JPS6321610A - Formation of optical waveguide device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate positioning and optical axis alignment and to simplify the connection of an optical waveguide with another optical element by projecting the tip part of the optical waveguide from an optical substrate and forming a lens on its end surface by using an optical film which covers the tip part. CONSTITUTION:The optical waveguide 7 consisting of a clad layer 71 and a core layer 72 and the optical substrate 6 which supports it are formed of different optical materials and can be etched up to part of the substrate 6 behind the waveguide 7. Consequently, the tip part of the waveguide 7 projects from the substrate 6. An optical film 8 is allowed to adhere thereupon and then extends round the tip part of the waveguide 7 to cover the end surface of the waveguide 7. Further, the film 8 fill a flaw part in the end surface firstly, so the end surface need not be polished specularly before the adhesion of the film 8. When the film 8 becomes thicker, the lens 81 is formed on the end surface. The optical fiber 1 is mounted on the substrate 6 and a layer 72 and core layer 12 of the fiber 1 are connected through the lens 81. THus the lens is interposed and then the positioning and optical axis alignment are facilitated to simplify the connection operation.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The connection between an optical element and an optical waveguide is performed by interposing a lens between them or by inserting an optical element processed to a thickness of several tens of micrometers or less into a gap between the optical waveguides.

In this case, in the former case, it is extremely difficult to assemble the optical elements and lenses on the optical substrate, and in the latter case, it is difficult to process the optical elements thinly, resulting in large losses. Therefore, when forming the optical waveguide, the lens is also formed at the same time, thereby simplifying the connection between these optical elements and the optical waveguide.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to devices constituting an optical communication system, and particularly to a method for forming an optical waveguide device that can simplify connection with optical elements.

Communication systems using light are becoming widespread in a wide range of fields as the optimal communication systems in the information society. However, many of the optical devices that have been provided so far require high precision and reliability and cannot be mass-produced, which hinders the cost reduction of optical communication systems.

Therefore, as a means to reduce the cost of communication systems, we will improve the form of parts and equipment so that they can be mass-produced while maintaining high accuracy and reliability, and develop manufacturing technology to mass-produce them. is desired.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing the connection between a conventional optical waveguide and an optical fiber, and FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the configuration of a conventional optical demultiplexer using individual optical elements.

In FIG. 5, the optical fiber 1 is made up of a landing layer 11 and a core layer 12, and the force guiding waveguide device 2 is made up of an optical substrate 21 and an optical waveguide 24 made of a cladding layer 22 and a core layer 23. Both of these are conventionally shown in the same figure (a).
Or they were connected in the method shown in ('b).

FIG. 5 ta+ shows a method of directly connecting the optical fiber 1 and the optical waveguide device 2, in which the end surface of the optical fiber 1 is brought into contact with the end surface of the optical waveguide 24 and then bonded with, for example, resin 31. In addition, FIG. 5 (bl is a method of connecting the optical fiber 1 and the optical waveguide device 2 via the lens 32,
After the lens 32 is brought into contact with the end face of the optical waveguide 24, it is bonded with, for example, a resin 31, and the lens 32 is fixed to the substrate 3 so as to face the end face of the optical fiber 1, thereby making the connection.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the conventional filtered optical demultiplexer using individual optical elements includes a plurality of optical fibers 1 arranged on a substrate 4, lenses 42 provided corresponding to the optical fibers 1, It consists of an interference filter 43 installed between a pair of optical fibers 1, and as shown in the figure, λ! has been propagated through one optical fiber 1! The light having two wavelengths, λ1 and λ2, is split by an interference filter 43 into light with a wavelength λ1 and light with a wavelength λ2, and each split light is propagated through separate optical fibers 1.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Conventional leading waveguides are designed to reduce light loss, whether the optical fiber is brought into direct contact with the end face or connected to an optical fiber or other optical element through a lens. The end face must be polished to a mirror finish. However, it is extremely difficult to cut a guide waveguide formed on an optical substrate in the middle and mirror-polish the end face. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange the guiding waveguide device together with the optical fiber and other optical elements on a separate substrate, and to mount a separately formed lens therebetween.

As a result, the formation of conventional optical devices consisting of optical waveguide devices, optical fibers, and other optical elements has had the problem of requiring high-precision positioning and optical axis alignment, making assembly difficult and expensive.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a method for forming an optical waveguide device according to the present invention.

The above problem arises when forming a guided waveguide device consisting of an optical substrate 6, an optical waveguide 7 formed on the optical substrate 6, and an optical film 8 covering the optical substrate 6. The tip of the optical waveguide 7 is made to protrude from the optical substrate 6 using an etching method, and the optical film 8 covering the tip of the optical waveguide 7 protruding from the optical substrate 6 forms a lens 81 on the end surface of the optical waveguide 7. This problem is solved by the method of forming an optical waveguide device according to the present invention.

