JPH08201661A - Optical element module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To match an optical axis of an optical element with the optical axis of an optical fiber without executing mechanical optical axis adjustment by light output monitor. CONSTITUTION: This module is constituted of a laser diode array 1, a microlens array 13 placed in front of the laser diode array 1 and converging outgoing light from the laser diode array 1, a fiber positioning plate 15 placed on a converged position of laser light, photosensitive agent 16 applied on the fiber positioning plate and single mode fibers 18a, 18b, 18c bent by the fiber positioning plate. Since a fiber position is decided by etching a photosensitive part by the outgoing light from a laser diode, the mechanical optical axis adjustment is unnecessitated, and uniform optical coupling efficiency is easily obtained for an optical element module of a multi-optical axis such as the laser diode array 1 particularly, and further, laser oscillation is stabilized by inclining a fiber incident end by bending.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical element module used as an optical functional component such as a light source, a light receiving component or an optical modulator for optical fiber communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional optical element module using a laser diode array, which is particularly required for optical parallel transmission.
Laser diode array oscillating at wavelength of m, 2a, 2
b and 2c are three laser resonators formed by the same crystal growth process in the laser diode array, 3 is a submount soldered to the laser diode array 1, and 4 is fixed to the submount 3 by soldering. The chip carriers 5a, 5b, 5c are formed into a front single-mode fiber placed on the front surface of the laser diode, and 6 is a silicon-made V having an upper portion processed to hold the front single-mode fibers 5a, 5b, 5c. Blocks, 7a, 7b and 7c are V grooves formed at three positions on the V block 6, 8 is a holding plate placed on the V block 6, and 9 is a fiber holder soldered to the V block 6. Reference numeral 10 is a welding nugget that connects between the chip carrier 4 and the submount 2.

Next, the operation will be described. The laser diode array 1 is a laser diode array having three laser resonators 2, and the laser light emitted from each resonator has three front spherical single mode fibers 5a, 5b, 5c.
Each wave is guided independently. Since the laser diode array needs to optically combine three emitted lights and three optical fibers at the same time, it enhances mechanical accuracy and uses an advanced optical axis adjustment technique. This optical coupling method will be described in the order of manufacturing. The three resonators in the laser diode array 1 are processed to have an interval of 250 ± 0.5 μm, and are fixed to the Kovar chip carrier 4 via the silicon submount 2 having high thermal conductivity and high thermal conductivity. ing. On the other hand, the three front spherical single mode fibers 5a, 5b and 5c are precisely arranged at intervals of 250 ± 0.5 μm by the V-grooves 7 formed by anisotropically etching a silicon crystal with a KOH aqueous solution. 9 is fixed by high-temperature solder on 9 to form a single mode fiber array. Then, with the chip carrier 4 and the fiber holder 9 rubbed against each other,
While monitoring the coupling efficiency of the two optical systems, the welding nugget 10 is formed and fixed by YAG welding in a state where it is moved in three directions of vertical, horizontal, and rotational in a plane vertical to the optical axis, and held in the most optimal place.

In FIG. 4, the front spherical single mode fibers 5a, 5b and 5c are used, but there is also a case where the front spherical unprocessed fibers are used. In that case, the fiber is usually obliquely polished by 8 degrees so that the reflection does not return to the laser diode array. FIG. 5 shows a conventional example in which a fiber which has not been processed to have a sphere is obliquely polished and used. The figure shows 11a, 11b, 11c
Is an obliquely polished fiber, and the fiber end faces 12a, 12b, 12 are in the same plane as the side faces of the V block 6.
The structure is exactly the same as that of the conventional embodiment shown in FIG. 4 except that c is installed. Therefore, as for the operation, since 11a, 11b, and 11c are obliquely polished to 8 degrees together with the V block 6 and the suppressing plate 8, the ratio of the reflected light at the fiber end face coupling with the oscillation mode of the laser diode array is -65 dBc or less. It is exactly the same as the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 except that it is suppressed to.

[0005]

Although the conventional optical element module is constructed as described above, it is necessary to combine the laser diode array and the front spherical single mode fiber with an accuracy of about ± 1 μm. There has been a problem that it is necessary to perform a complicated work of processing the array and the V block with a high precision of ± 0.5 μm and adjusting the optical axes of the three axes while simultaneously monitoring the three coupling efficiencies. Further, when a laser diode or a laser diode array is used as the light source, a means may be taken in which the light incident end of the optical fiber is obliquely arranged so that the reflected light at the end of the optical fiber does not return to the light emitting part. For that purpose, there is a problem that the fiber holder needs to be integrated with the fiber and then polished obliquely, which is expensive.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to construct an optical element module which does not require optical axis adjustment. Further, it is an object of the present invention to construct an optical element module which enables diagonal arrangement of optical fibers without polishing.

