WO2006081606A1 - Composante optique et procédé de fixation - Google Patents

Composante optique et procédé de fixation Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2006081606A1
WO2006081606A1 PCT/AU2006/000099 AU2006000099W WO2006081606A1 WO 2006081606 A1 WO2006081606 A1 WO 2006081606A1 AU 2006000099 W AU2006000099 W AU 2006000099W WO 2006081606 A1 WO2006081606 A1 WO 2006081606A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
optical component
optical
accordance
bonding medium
barrier
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2006/000099
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Douglas Ritchie Harvey
Original Assignee
Redfern Integrated Optics Pty Ltd
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 Redfern Integrated Optics Pty Ltd filed Critical Redfern Integrated Optics Pty Ltd
Publication of WO2006081606A1 publication Critical patent/WO2006081606A1/fr

Links

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
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
    • 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
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
    • G02B6/3632—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/3636—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means the mechanical coupling means being grooves
    • 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 optical components including, but not limited to, optical components used in fiber-optic communications networks.
  • Optical components are an integral part of any optical-fiber-based communications network.
  • optical components include lasers, modulators, attenuators, multiplexers, splitters, amplifiers, lenses and fiber array blocks.
  • Planar optical components are devices in which an optical function is implemented on a planar substrate, such as a wafer of silicon, lithium niobate, or indium phosphide, rather than in an optical fiber.
  • a planar substrate with the optical function implemented on it is referred to herein as a planar lightwave cuicuit (PLC).
  • PLC planar lightwave cuicuit
  • hybrid integration The process of aligning and attaching together optical components and building the components into one package is often referred to as hybrid integration.
  • a challenge of hybrid integration is to form permanent joints between the optical components which are mechanically-strong and stable over a 10-20 year period and produce minimal optical losses.
  • a common attachment method is to align two optical components together end-to-end and apply an epoxy at points along the edge of the interface between the optical components.
  • Epoxy has been found to be mechanically strong and stable. Unfortunately, epoxy tends to attenuate any optical power passing through it and the attenuation varies with wavelength due to the optical absorption spectrum of the epoxy. Also, the optical attenuation of an epoxy joint can increase over time due to chemical degradation of the epoxy, particularly where the optical power is sufficient to heat the joint.
  • One approach to solving this problem has been to develop special amine-based epoxies which have low optical absorption. However, such epoxies tend to absorb water over time which affects the mechanical and optical properties. Also, the mechanical strength of such epoxies is not as high as those selected for mechanical properties alone. Summary of the Invention
  • an optical component having an optical path and an external surface which includes an access region for accessing the optical path, the external surface being suitable to be attached to another surface using a bonding medium applied to a portion of the surface, the external surface including a barrier arranged to reduce spreading of bonding medium to the access region from the portion of the surface.
  • the barrier may comprise a physical barrier, such as a depression or a raised portion and the bonding medium may comprise an epoxy resin.
  • the barrier comprises a depression
  • the spread of bonding medium tends to halt at the depression rather than spreading onto the access region.
  • the depression may be in the form of one or more trenches formed in the external face between the access region and the portion where the bonding medium is applied.
  • an epoxy can be selected from the point of view of maximising mechanical strength and stability, rather than minimising optical absorption.
  • the optical path may comprise a waveguide on a planar substrate.
  • the optical component comprises a PLC and the access region comprises an exposed portion of a waveguide core in the PLC.
  • the optical component comprises a fiber array block.
  • the optical component comprises optics and a substrate on which optics are mounted.
  • a method of creating a hybrid-integrated optical device comprising two optical components bonded together with a bonding medium, each optical component having an optical path and an external surface which includes an access region for accessing the optical path, the external surface of a first of the components including a barrier arranged to reduce spread of bonding medium to the access region from the portion of the surface, comprising the steps:
  • a method of forming an optical component having an external surface arranged to be attached to another surface using a bonding medium, the external surface having an access region for accessing an optical path in the optical component comprising:
  • the barrier being arranged to reduce spread of bonding medium to the access region when applied to a portion of the surface away from the access region.
