WO2004081629A1 - Alignement actif d'une fibre et d'un module optique - Google Patents

Alignement actif d'une fibre et d'un module optique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004081629A1
WO2004081629A1 PCT/GB2004/000972 GB2004000972W WO2004081629A1 WO 2004081629 A1 WO2004081629 A1 WO 2004081629A1 GB 2004000972 W GB2004000972 W GB 2004000972W WO 2004081629 A1 WO2004081629 A1 WO 2004081629A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
optic
fibre
carrier
chip
alignment
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2004/000972
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Antony Oldroyd
Philip Pentney
Nadhum Zayer
Original Assignee
Bookham Technology Plc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bookham Technology Plc filed Critical Bookham Technology Plc
Publication of WO2004081629A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004081629A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
    • G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
    • G02B6/4219—Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor
    • G02B6/4236—Fixing or mounting methods of the aligned elements
    • G02B6/4239—Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
    • G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
    • G02B6/4219—Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor
    • G02B6/422—Active alignment, i.e. moving the elements in response to the detected degree of coupling or position of the elements
    • G02B6/4225—Active alignment, i.e. moving the elements in response to the detected degree of coupling or position of the elements by a direct measurement of the degree of coupling, e.g. the amount of light power coupled to the fibre or the opto-electronic element

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a technique for actively aligning an optic fibre with an optical element defined in an optic chip, for which a relatively high degree of precision is required.
  • the technique of active alignment involves adjusting the alignment of an optic fibre with respect to an optic element whilst transmitting light between the optic element and the optic fibre, and fixing the position of the optic fibre on the basis of measurements of the degree of optical coupling as the alignment of the fibre is adjusted.
  • the present invention provides a method of actively aligning an optic fibre with an optic element defined in an optic chip supported on a carrier, wherein the active alignment process is carried out with the fibre held in molten glass on the carrier, and the glass is solidified at the end of the active alignment process to fix the fibre in the desired alignment with respect to the optic element.
  • a method of optically coupling an optic fibre to an optic element defined in an optic chip including the steps of: (a) providing the optic chip on a carrier, (b) holding the fibre in molten glass on the carrier in an alignment in which light can be transmitted between the optic fibre and the optic element; (c) moving the fibre in the molten glass so as to adjust the alignment of the optic fibre with the optic element whilst transmitting light between the optic element and the optic fibre, and making measurements of the degree of optical coupling between the fibre and optic element as the fibre is so moved; and (d) solidifying the glass with the optic fibre in an alignment selected on the basis of said measurements.
  • the optic chip is a laser chip.
  • the technique of the present invention is also applicable to the coupling of optic fibres to other types of optic chips such as those including passive elements such as an optical waveguide leading to a plurality of photodiodes via, for example, a wavelength dispersive elements such as an array waveguide grating (AWG).
  • AWG array waveguide grating
  • a method of optically coupling an optic fibre to a light-emitting device defined in an optic chip including the steps of: (a) providing the optic chip on a carrier, (b) holding the fibre in molten glass on the carrier in an alignment in which light can be transmitted between the light-emitting device and the optic fibre; (c) moving the fibre in the molten glass so as to adjust the alignment of the optic fibre with the light- emitting device whilst operating the light-emitting device to transmit light between
  • optical coupling between the light-emitting device and the fibre as the fibre is so moved ; and (d) solidifying the glass with the optic fibre in an alignment selected on the basis of said measurements; wherein the alignment of the optic fibre at the time of solidifying is selected taking into account the temperature to which the light-emitting device is. exposed during its operation in step (c).
  • glass Whilst glass is known as a hermetic sealant, the inventors have found that it is also good for fixing and maintaining the alignment of an optic fibre to a relatively high degree of precision in an active alignment technique. It has been observed that the small movement upon freezing is relatively consistent and reproducible compared to that of solder, which small and reproducible movement is good for achieving good optical coupling between the optic chip and the fibre without the need for multiple re- freezes. Also, it has been observed that glass does not suffer from long term "creep" effect, whereby large changes in optical coupling efficiency over time can be avoided.
  • the alignment technique of the present invention is useful for example for coupling the output of a laser chip, particularly a single mode output, with an optic fibre, particularly single mode optic fibre.
  • the optic fibre is aligned for receiving light from a side edge of the optic chip (i.e. an edge where the chip has been diced from a wafer during its production), which side edge may have been polished or otherwise finished to improve the coupling efficiency.
  • the optic fibre thus receives light propagated in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the layers of the optic chip are
  • the alignment technique of the present invention is particularly useful, for example, for cases where the alignment is carried out to sub-micron precision, such as when the optic chip and the optic fibre are of a type wherein a 0.5dB coupling loss results from a deviation as little as 0.3 microns or less.
  • the carrier is housed in a package, and a hermetic seal is provided between the fibre and the package at the fibre entry point so as to provide a hermetically sealed environment for the carrier/optic chip.
  • the present invention also provides a carrier for an optic chip, wherein the carrier is made of a material having a thermal conductivity no less than that of aluminium nitride.
