However, since the pitch of the laser elements 410 of the semiconductor laser array 400 is precisely formed, even if there is such an error, there is a laser element 410 that is coincident with any one of the optical fibers 510 within a tolerance range. Therefore, optical coupling is automatically completed without adjustment.

The pitch of the optical fiber and the semiconductor laser array is the same as in the first embodiment. The same applies to selecting a required set of optical fibers and laser elements after coupling.

According to this embodiment, the optical fiber and the array optical component are directly and self-aligned on the substrate. Therefore, since an alignment device is not required for connecting the optical connector, the operation is easy.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. The third embodiment of the present invention is
It is an improved example of the second embodiment described above, and the fixed means of the semiconductor laser array is different.

In the third embodiment, referring to FIG. 4, the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 provided on one side that divides the upper surface of the silicon substrate 100 into two halves is the same as in the second embodiment. ，
Five V-grooves 300 are formed in parallel.
00 and the optical fiber 510 is fixedly installed.

An array optical component fixed section 5 provided on the other side of the upper surface of the substrate 100 is provided with a face-down bonding electrode 200 and a wire bonding electrode 210. On the other hand, on the surface of the semiconductor laser array 400,
A bonding electrode 420 is provided at a position corresponding to the face-down bonding electrode 200. The semiconductor laser array 400 is fixed to the upper surface of the base body 100 by aligning the bonding electrode 210 with the face-down bonding electrode 200 and performing the face-down bonding. The position can be self-aligned by flip chip bonding. Alternatively, a positioning device can be used. After that, the back surface electrode 440 provided on the back surface (above the paper surface) of the semiconductor laser array 400.
The wire bonding electrode 210 provided on the surface of the substrate is connected by the wire 410. The pitch, dimensions, etc. of the optical fiber 510 and the semiconductor laser array 400 are the same as those in the second embodiment.

Since face down bonding is used in this embodiment, mechanical precision is not required for the electrode pattern required for bonding. This is because the bonding electrode pattern does not cause any mechanical restraint in the upper surface of the substrate 100, and therefore the positioning can be freely performed even if there is some error in the position of the bonding electrode pattern. However, when the flip chip bonding is used, the patterning accuracy of the bonding electrode determines the positioning accuracy of the semiconductor laser array 400, and therefore the patterning accuracy of the bonding electrode is required. However, in this embodiment using the semiconductor laser array, the alignment error at the time of flip-chip bonding is averaged for all the bonding electrode patterns provided in one semiconductor laser array, so that individual patterns can be obtained. Since the influence of the variation in the shape or position of is averaged and mitigated, as a result, highly accurate alignment can be performed.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views (No. 1 to No. 3) of the manufacturing process of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing the manufacturing process of the base body according to the third embodiment. First, referring to FIG. 5A, a base 100 made of a silicon substrate having a (100) surface as an upper surface is thermally oxidized to form an oxide film 111 having a thickness of 0.5 μm on the upper and lower surfaces of the base 100. . Next, a photoresist 111a is applied on the oxide film 111 on the upper surface side.

Next, referring to FIG. 5B, the base 10
0 Five slit-shaped rectangular etching windows 112a having a width of 20 μm and having a long side in the <110> direction are arranged in parallel with each other at a pitch of 250 μm on a region to be a fixed portion of the array optical component on the upper surface. The formed product is opened in the photoresist 111a by using photolithography.

Next, referring to FIG. 5C, the oxide film 111 exposed in the etching window 112a is selectively etched by the RIE (reactive ion etching) method using the photoresist 111a as a mask. An etching window 112, in which the etching window 112a of the photoresist 111a is transferred, is opened in the oxide film 111 on the upper surface of the substrate 100.

Next, referring to FIG. 6D, the photoresist 111a is removed by ashing in oxygen by, for example, the RIE method. Then, referring to FIG. 6 (e),
The substrate 100 exposed in the etching window 112 by the anisotropic wet etching method using the oxide film 111 as a mask.
The upper surface is selectively anisotropically etched to form a V-groove 300 that exposes the (111) plane as a slope.

Next, referring to FIG. 6 (f), the substrate 10
0 Thickness on the entire upper surface? ? ? nm Ti thin film, and thickness? ? ?
An Au thin film of nm is vapor-deposited to form a Ti / Au thin film 113. Next, referring to FIG. 7G, a photoresist 111a is applied again to the upper surface of the substrate 100, and a resist pattern 114a having the same shape as the face-down bonding electrode and a resist having the same shape as the wire bonding electrode are formed by photolithography. The pattern 114b is formed.

Next, referring to FIG. 7H, the Ti / Au thin film 113 using the resist pattern 114b as a mask.
By etching, a face-down bonding electrode 200 and a wire bonding electrode 210 made of the Ti / Au thin film 113 are formed.

Then, cutting is carried out along the line AAA shown in FIG. Then, the resist pattern 114b is removed. Through the above steps, the base body according to the third embodiment is manufactured. To fix the optical fiber on this substrate, V
While pressing the optical fiber fitted in the groove 300 from above with a quartz plate, the ultraviolet curable resin is permeated into the gap between the V groove 300 and the optical fiber, and then is irradiated with ultraviolet light to be cured and fixed.

According to this manufacturing process, the V groove and the face-down bonding electrode pattern can be formed with the alignment accuracy in photolithography, so that the processing accuracy is high.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an improved example of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing an improved optical connector of the third embodiment. With reference to FIG. 8, the base 100 of the present modification has a U groove 101 at the boundary between the array optical fiber fixed part 4 and the array optical component fixed part 5 on the upper surface of the base 100 of the third embodiment. Is provided. The tip of the V groove 300 is removed by the U groove 101, and the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 of the U groove 101 is removed.
A cross section of the V groove 300 is exposed on the side wall surface on the side. Such U
The groove 101 can be formed by cutting with a dicing saw, for example.

