JPWO2016181778A1 - Optical fiber array and optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a highly accurate and easy-to-assemble optical fiber array by attaching a fiber guide prepared in advance to an outlet of an optical fiber in a capillary array. The optical fiber array according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of optical fibers 20, a plurality of aligned through holes, and a capillary array 21 in which each optical fiber 20 is inserted so as to protrude into each through hole, and an optical fiber A positioning array in which a plurality of optical fiber guide holes having diameters gradually narrowing from an introduction port 25 for introducing 20 toward a holding port 26 for holding the optical fiber 20 are formed so as to correspond to the positions of the respective through holes. 22.

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber array and an optical switch.

  As a signal light transmission means, an optical switch composed of an optical fiber array and a tilt mirror array is used in the related art. The optical fiber array in the optical switch includes a capillary array and a microlens array.

  The configuration of the optical fiber array and tilt mirror array of the optical switch according to the related art is shown in FIG. The optical switch according to the related art includes an optical fiber array on the signal light incident side, a first tilt mirror array 14, a second tilt mirror array 15, and an optical fiber array on the signal light emission side (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

  The optical fiber array on the signal light incident side includes a plurality of optical fibers 10-1, a first capillary array 11-1, and a first microlens array 13-1. The optical fiber array on the signal light emission side includes a second capillary array 11-2, a second microlens array 13-2, and a plurality of optical fibers 10-2. The first microlens array 13-1 and the second microlens array 13-2 have a plurality of microlenses arranged regularly.

  In the optical fiber array according to the related art, signal light can be transmitted by bringing the optical fibers 10-1 and 10-2 arranged at high density close to the microlens arrays 13-1 and 13-2, respectively. The first capillary array 11-1 and the second capillary array 11-2 each have a hole portion in which holes are formed in a matrix, and the optical fiber 10-1 and the optical fiber 10-2 are respectively provided in the hole portion. Inserted.

  The first microlens array 13-1 and the second microlens array 13-2 are optical fibers inserted into the hole portions of the first capillary array 11-1 and the second capillary array 11-2, respectively. 10-1 and 10-2 have microlenses arranged at corresponding positions. The first capillary array 11-1 and the first microlens array 13-1 are bonded with an adhesive so as to optically couple the signal light output from each optical fiber and each microlens. The second capillary array 11-2 and the second capillary array 11-2 and the second capillary array 11-2 and the first optical fiber 10-2 are bonded with an adhesive so as to optically couple the signal light and each microlens. Two microlens arrays 13-2 are joined.

  The first tilt mirror array 14 and the second tilt mirror array 15 have a plurality of mirrors disposed at the condensing position of the signal light transmitted through the optical fiber. Each mirror is a MEMS mirror manufactured using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology. Each signal light reaching the first tilt mirror array 14 is reflected toward the corresponding second tilt mirror array 15.

  Here, the tilt mirror array is rotatably supported and controlled to an angle corresponding to the position of the output port set as the output destination of each signal light. Thereby, the signal light reflected by each tilt mirror array can be output to a desired output destination.

JP 2011-28235 A

  However, in the optical fiber array according to the related technology described above, the accuracy of each module varies greatly. For example, the capillary array has a relatively low processing accuracy of ± 2 μm, and the microlens array has a comparison of ± 0.1 μm. High machining accuracy. For this reason, when assembling the module as an assembly, it is difficult to suppress the positional deviation of the focal position of the signal light and the loss of optical characteristics due to the low accuracy of the capillary array, and the signal light can be transmitted with a stable light intensity. It becomes difficult to communicate. As another related technique, there is a case where a one-dimensional V-groove array is used instead of a capillary array, and this is stacked in a multilayer structure to form a matrix-like fiber array. The variation of 5 μm is so large that the focal position of the signal light is deviated and it is difficult to accurately switch and transmit the signal light.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a highly accurate and easy-to-assemble optical fiber array by attaching a pre-fabricated fiber guide to an outlet of an optical fiber in a capillary array.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present disclosure, each optical fiber is aligned in a capillary array, a positioning array as a fiber guide prepared in advance is arranged between the capillary array and the microlens array, and the aligned optical fibers are positioned in the positioning array. Insert into.