[0007]

Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention
In the optical element module according to, a photosensitizer is provided between the light emitting element and the optical fiber, the photosensitizer being sensitive to the light emitted from the light emitting element, and the relative position between the diode and the optical fiber is determined based on the color tone of the photosensitizer. At the same time, a perforated fiber positioning plate is installed on the front surface of the light emitting element and at a position where the light emitted from the light emitting element passes, and the optical fiber is arranged so as to bend between the fiber positioning plate and the fiber holder. It is a thing.

Further, in the optical element module according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, when the optical element is a light receiving element, a photosensitizer which is sensitive to the output light from the fiber is provided between the optical element and the optical fiber. The relative position between the optical element and the optical fiber is determined on the basis of the reference according to the color tone of the photosensitive agent.

[0009]

The optical element modules according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention are provided with a photosensitizer which is sensitive to the light emitted from the light emitting element, and the relative distance between the light emitting element and the optical fiber based on the color tone of the photosensitizer. Since the position is determined, it is not necessary to adjust the optical axis while monitoring the optical coupling efficiency. Furthermore, by arranging the optical fiber so that it bends between the fiber positioning plate and the fiber holder, the optical fiber is tilted with respect to the laser diode, so that the reflection at the end face of the optical fiber returns to the laser diode and laser oscillation occurs. Prevent disturbing.

Also, in the optical element module according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, contrary to the case where the optical element does not emit light like the light receiving element, the photosensitizer is exposed by the light emitted from the optical fiber, and the optical element is attached. The position is set based on the color tone of the photosensitizer, which eliminates the need for optical axis adjustment for the passive optical element module.

[0011]

【Example】

Example 1. Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a laser diode array that oscillates at a wavelength of 1.3 μm, 2a, 2b, and 2c are three laser resonators formed by the same crystal growth process in the laser diode array, and 3 is a laser diode array. 1
Submount 4 is soldered to the chip mount, 4 is a chip carrier fixed to the submount 3 by soldering, 13 is a microlens array that is placed on the front surface of the laser diode array 1 and collects light emitted from the laser diode array,
Reference numerals 14a, 14b, and 14c are lens curved surface portions for converging the light emitted from the three laser resonators 2a, 2b, and 2c of the microlens array 13, and 15 is a light condensing light emitted from the laser diode array 1. The fiber positioning plate placed at a position, 16 is a photosensitizer applied on the fiber positioning plate 15, and 17a, 17b and 17c are fiber attachment holes punched by etching after the exposure, 18
a, 18b and 18c are single-mode fibers placed on the front surface of the laser diode so that the end faces thereof are slightly projected from the fiber mounting holes 18a, 18b and 18c, and 9 is single-mode fibers 18a, 18b and 18
Reference numeral 8 is a fiber holder for holding c, 8 is a holding plate fixed to the fiber holder 9 by soldering, and 10 is a welding nugget for connecting the chip carrier 4 and the submount 7.

Next, the operation will be described. The laser diode array 1 is a laser diode array having three resonators, and the laser light emitted from each resonator is condensed by a microlens array 13 in which aspherical lens shapes are formed at intervals of 250 μm by press working. Each of the three single mode fibers 18a, 18b, 18c is guided independently. All three single-mode fibers are used that are obliquely cut by a fiber cutter at an angle of 8 degrees. Instead of adjusting the optical axis, a precision perforation technique by exposure and etching is used to optically combine the three emitted lights from the laser diode array and the three optical fibers simultaneously. This optical coupling method will be described in the order of manufacturing. The three resonators in the laser diode array 1 are processed to have an interval of 250 ± 0.5 μm, and are fixed to the Kovar chip carrier 4 via the silicon submount 2 having high thermal conductivity and high thermal conductivity. ing. Light emitted from the laser diode array 1 is condensed by a microlens array having lens surfaces arranged at intervals of 250 μm and is approximately 250 μm.
It has three beam waists with m intervals. Next, the fiber positioning plate 15 placed at the position of the beam waist is 1.
Since the photosensitizer 16 for the wavelength of 3 μm is applied, it can be exposed to light by oscillating the laser diode array for an appropriate time. After exposing it sufficiently,
The chip carrier 4 and the fiber holder 9 that have been butted
And 165 μm holes are formed in the three parts exposed by etching by separating the fiber attachment holes 19a, 19
b, 19c are formed. After that, the three single fibers 18a, 18b, and 18c are passed through the hole to 130 μm.
The pressing plate 8 is attached to the fiber holder 9 with solder in a state in which the fiber is fixed to fix the fiber. Since the position of the hole in the fiber positioning plate 15 is offset with respect to the fiber mounting surface of the fiber holder 9, the fiber is bent to incline about 4 degrees with respect to the optical axis emitted from the laser diode array, and the reflected light from the end surface of the fiber is reflected. The coupling with laser oscillation can be suppressed to -65 dB or less, and the maximum coupling efficiency can be obtained for the fibers 18a, 18b, 18c that are obliquely cut by 8 degrees. Finally, the chip carrier 4 and the fiber holder 9 are butted against each other and Y
It is completed by forming a welding nugget by AG welding. FIG. 2 is a side view, and shows the state of inclination of the fiber end surface due to fiber bending.