The U-groove 101 prevents the tip of the optical fiber 510 from coming into contact with the tip surface of the V-groove 300 which is an inclined surface of the (111) plane. As a result, the optical fiber 510
This can be achieved by providing the tip of the above in close proximity to the optical window of the semiconductor laser array 400, and the coupling loss can be reduced.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
It shows an optical connector on which separate optical components are mounted. The fourth embodiment uses an individual laser element instead of the semiconductor laser array in the optical connector of the improved example of the third embodiment. Referring to FIG. 9, five parallel V-grooves 300 are vertically cut through the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 in the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 separated by the U groove 101 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 100. It is formed. On the other hand, the face-down bonding electrode 200 and the wire bonding electrode 210 are formed on the upper surface of the array optical component fixed portion 5 so as to face each V groove 300. The pitch at which these V-grooves 300 are provided, and the face-down bonding electrode 200
The pitch at which is provided is the same as in the third embodiment.

In this embodiment, the individual laser element 410
Are fixed to the upper surface of the base 100 by face down bonding. Alignment can also be done mechanically by an alignment device. It is also possible to perform self-alignment by flip chip bonding.

In the present embodiment, the five laser elements 410, which are individually aligned, constitute an array optical component, for example, a semiconductor laser array as a whole. In such a case, since the laser elements 410 are individually aligned, the pitch of the laser elements 410 is less accurate than that of the semiconductor laser array integrally formed on the semiconductor substrate. Therefore, from the viewpoint of alignment accuracy, it is preferable to use an integrated semiconductor laser array. However, since individual laser elements can be used, there is an advantage that the laser elements can be easily manufactured. This advantage is particularly useful when a physically large semiconductor laser array is required, for example, when the pitch of optical fibers is large or when a large number of optical fibers are used, because the semiconductor laser array is difficult to manufacture. .

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, which shows an optical connector in which the alignment accuracy of the array optical component is improved. In the fifth embodiment, referring to FIG. 10, the upper surface of the substrate 100 made of silicon is provided with a U-shaped groove 101 that bisects the upper surface of the substrate 100, and the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 and the array optical component fixed portion 5 are formed. Is divided into and

Three V-grooves 300 that are parallel to each other and cross the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 vertically and intersect the sidewall surface of the U-groove 101 perpendicularly (do not cross the U-groove) are provided on the upper surface of the substrate 100. The optical fiber 510 is fitted and fixed in the V groove 300.

A fitting groove 600 is provided in the array optical component fixed section 5.
Are provided in parallel with the V groove 300 and on the extension line of the center line of the V groove 300. This fitting groove 600 has an upper bottom (opening portion)
Has a wide bottom and a narrow bottom (the bottom of the fitting groove), and has an inverted trapezoidal cross-section, and intersects perpendicularly to the sidewall surface of the U groove 101 (does not cross the U groove). Further, a stripe-shaped face-down bonding electrode 200 is provided on the bottom surface of the fitting groove 600 and on the center line extension of the V groove 300. The face-down bonding electrode 200 extends and is connected to an input / output pad formed on the surface of the base 100 outside the fitting groove 600. Further, a wire bonding electrode 210 is provided on the surface of the substrate 100.

In the fifth embodiment, the V groove 300 is provided with a pitch of 251 μm, and the fitting groove 600 is provided with a pitch of 250 μm. As the array optical component 2, three laser elements 410 are 250 μm on one semiconductor substrate.
Semiconductor laser array 400 provided in parallel at a pitch of
Was used. On the element formation surface of the semiconductor laser array 400 (the lower surface of the semiconductor laser array shown in FIG. 10), a mesa stripe-shaped fitting protrusion 430 parallel to the optical axis of the optical component, that is, the optical axis of the laser light is formed. Furthermore, this fitting protrusion 43
Bonding electrode 4 parallel to the optical axis on the surface of the protrusion 0
20 are provided. In addition, this bonding electrode 420
Form one of the electrodes of the laser element 410.

The semiconductor laser array 400 includes the fitting protrusion 4
30 is fitted into the fitting groove 600 to be aligned, and the bonding electrode 420 is fixed to the face-down bonding electrode 200 by face-down bonding.

The positioning method using the fitting protrusion 430 and the fitting groove 600 achieves higher positioning accuracy than a method using a positioning device or a bonding method. For this reason, mechanical alignment errors are usually small enough not to be a problem. However, the semiconductor laser array 400
It is very difficult in manufacturing to always keep the alignment error between the optical axis of the laser beam and the fitting protrusion 430 within the allowable value. According to this embodiment, the alignment error between the optical axis of the laser light of the semiconductor laser array 400 and the fitting protrusion 430 is 1.
Within 5 μm, any of the three optical fibers 510 can be aligned within 0.5 μm. Therefore, it is easy to manufacture a semiconductor device. Also, high alignment accuracy can be realized.

It is also possible to use individual laser elements instead of the semiconductor laser array of the fifth embodiment.
The base body 100 of the fifth embodiment can be manufactured by the following method.

11 and 12 are perspective views (No. 1 and No. 2) of the manufacturing process of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, showing the manufacturing process of the substrate. Referring to FIG. 11A, first,
A silicon substrate 100 having a (100) surface as an upper surface is thermally oxidized to form an oxide film 111 on the surface. Next, the oxide film 111 on the upper surface of the substrate 100 is formed by using photolithography.
Then, an etching window 112b for forming a V groove and an etching window 112c for forming a fitting groove are opened. These etching windows 112b and 112c form a quadrangle having a width of 200 μm with <110> as a long side, the V-groove forming etching window 112b has a pitch of 251 μm, and the fitting groove forming etching window 112c has a pitch of 251 μm. Etching window 112b
Are provided with a pitch of 250 μm.

Next, referring to FIG. 11B, the substrate 1
A nitride film 117 is deposited on the upper surface of 00 by the thermal CVD method. Then, by selective etching using hot phosphoric acid as an etchant, a nitride film opening 118 exposing the V-groove forming etching window 112b is formed. The nitride film 117 having the opening 118 still covers the etching window 112c for forming the fitting groove.

Next, referring to FIG. 11C, an etching window for forming a V groove is formed by anisotropic etching of silicon using the oxide film 111 and the nitride film 117 as a mask and an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution as an etchant. The surface of the substrate 100 exposed at 112b is etched to form the V groove 300 exposing the (111) plane.