  • the present invention also provides a carrier for mounting an optic chip on a first portion of a first surface thereof and including a heater at a second portion of said first surface for melting a material used to fix a fibre in a position aligned with the output of the optic chip, wherein the carrier defines slots for controlling the transfer of heat generated by the heater to the optic chip; the slots including a first slot extending downwards from said first surface and dividing said first and second portions of the first surface, and a second slot below the heater.
  • The-slots ⁇ are-o cupied ⁇ by ⁇ a" ⁇ aOuum carrier/optic chip is housed or by another material of relatively low thermal conductivity compared to the carrier material.
  • the present invention also provides a combination of a carrier as described above with an optic chip mounted thereon.
  • Figure 1 shows an optic chip/carrier assembly for use in an embodiment of the technique of the present invention
  • Figure 2 shows a glass pre-form for use in an embodiment of the technique of the present invention
  • Figure 3 shows the carrier of Figure 1 with an optic fibre held in molten glass on the carrier according to an embodiment of the technique of the present invention
  • Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an optic fibre held on the carrier within a solidified glass fillet at the end of an active alignment technique according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the carrier/optic chip in a hermetically sealed housing after the alignment process is completed.
  • an optical laser chip 4 is mounted on a carrier 2 made of a material selected for good dissipation of heat away from the laser chip during its normal operation.
  • a carrier 2 made of a material selected for good dissipation of heat away from the laser chip during its normal operation.
  • An example of a suitable material is
  • an optic fibre 12 stripped of its protective claddings is placed on the carrier with its end roughly aligned with the end of the laser chip, and an arch-shaped (horseshoe-shaped) low temperature melting glass pre-form 14a is positioned on the carrier over the optic fibre 12 at a location (area marked 18 in Figure 1) slightly spaced from the end of the laser chip by a vertical slot 6 cut into the carrier 2.
  • the shape of the glass pre-form 14a is selected such that when appropriately heated it collapses over the fibre forming a well-shaped fillet to attach the fibre to the carrier.
  • the glass pre-form 14a is controllably melted by heat provided through the carrier 2 from a resistive heater strip 10 (the associated circuitry is not shown in the figures) provided on a portion of the surface of the carrier 2 adjacent to where the glass preform 14a is located. Positioning the glass pre-form 14a on a portion of the carrier adjacent the heater strip such that the glass pre-form is only indirectly heated by the heater strip via the transfer of heat therefrom through the carrier allows better control of the melting of the glass perform 14a.
  • the heater strip may for example be made.of tantalum nitride.
  • the melted glass pre-form 14a forms a molten glass fillet 14b around the optic fibre within which the optic fibre can be moved.
  • the laser chip is then operated and the power of the light transmitted from the laser through the optic fibre is measured at a light detector 16.
  • the optic fibre is then moved within the molten glass fillet 14b to
  • optimum alignment of the end of the optic fibre relative to the laser chip is determined on the basis of the power levels measured at the light detector as the alignment of the end of the optic fibre is adjusted.
  • the molten glass fillet 14b is then cooled and solidified after first incorporating an offset into the alignment of the optic fibre within the molten glass fillet to take into account (a) the unavoidable movement of the fibre accompanying the solidification of the glass fillet and also (b) the fact that the laser is operated during the alignment procedure at a temperature higlier than that of normal operation as a result of the relatively large amount of heat (350°C) needed to melt the glass fillet.
  • the size of the offset is determined experimentally for a given set of repeatedly reproducible process conditions.
  • a thermally conductive material is selected for the carrier with a view to dissipating heat away from the laser chip during its normal operation.
  • a vertical slot 6 is formed in the carrier between the portion of the carrier on which the laser chip is located and the portion of the chip on. which the glass fillet and heater strip are located.
  • a horizontal slot 8 is- formed in a portion of the carrier underlying the heater strip 10 for the primary purpose of reducing the transfer of heat from the heater strip through the base of the structure and avoiding excess heating of any elements in that path, such as solder joints, and a thermoelectric cooler if such is provided for use during normal operation of the laser chip.
  • the horizontal slot is also effective in improving the efficiency of the heater strip at heating the glass pre-form and hence reducing the heater current required to melt the glass perform.. This is good for heater strip reliability.
  • Figure 5 shows the carrier/optic chip housed in a hermetically sealed package 19 after the alignment process is completed.
  • the package includes a base 21 and a lid 20,. and a hermetic seal 22 is provided between the base and lid, and between the fibre and the base and lid at the point of fibre entry.
  • the package may be closed under vacuum conditions or in an atmosphere of an inert gas to provide a suitable environment for the optic chip. Either way, the slots 6, 8 are thus occupied by a material having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the carrier material.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un procédé d'alignement actif d'une fibre et d'un élément optique consistant en une puce électronique montée sur un support, par exemple de nitrure d'aluminium, comportant des fentes favorisant les transferts thermiques. Pour effectuer l'alignement, la fibre est placée dans du verre fondu sur le support, puis en fin d'opération, on laisse le verre se solidifier pour placer la fibre dans l'alignement désiré par rapport à l'élément optique.
PCT/GB2004/000972 2003-03-14 2004-03-11 Alignement actif d'une fibre et d'un module optique WO2004081629A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0305890.6 2003-03-14
GB0305890A GB0305890D0 (en) 2003-03-14 2003-03-14 Active alignment technique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004081629A1 true WO2004081629A1 (fr) 2004-09-23

