JPWO2011111542A1 - Optical coupling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To draw out light guide paths such as an optical waveguide and an optical fiber in two different directions in an optical coupling device having a plurality of optical coupling portions. An optical coupling portion 25A in which a light transmitting portion and a light receiving portion face each other is arranged along a row L1 in a first direction and a row L2 in a second direction. Rows L1 and L2 are perpendicular and have an angle θ between the X and Y directions. As a result, the plurality of light guide paths 21A and 21B coupled to the respective optical coupling portions 25A can be selected and extended in either the X direction or the Y direction without overlapping each other. The drawing directions of the light guide paths 21A and 21B can be freely set, and the space can be effectively used. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical coupling device in which a counter unit including a plurality of light transmitting units and a counter unit including a plurality of light receiving units are opposed to each other to form a plurality of optical coupling units.

  The face-to-face type optical coupling device that transmits a plurality of optical signals has two facing portions facing each other, a light transmitting portion is provided in one facing portion, and a light receiving portion is provided in the other facing portion, When the two facing portions face each other, all the light transmitting portions and the light receiving portions face each other in a one-to-one relationship, and optical coupling portions that transmit and receive optical signals are configured at a plurality of locations.

  The optical coupling device described in Patent Document 1 below is a light emitting element array in which one opposing portion includes a plurality of light emitting elements, and the other opposing portion is coupled to a plurality of light incident / exiting portions. And an optical waveguide array having a plurality of optical waveguides. A plurality of light emitting elements and a plurality of light incident / exiting portions are opposed to each other to form optical coupling portions at a plurality of locations.

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the plurality of optical coupling portions are arranged so as to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the optical waveguide extends, and the optical coupling portions are straight in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the optical waveguide extends. They are arranged side by side.

  In the above structure, since the optical coupling portion is displaced in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the optical waveguide extends, it is possible to arrange the plurality of optical waveguides at intervals in the width direction without overlapping. However, if the optical waveguide is directed in a direction orthogonal to the above direction, the plurality of optical waveguides are overlapped, and the optical waveguide cannot be drawn out in a planar manner.

  The optical module described in Patent Document 2 is a surface-emitting laser in which one facing portion has a plurality of light emitting portions, and the other facing portion is a ferrule that holds a plurality of optical fibers. The optical coupling portion is configured such that the end surface of the fiber faces the light emitting portion.

  In this optical module, as in Patent Document 1, the optical coupling portion coupled to the optical fiber is arranged so as to be displaced in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the optical fiber extends, and optical coupling is performed in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the optical fiber extends. The parts are arranged on a straight line. Therefore, the direction in which the optical fiber is drawn out is limited, and the optical fibers cannot be drawn out without overlapping along the direction in which the optical coupling portions are arranged in a straight line.

  In order to draw out the optical waveguide described in Patent Document 1 or the optical fiber described in Patent Document 2 along the direction in which the optical coupling portions are linearly arranged, it is necessary to bend the optical waveguide or the optical fiber. In this case, a wide area for routing the optical waveguide and the optical fiber is required, and if the optical waveguide is bent, problems such as light leakage at the bent portion are likely to occur.

JP 2004-198579 A JP 2008-46288 A

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and it is possible to linearly draw a light guide represented by a layered optical waveguide or an optical fiber in two different directions. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical coupling device capable of increasing the degree of freedom.

In the present invention, a first facing portion and a second facing portion that face each other are provided, and a plurality of light transmitting portions are arranged in one of the first facing portion and the second facing portion, and the other When there are a plurality of light receiving portions arranged and the first facing portion and the second facing portion face each other, there are a plurality of light coupling portions in which the light transmitting portion and the light receiving portion face each other one-on-one. In the optical coupling device in which a plurality of light guide paths that are optically coupled to the light transmitting unit or the light receiving unit extend to at least the second facing unit, respectively,
The optical coupling portions are arranged along a row extending in the first direction and a row extending in the second direction, and a plurality of the rows extending in the first direction and the rows extending in the second direction are provided. And
With all the light transmitting units and all the light receiving units facing each other, an angle of less than 90 degrees is formed between the extending direction of the plurality of light guide paths and the first direction and the second direction. It is provided that the plurality of light guide paths can be extended in any direction selected from at least two directions without overlapping each other.