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a first optical component (at left) in accordance with the invention, prior to being attached to another optical component (at right).
  • Figure 2 is a side view of the optical components shown in Fig. 1.
  • Figure 3 is a plan view of the optical components shown in Fig. 1 after epoxy resin has been applied to the gap between components.
  • Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 1, showing the flow of epoxy around a depression.
  • an optical assembly 10 to be attached together comprises a first optical component 20 and a second optical component 30.
  • Each of the optical components 20, 30 are in the form of a planar substrate upon which optics are mounted.
  • the first optical component 20 comprises a first substrate 40 (composed of aluminium nitride) upon which a semiconductor laser diode 50 is mounted and the second optical component 30 comprises a
  • PLC in the form of a second substrate 60 (composed of silicon) upon which a silica-based waveguide 70 is formed.
  • the aim is to position the optical components 30, 40 edge-to- edge, leaving a small gap 80 between substrates, into which a bonding medium such as an epoxy resin can flow so as to form a mechanically-strong and stable butt-coupled joint.
  • a bonding medium such as an epoxy resin
  • barriers in the form of depressions 90 are formed in an edge of the first substrate 40 on either side of the laser diode 50.
  • the first step of the attachment process is to position the optical components 20,30 such that access regions 100,110 of the optics are aligned directly opposite each other within allowable tolerances.
  • the access region 100 of the laser diode 50 is in the form of an output facet and the access region 110 of the waveguide 70 is in the form of a polished end-face of the silica-based waveguide.
  • the optics 50, 70 are actively aligned by using the diode laser 50 to generate optical power and adjusting positions of the respective substrates 40, 60 whilst monitoring the amount of optical power coupling into . the waveguide 70 and exiting at the output end 120 of the waveguide.
  • epoxy resin 130 is then applied in liquid form to the gap 80 between substrates once the substrates are positioned relative to each other within allowable tolerances.
  • the epoxy 130 is applied at points as indicated by arrows 140 using a microspatula, fiber or an electronic fluid-dispensing syringe system.
  • the epoxy 130 tends to naturally spread or "wick" along the gap 80 by capilliary action, but is prevented from reaching the access regions 100,110 by the depressions 90 in the edge of the first substrate. Once the epoxy has been applied, it is a matter of keeping the substrates 40,60 in a stable position until the epoxy sets.
  • the epoxy 130 can be prevented from spreading beyond the depressions 90 onto the access regions by selecting appropriate values of the following parameters: - volume of applied epoxy; - dimensions of the depression; and
  • Each depression 90 need to be deep enough such that capillary action of the epoxy 130 is prevented in the depression.
  • the first substrate 40 is 760 ⁇ m thick and 7 mm wide, while the second substrate 60 is 700 ⁇ m thick and 5 mm wide.
  • the depressions are positioned 3 mm in from the outer corners of the first substrate.
  • the epoxy in this case has a viscosity of 500 to 700 cps and the gap between substrates (also referred to as the "bondline”) is 20 ⁇ 10 ⁇ m wide.
  • Each depression comprises a trench with a semi-circular profile running along the full thickness of the first substrate 40!
  • the depressions have a radius of 191 ⁇ m and can be formed in the substrate by laser cutting or ultrasonic machining.
  • the epoxy is applied gradually until it adequately fills the gap without flowing beyond the depressions 90 into the access regions. For different bondline and epoxy viscosity values, the depth and width of the depression need to be adjusted.
  • Fig. 4 there is shown a more detailed view of one of the depressions 90. It can be seen that although the epoxy 130 has not spread past the depression 90 to either of the access regions 100,110, there is a small quantity 150 of epoxy which projects slightly over the depression forming a generally-triangular profile which is referred to herein as a "fillet" of epoxy. Surface tension in the epoxy limits the distance the fillet can project over the depression. The width of each depression (indicated by arrow 160) should be at least as great as the width (indicated by arrow 170) of the epoxy fillet 150.
  • the depression width 160 is at least twice the value of the fillet width 170 to provide the option of making an adjustment to the substrate alignment after application of the epoxy.
  • Another application of the invention is in fiber array blocks, where it is undesirable for the bonding medium to flow onto the ends of the optical fibers.
  • trenches are formed in the fiber array block between the fiber ends and the point at which the bonding medium is applied.
  • the invention is not limited to the combinations of optical component described above.
  • the bonding medium disclosed in the above example is an epoxy resin
  • the invention can be used with any bonding medium which is applied in a liquid state. More than two depressions can be provided to reduce the flow of epoxy even further, particularly when a small bondline is required. For example, two or three depressions can be provided on each side of the access region. Another option is to provide depressions in both of the optical components being attached together.