[Effect]

In Figure 1, the tip of the optical waveguide is made to protrude from the optical substrate, and an optical film covering the tip of the optical waveguide is used to form a lens on the end face of the leading waveguide, a process that is essential for conventional optical waveguide devices. , there is no need to polish the end face of the leading waveguide to a mirror finish. Furthermore, it becomes possible to simultaneously form a leading waveguide and a lens on the same optical substrate, eliminating the need for a lens that is separately formed and attached to the leading waveguide in conventional optical waveguide devices. It has become possible to mount optical fibers and other optical elements on an optical substrate on which optical waveguides and lenses are formed at the same time.
The connection between the optical waveguide and the optical fiber or other optical element is simplified, and the need for highly accurate positioning and optical axis alignment can be reduced.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 to 4 are diagrams showing application examples of the guided waveguide device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the connection between the guided waveguide device and an optical fiber, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the duplexer, and a side sectional view showing the connection between the optical waveguide device and the optical element. The same objects are represented by the same symbols throughout the signals.

FIG. 1 (in al, kraft layer 71 and core layer 72
The optical waveguide 7 consisting of the optical waveguide 7 and the optical substrate 6 supporting the leading waveguide 7 are made of different optical materials, and the optical substrate 6 that is in the shadow of the optical waveguide 7 is etched by etching methods such as dry etching or chemical etching. Parts can be etched. As a result, the tip of the optical waveguide 7 protrudes from the optical substrate 6.

As shown in FIG.
wraps around the tip of the optical waveguide 7 and covers the end face of the optical waveguide 7. Since the optical film 8 covering the end face of the optical waveguide 7 is first filled into the flawed portion of the end face, there is no need to polish the end face into a border shape prior to applying the optical film 8. Note that since the optical film 8 is deposited on the leading waveguide 7, the cladding layer 71 formed between the optical film 8 and the core layer 72 can be omitted or made thin.

When the optical film 8 covering the end face of the optical waveguide 7 becomes thicker, a lens 81 is formed on the end face of the optical waveguide 7. Incidentally, the radius of curvature of this lens 81 and thus the focal length of the lens 81 can be controlled by changing the area of the end surface of the leading waveguide 7 and the thickness of the optical film 8 deposited on the end surface of the optical waveguide 7.

The connection between such an optical waveguide device and an optical fiber is achieved by attaching the optical fiber 1 to the optical substrate 6 on which the optical waveguide 7 is formed, as shown in FIG.
72 and the core layer 12 of the optical fiber 1 are connected via a lens 81. By connecting through the lens 81 in this manner, alignment and optical axis alignment are facilitated, and the connection between the optical waveguide 7 and the optical fiber 1 is simplified.

Further, in the optical demultiplexer using the optical waveguide device according to the present invention, as shown in FIG.
Since each optical waveguide 7 is provided with a lens 81 on the end face, an interference filter 43 is installed on the optical substrate 6 on which the optical waveguide 7 is formed, and the optical waveguide 7 and the interference filter 43 are aligned. It can be easily formed by just

Furthermore, the connection between the optical waveguide device and the optical element according to the present invention is achieved because, as shown in FIG. , by mounting the optical element 51 on the optical substrate 6 on which the leading waveguide 7 is formed, the leading waveguide 7 is formed.
and the optical element 51 can be easily connected.

As described above, the method for forming an optical waveguide device according to the present invention makes it possible to mount optical fibers and other optical elements on an optical substrate on which a guiding waveguide and a lens are simultaneously formed, thereby making it possible to attach optical fibers and other optical elements to the optical substrate. Connections with fibers and other optical elements are simplified, and high-precision positioning and optical axis alignment can be reduced.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for forming a leading waveguide device that can simplify the connection with an optical element.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing the method for forming an optical waveguide device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side sectional view showing the connection between the leading waveguide device and an optical fiber, and Fig. 3 is an optical demultiplexer using the leading waveguide device. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing the connection between the optical waveguide device and the optical element, FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing the connection between the conventional leading waveguide and the optical fiber, and FIG. 6 is the conventional FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an optical demultiplexer using individual optical elements. In the figure, 1 is an optical fiber, 6 is an optical substrate, 7 is a leading waveguide,
8 is an optical film, 11 is a cladding layer, 12 is a core layer, 43 is an interference filter, 51 is an optical element, 71 is a cladding layer, 72
81 represents a core layer, 81 represents a lens, and 82 and 83 represent a relay lens. (α) (Shi) Tei 2 Ae J1 Hikiishi Shiabisu 1 doubles 13; shows η structure 1
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Claims (1)

[Claims] In the formation of an optical waveguide device consisting of an optical substrate (6), an optical waveguide (7) formed on the optical substrate (6), and an optical film (8) covering the optical waveguide, By forming the optical substrate (6) with an optical material different from that of the optical waveguide (7), the tip of the optical waveguide (7) is made to protrude from the optical substrate (6) by an etching method, and the optical substrate ( Formation of an optical waveguide device characterized in that a lens (81) is formed on the end face of the optical waveguide (7) by the optical film (8) covering the tip of the optical waveguide (7) protruding from 6). Method.