Next, referring to FIG. 11D, the nitride film 117 is etched and removed, and the etching window 112c for forming the fitting groove is exposed. Next, referring to FIG. 11E, the substrate exposed in the etching window 112c for forming the fitting groove by anisotropic etching of silicon using the oxide film 111 as a mask and an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution as an etchant. The surface 100 is etched to form a fitting groove 600 having a trapezoidal cross section with the (111) plane as a slope and the (100) plane as a bottom. The V groove 300 has already been (111)
Since the surface is exposed, etching hardly progresses.

Next, referring to FIG. 11F, a face down bond extending on the surface of the base 100 outside the fitting groove 600 along the long side of the etching window 112c on the bottom surface of the fitting groove 600. The dengue electrode 200 is formed. In addition,
If necessary, the wire bonding electrode 210 is simultaneously formed.

Next, the boundary between the V groove 300 and the fitting groove 600 is cut with a dicing saw, and a U groove 101 perpendicular to these grooves is formed on the upper surface of the substrate 100. In addition, the width of the U groove 101 is the same as that of the V groove 300 and the fitting groove 6.
It is preferable that the tip of No. 00 is cut, and as a result, the V groove 300 and the fitting groove 600 have a groove width on the side wall surface of the U groove 101 so as to expose a complete cross section.

Next, the substrate 100 is cut along EEa, and the tip of the V groove 300 on the side away from the U groove 101 is cut off. The substrate 100 is manufactured through the above steps. According to this step, the etching window 112c for determining the position of the fitting groove 600 is formed on the upper surface of the unprocessed flat substrate 100 together with the etching window 112b for forming the V groove 300. The alignment accuracy between the fitting groove 600 and the fitting groove 600 is very high. Therefore, even if individual optical components are arranged and used in an array instead of the array optical components, the mechanical alignment accuracy is high and a large error does not occur in the pitch of the array. Therefore, the application of the present invention is facilitated when using individual parts.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. In this modified example, referring to FIG. 13, the semiconductor laser elements 410 are arranged in an array on the array optical component fixed portion 5 on the left side of the upper surface of the substrate 100 in the array.
Three semiconductor laser arrays 400 arranged at 50 μm,
They are arranged at equal intervals, for example, with a pitch of 1500 μm.

On the other hand, the optical fiber 510 is fixed to the array optical fiber fixed portion 4 on the right side of the upper surface of the base 100 by fitting into, for example, a V groove provided on the upper surface of the base 100.
This optical fiber 510 is a set of optical fibers 510 drawn from one optical fiber array cable 500.
To the V-groove 300 so that the semiconductor laser device pitch 2
They are provided in parallel with each other at 50 μm. This optical fiber 510
The three sets are aligned and positioned at a pitch of 1502 μm, which is 2 μm larger than the pitch of the semiconductor laser array 400.

In this configuration, since the pitch of the set of optical fibers 510 and the elements constituting the semiconductor laser array 400 are the same, all the optical fibers of the set and the semiconductor laser elements have their optical axes aligned at the same time. The amount of positioning correction is the pitch between each pair, namely 1500 μm and 1502 μm.
It occurs due to the difference with m. In the present modification, this pitch difference can be set for a large pitch of 1500 μm, so it is easy to form the pitch difference precisely. (2) Next, an example of the second configuration will be described.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which shows an optical connector for aligning with a semiconductor laser device using a moving plate having an optical fiber array fixedly arranged. With reference to FIG. 16, in the sixth embodiment, a substrate 100 on which one laser element 410 is mounted and an optical fiber 51 are provided.
A moving plate 1 that fixes the 0 array and is placed on the base 100.
20.

The moving plate 120 and the base 100 are both rectangular ceramic plates, and the width of the moving plate 120 is the base 10.
Same as 0. The length of the moving plate 120 is shorter than that of the base 100, and when the moving plate 120 is placed on the base 100,
The laser element 4 is provided on the front surface of the moving plate 120 and on the upper surface of the substrate 100.
An area for mounting 10 is exposed. The direction from the laser element 410 to the optical fiber 510 is the front-rear direction, and the laser element 410 side is the front.

A plurality of V-groove-shaped positioning grooves 120 formed in parallel with each other are formed in peripheral regions on both sides of the lower surface of the moving plate 120.
1 is formed. On the other hand, a plurality of parallel chevron-shaped positioning rails 1010 that fit into the positioning grooves 1201 are formed on both sides of the upper surface of the base 100. The V-shaped positioning groove 1201 and the chevron-shaped positioning rail 101
0 can be easily and precisely manufactured by grooving a ceramic plate. The movable plate 120 can be aligned by fitting the alignment groove 1201 to the positioning rail 1010 so that the movable plate 120 can be moved along the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction with the pitch thereof as a unit.

A plurality of V-shaped grooves 300 are formed in the center of the lower surface of the moving plate 120 in the front-back direction, that is, in parallel with the alignment groove 1201.
Is provided. The optical fiber 510 is fitted and fixed in the V groove 300. The V-shaped groove 300 is formed such that, when the moving plate 120 is fixedly installed on the base 100, the center of the optical fiber 510 is located at a height that coincides with the optical axis of the laser element 410 mounted on the upper surface of the base 100. The width is defined.

When the moving plate 120 is fixed on the base 100, a rectangular parallelepiped recess 103 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate corresponding to the region where the V groove 300 is formed. The recess 103 is provided to prevent the optical fiber 510 from coming into contact with the upper surface of the base 100.

One semiconductor laser element 410 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 100 at a position facing the tip of the optical fiber 510. The laser element 410 is fixed by face-down bonding an electrode 420 for bond-down provided on the surface thereof to an electrode 200 for face-down bonding formed on the upper surface of the substrate 100.

In this embodiment, the pitch of the alignment groove 1201 and the positioning rail 1010 which are the positioning means of the movable plate 120 and the pitch of the V groove 300 for positioning the optical fiber array are 252 μm, respectively.
It was set to 250 μm. Of course, other pitches can be set according to the application.

