Optical module and method for manufacturing the optical module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101546-B2
Application number	US-201615351479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An optical module includes: a photonic device emitting or receiving a light wave; an optical waveguide for transmitting the light wave; a lens focusing the light wave; a mirror for changing a traveling direction of the light wave to optically couple the photonic device with the optical waveguide; a manipulation lever for manipulating an orientation of the mirror; a support spring for supporting the mirror; and a substrate integrated with the mirror, the manipulation lever, and the support spring. The support spring couples the mirror with the substrate so as to allow the mirror to change the orientation thereof with movement or rotation along at least two axes. The manipulation lever extends from the mirror in a direction in which the manipulation lever avoids approaching the optical waveguide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical module comprising:
a photonic device emitting or receiving a light wave;
an optical waveguide transmitting the light wave;
a lens focusing the light wave;
a mirror changing a traveling direction of the light wave to optically couple the photonic device with the optical waveguide;
a manipulation lever manipulating an orientation of the mirror;
a support spring supporting the mirror; and
a substrate integrated with the mirror, the manipulation lever, and the support spring, the substrate having a surface over which the support spring is provided,
wherein:
the mirror includes a mirror surface reflecting the light wave, the mirror surface being directed obliquely upward so that a first optical path between the mirror surface and the optical waveguide does not overlap a second optical path between the mirror surface and the photonic device, and the second optical path extends in a direction which crosses the surface of the substrate,
the support spring couples the mirror with the substrate so as to allow the mirror to change the orientation thereof with movement or rotation along at least two axes,
the manipulation lever extends from the mirror in a direction in which the manipulation lever avoids approaching the optical waveguide,
the manipulation lever has a handle,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle are lined up in a row, when viewed from above the surface of the substrate,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle constitute a plurality of sets of mirrors, photonic devices, and handles,
the mirrors are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the row,
the photonic devices are arranged in the direction substantially perpendicular to the row, and
the handles are arranged in the direction substantially perpendicular to the row.

2. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support spring extends in a direction different from the manipulation lever.

3. The optical module according to claim 2 , wherein:
a plurality of the support springs are provided to extend in directions different from each other.

4. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manipulation lever is bent to connect to the mirror, and extends along the support spring.

5. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manipulation lever is brazed to the substrate.

6. The optical module according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an electrode provided adjacent to the manipulation lever on the substrate and causing a brazing material to melt.

7. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate is an SOI substrate, and
the mirror, the manipulation lever, and the support spring are integrally formed in a surface Si layer of the SOI substrate.

8. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the lens is formed integrally with the photonic device.

9. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the photonic device is an array photonic device, which emits or receives each of a plurality of light waves, and
the optical waveguide transmits each of the plurality of light waves.

10. The optical module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical isolator between the mirror and the optical waveguide.

11. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the photonic device is a semiconductor laser device.

12. The optical module according to claim 1 , wherein:
the photonic device is a semiconductor light-receiving device.

13. A method for manufacturing an optical module, comprising:
a step of providing, to a substrate, a photonic device emitting or receiving a light wave, an optical waveguide transmitting the light wave, and a lens focusing the light wave;
a step of integrally forming, in the substrate,
a mirror changing a traveling direction of the light wave to optically couple the photonic device with the optical waveguide, the mirror including a mirror surface reflecting the light wave, the mirror surface being directed obliquely upward so that a first optical path between the mirror surface and the optical waveguide does not overlap a second optical path between the mirror surface and the photonic device, and the second optical path extends in a direction which crosses a surface of the substrate,
a manipulation lever manipulating an orientation of the mirror and extending from the mirror in a direction in which the manipulation lever avoids approaching the optical waveguide, and
a support spring supporting the mirror and coupling the mirror with the substrate so as to allow the mirror to change the orientation thereof with movement or rotation along at least two axes, the support spring being provided over the surface of the substrate; and

an adjustment step of manipulating the orientation of the mirror with the manipulation lever to adjust the traveling direction of the light wave reflected by the mirror,
wherein:
the manipulation lever has a handle,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle are lined up in a row, when viewed from above the surface of the substrate,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle constitute a plurality of sets of mirrors, photonic devices, and handles,
the mirrors are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the row,
the photonic devices are arranged in the direction substantially perpendicular to the row, and
the handles are arranged in the direction substantially perpendicular to the row.

14. The method for manufacturing the optical module according to claim 13 , further comprising:
after the adjustment step, a brazing step of flowing a brazing material between the manipulation lever and the substrate and brazing the manipulation lever to the substrate.

15. The method for manufacturing the optical module according to claim 13 , wherein:
in the adjustment step, the orientation of the mirror is manipulated by applying an external force to a handle of the manipulation lever located on the side opposite to the optical waveguide with respect to a position where the mirror is disposed.

16. An optical module comprising:
a photonic device emitting or receiving a light wave;
an optical waveguide transmitting the light wave;
a lens focusing the light wave;
a mirror changing a traveling direction of the light wave to optically couple the photonic device with the optical waveguide;
a manipulation lever manipulating an orientation of the mirror;
a support spring supporting the mirror; and
a substrate integrated with the mirror, the manipulation lever, and the support spring,
wherein:
the mirror includes a mirror surface reflecting the light wave, the mirror surface being directed obliquely upward so that a first optical path between the mirror surface and the optical waveguide does not overlap a second optical path between the mirror surface and the photonic device,
the support spring couples the mirror with the substrate so as to allow the mirror to change the orientation thereof with movement or rotation along at least two axes,
the manipulation lever is fixed to the substrate and extends from the mirror in a direction in which the manipulation lever avoids approaching the optical waveguide
the manipulation lever has a handle,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle are lined up in a row, when viewed from above a surface of the substrate,
the mirror, the photonic device, and the handle constitute a plurality of sets of mirrors, photonic devices, and handles,
the mirrors are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the row,
the photonic device

Assignees

• Oclaro Japan Inc

Inventors

• Suzuki Takanori

Classifications

• G02B6/4214 Primary

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B26/0816

  by means of one or more reflecting elements · CPC title

• G02B6/3512

  the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror · CPC title

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B6/4238

  Soldering · CPC title