JPH0854537A - Coupler of optical fiber and optical waveguide module and coupling method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a coupler of optical fibers and an optical waveguide module which is producible at a low cost by stages of a shot time by adopting a structure which does not require optical fiber arrays and to provide a coupling method of the optical fibers and the optical waveguide module. CONSTITUTION:This coupler has the optical waveguide module 12 having >=1 optical waveguides to be connected to >=1 pieces of the optical fibers 10, an optical waveguide supporting part 22 to be placed with the optical waveguide module 12 and a substrate 20 having an optical fiber fixing base 26 for fixing the parts of the optical fibers 10 where their coatings are removed. Further, the coupler has a first adhesive 14 for fixing the front ends of the optical fibers 10 to the end face of the optical waveguide module 12 and a second adhesive 28 for fixing the parts of the optical fibers 10 where the coatings are removed to an optical fiber fixing base 26.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combination obtained by connecting an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module,
And a method for coupling an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a method conventionally used for coupling an optical fiber 10 and an optical waveguide module 12. The plurality of optical fibers 10 are aligned and then integrated as an optical fiber array 14. Then, by connecting and fixing the two optical fiber arrays 14 thus configured to both ends of the optical waveguide module 10, the optical fiber 10 and the optical waveguide module 1 are connected.
2 and are combined.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the details of the optical fiber array 14. The plurality of optical fibers 10 are arranged with the coating removed portions being inserted into the V-grooves 16 formed in the V-groove substrate 18.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional method, it is necessary to process the V groove 16 with high accuracy. That is, it is necessary to make the shape and position of the V groove 16 accurate. Therefore, manufacturing the optical fiber array 14 requires many steps and is costly.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a combination of an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module which can be manufactured in a short time and which can be manufactured at a low cost by adopting a structure which does not require an optical fiber array. And to provide a method of coupling an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 provides an optical waveguide module having one or more optical waveguides connected to one or more optical fibers, and an optical waveguide. A substrate having an optical waveguide support portion on which the module is mounted, and an optical fiber fixing base for fixing the removed portion of the optical fiber, a first adhesive for fixing the tip of the optical fiber to the end face of the optical waveguide module, and an optical It is provided with a second adhesive for fixing the portion of the fiber where the coating is removed to the optical fiber fixing base.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a package containing the optical waveguide module, the substrate, the first adhesive, and the second adhesive, a filler filled in the package, and a light projecting from the package. Further provided is a sealant that seals between the coated portion of the fiber and the package.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the Young's modulus of at least one of the first adhesive and the second adhesive is 1 to 120 kgf / mm ² in the temperature range in which the product is used. To do.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the package contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of metals, organic resins, quartz, crystallized glass, Pyrex glass and ceramics.

The invention according to claim 5 further comprises a third adhesive covering the first adhesive and the second adhesive, wherein the third adhesive is the first adhesive and the second adhesive. It also covers the stripped portion of the optical fiber located between the agents.

The invention according to claim 6 further comprises a third adhesive for covering a part of the second adhesive, wherein the third adhesive is
The second adhesive covers a part of the removed portion of the optical fiber extending to the opposite side of the optical waveguide module, and does not cover the optical fiber extending from the second adhesive to the optical waveguide module side.

The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the Young's modulus of the third adhesive is larger than the Young's modulus of the first adhesive and the second adhesive.

In the invention according to claim 8, at least one of the first adhesive, the second adhesive, and the third adhesive is U.
It is characterized by being cured only by V light, or by being cured by UV light and also by heat.

The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the number of optical fibers is two or more, and the arrangement pitch thereof is at least 200 μm.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the step of attaching the optical waveguide module having the optical waveguide to the optical waveguide supporting portion provided on the substrate, the step of removing the coating near the tip of the optical fiber, and two or more The step of separately applying the first adhesive to the tip of the optical fiber and fixing it to the corresponding optical waveguide, and the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate, And a step of fixing with an adhesive.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a step of placing an optical waveguide module having an optical waveguide on an optical waveguide supporting portion provided on a substrate, a step of removing a coating near a tip of an optical fiber, and two or more pieces. A step of separately applying the first adhesive to the tip of the optical fiber, a step of aligning the optical axes of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide, and a step of fixing the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module with the first adhesive. And a step of fixing the removed portion of the optical fiber to the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate with the second adhesive.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the step of placing the optical waveguide module having the optical waveguide on the optical waveguide support portion provided on the substrate, the step of removing the coating near the tip of the optical fiber, the optical fiber and The step of aligning the optical axis of the optical waveguide, the step of fixing the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module with the first adhesive, and the step of removing the coating of the optical fiber on the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate And a step of fixing the optical axis in the step of aligning the optical axis, and at least one of the removed portion or the coated portion of the optical fiber on the opposite side of the optical waveguide module to the optical fiber fixing base. The optical axes are aligned by gripping.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the optical waveguide connected to the optical fiber is provided in the optical waveguide module, the optical waveguide supporting portion for mounting the optical waveguide module, and the optical fiber fixing base for fixing the portion where the coating of the optical fiber is removed. Is provided on the substrate, the tip of the optical fiber is fixed to the end face of the optical waveguide module by the first adhesive, and the portion from which the coating of the optical fiber is removed is fixed to the optical fiber fixing base by the second adhesive. Therefore, the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module can be coupled without the need for the optical fiber array.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding parts in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a combination of an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module constructed according to the present invention. In order to manufacture this combined body, first, the optical waveguide 12 is placed and adhered on the optical waveguide supporting portion 22 which is a concave portion provided in the substrate 20, and the optical fiber 10 in which the coating near the tip is removed from the end face of the optical waveguide 12 is attached. The tip of the is fixed by the first adhesive 24. This fixing is performed after aligning the optical axes. The first adhesive 24 may be dropped and cured after the optical axis alignment, or may be separately applied to the tips of the plurality of optical fibers 10 before the optical axis alignment to perform the optical axis alignment. It may be cured later.