According to this embodiment, the V-grooves or the chevron-shaped grooves can be formed in the ceramics with high precision, so that the mechanical alignment accuracy is high. In addition, the positioning rail 1010
Since the movable plate 120 can be slid back and forth along the optical fiber 510, it is easy to move the optical fiber 510 back and forth along the optical axis, and there is an effect that front and back positioning is easy.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. The seventh embodiment relates to an improved example of the positioning means of the sixth embodiment. Referring to FIG. 17, the optical connector of the present embodiment has a base 100 and a moving plate 120 shorter than the base 100, as in the sixth embodiment. Further, the optical fibers 510 are fixed in an array in the V-shaped groove 300 provided at the center of the lower surface of the moving plate 120, and the depressions 103 are provided on the upper surface of the substrate 100 that contacts the optical fibers 510.

In the seventh embodiment, both the base 100 and the moving plate 120 are made of silicon crystal. Base 10
Around the both sides on the 0 side, one each along the front-back direction (the direction from the laser element 410 to the optical fiber as in the sixth embodiment is referred to as "front-back direction" with the laser element 410 side as the front). The positioning V-groove 1061 is formed. On the other hand, the base plate 100 is formed on each side of the lower surface of the moving plate 120.
A plurality of positioning V-grooves 1261 are formed in parallel with the positioning V-grooves 1061 on the upper surface. The moving plate 120 is the base body 10.
The positioning column 610 fitted into the positioning V groove 1061 formed on the
It is placed so as to be sandwiched by 1261. The position of the moving plate 120 is moved by selecting the positioning V groove 1261 that fits with the positioning cylinder 610.

In this embodiment, the base 100 and the moving plate 12 are
The V-shaped groove provided at 0 can be formed by lithography by anisotropic etching of silicon. Therefore, the precision of its shape and position is much higher than that by machining, and it usually satisfies the alignment accuracy required for optical coupling.

The semiconductor laser element 410 has a bonding electrode 420 formed on the surface thereof, and is face-down bonded and fixed to the face-bonding electrode 200 formed on the upper surface of the substrate 100.

In this embodiment, the height of the optical fiber 510 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the positioning cylinder 610. At this time, the moving pitch of the moving plate 120 does not change.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the present invention, which is a modification of the seventh embodiment. In the eighth embodiment, referring to FIG. 18, the semiconductor laser device 410 is mounted on the upper surface of the sub-substrate 700, and the sub-substrate 700 is used as the substrate 1.
Fixed at 00. The sub-board 700 is an inverted trapezoidal or square prism having a tapered lower surface and a chamfered corner. On the other hand, on the upper surface of the base 100, the sub-board 70
A sub-board fitting groove 110 having the same taper as 0 is formed, and the sub-board 700 is fitted and fixed in the sub-board fitting groove 110.

In this embodiment, the sub-substrate 70 is formed by the taper.
Although the height of 0 is determined, the height of the laser element 410 can be precisely positioned because the taper can be easily formed precisely.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, showing the configuration of the optical connector. In the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 19, the sub-board 700 on which the semiconductor laser device 410 is mounted and the moving plate 120 on which the optical fiber 510 is mounted are placed in front of and behind the upper surface of the base 100, respectively.

On the upper surface of the base 100, two parallel positioning rails 1010 extending in the front-rear direction are provided. Further, on the lower surface of the sub-board 700, there are two positioning V-grooves 11 that fit into the positioning rails 1010 on the upper surface of the base 100.
61 is provided. The sub-board 700 has this positioning V
By fitting the groove 1161 into the positioning rail 1010, positioning is performed except in the front-back direction. On the other hand, moving plate 1
On the lower surface of 20, a set of two positioning V-grooves 1261 are fitted to the two positioning rails 1010 on the upper surface of the base body 100.
Are provided in parallel at a pitch of 250 μm, for example. The moving plate 120 is positioned by excluding the front-rear direction by fitting one set of the positioning V-groove 1261 to the positioning rail 1010. The position where the moving plate 120 is positioned can be moved at the pitch of the positioning V groove 1261.

The semiconductor laser device 410 includes the sub substrate 70.
0 is flip-chip bonded to the face bonding electrode 200 formed on the upper surface of the sub-board 700, and is fixed near the central rear end of the upper surface of the sub-substrate 700.

The optical fiber 510 has a plurality of Vs formed on the upper surface of the movable plate 120 in parallel with the positioning V-grooves 1261.
The optical fiber array 500 is fitted and fixed in the groove 300.
Is configured. The pitch of the V groove 300 is, for example, 252.
μm.

In the ninth embodiment, it is not necessary to provide components other than the positioning V-groove 1261 on the back surface of the moving plate 120. Therefore, the positioning V-groove 1261 can be provided near the center of the moving plate 120. The width of the optical connector becomes narrow. In addition, since all the optical components are fixed to the upper surface of the moving plate 120 and the upper surface of the sub-board 700, the moving plate 120
By adjusting the same thickness or the thickness of the sub-board 700, precise height alignment is performed. Furthermore, the base body 100, the moving plate 120, and the sub-board 700 that form the optical connector can be easily and precisely processed by the method described below.

To connect the optical connector of the ninth embodiment, the semiconductor laser element 410 is caused to emit light and the moving plate 120 is used.
The light intensity incident on the optical fiber 510 facing the semiconductor laser element 410 is measured every time the laser beam is moved at the pitch of the V groove 300, and the moving plate 120 is fixed at the position of maximum intensity.
Then, the optical fiber 510 whose maximum strength has been measured is connected to the optical cable to be connected. The optical connector coupling method for selecting one or a plurality of optical fibers from the plurality of optical fibers can be similarly applied to other embodiments of the present invention unless otherwise specified. The same applies when such selection is made for an optical component other than the optical fiber, for example, a laser device.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining the manufacturing process of the base body of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, which shows the manufacturing process of the silicon base body. Figure 2
Referring to 0 (a), first, two parallel striped resist patterns 115a extending in <110> are formed on the upper surface of the substrate 100 having the (100) surface as an upper surface by photolithography. Then, the silicon (11
1) The upper surface of the substrate 100 is etched using anisotropic etching in which the surface is exposed as an etching surface, as shown in FIG.
Referring to, a positioning rail 1010 having a trapezoidal cross section with the striped resist pattern 115a as the center line is formed.

