Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-06
2002-05-28
Ullah, Akm E. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
Reexamination Certificate
active
06394666
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a light receiving/emitting element module which is formed by optically connecting a light receiving/emitting element and an optical fiber which are used for optical communications, and a manufacturing method thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of optical communications, a light emitting element for emitting light such as a laser diode and a light receiving element for receiving light such as a photodiode have been used. By optically connecting these light emitting elements and light receiving elements (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as a light receiving/emitting element) with precision, the communication level of optical communications rises.
When the light receiving/emitting element and optical fibers are optically connected, in a case where a single mode optical fiber whose core diameter is approximately 10 &mgr;m and the light receiving/emitting element are optically connected, precision of a degree of several &mgr;m is required, and in a case where a multi-mode optical fiber whose core diameter is 50 &mgr;m or more, and the light receiving/emitting element are connected, precision of a degree of several tens &mgr;m is required when the optical fiber and light receiving/emitting element are aligned and fixed.
Conventionally, as one method for precisely aligning optical fibers and light receiving/emitting element as mentioned above, for example, a moving stage having high moving precision was prepared, the optical fiber was moved by means of the moving stage to adjust the optical axis of the light receiving/emitting element and the optical axis of the optical fiber so as to coincide with each other. In another method, a substrate having a V-shaped groove was prepared, the axis of the V-shaped groove formed at the substrate and the optical axis of the light receiving/emitting element were matched with each other in advance, and the optical fiber was inserted and fixed into the V-shaped groove, whereby the optical axis of the light receiving/emitting element and the optical axis of the optical fiber were matched with each other.
Also, in a case where the optical axis of the light receiving/emitting element and the optical axis of the optical fiber are matched with each other by using a moving stage, the optical fiber and light receiving/emitting element are fixed by using, for example, a welding laser, etc., in an aligned condition.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, as mentioned above, in a case where the optical axis of a light receiving/emitting element and the optical axis of an optical fiber were matched with each other by using a moving stage, and the optical fiber and light receiving/emitting element were fixed to each other by using a welding laser, etc., a moving stage and a welding laser which were extremely expensive and large in scale were required. Moreover, since aligning and fixing operations between the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber were not easy, there were problems in that production efficiency was not good, and the costs for a module which was formed by fixing the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber increased.
In the case where a light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber are aligned and fixed by using a substrate with a V-shaped groove, in comparison with the case where a moving stage is used, aligning and fixing operations between the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber become easier. However, unlike a general light receiving/emitting element in which a crystal cleavage plane is formed as a light receiving/emitting surface, when a face light receiving/emitting type of a light receiving/emitting element in which a crystal face direction (surface perpendicular to the cleavage plane) is formed as a light receiving/emitting surface and an optical fiber are connected to each other, a problem occurs. That is, when the light receiving/emitting element is loaded on, for example, an element loading substrate, and an optical fiber are inserted and fixed into a V-shaped groove at the substrate, etc., the connection end face of the optical fiber cross at right angles to the light receiving/emitting surface of the light receiving/emitting element, and the optical axis of the light receiving/emitting element and optical axis of the optical fiber also cross at right angles, and therefore, the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber cannot be optically connected to each other in this condition.
Therefore, when a face light receiving/emitting type of light receiving/emitting element and an optical fiber are optically connected, between the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber, it is necessary that a mirror for reflecting light is provided, or the light receiving/emitting element is fixed at the side surface of the substrate, and the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber are aligned and fixed. As a result, the device construction becomes complicated and the aligning and fixing operations become difficult, and also, cost for a module which is formed by fixing the light receiving/emitting element and optical fiber increases.
The invention is made in order to solve the above problems in the prior-art, and the object thereof is to provide a light emitting and receiving element module in which a face light receiving/emitting type of a light receiving/emitting element and an optical fiber are easily aligned and fixed to each other with precision, and whose cost is low, and a manufacturing method thereof.
In order to achieve the above object, the invention has characteristic aspects as follows. That is, a first aspect of the light receiving/emitting element module is characterized in that the element loading surface of an element loading substrate with a light receiving/emitting element loaded and a connection end face of a ferrule with an insertion hole for an optical fiber to be optically connected to the light receiving/emitting element are disposed opposite to each other, and at least at the connection end face side of said ferrule, a ferrule side fitting part into which an aligning member between the optical fiber and light receiving/emitting element is inserted and fitted is provided, at least at the element loading surface side of the element loading substrate opposite to said ferrule side fitting part, a substrate side fitting part into which the aligning member is inserted and fitted is provided, an aligning member is commonly provided at the ferrule side fitting part and substrate side fitting part, whereby the ferrule and element loading substrate are fixed, and the optical fiber inserted into the optical fiber insertion hole and the light receiving/emitting element are aligned and optically connected.
A second aspect of the light receiving/emitting element module of the invention is characterized in that the aligning member is a spherical member in the light receiving/emitting element module of the first aspect.
Furthermore, a third aspect of the light receiving/emitting element module of the invention is characterized in that, to the light receiving/emitting element, at least either one of flexible wiring and a lead terminal to electrically connect said light receiving/emitting element to the connection part at the element loading substrate external part is connected in the light receiving/emitting element module of the first aspect.
Furthermore, a fourth aspect of the light receiving/emitting element module of the invention is characterized in that, the ferrule and element loading substrate are disposed and fixed so that the connection end face of the ferrule is diagonal to the light receiving/emitting surface of the light receiving/emitting element in the light receiving/emitting element module of the first aspect.
Furthermore, a fifth aspect of the light receiving/emitting element module of the invention is characterized in that, between the connection end face of the ferrule and the element loading surface of the element loading substrate, an inclination adjusting means fo
Iwase Masayuki
Minamino Masayuki
Lacasse & Associates
Rahll Jerry T
The Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Ullah Akm E.
LandOfFree
Light receiving/emitting element module and manufacturing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Light receiving/emitting element module and manufacturing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Light receiving/emitting element module and manufacturing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2910002