  In the optical coupling device of the present invention, the optical coupling unit is provided along the first direction column and the second direction column, and the light guide path extends in the first direction and the second direction. When the direction in which the light guide path extends is changed, the plurality of light guide paths can be pulled out without overlapping each other. Therefore, it is possible to secure the degree of freedom for routing the light guide and to effectively use the area for routing the light guide.

  The “light guide” in the present invention is composed of a “light guide” or “optical fiber” having a layer structure in which a thin film is formed. The “light transmitting part” is a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode or an end part of a “light guide” from which light is emitted. The “light receiving part” is a light receiving element such as a phototransistor or a photodiode, or an end of a “light guide path” on which light emitted from the light transmitting part is incident.

  The “end portion of the light guide path” means that, for example, the end face of the light guide path is an inclined inclined surface, and a mirror surface is formed on the inclined surface, so that light propagated in the light guide path is transmitted from the light guide path. A structure that can emit light, or a structure that can introduce incident light into the light guide.

  Preferably, at least the “light transmitting unit” is provided with a microlens array, and light emitted from the light transmitting unit is collected by the microlens and provided to the light receiving unit. Alternatively, both the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit are provided with microlens arrays, and the light emitted from the light transmitting unit is converted into parallel light by the microlens, and the parallel light is collected by the microlens and is received by the light receiving unit. May be incident.

  For example, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, and the optical coupling portions are arranged in the same number in each of the first direction column and the second direction column. it can.

In this case, the direction in which the plurality of light guide paths extend is either the X direction or the Y direction orthogonal to each other, the angle formed by the X direction and the first direction, the Y direction, and the second direction The angle formed by the direction is θ (0 degree <θ <90 degrees), the number of the optical coupling parts arranged in the first direction and the second direction is N, and the arrangement pitch in the first direction is d1, When the arrangement pitch in the second direction is d2,
d2 (N−1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ and d1 (N−1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ
It is preferable that

  By satisfying the above relationship, it is possible to select and draw out a plurality of light guide paths in one of two different directions without overlapping.

  For example, d1 = d2. In this case, the optical coupling parts are regularly arranged inside a square region whose sides extend in the first direction and the second direction. Further, when N · sin θ = cos θ, the light guide paths can be arranged at an equal pitch.

  Alternatively, in the present invention, the first direction and the second direction are at right angles, and the optical coupling units are arranged in the second direction column rather than the number arranged in the first direction column. The number may be larger.

In this case, the direction in which the plurality of light guide paths extend is either the X direction or the Y direction orthogonal to each other, the angle formed by the X direction and the first direction, and the Y direction and the second direction. Is defined as θ (0 degree <θ <90 degrees), the number of the optical coupling parts arranged in the first direction is N1, the number of the optical coupling parts arranged in the second direction is N2, and the first When the arrangement pitch in the direction 1 is d1, and the arrangement pitch in the second direction is d2,
d2 (N2-1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ and d1 (N1-1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ
It is preferable that

  However, if d1 = d2, the optical coupling units are regularly arranged inside a rectangular region having a short side in the first direction and a long side in the second direction. Also in this case, when N2 · sin θ = cos θ, the light guide paths extending to one side can be arranged at an equal pitch.

  Furthermore, the present invention is provided with a plurality of coupling portions groups in which the optical coupling portions are arranged in a plurality of locations in the first direction and the second direction, and a plurality of the guides extending from the coupling portion groups are provided. Each coupling part group may be arranged such that the optical path is positioned between the plurality of light guide paths extending from adjacent coupling part groups.

  In the above-described invention, the plurality of coupling unit groups may include those having different communication directions.

  In the present invention, when a facing portion where a plurality of light transmitting portions are arranged and a facing portion where a plurality of light receiving portions are arranged are opposed to each other, the extending direction of a plurality of light guide paths provided in one facing portion is One of at least two directions can be selected.

  As a result, the degree of freedom in routing the light guide increases, and the area for routing the light guide can be used effectively. In addition, the necessity of bending the light guide path is reduced, and the transmission loss of the optical signal is easily reduced.

