Arrangement for converting optical signals into electrical signa

Details Arrangement for converting optical signals into electrical signa Arrangement for converting optical signals into electrical signa

1997-07-18

1999-11-16

Bovernick, Rodney

Optical waveguides

With optical coupler

Particular coupling structure

385 88, 264 125, G02B 630

Patent

active

059872020

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
RELATED ART

The invention is based on a method of producing an arrangement for converting optical signals into electrical signals which is of the type having a substrate with structures for guiding an optical fiber and for deflecting light transmitted by the optical fiber, and wherein the structures are created on the substrate through the production of a mold of the contour of a molding tool, and to an arrangement of the generic type produced according to the method. A known, generic arrangement (DE-PS 41 06 721) is based on a silicon carrier. On one surface, the carrier has a plurality of V-trenches produced through anisotropic etching; these trenches terminate in angled, metallized end faces. The V-trenches serve to fix optical fibers, and the metallized end faces serve to deflect light transmitted via the optical fibers in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber. A second carrier of light-permeable material is disposed on the silicon carrier, with converter elements being disposed on the second carrier for converting optical signals into electrical signals. The light-permeable second carrier supplies the light deflected at the metallized end faces of the V-trenches to the converter elements. V-trenches etched into a silicon substrate, as used in this known arrangement, represent superior fiber-guide structures. Corresponding to the silicon-crystal structure, the end faces at the ends of the V-trenches, which are inclined at 54 degrees, are suitable for use as deflection mirrors. Unfortunately, etching such a substrate is a costly production process because it must be performed in individual steps. As dictated by technology, the high frequency of the signals present at the output of the converter device require that the conductor paths leading away from the converter device be configured as electrical microstrips. These always require sufficient electrical insulation, for example in the form of a dielectrical layer, such as polyamide or glass, between the converter device having conductor paths and the silicon carrier. For technical reasons, it is also desirable to supply the signals produced by the converter device to a signal pre-processing along the shortest possible signal path. The pre-processing should therefore be positioned on the same substrate as closely as possible to the converter device. A configuration of the substrate that satisfies these technical requirements is associated with a comparatively large space requirement for each individual arrangement, and thus a reduction in the possible integration density of the mechanical guide structures on the substrates. Only a relatively small number of individual arrangements can be produced from one silicon wafer, resulting in correspondingly increased production costs.
DE-PS 43 00 652 proposes producing an integrated optical circuit by embedding an electro-optical semiconductor component on a molding tool. Plastics, particularly polymers, are listed as being suitable embedding materials.
This method does not provide a separation of substrate production and micro-assembly. Therefore, no controlled configuration of electrical and optical function structures on the substrate surface is possible.
DE-OS 42 12 208 further proposes molding master structures in plastics to permit cost-effective mass production of polymer components having self-adjusting coupling of fiber-guide structures to optical waveguide components. This method does not provide measures for configuring electrical structures.
The proposal to produce guide trenches for glass fibers in optical waveguide elements through injection-molding in plastic with the use of a molded part can further be inferred from DE-OS 43 17 953. This publication gives no indication of how to prepare the molded parts produced with this method for a subsequent assembly of electrical components. It also does not suggest alternative materials considered for the optical waveguide elements.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for economical production of a generic arra

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