Specifically, the optical fiber array according to the present disclosure is:
A plurality of optical fibers;
A plurality of through-holes arranged in alignment, and a capillary array in which the respective optical fibers are inserted so as to protrude into the respective through-holes;
A plurality of optical fiber guide holes having a diameter gradually narrowing from an introduction port for introducing the optical fiber toward a holding port for holding the optical fiber, are formed so as to correspond to the arrangement positions of the through holes. An array.

In the optical fiber array according to the present disclosure,
A microlens that converts light emitted from each optical fiber held in the plurality of optical fiber guide holes into parallel light is formed so as to correspond to the arrangement position of each optical fiber guide hole. A lens array may be further provided.

In the optical fiber array according to the present disclosure, an outer shape of the capillary array on a surface on which the plurality of through holes are arranged may be a circle having a larger diameter than the positioning array.
Here, the outer shape of the capillary array may include a cutout portion having an equal distance from a through-hole arranged linearly on an outer edge of the plurality of through-holes.

Specifically, the optical switch according to the present disclosure is:
A first optical fiber array that converts light from a plurality of optical fibers into parallel light using the optical fiber array described above;
A first MEMS mirror having a plurality of rotatable reflecting portions arranged to correspond to each parallel light transmitted from a microlens array included in the first optical fiber array;
A second MEMS mirror having a plurality of rotatable reflectors arranged to correspond to each parallel light reflected from each reflector of the first MEMS mirror;
A second optical fiber array that uses the above-described optical fiber array to inject each parallel light reflected from the respective reflecting portions of the second MEMS mirror into the optical fiber.

  The above disclosures can be combined as much as possible.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a highly accurate and easy-to-assemble optical fiber array by attaching a pre-fabricated fiber guide to the optical fiber outlet in the capillary array.

An example of the structure of the optical fiber array which concerns on related technology is shown. An example of the structure of the optical fiber array which concerns on this embodiment is shown. An example of the shape of the fiber guide hole of the positioning array which concerns on this embodiment is shown. An example of the shape of the fiber guide hole of the positioning array which concerns on this embodiment is shown. The 1st example of the cross-sectional shape of a capillary array is shown. The 2nd example of the cross-sectional shape of a capillary array is shown. An example of the structure of the optical fiber array which concerns on this embodiment is shown.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this indication is not limited to embodiment shown below. These embodiments are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. In the present specification and drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same components.

(Embodiment 1)
An optical fiber array according to this embodiment is shown in FIG. The optical fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers 20, a capillary array 21, and a positioning array 22. The optical fiber array may further include a microlens array 23. The material of the capillary array 21 may be made of silica glass or plastic. The capillary array 21 has a plurality of through holes arranged in parallel so that each optical fiber 20 can be inserted.

  The plurality of through-holes of the capillary array 21 are formed in a direction perpendicular to the main surface forming the capillary array 21 and parallel to the insertion direction of the optical fibers 20 inserted into the through-holes. The degree of parallelism between the through-holes may be within a range that falls within the accuracy error. Here, the main surface of the capillary array 21 indicates one surface on the insertion side of the optical fiber 20 to be inserted into the plurality of through holes.

  Since each through hole is formed so as to provide a clearance between the optical fiber 20 to be inserted and the through hole, the insertion operation of the optical fiber 20 can be easily performed when the optical fiber 20 is inserted. It is possible to prevent the optical fiber 20 from being damaged due to the contact between the fiber 20 and the insertion port of the through hole. Further, since each through hole is formed so as to provide a clearance between the optical fiber 20 to be inserted and the through hole, interference between the optical fiber 20 and the through hole can be reduced during the insertion process of the optical fiber 20. it can.