(A) (B) is a side view showing an optical coupling device of an embodiment of the present invention, 1 is an exploded perspective view of the optical coupling device shown in FIG. The top view of the optical coupling device explaining the extraction direction of a light guide, An enlarged plan view of the optical coupling device, The top view which shows the optical coupling device from which the arrangement number of the optical coupling part differs in the 1st direction and the 2nd direction, The top view which shows the optical coupling device with which the some coupling | bond part group was arranged,

  In the optical coupling device 1A shown in FIG. 1A, the first facing portion 10A and the second facing portion 15A face each other. The first facing portion 10A and the second facing portion 15A may be detachable connectors that can be freely coupled and separated, or may be coupled so as not to be separated from each other.

  10 A of 1st opposing parts have the light source array 12 mounted in the board | substrate 11, and the optical coupling board | substrate 13 arrange | positioned on the surface, and several microlenses 14 are on the opposing surface of the optical coupling board | substrate 13. An arranged microlens array is provided. A plurality of light emitting elements 12 a are regularly arranged on the surface of the light source array 12, and the microlenses 14 face the light emitting elements, respectively. In the first facing portion 10A, each light transmitting portion is configured by each light emitting element 12a and the micro lens 14 facing the light emitting element 12a.

  The second facing portion 15 </ b> A has an optical coupling substrate 16, and a microlens array in which a plurality of microlenses 17 are arranged is provided on the facing surface of the optical coupling substrate 16.

  A flexible substrate 20 is bonded to the optical coupling substrate 16 of the second facing portion 15A. A plurality of light guides are provided on the flexible substrate 20. In FIG. 3, a plurality of light guide paths 21A (or 21B) are indicated by broken lines. The light guide path 21 </ b> A (or 21 </ b> B) is an optical waveguide formed on the surface of the flexible substrate 20. The optical waveguide has a layer structure in which an optical material is formed on the surface of the flexible substrate 20. The waveguide is formed by imprinting or sputtering.

  As shown in FIG. 1C, a light incident portion 21a is formed at each end of the plurality of light guide paths 21A (or 21B). For example, the light incident portion 21a is configured such that the end surface of the light guide path is formed obliquely and the inclined surface is used as a mirror surface 21b. The light incident portion 21 a faces each microlens 17. In the second facing portion 15A, each light receiving portion is configured by the light incident portion 21a of the light guide path 21A (or 21B) and the microlens 17 facing the light incident portion 21a.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, when the first facing portion 10A, the facing surface, and the facing surface of the second facing portion 15A are combined to face each other, the microlens provided in the first facing portion 10A. 14 and the microlenses 17 provided in the second facing portion 15A face each other one to one. Thereby, all the light transmission parts of 10 A of 1st opposing parts and all the light-receiving parts of 15 A of 2nd opposing parts oppose, and several light coupling with which a light transmission part and a light-receiving part oppose on a one-to-one basis Part 25A is configured.

  In each optical coupling unit 25A of the optical coupling device 1A shown in FIG. 1A, diffused light emitted upward from the light emitting element 12a is converted into a parallel light beam by the microlens. The parallel light flux is condensed by the microlens 17 and is incident on each light incident portion 21a of the light guide path 21A (or 21B).

  In FIG. 1A, instead of the light source array 12, a light receiving element array in which a plurality of light receiving elements such as phototransistors and photodiodes are arranged may be arranged so that each light receiving element faces the microlens 14. In this case, in the first facing portion 10 </ b> A, the light receiving element and the microlens 14 constitute a light receiving portion. On the other hand, in the second facing portion 15A, the structure of the reference numeral 21a at the end of the light guide 21A (or 21B) as shown in FIG. 1C is not a light incident portion but a light emitting portion. The light emitting portion and the microlens 17 facing the light emitting portion constitute a light transmitting portion.

  In the optical coupling device 1B shown in FIG. 1B, the first facing portion 10B and the second facing portion 15B face each other.

  The first facing portion 10 </ b> B has an optical coupling substrate 18, and a microlens array in which a plurality of microlenses 19 are arranged is provided on the facing surface of the optical coupling substrate 18. A flexible substrate 28 is bonded to the optical coupling substrate 18 of the first facing portion 10B. A plurality of light guide paths 26 are provided on the surface of the flexible substrate 28. The light guide 26 is a layered optical waveguide. The plurality of light guide paths 26 are provided on the surface of the flexible substrate 28 at intervals in the width direction without overlapping. A light emitting portion 26 a is formed at the end of each light guide 26. The light emitting part 26a has the same structure as the light emitting part 21a shown in FIG. The light emitting part 26 a faces the microlens 19.

