Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Particular coupling structure
Patent
1997-01-29
1998-10-06
Ngo, John
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Particular coupling structure
385 14, 385 89, 385 83, G02B 636
Patent
active
058189904
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to methods for producing encapsulated optocomponents comprising waveguides and optoelectronic devices arranged on a substrate such as a silicon substrate and it also relates to the encapsulated optocomponents and components therein.
BACKGROUND
Encapsulated optocomponents comprising associated waveguides, connectors, etc., are costly and these costs form an obstacle to the general introduction of the optical communication technique. One of the main reasons of the high component cost is the high requirements of mechanical precision in an alignment of an optoelectronic component with waveguides and of waveguides in one component with another waveguide. This fact results in that various costly fine mechanical details must be used. The assembly also requires a considerable time and is therefore costly. In addition, the conventional components are encapsulated hermetically or impermeably against diffusion, what gives further requirements on the encapsulating method and on the included materials (processing in an inert atmosphere, relatively high temperatures and similar factors). If more rational alignment methods, encapsulation methods which do not have to provide entirely the same high degree of impermeability and less costly materials were available, the production cost per encapsulated component could be reduced significantly.
PRIOR ART
U.S. patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,878 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,108 for Armiento et al. disclose how optical receiving elements such as fibers are aligned to active elements of a light generating chip by forming pedestals or projections on the surface of a substrate body, preferably of silicon. The optical fibers are positioned in V-grooves in the surface of the substrate and are fabricated by photolithographic techniques.
Aligning methods for components on a Si substrate are also disclosed in the European published patent application EP-A1 0 571 924, where guide grooves for guide pins are used. Waveguides having rectangular cores are made by deposition on a Si substrate.
According to the German patent application DE-A1 39 28 894 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,045) which is made available to the public, the connection region between an electrooptical component and waveguides is covered by molding a hardening or stiffening material having a refractive index adapted to that of the waveguides.
An alignment procedure is also disclosed in the European published patent application EP-A1 0 226 296.
In the European published patent application EP-A2 0 171 615 a hybrid optical integrated circuit is disclosed having various "islands" on a silicon substrate for positioning various devices and waveguides formed integrally in the surface of the substrate.
From the European published patent application EP-A2 0 313 956 it is previously known, in encapsulating an optoelectronic component, to mount it on a metal substrate and mold the assembly thus formed entirely in non transparent plastics 6 (FIGS. 1, 5a, and 5b). Interfaces between fiber ends in the component and a component formed by a photo or laser diode can before that be molded in transparent plastics (column 5, lines 6-16).
SUMMARY
It is an object of the invention to provide optical components comprising a cost efficient encapsulating of particularly sensitive places at the connection of component and waveguide.
It is a further object of the invention to provide encapsulated optical components comprising waveguides which are produced in a simple way for coupling optical signals to and from another component.
It is a further object of the invention to provide encapsulated optical components having accurately produced guides for guide pins at a contact surface of the components to other components having a contact surface formed in a similar way and also to other guides for an accurate positioning of discrete waveguides and discrete components.
It is a further object of the invention to provide relatively simple and not very costly methods for producing encapsulated optica
REFERENCES:
patent: 4170399 (1979-10-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5059475 (1991-10-01), Sun et al.
patent: 5076654 (1991-12-01), Presby
patent: 5077878 (1992-01-01), Armiento et al.
patent: 5091045 (1992-02-01), Froning et al.
patent: 5155777 (1992-10-01), Angelopoulos et al.
patent: 5163108 (1992-11-01), Armieto et al.
patent: 5454055 (1995-09-01), Kragl et al.
patent: 5562838 (1996-10-01), Woinarowski et al.
Engstrand Jan .ANG.ke
Eriksen Paul
Janson Mats
Moll Hans
Palmskog Goran
Ngo John
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
LandOfFree
Encapsulation of optoelectronic components does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Encapsulation of optoelectronic components, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Encapsulation of optoelectronic components will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-88081