At this time, the optical axes of the optical fiber 10 and the optical waveguide included in the optical waveguide module 12 are aligned as shown in FIG.
It is performed by gripping the portion A shown in FIG. In other words, the optical axis alignment is performed by gripping at least one of the stripped portion and the coated portion of the optical fiber 10 on the opposite side of the optical waveguide module 12 with respect to the optical fiber fixing base 26.

Subsequently, the portion of the optical fiber 10 from which the coating has been removed is fixed to the optical fiber fixing base 26 provided on the substrate 20 with the second adhesive 28.

The combined body thus manufactured is further housed in a package 30 as shown in FIG. 2, and a filler 32 is injected between the combined body and the package 30. The material of the package 30 includes one or more of metal, organic resin, quartz, crystallized glass, Pyrex glass, or ceramics. In the combined body shown in FIG. 2, the optical fibers 10 are connected to both ends of the optical waveguide module 12, and the optical fibers 10 project from the two end faces of the package 30. The portion where the optical fiber 10 penetrates the wall surface of the package 30 has a sealant 34.
It is sealed and fixed with. By covering the combined body with the package 30 in this manner, the moisture resistance can be improved and an increase in loss due to the influence of external force can be prevented.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the first adhesive 2
4, third adhesive 3 to reinforce second adhesive 28
It is also possible to use 6. The third adhesive 36 covers the entire surfaces of the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 28.
The third adhesive 36 further includes the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive.
It also covers the stripped portion 38 of the optical fiber 10 located between the adhesives 28 of FIG.

The third adhesive 36 can be reinforced by covering only the portion shown in FIG. That is, the third adhesive 36 covers a part of the second adhesive 28 and removes the coating of the optical fiber 10 extending from the second adhesive 28 to the opposite side of the optical waveguide module 12. It covers a part. However, in the case of FIG. 4, the third adhesive 36 does not cover the portion 38 of the optical fiber 10 extending from the second adhesive 28 to the optical waveguide module 12 side.

In order to reduce the thermal stress applied during the environmental test, particularly during the heat cycle test,
It is necessary to reduce the Young's modulus of the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 28. When heat is applied to the bonded body, a large thermal stress is generated depending on the value of the linear expansion coefficient, but the linear expansion coefficient is generally in the order of 10 ^-4 to 10 ^-5 / ° C. This is because it is difficult to do so, and the Young's modulus must be reduced in order to reduce the thermal stress.
In order to suppress the connection loss to ± 0.2 dB or less in the temperature range of −40 to + 85 ° C. where this test is usually performed, the Young's modulus of the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 28 is 1 to It should be 120 kgf / mm ² .

Further, when the combined body is handled and stored in the package 30, an external force may be directly applied to the combined body. Therefore, the Young's modulus of the third adhesive 36 is made larger than that of the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 28. That is, the Young's modulus of the third adhesive 36 is set to be larger than 120 kgf / mm ² . Thereby, the external force applied to the optical fiber 10 is directly adhered to the side surface of the optical waveguide module 12.
Can be prevented from joining.

The array pitch when arraying two or more optical fibers 10 must be 200 μm or more,
The first adhesive 24 is individually dropped for each optical fiber and then collectively cured. This has an array pitch of 200
If the thickness is less than μm, the first optical fiber 10 may have a first gap between the adjacent optical fibers 10.
This is because the adhesive 24 of FIG. 2 is straddled, and the optical fibers 10 come close to each other due to contraction when the first adhesive 24 is cured, and the optical axis shift occurs.