  The second facing portion 15B provided in the optical coupling device 1B of FIG. 1B is similar to the second facing portion 15A shown in FIG. And a flexible substrate 20 having a light guide path 21A (or 21B).

  In the optical coupling device 1B, when the first facing portion 10B and the second facing portion 15B are combined to face each other, the microlens 19 provided in the first facing portion 10B and the second facing portion 15B The provided microlenses 17 face one to one. Thereby, the some optical coupling part 25B is comprised.

  In the optical coupling device 1B, a light transmitting part is configured by the light emitting part 26a of the light guide path 26 of the first facing part 10B and the microlens 19, and the light of the light guide path 21A (or 21B) of the second facing part 15B. The incident portion 21a and the microlens 17 constitute a light receiving portion. In this case, the light emitted from the light emitting portion 26a is converted into a parallel light beam by the microlens 19, and the parallel light beam is collected by the microlens 17 and enters the light incident portion 21a. Alternatively, the light transmitting section is configured by the light guide path 21A (or 21B) of the second facing section 15B and the micro lens 17, and the light receiving section is configured by the light guiding path 26 and the micro lens 19 of the first facing section 10B. May be.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the optical coupling device 1A shown in FIG. 1A, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views showing second opposing portions provided in the optical coupling device 1A. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical coupling unit 25A is configured in a large number. However, in FIG. 3 and subsequent figures, the number of the optical coupling unit 25A is reduced to facilitate the explanation.

  2 and 3, the second facing portion of the structure in which the flexible substrate 20 extends in the X1 direction is indicated by reference numeral 15A1, and the second facing portion of the structure in which the flexible substrate 20 extends in the Y1 direction is illustrated. This is indicated by reference numeral 15A2. In FIG. 3A, a plurality of light guide paths provided on the flexible substrate 20 extending in the X1 direction are denoted by reference numeral 21A in the second facing portion 15A1. In FIG. 3B, the light guide path provided on the flexible substrate 20 extending in the Y1 direction in the second facing portion 15A2 is indicated by reference numeral 21B.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the optical coupling substrate 13 of the first facing portion 10A is a square whose sides extend in the X direction and the Y direction, and the optical coupling substrate 16 of the second facing portions 15A1 and 15A2 is also a square. It is. The optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are combined so that the sides overlap each other.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the optical coupling portions 25 </ b> A are regularly arranged in the square region S. The square region S is formed obliquely on the optical coupling substrate 16. The substrate of the microlens array in which the microlenses 14 are arranged and the substrate of the microlens array in which the microlenses 17 are arranged can be formed in a square shape, and these substrates can be made to coincide with the square region S. Alternatively, the light source array 12 and the light receiving element array may be formed in a square shape, and the substrates of the array may be matched with the square region S.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sides of the square region S in which the plurality of optical coupling portions 25A are regularly arranged do not coincide with the X direction and the Y direction, and the respective sides are not Inclined by an angle θ (0 degree <θ <90 degrees) with respect to the X direction and the Y direction. That is, the sides of the region S are inclined by an angle θ with respect to the sides of the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16, and the second facing portion is changed by 90 degrees with respect to the first facing portion. The individual light transmitters and the light receivers are opposed to each other to form the optical coupling unit 25A. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, even if the orientation of the second facing portion is changed by 90 degrees with respect to the first facing portion, the individual light guide paths 21A or the individual waveguides 21B do not overlap each other. ing.

  As a result, the second opposing portion 15A1 in which the flexible substrate 20 extends in the X1 direction and the second opposing portion 15A2 in which the flexible substrate 20 extends in the Y1 direction are compared with the common first opposing portion 10A. Can be combined.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the same optical coupling substrate 16 is used in the second facing portion 15A1 and the second facing portion 15A2. In the second facing portion 15A1, the flexible substrate 20 having the light guide path 21A extends in the X1 direction from the optical coupling substrate 16, and in the second facing portion 15A2, the flexible substrate 20 having the light guide path 21B is the optical coupling substrate 16. Extends in the Y1 direction.

