TWI461773B - Nano/micro-patterned optical device and fabrication method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Graphical micro-nano-scale optical component and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention relates to an optical component and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a patterned micro-nano-line optical component and a method of fabricating the same.

In recent years, there have been a number of research teams working on the development of microfibers, and various optical components have been fabricated using the above-described microfibers. For example, U.S. Patent No. 7,421,173 discloses a subwavelength diameter yttrium oxide wire for low loss optical waveguides ( Subwavelength-diameter silica wires for low-loss optical waveguiding), wherein Mazur et al. utilize a sapphire cone as a medium for uniform heating, and heat the flame to make the fiber into a fine line having a diameter of ten nanometers; U.S. Patent No. 6,658,183 discloses a cone. shaped micro-fiber apparatus and process (process for fabricating tapered microstructured fiber system and resultant system), wherein, Chandaoia et al photonic crystal fiber after the flame heating, the ends are reverse stretch, as production methods of extracting the coupler A fine line of ten micrometers in diameter, in addition, considering the size of the core of the photonic crystal, the diameter of the central light guiding region is about 2.5 microns.

As mentioned above, the optical components made of the above micro-nano fiber include: a ring resonator, a ring laser, a sensor, a filter, and other types of optical components. Published in, for example: M. Sumetsky, "Basic Elements for Microfiber Photonics: Micro/Nanofibers and Microfiber Coil Resonators", Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 26, Issue 1, pp. 21-27, 2008; or F. Xu et Al. , "Demonstration of a Refractometric Sensor Based on Optical Microfiber Coil Resonator", Applied Physics Letters 2008, Vol. 92, pp. 101126. However, the common point of the above research is that the micro-nano-fine wires are not properly placed according to the design, so they cannot be applied to components that need to be accurately designed, such as a 1550/980 wavelength demultiplexer.

Furthermore, the V-shaped recessed trenches conventionally used for placing optical fibers have a V-shaped cross-section, as disclosed in US Patent No. 6,621,951, which is incorporated herein by reference. Among them, Zhao et al. are made to form a V-shaped indentation trench on a substrate and deposit a film of different materials for increasing the adhesion of the optical fiber to the trench. Application of optical coupling. In addition, U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0289698 discloses a fiber pattern applicator systems and methods, wherein Fleischman et al. use a fiber pattern coating device comprising a long arm, the long arm An end end and an end end are connected, and the end end is connected to a fiber spool for continuous feeding; the end point is directed to the place where the fiber is placed, and further, the fiber to be placed is placed in an intermediate passage of one of the long arms.

The above two U.S. patents (US 6,621,95; US 2007/0289698) can be used to place linear optical fibers and light at any position, but it is quite difficult to apply them to micro-nano fibers. When the optical fiber is as thin as a few micrometers or hundreds of nanometers in diameter, the naked eye is not visible at this time, so it is difficult to use the hand control to place the optical fiber in the groove. Further, the above micro-nano fiber is easily attached to any surface, so It is not easy to keep it in a straight line, so V-shaped recessed trench wiring cannot be used. In addition, the micro-nano fiber is extremely light in weight. If the fiber is not adsorbed on the surface of the substrate, the micro-nano fiber may be moved or even blown away by the wind.

In view of the above, the development of micro-nano-grade patterned optical components and their fabrication methods are the focus of the industry's development.

In view of the above-mentioned background of the invention, in order to meet the requirements of the industry, the present invention provides a patterned micro-nano-line optical component comprising: a soft film substrate having a surface containing a micro-nano pattern formed by lithography (micro/nano-pattern) comprising a plurality of recessed trenches and having hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity; and micronefine wires disposed in the recessed trenches for forming a plurality of optical waveguide elements, the optical waveguide components comprising At least one optical coupling region, the optical coupling region being located at a junction of the optical waveguide elements.

The invention also provides a method for fabricating a patterned micro-nano-line optical component, comprising the steps of: a lithography process for forming a micro-nano pattern on a surface of a soft film substrate, wherein the micro-nano pattern comprises a plurality of configurations; A micro-nano thin line is provided, and the micro-nano thin line is provided in combination with the above configuration to form a plurality of optical waveguide elements, wherein the optical waveguide element comprises an optical coupling region, and the optical coupling region is located at a junction of the optical waveguide element.

