Optical waveguides – Accessories – External retainer/clamp
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-13
2001-01-30
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
External retainer/clamp
C385S089000, C385S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181864
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for OPTICAL FIBER ARRAY MODULE USING SOLDERING AND FABRICATION METHOD THEREOF earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 14
th
of Aug. 1997 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 38925/1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber array module, and more particularly, to a method of making an accurate optical fiber array by arraying and fixing single-core and multi-core optical fibers to make it easy to connect an optical waveguide device to the single-core and multi-core optical fibers, and a fiber array module.
5 Description of the Related Art
Accurate arrangement of optical fibers is very important for attaching the optical fibers to an optical waveguide device. In the case of the optical waveguide device, the waveguides can be very accurately spaced and arrayed by photolithography. However, it is difficult to accurately arrange single-core and multi-core optical fibers which are attached to this waveguide. In existing methods, the optical fibers are arranged by forming grooves in a plane substrate such as a silicon wafer or a metal plate and fixing the optical fibers in the grooves.
However, an accurate process is required to form a device for fixing the optical fibers using the grooves. Also, when the ends of the optical fibers are polished after the optical fibers are loaded, careful attention is needed because the optical fibers are thin. Furthermore, since the thin optical fibers have a small surface area, they have only a small contact surface when attached to the waveguide device, leading to a weak attachment. These problems deteriorate the overall performance of the waveguide device when the optical waveguide device is packaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber array module using soldering and a fabrication method thereof, whereby an optical waveguide device can be effectively packaged by accurately arraying optical fibers using the surface tension of solder, facilitating a process for polishing the ends of loaded fibers while simplifying a process for forming a device for fixing the optical fibers, and improving the attachment strength of the surfaces of the optical fibers, arrayed to be attached to the waveguide device, by enlarging the cross-sections of the an arrayed fibers.
Accordingly, to achieve the above object, there is provided a method of manufacturing an optical fiber array module using soldering, comprising the steps of: forming holes into which optical fibers can be inserted, in a silicon wafer substrate or a ceramic substrate at predetermined intervals; forming a metal layer on the walls of the holes and the entire surface of the substrate, to allow the walls of the holes and the entire surface of the substrate to be plated with a solder alloy material; plating the walls of the holes and the entire surface of the substrate with the solder alloy material; inserting metal-coated optical fibers into the holes plated with the solder alloy material; positioning the optical fibers at the centers of the holes using the surface tension of the solder alloy material, by heating the resultant structure; fixing the optical fibers, inserted into the holes of the substrate, to the substrate by pouring epoxy curable by heat or ultraviolet light, to fabricate a fiber array module capable of being accurately attached to an optical waveguide device; and polishing the end of the optical fiber module formed of optical fibers protruding through the holes, to provide optical luminance. It is preferable that the metal of the metal layer is chrome/gold (Cr/Au).
To achieve the above object, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fiber array module using soldering, comprising the steps of: forming holes into which arrayed optical fibers can be inserted, in a metal substrate at predetennined intervals; processing the walls of the holes in the metal substrate; plating the walls of the holes and the entire surface of the substrate with solder alloy material; inserting metal-coated fibers into the holes plated with the solder alloy material; positioning the optical fibers at the centers of the holes using the surface tension of the solder alloy material, by heating the resultant structure, fixing the optical fibers, inserted into the holes of the substrate, to the substrate by pouring epoxy curable by heat or ultraviolet light, to fabricate a fiber array module capable of being accurately attached to an optical waveguide device; and polishing the end of the optical fiber module formed of optical fibers protruding through the holes, to provide optical luminance.
The walls of the holes and the entire substrate are plated with the solder alloy material by either electrolytic plating or electroless plating. The optical fibers inserted into the holes in the substrate are prepared by peeling all coatings off the optical fibers and depositing metal on cladding layers of the optical fibers or by depositing metal on external glass layers of the optical fibers.
The holes in the substrate are perpendicular to the surface of an arranging device or at an angle of 0.1° to 20° with respect to the surface of the arranging device. Also, the holes in the substrate each have a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, a circle, and a polygon. The optical fibers inserted into the holes in the substrate are fibers selected from the group consisting of single-core fibers, multi-core fibers, and ribbon fibers.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a fiber array module manufactured using soldering, comprising: a metal substrate having holes into which optical fibers can be inserted, wherein the walls of the holes and the entire surface of the metal substrate are plated with a metal material; arrayed optical fibers inserted into the holes in the metal substrate and prepared by depositing metal layers on cladding layers or external glass layers exposed by removing all coatings from the optical fibers; and a fixing unit for fixing the arrayed optical fibers to the metal substrate, after the arrayed optical fibers are inserted into the holes in the metal substrate and aligned by heat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4307935 (1981-12-01), Monnier
patent: 4774122 (1988-09-01), Adler
patent: 5430819 (1995-07-01), Sizer, II et al.
patent: 5500917 (1996-03-01), Daniel et al.
patent: 0645 651 (1995-03-01), None
patent: WO 84/02582 (1984-07-01), None
patent: WO 96 37794 (1996-11-01), None
English Abstract of Reference JP 61-156,104.
English Abstract of Reference JP 62-267,710.
Jang Woo-hyuk
Lee Hyung-jae
Rhee Tae-hyung
Yoo Byong-Gwon
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Nguyen Thong
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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