  The sides of the region S having a plurality of optical coupling portions 25A are inclined by an angle θ with respect to the X direction and the Y direction, and the second opposing portion 15A1 shown in FIG. 3A, the plurality of light guide paths 21A can be extended in parallel and linearly at intervals in the Y direction without overlapping each other, and the second facing portion 15A2 shown in FIG. Then, it is possible to extend each of the plurality of light guide paths 21B in parallel and linearly at intervals in the X direction without overlapping each other. This is the same when the flexible substrate 20 having the light guide path 21A is extended in the X2 direction and when the flexible substrate 20 having the light guide path 21B is extended in the Y2 direction.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, a round hole positioning part 31 and a rectangular hole positioning part 32 are formed on the optical coupling substrate 16. The optical coupling substrate 13 of the first facing portion 10A shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a positioning portion for round projections and a positioning portion for rectangular projections. The optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are positioned and combined with each other by the positioning portions 31 and 32. At this time, the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 cannot be combined unless they are always in the same direction. When the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are combined using the positioning units 31 and 32, all the microlenses 14 and all the microlenses 17 are opposed to each other in a one-to-one relationship, thereby forming a plurality of optical coupling portions 25A. Is done.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the same optical coupling substrate 16 is used in the second opposing portion 15A1 and the second opposing portion 15A2, and the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are only in a certain direction. In order to be combined, the second facing portion 15A1 and the second facing portion 15A2 in which the directions of the light guide paths 21A and 21B are different from each other by 90 degrees can be combined with the first facing portion 10A without mistaken combination. .

  As another example of the present invention, the positioning unit 31 and the positioning unit 32 shown in FIG. 3 have the same shape and round shape or square shape, and the spacing between the positioning units in the X direction and the Y direction is the same. Set. In this example, the optical coupling substrate 13 of the first facing portion 10A and the optical coupling substrate 16 of the second facing portion 15A can be positioned and combined so that the four sides thereof coincide with each other, It is possible to combine the coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 in any direction rotated relative to each other by 90 degrees. Even if the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are combined in any direction, that is, the flexible substrate 20 is set in any direction of the X1 direction, the X2 direction, the Y1 direction, and the Y2 direction, It is possible to configure the optical coupling unit 25A by individually facing all the microlenses 17.

  That is, the second opposing portion 15A having the same structure can be freely combined with the first opposing portion 10A by arbitrarily changing the orientation of the flexible substrate 20 every 90 degrees.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for obtaining the arrangement condition of the optical coupling portions 25A so that a plurality of light guide paths can extend in the X direction without overlapping each other and can extend in the Y direction without overlapping each other.

  The optical coupling portions 25A are arranged at intervals along both the row L1 extending in the first direction and the row L2 extending in the second direction. The first direction column L1 and the second direction column L2 are perpendicular to each other, and a plurality of first direction columns L1 and second direction columns L2 are provided. However, in the present invention, the row L1 in the first direction and the row L2 in the second direction may intersect at an angle other than a right angle.

  The first direction row L1 and the second direction row L2 which are perpendicular to each other have an angle θ with respect to the X direction and the Y direction (0 degrees <θ <90 degrees). The number of optical coupling portions 25A arranged on the first direction column L1 and the number of optical coupling portions 25A arranged on the second direction column L2 are the same, and both are N. In the example of FIG. 4, N = 4. The optical coupling portions 25A are arranged at equal intervals on the row L1 in the first direction, and the pitch thereof is d1. The optical coupling portions 25A are arranged at equal intervals on the row L2 in the second direction, and the pitch is d2.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21B to extend in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction in parallel with an interval in the X direction without overlapping each other is d2 (N-1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ. The condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21B extending in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction to be equally spaced in the X direction is d2 · N · sin θ = d1 · cos θ.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3A, the conditions for the plurality of light guide paths 21A to extend in the X1 direction or the X2 direction in parallel with a gap in the Y direction without overlapping each other are as follows. , D1 (N−1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ. The condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21A extending in the X1 direction or the X2 direction to be equally spaced in the Y direction is d1 · N · sin θ = d2 · cos θ.

  The arrangement pitch d1 of the optical coupling portions 25A on the first direction row L1 is equal to the arrangement pitch d2 of the optical coupling portions 25A on the second direction row L2 (d1 = d2), and the optical coupling portion. When 25A is regularly arranged in the square area S, the conditions for the plurality of light guides to extend in all directions of Y1, Y2, X1, and X2 without overlapping each other. Is (N−1) · sin θ <cos θ, and the condition for equalizing the intervals of the light guide paths in each of the four directions is N · sin θ = cos θ.