The invention utilizes a lithography program and a manipulation tool to fabricate a micro-nano-fine-line optical component, wherein a specific micro-nano-scale graphic structure can be prepared by a lithography process, and the micro-nano-scale graphic structure has specific properties, such as : Properties such as hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. Furthermore, through the above-mentioned manipulation tool, the micro-nano thin line can be accurately set in the micro-nano-level pattern structure, thereby forming a micro-nano thin-line optical element, wherein the micro-nano thin-line optical element has the following applications: optical fiber communication network The above applications are only examples and are not limited to the use of the optical switch and optical cross-connector, parallel projector system, new DVD read head and new display related technologies.

The present invention discloses a patterned micro-nano-line optical component and a method of fabricating the same. In order to thoroughly understand the present invention, detailed steps and compositions thereof will be set forth in the following description. Obviously, the practice of the invention is not limited to the specific details that are apparent to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, well-known components or steps are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily limiting the invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, but the present invention may be widely practiced in other embodiments, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the scope of the following patents. .

A first embodiment of the present invention discloses a patterned micro-nano-line optical component comprising: a soft film substrate and a micro-nano wire. Wherein the surface of the soft film substrate comprises a micro/nano-pattern formed by lithography, comprising a plurality of recessed trenches and having properties such as hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity; A thin wire of rice is disposed in the recessed trench to form a plurality of optical waveguide elements, the optical waveguide component comprising at least one optical coupling region, the optical coupling region being located at a junction of the optical waveguide component.

Furthermore, the soft film substrate is a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material, preferably polydimethylsiloxane, polycarbonate, or polyvinyl chloride. , polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene.

In addition, the above micro-nanofine line comprises one of the following groups: bismuth, cerium oxide and high molecular polymer, and the diameter thereof ranges from 10 nm to 100 μm, and further, the above micro-nano wire further comprises at least one doping. The foreign matter, preferably one selected from the group consisting of a metal element, a luminescent molecule, and a luminescent atom, wherein the dopant has a property of making laser energy gain.

In a preferred embodiment of the present embodiment, the micro-nano-line optical component further comprises: a microstructure formed on a surface of the flexible film substrate to reduce the adsorption force between the soft film substrate and the micro-nano wire (adhesion) The above microstructure may preferably be a granular structure or a columnar structure or other protruding structure.

In another preferred embodiment of the present embodiment, the micro-nano-line optical component further includes: a package structure for encapsulating the micro-nano wire in the recessed trench, wherein the package structure is thermally cured ( Thermal curing) The formation of materials or uv-curing materials.

A second embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for fabricating a patterned micro-nano-line optical component, comprising the following steps:

First, a lithography process is performed to form a micro-nano pattern on the surface of the flexible film substrate, wherein the micro-nano pattern comprises a plurality of configurations and preferably has properties such as hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity. Next, a micro-nano thin line is provided, and the micro-nano thin line is correspondingly arranged in combination with the above configuration to form a plurality of optical waveguide elements, wherein the optical waveguide element comprises an optical coupling region, wherein the optical coupling region is located in the plurality of optical regions The junction between the waveguide elements.

Wherein, the above lithography program can be selected from one of the following groups: photolithography, electron beam lithography, laser direct writing lithography, optics Optical interference lithography and nano imprint lithography.

In a preferred embodiment of the present embodiment, when the configuration is a planar structure, the micro-nano wires are disposed above the configurations; when the configuration is an in-situ structure, the micro-nano lines are set. In the interior of the configurations; when the configuration is a convex structure, the micro-nano wires are disposed on the sides of the configurations.

In another comparative example of the embodiment, the lithography process comprises the steps of first performing an exposure development process for forming a master film having a transfer pattern thereon. Next, a soft film polymer is provided which is a liquid film substrate as described above, and the above soft film polymer is applied to the surface of the mother film, followed by a curing process for curing the above soft film polymer and forming a pattern corresponding to the transfer film The soft film substrate of the micro-nano pattern. Finally, a mold turning process is performed to separate the soft film substrate from the surface of the mother film. The master film comprises one of the following groups or any combination thereof: a silicon-based substrate, a polydimethylsiloxane, a high molecular polymer, and a glass substrate.

In a further example of the embodiment, the manufacturing method further comprises: a packaging process, wherein the micro-nano wire is combined with the above-mentioned configuration package by using a packaging material, wherein the encapsulation material is a thermal curing material or light. Curing (uv-curing) material.