21 and 22 are manufacturing explanatory views of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, which show a method of manufacturing a moving plate and a sub-board. Here, (a) of FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 show the lower surface of the silicon plate 800, and (b) shows the upper surface of the silicon plate 800. 21 and 22, the left side of the silicon plate 800 on the paper surface is the portion to be the moving plate 120, while the right side of the silicon plate 800 on the paper surface is the sub-board 7.
This is the part that should be 00.

Referring to FIGS. 21A and 21B, first, a silicon plate 800 having upper and lower surfaces of (100) plane is thermally oxidized to form a thermal oxide film 811 on the surface thereof. Then, rectangular etching windows 812, 813, 814 having long sides in the <110> direction are formed in the thermal oxide films 811 on the upper and lower surfaces of the silicon plate 800, respectively. The positions and widths of the etching windows 812, 813, 814 are such that the V groove formed by using the etching windows 812, 813, 814 is fitted to the two positioning rails 1010 formed on the upper surface of the base body 100. It is decided to do. That is, referring to FIG. 21 (a), five sets of etching windows 813 corresponding to two positioning rails 1010 are formed on the left side of the lower surface of the silicon plate 800, for example, with a pitch of 250 μm, while the right side of the drawing is shown. And the etching window 814 is 1
A pair is formed.

Further, in order to form the V-groove 300 for fitting the optical fiber 510 on the left side of the upper surface of the silicon plate 800 in the drawing, that is, on the upper surface of the movable plate 120, a rectangular shape having a long side in the <110> direction is formed. A plurality of etching windows 812 are arranged in parallel at a pitch of 252 μm, for example, and are formed in the oxide film 811.

Next, referring to FIG. 22, a silicon substrate 80 is formed by anisotropic etching exposing the (111) plane.
0 etching the upper and lower surfaces, each etching window 812, 8
V groove 300 and positioning V groove 116 under 13,814
1,1261 are formed.

Next, referring to FIG. 22B, the face bonding electrode 200 and the wire bonding electrode 210 are formed on the right side of the upper surface of the silicon plate 800, that is, on the upper surface of the sub-substrate 700.

Next, the silicon plate 800 is set in FIG.
The moving plate 120 and the sub-board 700 are manufactured by cutting along DDa, BBa, and CCa shown in (b). In addition, this cutting is performed in the V groove 300 and the positioning V
The cutting is performed to cut off the tip end portions of the grooves 1161 and 1261 to form a complete V-shaped groove having a V-shaped cross section at any position in the front-rear direction.

According to this manufacturing method, the positioning V-grooves 1161 and 1261 of the sub-board 700 and the moving plate 120 are simultaneously formed in the plane of one silicon plate 800, so that the positional relationship between them can be precisely adjusted. it can.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a first modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. This modification is
The mounting positions of the optical fiber and the semiconductor laser device of the ninth embodiment of the present invention are exchanged. That is, FIG.
Referring to, the laser element 410 is mounted on the upper surface of the moving plate 120 and fitted into the V groove 300 formed on the upper surface of the sub-board 700 to fix the optical fibers 510 in an array. By making the pitches of the V-grooves 300 on the upper surface of the sub-board 700 and the positioning V-grooves 1261 on the lower surface of the moving plate 120 different, the same operation and effect as in the ninth embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a second modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. This modification is
The semiconductor laser device of the ninth embodiment of the present invention is replaced with an array optical component, and the optical fiber array is replaced with a single optical fiber 510. That is, referring to FIG. 24, a semiconductor laser array 400 in which laser elements are formed in an array shape
Is fixed to the upper surface of the sub-board 700 by face down bonding as the array optical component 2. One V-shaped groove 300 is formed on the upper surface of the moving plate 120, and one optical fiber 5
10 is fixed. In this modification, due to the difference between the pitch of the laser elements formed in the semiconductor laser array 400 and the pitch of the positioning V-grooves 1261 formed on the lower surface of the moving plate 120, alignment is performed as in the ninth embodiment. It

In this embodiment, since the array optical component 2 is used as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 25, the pitch of the laser elements can be precisely formed. In addition, the semiconductor laser array 4
00 to switch the laser elements therein, it is possible to select the elements whose optical axes coincide with each other. Therefore, it is not necessary to select an optical fiber, and the connection process can be simplified. Since the laser element is selected by switching the electrical wiring, it is usually easier than selecting the optical fiber.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a third modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. This modification is
The roles of the semiconductor device and the optical fiber array of the ninth embodiment of the present invention are exchanged. That is, referring to FIG. 25, the semiconductor laser array 400 is mounted on the upper surface of the moving plate 120, and one optical fiber 510 is fixed on the upper surface of the sub-board 700.

In this embodiment, the same effect as that of the modification shown in FIG. 24 is obtained. FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector in which optical components are mounted on the lower surface of a moving plate. Unless otherwise specified below, in the "Examples" section of this specification, when the moving plate is attached to the base, the surface of the moving plate that faces the base is the lower surface.

Referring to FIG. 26, two parallel positioning V-grooves 1061 are provided around both sides of the upper surface of the base 100. On the other hand, on both sides of the lower surface of the moving plate 120, the base 100
A positioning V groove 1261 is provided at a position corresponding to the positioning V groove provided on the upper surface. A plurality of positioning V-grooves 1261 of the moving plate 120 are provided in parallel at a pitch of, for example, 252 μm. The moving plate 120 is positioned and fixed on the upper surface of the base 100 by fitting the positioning column 610 into the positioning V grooves 1261 and 1061 so as to sandwich the moving plate 120 and the base 100 from above and below.

