WO2018168354A1

WO2018168354A1 - Optical fiber component

Info

Publication number: WO2018168354A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/005961
Authority: WO
Inventors: 新海　正博; 亮平福▲崎▼; 長瀬　健司; 裕三佐藤; 小巻　壮; 基博中原; 修司田地; 哲雄宮
Original assignee: Tdk株式会社
Priority date: 2017-03-14
Filing date: 2018-02-20
Publication date: 2018-09-20
Also published as: JP2018151571A; TW201837515A

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, an optical fiber component 2 is provided with: a holding member 23 which holds an optical fiber 26 so that an end surface 26A of the optical fiber 26 is disposed on an end surface 23A side of the holding member 23, the optical fiber 26 extending from an end surface 23B side of the holding member 23; a reinforcing member 24 disposed in the extension direction D1 of the optical fiber 26 with respect to the holding member 23 and fixed to the holding member 23; and a bending restriction part 25 which is fixed to the reinforcing member 24 and protrudes further than the end surface 23B, and of which the protruding portion is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature that depends on the extension direction D1 of the optical fiber 26.

Description

Optical fiber parts

The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber component that connects an optical fiber to an optical circuit.

With the miniaturization of optical communication devices, a configuration is adopted in which an optical fiber connected to an optical circuit is bent and wired in a package. Therefore, a technique has been proposed for preventing the optical fiber connected to the optical circuit from being bent below the allowable curvature radius at which the polarization maintaining characteristic is deteriorated (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, a support surface is disposed outside a curved portion of an optical fiber, and the support surface and the optical fiber are fixed with an adhesive.

In Patent Document 1, since the optical fiber is fixed with an adhesive inside the support surface, if tensile stress is applied to the optical fiber due to other parts coming into contact with the optical fiber during assembly, the optical fiber is fixed with the adhesive. There is a possibility that the optical fiber is broken at the portion where the operation is not performed.

JP 2016-71025 A

This disclosure is intended to prevent disconnection of an optical fiber even when the optical fiber is connected to an optical circuit in a curved state.

The optical fiber component of the present disclosure is
An end face of the optical fiber is disposed at one end, and a holding member that holds the optical fiber so that the optical fiber extends at the other end;
A reinforcing member that is disposed in the extending direction of the optical fiber with respect to the holding member, and at least a part of which is fixed to the holding member;
At least a part is fixed to the reinforcing member, protrudes to the other end side of the holding member from the other end of the holding member, and the protruding portion is predetermined along the extending direction of the optical fiber. A bending restricting portion curved with a curved radius of curvature;
Is provided.

According to the present disclosure, when an optical fiber connected to an optical circuit is bent and wired in a package, an object is to prevent disconnection of the optical fiber during assembly.

1 shows a first schematic configuration of an optical fiber component according to a first embodiment. 2 shows a second schematic configuration of the optical fiber component according to the first embodiment. 3 shows a third schematic configuration of the optical fiber component according to the first embodiment. 4 shows a fourth schematic configuration of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 shows a fifth schematic configuration of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 1. 6 shows a sixth schematic configuration of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 1. 6 is a first example of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 2. It is a 2nd example of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a 3rd example of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a pickup figure of the reinforcement member and bending | flexion control part of the 3rd example of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a first example of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 6 is a top view, a side view, and a cross-sectional view showing a first example of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 3. 6 is a second example of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 6 is a top view, a side view, and a cross-sectional view showing a second example of an optical fiber component according to Embodiment 3. It is a 3rd example of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a 1st example of a connection with the optical circuit of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a 2nd connection example with the optical circuit of the optical fiber component which concerns on Embodiment 3. FIG.

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)
In FIG. 1, the 1st schematic structure of the optical fiber component which concerns on this embodiment is shown. The optical fiber component 2 according to the present embodiment is a member that connects the end face 26 A of the optical fiber 26 to the optical circuit 3. The optical circuit 3 is, for example, a photonic optical circuit (hereinafter referred to as an optical circuit) including an optical waveguide and an optical coupler. The optical fiber component 2 includes a holding member 23, a reinforcing member 24, and a bending restricting portion 25.