In the preferred embodiment of the embodiment, the manufacturing method further includes: providing a manipulation tool, wherein the manipulation tool comprises: a tungsten needle and a four-axis micro-motion platform with four degrees of freedom of X, Y, Z, and θx. Wherein, the tungsten needle is used for contacting the moving micro-nano wire, and the four-axis micro-motion platform is connected with the tungsten needle for moving the tungsten needle so that the tungsten needle moves the micro-nano wire correspondingly to the above configuration. In addition, the above preferred examples further comprise providing an interface agent for reducing the adhesion force of the soft film substrate and the micro-nano wire, so that the tungsten needle moves the micro-nano wire, wherein the interface agent has a high volatilization The liquid of the nature, preferably ethanol.

On the other hand, the soft film substrate can be a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material, preferably polydimethylsiloxane, polycarbonate, or poly. Vinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene.

In addition, the above micro-nanofine line comprises one of the following groups: bismuth, cerium oxide and high molecular polymer, and the diameter thereof ranges from 10 nm to 100 μm, and further, the above micro-nano wire further comprises at least one doping. The foreign matter, preferably one selected from the group consisting of a metal element, a luminescent molecule, and a luminescent atom, wherein the dopant has a property of making laser energy gain.

The foregoing description is directed to the material of the soft film substrate, the micro-nanofine wire, the dopant, and the mother film, and is not intended to limit the present invention.

Fan Example 1

Step I: Performing a lithography process, comprising: Step IA and Step IB, as shown in Figures 1a to 1d, for forming at least one micro-nano pattern 21 on the surface of a soft film substrate 2, the micro-nano The pattern 21 includes a plurality of recessed trenches, wherein the cross-section of the recessed trenches can be square, circular, V-shaped, polygonal or any other shape. This example is exemplified by a square.

Step IA: performing an exposure development process for forming a mother film 1 having a surface containing at least one transfer pattern 111, comprising: step i and step ii.

Step i: mixing negative photoresist SU8-2010 (MicroChem) and negative photoresist SU8-2005 (MicroChem) at a rotating coating station at 500 rpm and for 5 seconds, and mixing the negative photoresist A coating method of 3000 rpm and a duration of 30 seconds was applied to the surface of the substrate 10 by spin coating of a photoresist having a thickness of 5 μm.

Step ii: The above-mentioned 5 micron photoresist 11 was subjected to soft baking at a temperature of 95 ° C for 3 minutes, and then exposed to an exposure light source 8 at a temperature of 95 ° C for 3 minutes, followed by development for 1 minute. Then, a hard baking was carried out at a temperature of 95 ° C for 5 minutes, thereby obtaining a mother film 1 having a transfer pattern 111 comprising a ring-shaped convex structure 111A and a linear convex structure 111B, such as Figure 2 shows.

Step IB, forming at least one micro-nano pattern 21 on the surface of a flexible film substrate 2, comprising: step iii and step iv, wherein the micro-nano pattern 21 comprises an annular recessed trench 21A and a linear shape Trap 21B.

Step iii: performing a coating process of applying a soft film polymer (not shown) to the surface of the mother film 1 having the transfer pattern 111, followed by a curing process for heating and curing the soft film polymer (not And forming a soft film substrate 2 comprising a micro-nano pattern 21 corresponding to the transfer pattern 111, wherein the soft film polymer (not shown) is a liquid soft film substrate: dimethyl decane ( Polydimethylsiloxane; PDMS, RTV184, Dow Corning 10:1).

Step iv: a mold-changing process is performed to separate the soft film substrate 2 from the surface of the mother film 1, as shown in Fig. 3. Further, the above soft film substrate is subjected to a cutting step.

Step II: Providing at least one micronite fine line 3.

Step III: performing an insertion process to place the micro-nano wire in the recessed groove by a manipulation tool, wherein the manipulation tool comprises a tungsten needle 4, a four-degree of freedom having X, Y, Z, and θx Four-axis micro-motion platform (not shown). The tungsten needle is connected to a four-axis micro-motion platform (not shown), and is moved by a four-axis micro-motion platform (not shown), and is brought into contact with the moving micro-nano wire 3 to move the micro-nano wire 3 into the annular inner groove. The groove 21A and the linear indentation groove 21B are as shown in Fig. 4.