Further, the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 2
8. As the third adhesive 36, it is appropriate to use a silicone, epoxy or acrylate UV curing adhesive. Furthermore, if a thermosetting catalyst is added, UV
Even if it is not sufficiently cured by heating, the curing can be accelerated by heating.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the optical waveguide support portion for mounting the optical waveguide module and the optical fiber fixing base for fixing the portion of the optical fiber where the coating is removed are provided on the substrate, The tip of the optical fiber is fixed to the end face of the optical waveguide module by the adhesive of (1), and the portion of the optical fiber whose coating is removed is fixed to the optical fiber fixing base by the second adhesive. Thereby, the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module can be coupled without the need for the optical fiber array. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a combined body of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module that can be manufactured at a low cost and in a short time, and also to obtain a combined method of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a combination of an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module configured according to the present invention.

2 is a side view showing a combined body housed in a package 30. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example in which a first adhesive 24 and a second adhesive 28 are reinforced by a third adhesive 36.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing another example in which the first adhesive 24 and the second adhesive 28 are reinforced with the third adhesive 36.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a method that has been conventionally used when coupling the optical fiber 10 and the optical waveguide module 12.

6 is a perspective view showing details of the optical fiber array 14. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Optical fiber, 12 ... Optical waveguide module, 20 ...
Substrate, 22 ... Optical waveguide support, 24 ... First adhesive, 2
6 ... Optical fiber fixing base, 28 ... Second adhesive, 30 ... Package, 32 ... Filler, 34 ... Sealant, 36 ... Third adhesive.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An optical waveguide module having one or more optical waveguides connected to one or more optical fibers, an optical waveguide supporting portion on which the optical waveguide module is mounted, and a portion where the coating of the optical fiber is removed. A substrate having an optical fiber fixing base for fixing, a first adhesive for fixing the tip end of the optical fiber to the end face of the optical waveguide module, and a portion where the coating of the optical fiber is removed is fixed to the optical fiber fixing base. And a second adhesive for forming an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module. 2. A package containing the optical waveguide module, the substrate, the first adhesive, and the second adhesive, a filler filled in the package, and the package protruding from the package. The optical fiber and optical waveguide module combination according to claim 1, further comprising a sealant that seals between the coated portion of the optical fiber and the package. 3. The Young's modulus of at least one of the first adhesive and the second adhesive is 1 to 120 kgf / mm ² in the temperature range used. A combined body of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module described in 1. 4. The optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein the package contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of metal, organic resin, quartz, crystallized glass, Pyrex glass, and ceramics. A combination of optical waveguide modules. 5. A third adhesive further covering the first adhesive and the second adhesive, wherein the third adhesive is the first adhesive and the second adhesive. The optical fiber and optical waveguide module combination according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it also covers a portion of the optical fiber arranged between the optical fiber and the coating, which is removed. 6. A third adhesive covering a part of the second adhesive is further provided, the third adhesive extending from the second adhesive to the opposite side of the optical waveguide module. 5. The optical fiber extending from the second adhesive to the side of the optical waveguide module is covered without covering the part of the removed portion of the optical fiber, and the optical fiber is not covered. A combined body of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module described in 1. 7. The optical fiber according to claim 5, wherein the Young's modulus of the third adhesive is larger than the Young's modulus of the first adhesive and the second adhesive. And a combination of optical waveguide modules. 8. At least one of the first adhesive, the second adhesive, or the third adhesive is cured by UV light alone, or is cured by UV light and is also cured by heat. The combined body of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. The combination of an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module according to claim 1, wherein the number of the optical fibers is two or more, and the arrangement pitch is at least 200 μm. . 10. The optical waveguide support portion provided on the substrate,
A step of attaching an optical waveguide module having an optical waveguide, a step of removing a coating near the tips of the optical fibers, and a step of separately applying the first adhesive to the tips of the two or more optical fibers, and corresponding An optical fiber and an optical waveguide, each of which includes a step of fixing the optical fiber to a light guide, and a step of fixing a portion of the optical fiber, from which the coating is removed, to the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate with a second adhesive. How to combine modules. 11. An optical waveguide support portion provided on a substrate,
Mounting an optical waveguide module having an optical waveguide, removing a coating near the ends of the optical fibers, applying a first adhesive agent to the ends of the two or more optical fibers separately, Aligning the optical axes of the fiber and the optical waveguide, and the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module in the first
Optical fiber and an optical waveguide comprising: a step of fixing the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate with the second adhesive to fix the portion of the optical fiber where the coating is removed. How to combine modules. 12. The optical waveguide support portion provided on the substrate,
Placing an optical waveguide module having an optical waveguide, removing the coating near the tip of the optical fiber, aligning the optical axes of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide, the optical fiber and the optical waveguide module First
Optical fiber and an optical waveguide comprising: a step of fixing the optical fiber fixing base provided on the substrate with the second adhesive to fix the portion of the optical fiber where the coating is removed. A module coupling method, wherein, in the step of aligning the optical axes, at least one of a stripped portion or a coated portion of the optical fiber on the opposite side of the optical waveguide module with respect to the optical fiber fixing base. A method for coupling an optical fiber and an optical waveguide module, characterized in that the optical axis is aligned by gripping.