The optical fiber 510 is fitted in a plurality of V-grooves 300 formed in the central portion of the upper surface of the substrate 100 in parallel with the positioning V-grooves 1261 with a pitch of 250 μm, for example.
It is fixed in an array. The semiconductor laser device 410 is weight-down bonded and fixed to the center of the lower surface of the moving plate 120. The positioning and fixing of the optical fiber 510 and the semiconductor laser device 410 are the same as those in the above-described embodiments. In addition, a recess 103 is formed in a region on the upper surface of the base 100, which is in contact with the semiconductor laser device 410.
Further, a U groove 101 is provided on the upper surface of the substrate 100 along the surface where the optical fiber 510 and the semiconductor laser element 410 face each other.

In this embodiment, the alignment V-grooves 1061, 1
261, V groove 3 for positioning the optical fiber 510
00 and the face bonding electrode 200 for aligning the semiconductor laser element 410 can be formed by forming them on one substrate material surface, for example, one surface of a silicon plate, and then cutting and separating. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the positional relationship with high precision and particularly with high precision.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a modification of the tenth embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of the optical connector. In this embodiment, the optical fiber 510 is fitted and fixed in the V groove 300 formed on the lower surface of the sub-board 700. The sub-board 700 has alignment V-grooves 1161 on both sides of the lower surface. By fitting the alignment V-groove 1161 into the alignment column 610 that fits into the alignment V-groove 1061 on the upper surface of the base 100, the sub-board 700 is aligned and fixed on the base 100.

The depression 103 provided on the upper surface of the substrate 100
Is formed as a groove that traverses the substrate 100 in parallel with the alignment V groove 103. In this embodiment, the shape of each component is simple and the manufacture is easy. Further, in the optical connector of the present embodiment, each component of the optical connector, for example, the optical fiber, the semiconductor laser element and the base body are individually manufactured and configured by a combination thereof, so that each component can be easily replaced. is there.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a modified example of the eleventh embodiment of the present invention, both showing an optical connector. In the eleventh embodiment, instead of the alignment performed by the moving plate, the optical component is moved within the upper surface of the base body, and the optical component is directly aligned and fixed within the upper surface of the substrate.

Referring to FIG. 28, a plurality of parallel V-grooves 300 extending in the front-rear direction are formed in the latter half of the upper surface of the substrate 100 (lower left side of the drawing), and the optical fiber array cable 500 is formed in the V-grooves. The optical fiber 510 constituting the above is fitted and fixed.

On the other hand, a plurality of positioning rails 2001 for positioning the semiconductor laser element 410, which is an optical component, on the front half of the upper surface of the base 100 (on the upper right side of the drawing).
Are provided parallel to each other. Semiconductor laser device 410
The rail groove 4001 formed on the surface of the rail 2
By fitting with 001, the upper surface of the base body 100 is aligned with the pitch of the rails 2001.

The optical connector of this embodiment is composed of the optical fiber 51
Since the components other than 0 and the laser element 410 can be configured only by the base 100, the structure is simple and the manufacturing is easy. In the modified example of the eleventh embodiment, referring to FIG. 29, the semiconductor laser device 410 of the eleventh embodiment is replaced with the semiconductor laser array 400, and as described above, the pitch of the array of the laser devices 410 is changed. It has the advantage of being precise. (3) Finally, an example of the third configuration will be described.

The twelfth embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 30, divides the upper surface of a substrate 100 made of a silicon plate into two parts, and forms a V-shaped groove 300 on one side by anisotropic etching.
Are arranged in parallel with each other with a pitch of 252 μm, and on the other side, 2 V each having a width of 20 μm and a height of 5 μm corresponding to each V groove 300.
A set of rails 2001 are parallel to each other with a pitch of 250μ
m.

As the first optical component 1410, the surface (see FIG.
Semiconductor laser device 410 in which two parallel rail grooves 4001 having a width of 22 μm and a height of 10 μm are formed on the bottom surface 9).
The rail groove 4 on the rail 2001 on the upper surface of the base 100.
001 is fitted and the semiconductor laser element 410 is attached to the base 1
00 Position on the upper surface. On the other hand, the optical fiber 510 is fitted and positioned in the corresponding V groove 300, the semiconductor laser element 410 is caused to emit light, and the light intensity incident on the optical fiber is measured. Next, the semiconductor laser element 410 and the optical fiber 510 are sequentially moved to the adjacent positioning positions, the same operation is repeated, and fixed at a position with the highest light intensity, for example, by face down bonding.

The thirteenth embodiment of the present invention relates to a second configuration using two moving plates. FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. Book thirteen
In the embodiment, referring to FIG. 31, a semiconductor laser device 41
0 on the upper surface of the moving plate 120 and the optical fiber 510
And a moving plate 120 on which the upper surface of the base 100 is mounted.

Two parallel positioning rails 1010 each having a trapezoidal cross section are provided on the upper surface of the base 100. The two moving plates 120 have positioning V-grooves 1261 that fit into the positioning rails 1010 on the lower surface, and
The positioning V-groove 1261 is fitted on the base 100 so that the base 100 is positioned. The positioning V-grooves 1261 provided on the two moving plates 120 each have a pitch of 250 μm.
And a plurality of 252 μm are provided in parallel. Therefore, 2
The two moving plates 120 have pitches of 250 μm and 2 respectively.
It is movably positioned at 52 μm.

In this embodiment, the moving plate 1 is used as the positioning means.
The twelfth embodiment is the same as the twelfth embodiment except that 20 is used, and the same effect is obtained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an optical fiber,
The laser element and base can be easily replaced.

The two movable plates according to the thirteenth embodiment can be manufactured by the steps described below. 32 and 33 are manufacturing explanatory views of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, and show a manufacturing method of the moving plate. 32 and 33.
Inside, (a) shows the lower surface of the silicon plate, and (b) shows the upper surface of the silicon plate.