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2004/000972 WO2004081629A1 (fr) 2003-03-14 2004-03-11 Alignement actif d'une fibre et d'un module optique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB0305890D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2004081629A1 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008011525A1 (de) * 2008-02-27 2009-09-10 Jenoptik Laserdiode Gmbh Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Lichttransmissionsanordnung und Lichttransmissionsanordnung
CN103018854A (zh) * 2012-12-19 2013-04-03 武汉电信器件有限公司 光电子器件的光纤准确对准固定结构及其对准固定方法
CN107442931A (zh) * 2017-06-30 2017-12-08 中山诺顿科研技术服务有限公司 一种结构简单的光纤自动切割装置
EP2507830A4 (fr) * 2009-12-01 2018-01-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. Configuration à fentes permettant un placement optimisé de microcomposants à l'aide d'une liaison adhésive
CN111474642A (zh) * 2019-09-06 2020-07-31 南通赛勒光电科技有限公司 一种耦合对准结构及方法

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4865410A (en) * 1988-01-25 1989-09-12 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Decoupled fiber optic feedthrough assembly
EP0579439A1 (fr) * 1992-07-16 1994-01-19 AT&T Corp. Article comprenant un laser couplé avec une fibre optique
US6074104A (en) * 1997-04-18 2000-06-13 Nec Corporation Method for hermetically sealing optical fiber introducing section and hermetically sealed structure
US20020081075A1 (en) * 2000-11-29 2002-06-27 The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Method for aligning laser diode and optical fiber
US20030026557A1 (en) * 2001-06-28 2003-02-06 Roberto Galeotti Optical bench for an opto-electronic device

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4865410A (en) * 1988-01-25 1989-09-12 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Decoupled fiber optic feedthrough assembly
EP0579439A1 (fr) * 1992-07-16 1994-01-19 AT&T Corp. Article comprenant un laser couplé avec une fibre optique
US6074104A (en) * 1997-04-18 2000-06-13 Nec Corporation Method for hermetically sealing optical fiber introducing section and hermetically sealed structure
US20020081075A1 (en) * 2000-11-29 2002-06-27 The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Method for aligning laser diode and optical fiber
US20030026557A1 (en) * 2001-06-28 2003-02-06 Roberto Galeotti Optical bench for an opto-electronic device

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008011525A1 (de) * 2008-02-27 2009-09-10 Jenoptik Laserdiode Gmbh Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Lichttransmissionsanordnung und Lichttransmissionsanordnung
EP2507830A4 (fr) * 2009-12-01 2018-01-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. Configuration à fentes permettant un placement optimisé de microcomposants à l'aide d'une liaison adhésive
US10175448B2 (en) 2009-12-01 2019-01-08 Cisco Technology, Inc. Slotted configuration for optimized placement of micro-components using adhesive bonding
CN103018854A (zh) * 2012-12-19 2013-04-03 武汉电信器件有限公司 光电子器件的光纤准确对准固定结构及其对准固定方法
CN107442931A (zh) * 2017-06-30 2017-12-08 中山诺顿科研技术服务有限公司 一种结构简单的光纤自动切割装置
CN111474642A (zh) * 2019-09-06 2020-07-31 南通赛勒光电科技有限公司 一种耦合对准结构及方法

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