In addition, the diameter of the micro-nano wire is about 2 micrometers, and the radius of curvature of the tungsten needle 4 is also about 2 micrometers, wherein the tungsten needle 4 can adjust the curvature by: two potassium hydroxides having a concentration of 2M. The tungsten needle 4 and a circular graphite electrode (not shown) are respectively placed in a solution vessel (not shown), and a positive electrode is formed by the positive electrode, and the graphite electrode (not shown) is formed. For a negative electrode, the tungsten needle 4 is subjected to a redox reaction to form a partially free metal ion at a voltage of 10 volts, thereby being tapered, and controlled by a Z-axis (not shown) of the four-axis micro-motion platform. Thereby, tungsten needles 4 of various curvature radii are obtained. On the other hand, the adsorption force between the micro-nanofine wire 3 and the soft film substrate 2 during operation causes the tungsten needle 4 to be difficult to move the micro-nano wire 3, so that the surface of the soft film substrate 2 is highly volatile. Purity alcohol (not shown) is used to reduce the above adsorption force.

Step IV: performing a packaging process, using a package material (not shown) to encapsulate the micro-nano wire 3 in the annular recessed trench 21A and the linear recessed trench 21B, thereby completing the above-mentioned graphic micro Production of nanowire optical element 7.

Example 2

Referring to FIG. 5, a tapered fiber coupler 5A and a tapered fiber coupler 5B are provided, and the red light 6 generated by the krypton laser is guided in an evanescent wave manner to the micro-nano pattern 21. The micro-nano wire 3 is used to measure the specific penetration spectrum of the above-mentioned patterned micro-nano-line optical element 7, and the penetration coefficient, attenuation coefficient and coupling loss can be found by program simulation. The energy attenuation of the resonance spectrum of the patterned micro-nano-line optical element 7 can reach 7 dB.

Further, the tapered fiber coupler 5A and the tapered fiber coupler 5B are made of an FSU975 welding machine (not shown) of ERICSSON, Inc., which uses an electrode discharge to melt a standard single mode fiber (not shown). The single-mode optical fiber (not shown) is stretched and lengthened by a piezoelectric material-controlled translation stage (not shown), and then, through a multi-stage discharge process, thereby obtaining a tapered tip and a micronite fine line 3 The tapered fiber coupler 5A and the tapered fiber coupler 5B are similar in scale.

Obviously, many modifications and differences may be made to the invention in light of the above description. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention; all other equivalent changes or modifications which are not departing from the spirit of the present invention should be included in the following claims. Within the scope.

1. . . Master film

10. . . Bismuth substrate

11. . . Photoresist

111. . . Transfer pattern

111A. . . Annular raised structure

111B. . . Linear raised structure

2. . . Soft film substrate

twenty one. . . Micro-nano graphics

21A. . . Annular recessed trench

21B. . . Linear trap trench

3. . . Micro-nano thin line

4. . . Tungsten needle

5A. . . Cone fiber coupler

5B. . . Cone fiber coupler

6. . . Red light from the laser

7. . . Graphical micro-nano-line optics

8. . . Exposure light source

FIG. 1a is a schematic diagram of a lithography program disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 1b is a schematic diagram of a lithography program disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 1c is a schematic diagram of a lithography program disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 1d is a schematic diagram of a lithography program disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a transfer pattern disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a micro-nano diagram disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

4 is a schematic view of a patterned micro-nano-line optical component disclosed in Example 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the optical coupling of the patterned micro-nano-line optical component disclosed in Example 2 of the present invention.

2‧‧‧Soft film substrate

21‧‧‧micron graphics

3‧‧‧micron thin wire

5A‧‧‧Cone Fiber Coupler

5B‧‧‧Cone Fiber Coupler

6‧‧‧Red light from the laser

7‧‧‧Graphical micro-nano-line optics

Claims (31)