First, referring to FIGS. 32 (a) and 32 (b), a silicon plate 800 having the (100) plane as the upper and lower surfaces is
Thermal oxidation is performed to form a thermal oxide film 811 on the surface. Next, etching windows 812, 813a, 813b are opened in the thermal oxide film 811 by using photolithography. The etching windows 812, 813a, 813b are shown in FIG.
2 (b), the etching window 812 defines a V-groove 300 into which the optical fiber 51 is fitted, and has a rectangular shape with a long side of <110>, and etching windows 813a, 81 are formed.
3b defines a positioning V-groove 1261 for the two moving plates 120 that fits into the positioning rails 1010 on the base body 100. The etching window 813b is a portion to be the moving plate 120 on which the semiconductor laser element is mounted (a right side area on the paper surface).
5 pieces are formed in parallel with the pitch of 252 μm on the lower surface of each of the upper and lower regions of the paper. These five etching windows 813b provided in the upper and lower regions of the paper surface, respectively.
5 are formed as one set so as to fit with the two positioning rails 1010 on the base 100. Similarly,
In the portion to be the moving plate 120 for mounting the optical fiber (left side area of the paper surface), five sets of parallel etching windows 813a having a pitch of 250 μm are formed on the lower surface, and an etching window defining the V groove 300 on the upper surface. 812 is provided.

Then, referring to FIG. 33, anisotropic etching of silicon is performed to form etching windows 812 and 813.
The surface of the silicon plate 800 exposed at a and 813b is etched to form the V groove 300 and the positioning V groove 1261 exposing the (111) plane.

Next, referring to FIG. 33 (b), a face-down bonding electrode 200 and a wire made of a Ti / Au thin film are formed on the upper surface of the silicon plate 800 on the right side of the drawing, on the extension of the V groove 300. An electrode 210 for bonding is formed.

Next, BBa, CCa and D in FIG.
The two moving plates 120 are completed by cutting along Da. In this process, the positioning V groove 1 of the two moving plates 120
Since 261 is simultaneously formed on the same surface of the silicon plate 800, the positional relationship of the positioning V groove 1261 can be manufactured accurately.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a first modification of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector. In this modification, the semiconductor laser element 410 and the optical fiber 5 mounted on the upper surface of the moving plate 120 in the above-described thirteenth embodiment are used.
10 is mounted on the lower surface of the moving plate 120. Referring to FIG. 34, a V groove 300 into which the optical fiber 510 is fitted is formed in the center of the lower surface of the moving plate 120 at the same time as the alignment V groove 1261. On the other hand, the face bonding electrode 200 for fixedly mounting the semiconductor laser element 410 is formed on the extension of the V groove 300 on the lower surface of the moving plate 120.

In this modification, the positional relationship between the optical fiber 510 and the alignment V-groove can be precisely manufactured. FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a second modification of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.
Represents an optical connector.

This embodiment is an improvement of the first modification of the above thirteenth embodiment. Referring to FIG. 35, the means for positioning the moving plate 120 on the upper surface of the base body 100 is replaced with the positioning rails 1010. To form the positioning V-groove 1061, and the positioning cylinder 610 is fitted into the positioning V-grooves 1261 and 1061 provided on the moving plate 120 and the base 100 to move the moving plate 1.
The position of 20 is determined.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector for simultaneously coupling a plurality of sets of an optical fiber and a semiconductor laser device. The fourteenth embodiment is
Referring to FIG. 36, similarly to the thirteenth embodiment, the movable plate 120b on which the optical fiber 510 is mounted and the semiconductor laser device 4 are mounted.
It is an optical connector that includes two moving plates including a moving plate 120a on which the optical fiber 510 and the semiconductor laser element 410 are aligned by moving the two moving plates 120a and 120b by one pitch. . Two moving plates 120a, on the lower surface of the 120b, respectively are formed positioning V-grooves at the pitch P _1, P _2, the moving plate 120a for mounting the semiconductor laser element 410 is the pitch P ₁
Thus, the movable plate 120b on which the optical fiber 510 is mounted can be positioned at the pitch P ₂ .

Semiconductor laser device 410 and optical fiber 51
Zeros are provided on the upper surfaces of the respective moving plates 120a and 120b at the same pitch. Such a semiconductor laser device 410
Can be provided at a more precise pitch by replacing the semiconductor laser array in which laser elements are integrated on the same substrate.

In the fourteenth embodiment, the two moving plates 120 are used.
N positioning V-grooves 1161a and 1161b of a and 120b are respectively formed, and as a result, the two moving plates 120a and 120b are fixed at N positioning positions. On the other hand, M optical fibers 510 are provided. In this case, M + 2 (N-1) semiconductor laser elements 410 are provided.

Optical fiber 510 and semiconductor laser device 4
Since 10 are provided at the same pitch, the optical fiber 5
When the optical axis of one of the ten optical fibers coincides with that of the semiconductor laser element 410, the optical axes of the remaining optical fibers 510 always coincide with each other.
Therefore, in the configuration of this embodiment, M optical fibers 510
Can be optically coupled with the semiconductor laser device 410 at the same time.

In this embodiment, the number of optical connectors can be reduced and the number of semiconductor elements can be reduced. That is,
In an optical connector that uses a movable plate having N positioning positions to perform only one set of optical couplings, M optical connectors are required to couple with M optical fibers. That is, M × N semiconductor laser devices are required. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, an optical connector in which the moving plate has N positioning positions and is coupled with M optical fibers is provided.
It can be composed of one optical connector and M + 2 (N-1) semiconductor laser devices. For example, M = 3, N = 3
Then, according to one set of optical connectors, where three optical connectors and nine semiconductor laser devices are required,
In this embodiment, one optical connector and seven semiconductor laser elements are sufficient. Therefore, an inexpensive optical connector can be realized.