  The positioning array 22 has a plurality of fiber guide holes arranged in parallel so as to correspond to the positions of the openings from which the optical fibers 20 inserted into the through holes of the capillary array 21 protrude. Here, the specific shape of the fiber guide hole is shown in FIG. Each fiber guide hole of the positioning array 22 introduces and positions each optical fiber 20 protruding from the opening of the through hole of the capillary array 21. As shown in FIG. 3, in the fiber guide hole, the introduction port 25 for introducing the optical fiber 20 and the holding port 26 for holding the optical fiber 20 are formed in a substantially concentric axis shape, and each has an opening shape with a different diameter. ing. A specific example of the shape of the fiber guide hole is shown in FIG. The shape of the fiber guide hole may be a funnel shape machined by machining using a drill, and the cross-sectional shape is linear as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line A or like a monotone curve B having no discontinuous points. A curved wall shape may be used. The shape of these fiber guide holes may be formed by etching.

  The diameter of each of the introduction port 25 and the holding port 26 of the positioning array 22 is formed so that the diameter of the introduction port 25 is larger than the diameter of the holding port 26. The diameter decreases from the introduction port 25 side toward the holding port 26 side.

  When the optical fiber 20 that has passed through the through-holes of the capillary array 21 passes through the introduction port 25 and the holding port 26 in this order as shown in FIG. Depending on the shape of the path, the optical fiber 20 can be accurately positioned on the holding port 26 side, and chipping and breakage due to contact between the corner of the end face of the optical fiber 20 and the corner of the inlet 25 can be suppressed. Can do.

  In order to shorten the processing speed, it is preferable to use hot stretching of the base glass. For this reason, the capillary array 21 is preferably formed by using hot stretching of the base glass. For example, a base glass whose cross-sectional shape is similar to that of the capillary array 21 is thinned by hot drawing and cut into a predetermined length. For example, borosilicate glass is used as the base glass.

  FIG. 2 shows an example in which the outer shape of the capillary array 21 has a square shape as a first example of the outer shape of the capillary array 21. However, when hot stretching is used, the outer shape of the capillary array 21 is preferably circular. Thereby, the deformation | transformation of the shape of a through-hole and the position shift which may occur by the conditions of heat | fever stretching can be prevented. Furthermore, since crystallization on the surface and inside of the glass is less likely to occur, dimensional fluctuations and cracks in a minute region can be prevented.

FIG. 5 shows a second example of the cross-sectional shape of the capillary array 21. In the second example of the cross-sectional shape of the capillary array 21, the outer periphery of the capillary array 21 is circular. The diameter φ ₂₁ of the capillary array 21 is longer than the diagonal length L ₂₂ of the outer shape of the positioning array 22.

FIG. 6 shows a third example of the cross-sectional shape of the capillary array 21. The third example of the cross-sectional shape of the capillary array 21 has a D-cut shape including the notch 31. The notch 31 is disposed so that the distances from the through holes H ₄₁ , H ₄₂ , H ₄₃ , and H ₄₄ arranged linearly on the outer edge of the through hole are equal. As described above, the third example of the cross-sectional shape of the capillary array 21 includes the cutout portion 31, so that the arrangement direction of the through holes can be specified, the formation of the base glass is facilitated, and deformation during stretching is performed. Can be prevented.

Here, when the diameter φ ₂₁ of the capillary array 21 is 5 mm, the length L _{S of the} portion where the notch portion 31 is arranged is preferably 4.7 mm. If the diameter phi ₂₁ of capillary array 21 is 3.3 mm, the length _{L S} of the arrangement has been that portion of the notch 31 is preferably 3.1 mm. As described above, the length L _{S of the} portion where the notch 31 is disposed is preferably about 0.94 times the diameter φ ₂₁ of the capillary array 21.

In addition, the notch part 31 is not limited to one. For example, the through-holes _{H 41, H 42, H 43} , H 44 opposed to the through-hole _H 11 which is aligned _with, H _12, H _13, notches distance is arranged to be equal from _{H 14} May be further provided.