In the present disclosure, the end surface 26A of the optical fiber 26 is disposed on the end surface 23A that is one end of the holding member 23, and the optical fiber 26 extends in a curved manner on the end surface 23B that is the other end of the holding member 23. The extending direction of the optical fiber 26 is a specific direction in the circumferential direction of the optical fiber 26 on the end face 23B. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the end face 26A of the optical fiber 26 is connected to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3, the extending direction D1 of the optical fiber 26 is a direction along the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3.

The end surface 23A of the holding member 23 is joined to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3. It is preferable to use a light curable resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin for the bonding. It is preferable that the end surface 23 A of the holding member 23 and the end surface 24 A of the reinforcing member 24 are arranged on the same plane and joined to the upper surface 3 A of the optical circuit 3. Since the bonding area with the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3 is increased, the bonding strength can be reinforced. The reinforcing member 24 may be end-face polished together with the optical fiber 26 and the holding member 23 to which the optical fiber 26 is fixed.

The angle α formed between the optical axis at the end face 26A of the optical fiber 26 and the end face 23A of the holding member 23 is preferably not 90 °, thereby preventing attenuation due to reflection at the end face 26A. In addition, the angle α is preferably an angle matched to the light incident / exit direction from the optical circuit 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the end face 26A of the optical fiber 26 is connected to the end face 3B of the optical circuit, the extending direction D1 of the optical fiber 26 is a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper face 3A of the optical circuit 3.

The holding member 23 is a member that holds the optical fiber 26, and any optical component such as a capillary or a V-groove can be used. The side surface 26 C of the optical fiber 26 is covered with the holding member 23, whereby the holding member 23 holds the optical fiber 26. The end face 23A is fixed to the optical circuit 3, and the end face 26A of the optical fiber 26 is coupled to the optical waveguide or optical coupler of the optical circuit 3.

The reinforcing member 24 is disposed in the extending direction D1 of the optical fiber 26 with respect to the holding member 23. At least a part of the side surface 24 C of the reinforcing member 24 is fixed to the side surface 23 C of the holding member 23. The area where the reinforcing member 24 and the holding member 23 are fixed is preferably large, and is located on the entire side surface 23C of the holding member 23 located on the extending direction D1 side or on the opposite side to the extending direction D1. It is preferable that the entire side surface 24C of the reinforcing member 24 is fixed.

At least a part of the bending restricting portion 25 is fixed to the reinforcing member 24. For example, the bending restricting portion 25 is fixed to the side surface 24C or the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the bend restricting portion 25 is preferably fixed to the end surface 24 B of the reinforcing member 24 at the surface disposed on the optical circuit 3 side of the bend restricting portion 25.

The bending restricting portion 25 protrudes to the end surface 23B side of the holding member 23 from the end surface 23B of the holding member 23, and the protruding portion is provided with a curved surface 25A. The curved surface 25A is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature along the extending direction D1 of the optical fiber 26. The predetermined radius of curvature is a radius of curvature that can prevent the optical fiber 26 from being excessively bent and broken when the optical fiber 26 is pulled. For example, if the allowable bending radius of the optical fiber 26 is 30 mm, the predetermined bending radius of the curved surface 25A is 30 mm or more. The optical fiber 26 is preferably fixed to the bending restricting portion 25 with an adhesive.

The thermal expansion coefficient of the reinforcing member 24 is preferably equal to the thermal expansion coefficient of the holding member 23 from the viewpoint of temperature characteristics and long-term reliability. For example, the reinforcing member 24 is preferably made of the same material as the holding member 23. When the holding member 23 is a glass capillary, the reinforcing member 24 is preferably made of the same glass material as the holding member 23 or a ceramic material or a plastic material having a thermal expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the glass material.

The bending restricting portion 25 is preferably a separate member from the reinforcing member 24. For example, glass or plastic can be used. The thermal expansion coefficient of the bending restricting portion 25 is preferably equal to the thermal expansion coefficient of the reinforcing member. The bending restricting portion 25 and the reinforcing member 24 may be the same member. In this case, the bending restricting portion 25 and the reinforcing member 24 can be integrated and formed simultaneously.