FIG. 5 shows an optical coupling device 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
In this optical coupling device 101, the first direction row L1 and the second direction row L2 are perpendicular to each other, and an angle θ is provided between each row and the X and Y directions (0 degrees). <Θ <90 degrees). The number of optical coupling portions 25A arranged in the first direction row L1 is N1, the number of optical coupling portions 25A arranged in the second direction row L2 is N2, and N1 <N2. The arrangement pitch of the optical coupling portions 25A on the first direction row L1 is d1, and the arrangement pitch of the optical coupling portions 25A on the second direction row L2 is d2.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21B to extend in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction with an interval in the X direction without overlapping each other is d2 (N2 −1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ. The condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21B extending in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction to be equally spaced in the X direction is d2 · N2 · sin θ = d1 · cos θ.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5A, the condition for allowing the plurality of light guide paths 21A to extend in the X1 direction or the X2 direction at intervals in the Y direction without overlapping each other is d1. (N1-1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ. The condition for the plurality of light guide paths 21A extending in the X1 direction or the X2 direction to be equally spaced in the Y direction is d1 · N1 · sin θ = d2 · cos θ.

  The arrangement pitch d1 of the optical coupling portions 25A on the first direction row L1 is equal to the arrangement pitch d2 of the optical coupling portions 25A on the second direction row L2 (d1 = d2), and the optical coupling portion. When 25A is regularly arranged in the rectangular region S1, the condition for the light guide path to extend without overlapping in all directions of Y1, Y2, X1, and X2 is (N2- 1) · sin θ <cos θ. That is, when d1 = d2, the light guide paths 21A extending in the X1 or X2 direction do not overlap if the light guide paths 21B extending in the Y1 or Y2 direction can extend with an interval in the X direction without overlapping each other. .

  In this case, if N2 · sin θ = cos θ, as shown in FIG. 5B, the light guide paths 21B extending in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction are arranged at equal intervals in the X direction, as shown in FIG. In addition, the light guide paths 21 </ b> A extending in the X1 direction or the X2 direction are arranged so that a portion having an equal interval and a portion having a non-equal interval repeat each other.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the structure in which the number of optical coupling portions 25A is different between the first direction row L1 and the second direction row L2, the optical coupling substrate 13 of the first facing portion 10A The optical coupling substrate 16 of the second facing portion 15A can be combined only in the direction in which the long side and the short side coincide with each other, and the optical coupling substrate 13 and the optical coupling substrate 16 are rotated 90 degrees to face each other. Then, all the microlenses 14 and all the microlenses 17 cannot be opposed to each other.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5A, the second opposing portion 15A1 in which the light guide path 21A extends in the X1 or X2 direction, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the light guide path 21B is in the Y1 or Y2 direction. The extending second facing portion 15A2 can be combined with the first facing portion 10A without changing the direction.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an optical coupling device 201 according to the third embodiment of this invention.
In this optical coupling device 201, a plurality of sets of coupling unit groups G 1, G 2, G 3, G 4 are arranged on a common optical coupling substrate 13, 17 with an interval in the X direction and the Y direction. Each of the coupling unit groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 includes a plurality of optical coupling units 25A. The arrangement state and arrangement conditions of the optical coupling unit 25A in each of the coupling unit groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 are the same as those of the respective embodiments shown in FIGS. Therefore, in each of the coupling unit groups G1, G2, G3, and G4, it is possible to draw a plurality of light guide paths in the X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 directions without overlapping each other. .

  As shown in FIG. 6, the coupling portion group G1 and the coupling portion group G2 are slightly displaced toward the Y direction, and the adjacent light guide path 21A1 and the light guide path extending from the coupling portion group G1 in the X1 direction or the X2 direction. The light guide 21A2 extending from the coupling portion group G2 enters between 21A1. This is the same in the joint group G3 and G4.

  In addition, the coupling portion group G1 and the coupling portion group G3 are slightly displaced in the X direction, and between the adjacent light guide path 21B1 and the light guide path 21B1 extending in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction from the coupling portion group G1. The light guide path 21B2 extending from the coupling portion group G3 enters. This is the same in the joint group G2 and G4.

  The optical coupling device 201 illustrated in FIG. 6 can be easily used for bidirectional communication by using any one of the coupling unit groups G1, G2, G3, and G4 for transmission and using the other for reception.