  The arrangement and fixing procedure of the optical fiber 20, the capillary array 21 and the positioning array 22 will be specifically described below. The flexible optical fiber 20 inserted in advance in the through hole of the capillary array 21 is injected with an adhesive into the insertion port or opening of the through hole in a state where the optical fiber 20 protrudes from the opening of the capillary array 21 to form a capillary tube. Depending on the phenomenon, the adhesive may be fixed by supplying an adhesive to the gap between the capillary array 21 and the optical fiber 20. The optical fiber 20 that has been bonded and fixed adheres and fixes the positioning array 22 to the facing surface that faces the main surface of the capillary array 21 while protruding from the opening of the through hole of the capillary array 21.

  The positioning array 22 may be fixed in advance with an adhesive to the capillary array 21 in which the optical fibers 20 are inserted into the through holes. Here, after the capillary array 21 and the positioning array 22 are bonded and fixed in advance, the optical fiber 20 may be inserted into a hole portion where the through hole of the capillary array 21 and the fiber guide hole of the positioning array 22 are connected. The optical fiber 20 is inserted into the hole portion, and an adhesive is injected into the insertion port of the through hole of the capillary array 21 or the holding port 26 of the fiber guide hole of the positioning array 22, and between the hole portion and the optical fiber 20 due to capillary action. The optical fiber 20 may be bonded and fixed to the hole portion by supplying an adhesive to the gap.

  In the arrangement and one fixing procedure of the optical fiber 20, the capillary array 21 and the positioning array 22 described above, the capillary array 21 and the positioning array 22 are temporarily brought into contact with each other, and a flat plate is installed on the end surface of the positioning array 22 on the holding port 26 side. Then, each optical fiber 20 is inserted so that the end face of the optical fiber 20 polished in advance is abutted against the flat plate, so that the end face on the holding port 26 side of the positioning array 22 is flush and fixed with an adhesive.

  Alternatively, in the arrangement of the optical fiber 20, the capillary array 21 and the positioning array 22 and the other fixing procedure, the optical fiber 20 inserted through the capillary array 21 is bonded and fixed using an adhesive in a state of protruding from the positioning array 22. . The surface of the positioning array 22 on the holding port 26 side of the fiber guide hole may be polished so that the positioning array 22 and the optical fiber 20 are flush with each other when bonded and fixed.

  When each component is bonded and fixed, an ultraviolet curable adhesive that cures the adhesive by irradiating ultraviolet rays may be used, or a visible light curable adhesive that cures the adhesive by irradiating visible light. An agent may be used. Moreover, when each component is bonded and fixed, a thermosetting adhesive may be used.

  The positioning array 22 is made of silicon, glass or metal when it is precisely processed by etching using lithography. When drilling, ceramic or plastic can be added as a material.

  The microlens array 23 located at the rear stage of the positioning array 22 includes a plurality of microlenses arranged in parallel so as to correspond to the positions of the holding ports of the fiber guide holes of the positioning array 22. Signal light of the optical fiber 20 emitted from the holding port of each fiber guide hole is converted into parallel light by each microlens. Alternatively, the incident signal light of the optical fiber 20 is collected by each microlens.

  The positioning array 22 and the microlens array 23 are aligned automatically by an image recognition device and bonded and fixed with an adhesive, or positioned while observing the bonded surface on an image monitor and with an adhesive. It may be bonded and fixed.

  An optical switch including a tilt mirror array as a MEMS mirror and the optical fiber array according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the optical switch according to the present embodiment in FIG. 7, the basic functions are the same as those of the optical switch according to the related art shown in FIG.

  However, in the configuration of the optical switch according to the present embodiment, the optical fiber array on the signal light incident side, the first tilt mirror array 24, the second tilt mirror array 25, and the optical fiber array on the signal light output side . Here, the configuration of each optical fiber array is different from the optical switch according to the related art in that the optical fiber array according to this embodiment includes a positioning array 22 between the capillary array and the microlens array. The propagation light used in the optical fiber array and the optical switch according to the present embodiment is not limited to the signal light on which the signal is superimposed, and may be light on which the signal is not superimposed.

  In the optical switch, a plurality of optical fibers 20 and a plurality of aligned through holes are provided, and a capillary array 21 in which each optical fiber 20 is inserted so as to protrude into each through hole, and the optical fiber 20 are introduced. A positioning array 22 in which a plurality of optical fiber guide holes having diameters gradually narrowing from the introduction port 25 toward the holding port 26 holding the optical fiber 20 are formed so as to correspond to the arrangement positions of the respective through holes; An optical fiber array according to this embodiment is used.