A patterned micro-nano-line optical component comprising: a soft film substrate having at least one hydrophilic or hydrophobic micro/nano-pattern on its surface, the micro-nano pattern comprising a plurality of invades a trench; and at least one micro-nano wire disposed in the recessed trenches for forming a plurality of optical waveguide components, the optical waveguide components comprising at least one optical coupling region, the optical coupling region Located at the junction of the optical waveguide elements. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the micro-nano pattern is formed by lithography. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the flexible film substrate is a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the soft film substrate is independently selected from one of the following groups or any combination thereof: polydimethyl siloxane, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, Polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, further comprising: at least one microstructure formed on a surface of the flexible film substrate for reducing the adsorption force of the soft film substrate and the micro-nanofine line (adhesion force) ). A patterned micro-nano-line optical element according to claim 5, wherein the microstructure is a granular structure, a columnar structure or other protruding structure. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the micro-nano thin line Contains one of the following groups: bismuth, cerium oxide and high molecular polymers. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the micro-nanowire has a diameter ranging from 10 nm to 100 μm. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, wherein the micro-nanofine line comprises at least one dopant, the dopant being independently selected from one of the following groups or any combination thereof: a metal element, The molecule of luminescence and the atom of luminescence. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 9, wherein the dopant has a property of making a laser energy gain. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 1, further comprising: a package structure for encapsulating the micro-nano wire in the recessed trench. The patterned micro-nano-line optical component of claim 11, wherein the encapsulation structure is formed of a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material. A method for fabricating a patterned micro-nano-line optical component, comprising the steps of: a lithography process for forming at least one hydrophilic or hydrophobic micro-nano pattern on a surface of a flexible film substrate, the micro-nano The graphic comprises a plurality of configurations comprising one of the following groups or any combination thereof: a planar structure, an indented structure and a raised structure; and providing at least one micro-nanofine line, the micro-nano-fine line correspondingly combining the structures Forming and forming a plurality of optical waveguide elements, the optical waveguide elements comprising at least one optical coupling region located at a junction of the optical waveguide elements. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the lithography process is selected from one of the following groups: photolithography, electron beam lithography, and laser direct writing lithography ( Laser direct write lithography), optical interference lithography and nano imprint lithography. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the lithography process comprises the following steps: an exposure developing process for forming a mother film having a surface comprising at least one transfer pattern; providing a soft film polymer which is liquid a soft film substrate; a coating process for coating the soft film polymer on the surface of the mother film; a curing process for curing the soft film polymer and forming the micro-nano pattern corresponding to the transfer pattern The soft film substrate; and a mold changing process, separating the soft film substrate from the surface of the mother film. The method of claim 15, wherein the master film comprises one of the following groups or any combination thereof: a silicon-based substrate, a glass substrate, a polydimethylsiloxane, and a high molecular polymer. . The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the configuration is a planar structure, and the micro-nano wires are disposed above the configurations. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the configuration is an indentation structure, and the micro-nano wires are disposed inside the configurations. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the configuration is a convex structure, and the micro-nano wires are disposed on sides of the configurations. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the soft film substrate is a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material. The method of claim 13, wherein the soft film substrate is independently selected from one of the following groups or any combination thereof: polydimethyl siloxane, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate Diester, polystyrene. The method of claim 13, wherein the micronite filament comprises one of the following groups or any combination thereof: ruthenium, ruthenium dioxide, and a high molecular polymer. The manufacturing method of claim 13, wherein the micro-nano wire has a diameter ranging from 10 nm to 100 μm. The method of claim 13, wherein the micro-nanofine line comprises at least one dopant independently selected from one of the following groups or any combination thereof: a metal element, a luminescent molecule, and a luminescent atom . The method of manufacturing of claim 24, wherein the dopant has a property of making a laser energy gain. The manufacturing method of claim 13, further comprising: a packaging process, using the encapsulating material to bond the micro-nano wires with the configuration packages. The method of manufacturing of claim 26, wherein the encapsulating material is a thermal curing material or a uv-curing material. The manufacturing method of claim 13, further comprising: providing an interface agent for reducing the adhesion force of the soft film substrate and the micro-nanofine wire. The method of claim 28, wherein the interface agent is a volatile liquid. The method of claim 28, wherein the interface agent comprises: ethanol or an aqueous solution thereof. The manufacturing method of claim 28, further comprising: providing a manipulation tool, the manipulation tool comprising: a tungsten needle for contacting and moving the micro-nano wire; and a four-axis micro-motion platform connecting the tungsten needle, the four-axis The micro-motion platform is configured to move the tungsten needle such that the tungsten needle moves the micro-nano thin wire correspondingly to the configurations, wherein the four-axis micro-motion platform has four degrees of freedom of X, Y, Z, and θx.