  In the optical coupling device 1B shown in FIG. 1B in which the first facing portion 10B and the second facing portion 15B face each other, the flexible substrate 20 is different from the extending direction of the flexible substrate 28. Can be extended in one direction. For this purpose, the arrangement conditions of the optical coupling unit 25B are the same as those of the embodiments shown in FIGS.

  In the optical coupling unit 25A shown in FIG. 1A and the optical coupling unit 25B shown in FIG. 1B, the microlenses 14, 17, and 19 are provided in both the light transmission unit and the light reception unit. The micro lens may be provided only in the light transmitting unit, and the light condensed by the micro lens may be provided to the light receiving unit. Alternatively, in the structure in which the light from the light transmitting unit can be efficiently incident on the light receiving unit, the microlens can be deleted in the optical coupling unit.

1A, 1B, 101, 201 Optical coupling devices 10A, 10B First opposing portion 11 Substrate 12 Light source array 12a Light emitting elements 13, 16, 18 Optical coupling substrates 14, 17, 19 Microlenses 15A, 15A1, 15A2, 15B Second Opposing portions 20, 28 Flexible substrates 21A, 21B, 26 Light guide paths 25A, 25B Optical coupling portions G1, G2, G3, G4 coupling portion group L1 First direction row L2 Second direction row

Claims (11)

A first facing portion and a second facing portion that face each other are provided, and a plurality of light transmitting portions are arranged in one of the first facing portion and the second facing portion, and a plurality of light receiving portions are arranged in the other. When the first opposing portion and the second opposing portion are opposed to each other, the light transmitting portion and the light receiving portion are configured in a plurality of locations where the light transmitting portion and the light receiving portion are opposed one-on-one. In the optical coupling device in which a plurality of light guide paths that are optically coupled to the light transmitting unit or the light receiving unit extend to at least the second facing portion, respectively.
The optical coupling portions are arranged along a row extending in the first direction and a row extending in the second direction, and a plurality of the rows extending in the first direction and the rows extending in the second direction are provided. And
With all the light transmitting units and all the light receiving units facing each other, an angle of less than 90 degrees is formed between the extending direction of the plurality of light guide paths and the first direction and the second direction. An optical coupling device that is provided and is capable of extending the plurality of light guide paths in any direction selected from at least two directions without overlapping each other.   The first direction and the second direction are at right angles, and the optical coupling portions are arranged in the same number in the first direction column and the second direction column, respectively. Optical coupling device. The direction in which the light guide paths extend is either the X direction or the Y direction orthogonal to each other, and the angle formed by the X direction and the first direction and the Y direction and the second direction are formed. The angle is θ (0 degrees <θ <90 degrees), the number of the optical coupling parts arranged in the first direction and the second direction is N, the arrangement pitch in the first direction is d1, and the second When the arrangement pitch in the direction is d2,
d2 (N−1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ and d1 (N−1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ
The optical coupling device according to claim 2.   4. The optical coupling device according to claim 3, wherein d1 = d2.   The optical coupling device according to claim 4, wherein N · sin θ = cos θ.   The first direction and the second direction are at right angles, and the number of the optical coupling units arranged in the second direction column is larger than the number arranged in the first direction column. Item 3. The optical coupling device according to Item 1. The direction in which the light guide paths extend is either the X direction or the Y direction orthogonal to each other, and the angle formed by the X direction and the first direction and the Y direction and the second direction are formed. The angle is θ (0 degree <θ <90 degrees), the number of optical coupling parts arranged in the first direction is N1, the number of optical coupling parts arranged in the second direction is N2, and the first direction. When the arrangement pitch of d1 is d1, and the arrangement pitch in the second direction is d2,
d2 (N2-1) · sin θ <d1 · cos θ and d1 (N1-1) · sin θ <d2 · cos θ
The optical coupling device according to claim 6.   8. The optical coupling device according to claim 7, wherein d1 = d2.   9. The optical coupling device according to claim 8, wherein N2 · sin θ = cos θ.   A plurality of coupling unit groups in which the optical coupling unit is arranged in a plurality of locations in the first direction and the second direction are provided, and the plurality of light guide paths extending from the coupling unit group are adjacent to each other. The optical coupling device according to claim 1, wherein each coupling unit group is disposed so as to be positioned between the plurality of light guide paths extending from the coupling unit group.   The optical coupling device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of coupling unit groups include those having different communication directions.

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