  The optical fiber array on the signal light incident side converts parallel light, which is signal light incident from the optical fiber 20 inserted in advance, into the signal light output side through the first tilt mirror array and the second tilt mirror array. The light can be emitted to an optical fiber array. Note that the first tilt mirror array 24 and the second tilt mirror array 25 according to the present embodiment are modules capable of rotational movement for each mirror.

  For this reason, the signal light can be deflected by rotating each tilt mirror array. For example, the signal light is deflected by rotating the first tilt mirror array 24 in the vertical direction, and the second tilt mirror array 25 rotates the signal light deflected by the first tilt mirror array 24 in the horizontal direction. Thus, the row light of the signal light can be controlled.

  Further, the first tilt mirror array 24 is rotated in the horizontal direction to deflect the signal light, and the signal light deflected by the first tilt mirror array 24 is rotated in the vertical direction. In this case, the row light of the signal light may be controlled. Furthermore, in the signal light deflection method, the signal light is deflected by rotating the first tilt mirror array 24 in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the signal light deflected by the first tilt mirror array 24 is converted into the second tilt mirror. The array light 25 can be controlled in the vertical and horizontal directions to control the signal light.

  Here, the capillary array 21, the positioning array 22, and the microlens array 23 included in the optical fiber array according to the present embodiment may have a one-dimensional array shape such as 1 × 8 or 1 × 48, Each may have a two-dimensional array shape such as 4 × 4 or 8 × 8.

  With the above configuration, the optical fiber array according to the present embodiment can independently deflect the signal light of each mirror without affecting each other. Therefore, the signal light incident on an arbitrary mirror in the first tilt mirror array 24 can be independently deflected to an arbitrary mirror in the second tilt mirror array 25, and 1 × having a very high degree of freedom. It can be provided as an N or M × N wavelength cross-connect device.

  The present disclosure can be applied to the information communication industry.

10-1, 10-2, 20, 20-1, 20-2: Optical fibers 11-1, 21-1: First capillary array 13-1, 23-1: First microlens arrays 14, 24 : First tilt mirror array 15, 25: second tilt mirror array 13-2, 23-2: second microlens array 11-2, 21-2: second capillary array 21: capillary array 22, 22-1 and 22-2: positioning arrays 23, 23-1, and 23-2: microlens array 25: introduction port 26: holding port

Claims (5)

A plurality of optical fibers;
A plurality of through-holes arranged in alignment, and a capillary array in which the respective optical fibers are inserted so as to protrude into the respective through-holes;
A plurality of optical fiber guide holes having a diameter gradually narrowing from an introduction port for introducing the optical fiber toward a holding port for holding the optical fiber, are formed so as to correspond to the arrangement positions of the through holes. An array,
An optical fiber array comprising: The outer shape of the capillary array on the surface on which the plurality of through holes are arranged and arranged has a circular shape with a larger diameter than the positioning array,
The optical fiber array according to claim 1. The outer shape of the capillary array is provided with a notch portion having an equal distance from a through-hole arranged linearly on an outer edge of the plurality of through-holes,
The optical fiber array according to claim 2. A microlens that converts light emitted from each optical fiber held in the plurality of optical fiber guide holes into parallel light is formed so as to correspond to the arrangement position of each optical fiber guide hole. The optical fiber array according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a lens array. A first optical fiber array that converts light from the plurality of optical fibers into parallel light using the optical fiber array according to claim 4;
A first MEMS mirror having a plurality of rotatable reflecting portions arranged to correspond to the parallel lights transmitted from the microlens array of the first optical fiber array;
A second MEMS mirror having a plurality of rotatable reflecting portions arranged to correspond to the parallel lights reflected from the reflecting portions of the first MEMS mirror;
Using the optical fiber array according to claim 4, a second optical fiber array that enters each parallel light reflected from the respective reflecting portions of the second MEMS mirror into an optical fiber;
An optical switch comprising:

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