Further, in this embodiment, the positioning of the moving plate is performed.
If the number of positions N is the same, the positioning error
Can be corrected over a wide range. That is, just
The correction amount Δ corrected in the example is calculated by the two moving plates 120a, 1
Positioning pitch of 20b is P₁, P₂And half
Of the array of conductor laser elements 410 and optical fibers 510
Pitch, P₃, P_FourIs P₃+ P_Four= P₀Then,
Δ ′ = P_O−P₁, Δ ”= P_O−P₂And Δ = Δ ′
+ Δ ”. In the case of M = 3 and N = 3 described above,
So that Δ ′ = a and Δ ″ = 3a (a is a constant),
P_OAgainst P ₁And P₂Determine. At this time, the correction
The amount Δ that can be obtained is Δ = 0, ± a, ± 2a, ± 3a, ± 4a
There are 9 stages. This is one that can be positioned in 3 positions
In the case of the method using the moving plate of N
Compared to nothing but, it can be corrected much more accurately
It is shown that.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention, showing an optical connector for optically coupling a light emitting element and a light receiving element with one optical fiber. In this embodiment, FIG.
Referring to, the moving plate 120 and the sub-board 700 are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the base body 100 on which the positioning rail 1010 is formed.

The sub-board 700 is positioned and fixed at a fixed position on the upper surface of the base 100 by fitting the positioning V-groove 1161 formed on the lower surface thereof to the positioning rail 1010. On the upper surface of the sub-substrate 700, the semiconductor laser array 400 semiconductor laser elements are arranged in an array at a pitch P _1, the photodiode array 4 photodiodes in which the same pitch P ₁ are arranged in an array
00a are arranged adjacent to each other in the moving direction of the moving plate 120.

On the lower surface of the moving plate 120, positioning V-grooves 1261 corresponding to the semiconductor laser array 400 and the photodiode array 400a are provided in parallel at a pitch P ₂ . As a result, the moving plate 120 is positioned in parallel with the positioning rail 1010 at the pitch P ₂ . On the upper surface of the moving plate 120, the optical fiber 5 fitted in the V groove 300
10 and an optical waveguide 520 that is Y-branched from the tip of the optical fiber 510 are provided. The Y-branched end of the optical waveguide 520 has one end facing one element of the semiconductor laser array 400 and the other end facing the semiconductor laser array 400.
Facing the one element of the photodiode array 400a provided corresponding to the one element. By using the Y branch as a circulator, the semiconductor laser array 400
Light is transmitted to the optical fiber 510, and at the same time, the optical fiber 5
Light from 10 can be received by the photodiode array 400a.

In this embodiment, since the semiconductor laser array 400 and the photodiode array 400a are formed with elements at the same pitch, if any one of the elements is aligned with the tip of the optical waveguide, the other end is formed. Naturally matches the other element. Therefore, optical coupling at both ends of the Y-branched optical waveguide is performed simultaneously. Also, the fact that the optical axes coincide with each other due to the positioning of the movable plate is due to the same action as the optical connector described above.

[0173]

According to the present invention, even if the optical axes of the optical components that are optically coupled to each other are misaligned when they are mechanically aligned, a combination of optical components whose misalignment is corrected is selected. Therefore, it is possible to provide an optical connector that realizes optical coupling in which the optical axes are precisely aligned without performing precise alignment, which greatly contributes to improving the performance of optical communication devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

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

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

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process according to the third embodiment of the present invention (No. 1)

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process according to the third embodiment of the present invention (No. 2)

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process according to the third embodiment of the present invention (No. 3)

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an improved example of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention (No. 1)

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the manufacturing process according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention (No. 2)

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a second configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a second configuration principle of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view of manufacturing a substrate according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory view of manufacturing the ninth embodiment of the present invention (No. 1)

FIG. 22 is an explanatory view of manufacturing the ninth embodiment of the present invention (No. 2)

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a first modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a second modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a third modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a modified example of the tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a modified example of the eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a twelfth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a production explanatory view of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention (part 1)

FIG. 33 is an explanatory view of manufacturing the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention (part 2)

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a first modification of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a second modification of the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 array optical component 3 optical fiber 4 array optical fiber fixed part 5 array optical component fixed part 21 optical part optical axis 22 end face 23 optical window 24 signal light 26 fixed axis 31 fiber optical axis 32 tip 100 base 101 U-groove 103 recess 110 sub-substrate fitting groove 111 oxide film 111a photoresist 112 etching window 112a, 112b, 112c etching window 113 Ti / Au thin film 114, 114a, 114b resist pattern 115a resist pattern 117 nitride film 118 nitride film opening 120, 120a, 120b Moving plate 200 Face-down bonding electrode 210 Wire bonding electrode 300 V groove 400 Semiconductor laser array 410 Laser element 420 Bonding electrode 430 Fitting protrusion 440 Backside electrode 450 Wire 50 Optical fiber array cable 510 Optical fiber 600 Fitting groove 610 Positioning cylinder 700 Sub substrate 800 Silicon plate 811 Oxide film 813, 813a, 813b, 814 Etching window 1001 Block mounting hole 1002 Kovar block 1002a Ceramic plate 1003 Ceramic block 1003a Metallized part 1004, 1005 Welded part 1007 Positioning protrusion 1010 Positioning rail 1061, 1161, 1161a, 1161b Positioning V groove 1201 Positioning groove 1261 Positioning V groove 1410 Second optical part 1510 First optical part 2001 Rail 4001 Rail groove

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04B 10/12

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical connector for optically connecting an optical component provided on a substrate to an optical fiber, wherein the array optical component has a plurality of optical windows provided on a straight line at a first pitch on one end surface. And array optical fiber fixedly arranged in parallel with each other at a second pitch different from the first pitch in one plane on the base body. And an array optical component fixed portion for fixing the array optical component on the base by making the optical window face the tip of the optical fiber corresponding to the optical window. Optical connector characterized by. 2. A moving plate fixed on the substrate so that it can be positioned at a first pitch along one direction on the upper surface of the substrate, and an optical window provided on one end surface of the moving plate. A first optical component and a second optical component fixedly provided on the base body and having an optical window on one end surface thereof, wherein at least one of the first optical component and the second optical component is provided. The optical component has a plurality of the optical windows provided at a second pitch different from the first pitch, and the first optical component and the second optical component oppose the optical windows to each other. An optical connector characterized by being fixed on the base body. 3. A first and a second optical component having one or a plurality of optical windows on one end face thereof are positionable along the one direction in the upper surface of the base body at a first and a second pitch, respectively, and mutually. An optical connector, characterized in that the optical windows are opposed to each other and are fixedly installed on the base.