1 and 2 show an example in which the end surface 23B of the holding member 23 and the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24 are arranged on the same plane, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when the end surface 26A of the optical fiber 26 is connected to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit, the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24 is closer to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3 than the end surface 23B of the holding member 23, as shown in FIG. It may be arranged. Further, when the end surface 26A of the optical fiber 26 is connected to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit, the end surface 23B of the holding member 23 is closer to the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3 than the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24, as shown in FIG. It may be arranged.

1 and 2, the bending restricting portion 25 has the same size as the end surface 23B of the holding member 23, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the bending restricting portion 25 may be smaller than the end surface 23 B of the holding member 23. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the bending restricting portion 25 may be larger than the end surface 23 B of the holding member 23. The shape of the bending restricting portion 25 is arbitrary, and may be a fan shape as shown in FIG. 3 or a semicircular shape as shown in FIG.

1 and 2 show an example in which the end surface 23A of the holding member 23 and the end surface 24A of the reinforcing member 24 are arranged on the same plane, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there may be a gap between the end surface 24 A of the reinforcing member 24 and the upper surface 3 A or the end surface 3 B of the optical circuit 3.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, even when the optical fiber 26 connected to the optical circuit 3 is bent and wired in the package, the convex surface 25A is arranged on the curved side of the optical fiber 26. Therefore, disconnection of the optical fiber 26 during assembly can be prevented. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the optical circuit 3, and the same effect can be obtained even when the optical fiber component 2 is connected to an arbitrary optical component.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 7 is a top view, a side view, and an AA ′ sectional view showing an example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment. The optical fiber component according to this embodiment includes a flat plate-shaped reinforcing member 24. For example, an adhesive is used to fix the holding member 23 and the reinforcing member 24.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which a capillary for holding a plurality of optical fibers 26 is used as the holding member 23 as an example. In FIG. 7, an example of an elliptical capillary holding four optical fibers 26 is shown, but the cross-sectional shape of the capillary is not limited to an elliptical shape, a circular shape or a D-shape obtained by cutting a part of the circular shape, A cross-sectional shape such as a rectangle or an ellipse may be used. The plurality of optical fiber insertion holes of the capillary may be radial or parallel to each other. Further, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the holding member 23 of this embodiment may use a V-groove that holds a plurality of optical fibers 26 as the holding member 23. Further, the optical fibers 26 arranged in the holding member 23 are not limited to one row, and may be two or more rows.

In FIG. 7, as an example, an example in which the end surface 23B and the end surface 24B are arranged on the same surface is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a cutout 24 L may be provided in the end surface 24 B of the reinforcing member 24, and the bending restricting portion 25 may be arranged in the cutout 24 L. The width W _24L of the notch _24L is arbitrary, but preferably has a width that does not allow the optical fiber 26 to contact the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 11 shows a first example of an optical fiber component according to this embodiment. FIG. 12 is a top view, side view, and AA ′ cross-sectional view showing a first example of an optical fiber component according to the present embodiment. The optical fiber component 2 according to the present embodiment includes a U-shaped concave portion 24 G on the side surface 24 C of the reinforcing member 24. Thus, in the first example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment, the side surfaces in the three directions of the holding member 23 are surrounded by the reinforcing member 24.

FIG. 13 shows a second example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a top view, side view, and A-A ′ cross-sectional view showing a second example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment. The optical fiber component 2 according to the present embodiment includes an L-shaped recess 24G on the side surface 24C of the reinforcing member 24. Thus, in the second example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment, the two-side surfaces of the holding member 3 are surrounded by the reinforcing member 24.

In the present embodiment, the holding member 23 is fixed to the recess 24G. By providing the side surface 24 C of the reinforcing member 24 with the recess 24 G that accommodates the holding member 23, it is easy to arrange the holding member 23 on the reinforcing member 24 and to firmly fix the holding member 23 and the reinforcing member 24. be able to. For example, an adhesive is used to fix the holding member 23 and the reinforcing member 24.