Example 2. Although the photosensitive material is shown in Example 1 above, the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained even if the photosensitive agent itself is removed by washing after perforation by exposure and etching.

Example 3. Although the laser diode array is shown as the light source in the first embodiment, even a light emitting diode which does not oscillate the laser has the same effect as that of the first embodiment.

Example 4. Further, in the first embodiment, since the active element which itself emits light is mounted as the optical element, the mounting position of the fiber is determined by the light exposure of the optical element. On the contrary, the light-receiving element can be positioned by exposing the chip carrier to the photosensitizer with the light emitted from the fiber, and the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. In FIG. 3, 18 is a single mode fiber, 19 is a microlens that collects the light emitted from the single mode fiber 18, 9 is a fiber holder for mounting the single mode fiber 18 and the microlens 19, and 8 is a fiber holder 9. A holding plate fixed by soldering after holding down the single mode fiber 18, 20 is a light receiving element placed at a position where light emitted from the single mode fiber 18 is focused, 4 is a chip carrier on which the light receiving element is mounted, and 16 is a chip carrier. Photosensitizer coated on, 1
Reference numeral 0 is a welding nugget that connects between the chip carrier 4 and the fiber holder 9.

Next, the operation will be described. The light emitted from the single mode fiber 18 is condensed by the lens 19 and impinges on the light receiving element 20 placed on the chip carrier 4, and the light signal is converted into an electric signal by the light receiving element. At this time, the light receiving element is positioned by guiding light from the outside to the single mode fiber at the time of manufacturing, and the light emitted from the fiber
6 is exposed to light and changes in color tone are used. Between the chip carrier 4 and the fiber holder 9, the light receiving element 20 is attached to the chip carrier 4 by high-temperature solder, and then a welding nugget is formed and fixed by YAG welding.

[0017]

As described above, Examples 1 to 3 of the present invention are as follows.
According to this, since the photosensitizer is exposed by the light emitted from the laser diode array and the optical fiber is attached with the color tone as a reference, the optical axis adjustment is not necessary, and a large number of optical elements can be installed at one time like the laser diode array. In the case of having a dynamic coupling, there is an effect that the coupling efficiency does not particularly depend on the number of light emitting points, and further, since the optical axis adjustment is not necessary even at the time of YAG welding, the holding of the component at the time of welding is connected to the fine movement table. It has a high steel property and does not cause axial misalignment, and the larger the number of arrays, the greater the effect. In addition, by adjusting the positional relationship between the fiber positioning plate and the fiber holder so that the fiber is bent, the fiber end face can be slanted with respect to the optical axis, and reflection at the end face of the laser This has the effect of preventing unstable operation in combination with the oscillation mode.

Further, according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, even if the optical element is a light receiving element, the photosensitive agent is exposed to light emitted from the optical fiber, and the position of the optical fiber is adjusted with the color tone as a reference. By defining, there is an effect that an optical element module for a light receiving element can be obtained without adjusting the optical axis.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical device module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the optical element module according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an optical element module according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional optical element module.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another conventional optical element module.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 laser diode array, 15 fiber positioning plate, 16 photosensitizer, 18a single mode fiber,
18b single mode fiber, 18c single mode fiber.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical element module comprising a light emitting element and an optical fiber arranged such that one end face thereof is positioned in front of the light emitting element so that light generated by the light emitting element is incident, A photosensitizer that is sensitive to the light is provided between the light emitting element and the optical fiber, and the relative position of the diode and the optical fiber is determined based on a reference according to the color tone of the photosensitizer. Optical element module 2. A light emitting element, a fiber positioning plate which is provided on the front surface of the light emitting element and is formed at a position where light emitted from the light emitting element passes, and an optical fiber which is passed through a hole of the fiber positioning plate. An optical element module comprising: a fiber holder that fixes the optical fiber and is arranged so that the optical fiber bends between the optical fiber and the fiber positioning plate. 3. An optical element module comprising an optical fiber and an optical element arranged so that light emitted from the optical fiber is incident thereon, and an output from the fiber is provided between the optical element and the optical fiber. An optical element module, characterized in that a photosensitizer that is exposed to light is provided, and the relative position between the optical element and the optical fiber is determined based on a reference according to the color tone of the photosensitizer.