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

Abstract

L’invention permet d’utiliser l’époxy (130) pour fixer ensemble des composantes optiques (40, 60) tout en réduisant ou en empêchant l’écoulement d’époxy dans le trajet optique (110). On emploie des dépressions (90) comme des tranchées pour constituer une barrière à l’écoulement d’époxy. Ainsi, on peut sélectionner des époxys en fonction de leur résistance mécanique optimale plutôt que de leurs propriétés optiques. Les dépressions (90) sont formées dans l’un ou les deux dispositifs optiques au niveau de l’interface adjacente au trajet optique (100, 110). Les applications englobent l’accouplement bout à bout d’un contrôleur PLC avec un autre dispositif plan, comme un laser à diode (50) ou un bloc matriciel à fibres (70).
PCT/AU2006/000099 2005-02-04 2006-01-27 Composante optique et procédé de fixation WO2006081606A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US64962005P 2005-02-04 2005-02-04
US60/649,620 2005-02-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2006081606A1 true WO2006081606A1 (fr) 2006-08-10

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Family Applications (1)

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PCT/AU2006/000099 WO2006081606A1 (fr) 2005-02-04 2006-01-27 Composante optique et procédé de fixation

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2006081606A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8836100B2 (en) 2009-12-01 2014-09-16 Cisco Technology, Inc. Slotted configuration for optimized placement of micro-components using adhesive bonding
JP6462833B1 (ja) * 2017-11-16 2019-01-30 株式会社フジクラ フェルール構造体及びフェルール構造体の製造方法
CN114675379A (zh) * 2022-02-22 2022-06-28 北京大学长三角光电科学研究院 面向硅光芯片端面封装的fa结构设计及封装方法

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0506003A1 (fr) * 1991-03-28 1992-09-30 Munekata Co. Ltd. Embout pour fibres optiques
JP2001024268A (ja) * 1999-07-05 2001-01-26 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 半導体レーザ装置
US20020003933A1 (en) * 2000-03-16 2002-01-10 Sherrer David W. Fiber array with wick-stop trench for improved fiber positioning
JP2004109243A (ja) * 2002-09-13 2004-04-08 Fujikura Ltd 光コネクタ用フェルール

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0506003A1 (fr) * 1991-03-28 1992-09-30 Munekata Co. Ltd. Embout pour fibres optiques
JP2001024268A (ja) * 1999-07-05 2001-01-26 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 半導体レーザ装置
US20020003933A1 (en) * 2000-03-16 2002-01-10 Sherrer David W. Fiber array with wick-stop trench for improved fiber positioning
JP2004109243A (ja) * 2002-09-13 2004-04-08 Fujikura Ltd 光コネクタ用フェルール

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 16 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2003, no. 12 *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8836100B2 (en) 2009-12-01 2014-09-16 Cisco Technology, Inc. Slotted configuration for optimized placement of micro-components using adhesive bonding
US10175448B2 (en) 2009-12-01 2019-01-08 Cisco Technology, Inc. Slotted configuration for optimized placement of micro-components using adhesive bonding
JP6462833B1 (ja) * 2017-11-16 2019-01-30 株式会社フジクラ フェルール構造体及びフェルール構造体の製造方法
WO2019097777A1 (fr) * 2017-11-16 2019-05-23 株式会社フジクラ Structure de ferrule
JP2019090974A (ja) * 2017-11-16 2019-06-13 株式会社フジクラ フェルール構造体及びフェルール構造体の製造方法
CN111279238A (zh) * 2017-11-16 2020-06-12 株式会社藤仓 插芯构造体
US11448834B2 (en) 2017-11-16 2022-09-20 Fujikura Ltd. Ferrule structure
CN114675379A (zh) * 2022-02-22 2022-06-28 北京大学长三角光电科学研究院 面向硅光芯片端面封装的fa结构设计及封装方法

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