Alignment of optical components using nanomagnets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048450-B2
Application number	US-201715831075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments herein include an optical system, an optical component, and an associated method of passive alignment in which complementary magnetic patterns are used to provide passive alignment between optical elements. The magnetic coupling between the magnetic patterns operates to align optical elements in at least two dimensions. The magnetic coupling provides a temporary holding force on the optical elements until the optical elements are secured using epoxy or other adhesive.

First claim

We claim:

1. An optical system, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a first magnetic pattern deposited in a first alignment trench formed into a first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the first magnetic pattern extending in first and second dimensions along the first surface;
an optical device coupled with the semiconductor substrate and having a predetermined disposition relative to the first surface, the predetermined disposition including a predetermined orientation with respect to the first and second dimensions; and
an optical component having a second magnetic pattern deposited along a second surface of the optical component, the second magnetic pattern having first and second extents in different dimensions along the second surface,
wherein, when the first and second magnetic patterns are magnetically coupled, the first and second extents of the second magnetic pattern are respectively aligned in the first and second dimensions, and
wherein the optical component is passively aligned with the optical device.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the second magnetic pattern is deposited into one of:
a second alignment trench formed into the second surface, and
a plurality of alignment grooves formed into the second surface.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate defines at least a second alignment trench formed into the first surface and configured to receive an optical fiber stub therein, and
wherein the optical component defines at least one alignment groove formed into the second surface and configured to receive the optical fiber stub.

4. The optical system of claim 3 , wherein the optical fiber stub includes a core and a cladding of an optical fiber cable without including a jacket of the optical fiber cable.

5. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate defines one or more adhesion trenches formed into the first surface, which when filled with an adhesive are configured to attach the second surface to the first surface.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnetic patterns are formed using a fluid containing magnetic nanoparticles.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the second magnetic pattern is deposited onto the second surface.

8. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is an interposer having a plurality of vias extending therethrough for electrically connecting the first surface with an opposite third surface of the interposer, and
wherein the optical component is a fiber array connector.

9. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the first alignment trench is formed using a deep reactive-ion etching process.

10. A method of passively aligning an optical component with an optical device coupled with a semiconductor substrate, the optical device having a predetermined disposition relative to a first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the optical component having a first magnetic pattern along a second surface of the optical component, the first magnetic pattern having first and second extents in different dimensions along the second surface, the method comprising:
depositing, in a first alignment trench formed into the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second magnetic pattern extending in first and second dimensions, wherein the optical device has a predetermined orientation with respect to the first and second dimensions; and
magnetically coupling the first and second magnetic patterns such that the first and second extents of the first magnetic pattern are respectively aligned in the first and second dimensions, thereby passively aligning the optical component with the optical device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
forming at least the first alignment trench into the first surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the first alignment trench is performed using a deep reactive-ion etching process.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
forming at least a second alignment trench into the first surface,
wherein the second alignment trench is configured to receive an optical fiber stub therein, and
wherein the optical component defines at least one alignment groove formed into the second surface and configured to receive the optical fiber stub.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the optical fiber stub includes a core and a cladding of an optical fiber cable without including a jacket of the optical fiber cable.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
forming one or more adhesion trenches into the first surface; and
filling, after magnetically coupling the first and second magnetic patterns, the one or more adhesion trenches with an adhesive to attach the second surface to the first surface.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second magnetic patterns are formed using a fluid containing magnetic nanoparticles.

17. An optical component, comprising:
a body portion defining a first surface, the first surface having a first magnetic pattern deposited in a first alignment trench formed into the first surface, the first magnetic pattern having first and second extents in different dimensions along the first surface,
wherein the first magnetic pattern is configured to magnetically couple with a second magnetic pattern deposited along a second surface of a semiconductor substrate, the second magnetic pattern extending in first and second dimensions along the second surface, an optical device coupled with the semiconductor substrate and having a predetermined disposition relative to the second surface, the predetermined disposition including a predetermined orientation with respect to the first and second dimensions,
wherein, when the first and second magnetic patterns are magnetically coupled, the first and second extents of the first magnetic pattern are respectively aligned in the first and second dimensions, and
wherein the optical component is passively aligned with the optical device.

18. The optical component of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor substrate defines at least a second alignment trench formed into the second surface and configured to receive an optical fiber stub therein, and
wherein the body portion further defines at least one alignment groove formed into the first surface and configured to receive the optical fiber stub.

19. The optical component of claim 18 , wherein the optical fiber stub includes a core and a cladding of an optical fiber cable without including a jacket of the optical fiber cable.

20. The optical component of claim 17 , wherein the first and second magnetic patterns are formed using a fluid containing magnetic nanoparticles.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Dubey Neeraj Kumar
• Yelamarty Rao V
• Pathak Soham
• Ramakrishna Gnyaneshwar
• Shastri Kalpendu

Classifications

• G02B6/3886 Primary

  Magnetic means to align ferrule ends · CPC title

• G02B6/4249

  comprising arrays of active devices and fibres · CPC title

• G02B6/4231

  with intermediate elements, e.g. rods and balls, between the elements · CPC title

• G02B6/423

  using guiding surfaces for the alignment · CPC title

• G02B6/4244

  Mounting of the optical elements · CPC title