The depth H _24G of the recess _24G is arbitrary, but is preferably higher than the height H ₂₃ of the holding member 23 from the bottom surface 24Gb of the recess 24G. Moreover, as shown in FIG.12 and FIG.14 in Embodiment 1, the notch 24L may be provided in the end surface 24B of the reinforcement member 24, and the bending control part 25 may be arrange | positioned in the notch 24L. In the case of the configuration of FIG. 12, the width of the notch 24L is the same as the width W _{24G of the} recess 24G, so that the manufacture of the reinforcing member 24 can be facilitated.

FIG. 15 is a side view and A-A ′ sectional view showing a third example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment. The optical fiber component 2 according to the present embodiment includes a through hole 24H in the reinforcing member 24. As described above, in the third example of the optical fiber component according to the present embodiment, the side surfaces in the four directions of the holding member 3 are surrounded by the reinforcing member 24.

In FIG. 16, the 1st example of a connection with the optical circuit 3 of the optical fiber component which concerns on this embodiment is shown. At least a part of the end surface 24B of the reinforcing member 24 arranged on the end surface 23B side of the holding member 23 protrudes toward the end surface 23B side of the holding member 23 from the optical fiber 26 extending from the end surface 23B of the holding member 23. . More specifically, H ₃₂₄ is the height of the reinforcing member 24 from the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3, H ₃₂₅ is the height of the bending restricting portion 25 from the upper surface 3A of the optical circuit 3, and T ₂₆ is the height of the optical fiber 26. In terms of thickness, it is preferable that H ₃₂₄ > (H ₃₂₅ + T ₂₆ ) is satisfied.

In FIG. 17, the 2nd example of a connection with the optical circuit 3 of the optical fiber component which concerns on this embodiment is shown. The H ₃₂₄ high Satoshi reinforcing member 24 from the end face 3B of the optical circuit _3, high Satoshi of bend restraint portion 25 of the _{H 325} from the end face 3B of the optical circuit _3, when the _{T 26} and the thickness of the optical fiber _{26, H 324} > (H ₃₂₅ + T ₂₆ ) is preferably satisfied.

16 and 17 can be used to provide the reinforcing member 24 with a protection function for the optical fiber 26. For example, the optical fiber 26 can be protected from falling objects and contact from the top.

This disclosure can be applied to the information and communication industry.

2: Optical fiber component 23: Holding

member

23A, 23B: Holding member end surface 23C: Holding member side surface 24: Reinforcing

member

24A, 24B: Reinforcing member end surface 24C: Reinforcing member side surface 24L: Notch 24G: Recess 24Gb: Recessed bottom surface 25: Bending restricting portion 25A: Bending restricting portion curved surface 26: Optical fiber 26A: Optical fiber end surface 26C: Optical fiber side surface 3: Optical circuit 3A: Optical circuit upper surface 3B: Optical circuit end surface

Claims

An end face of the optical fiber is disposed at one end, and a holding member that holds the optical fiber so that the optical fiber extends at the other end;
A reinforcing member that is disposed in the extending direction of the optical fiber with respect to the holding member, and at least a part of which is fixed to the holding member;
At least a part is fixed to the reinforcing member, protrudes to the other end side of the holding member from the other end of the holding member, and the protruding portion is predetermined along the extending direction of the optical fiber. A bending restricting portion curved with a curved radius of curvature;
An optical fiber component comprising:
The optical fiber component according to claim 1, wherein a thermal expansion coefficient of the reinforcing member is equal to a thermal expansion coefficient of the holding member.
The reinforcing member is provided with a recess for accommodating the holding member,
At least a part of the end surface of the reinforcing member arranged on the other end side of the holding member protrudes to the other end side of the holding member from the optical fiber extending from the other end of the holding member. ing,
The optical fiber component according to claim 1 or 2.
The optical fiber component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding member is a capillary.
5. The optical fiber component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member and the bending restricting portion are separate members.
The one end of the holding member is joined to an optical circuit;
The optical fiber component according to claim 1.