Optical connection structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448839-B2
Application number	US-201917052788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	May 21, 2018
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A first adhesive layer is provided to be in contact with an SSC. A second adhesive layer is provided to be in contact with an optical fiber. A lens structure is on an interface between the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical connection structure comprising:
a plurality of adhesive layers that are arranged in a propagation direction of light from a first optical waveguide to a second optical waveguide, wherein the optical connection structure couples the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide, wherein a mode field of the first optical waveguide is different than a mode field of the second optical waveguide, wherein the plurality of adhesive layers comprise a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer; and
a first lens structure on an interface between a first surface of the first adhesive layer and a second surface of the second adhesive layer, wherein the first adhesive layer, the first lens structure, and the second adhesive layer have a same refractive index.

2. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
a refractive index of each of the plurality of adhesive layers and a refractive index of each clad layer of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide that are in contact with the plurality of adhesive layers are set so that a return loss between connections has an absolute value of 25 dB or more.

3. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
a refractive index of each of the plurality of adhesive layers and a refractive index of the first lens structure in contact with the plurality of adhesive layers are set so that a return loss between connections has an absolute value of 25 dB or more.

4. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
a distance between an end face of the first lens structure and an end face of the first optical waveguide facing to the first lens structure is set to a value that is different from a neighborhood value of an integral multiple of an effective half-wavelength of light propagating in a portion of the plurality of adhesive layers located between the end face of the first lens structure and the end face of the first optical waveguide.

5. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
a distance between an end face of the first lens structure and an end face of the second optical waveguide facing to the first lens structure is set to a value that is different from a neighborhood value of an integral multiple of an effective half-wavelength of light propagating in a portion of the plurality of adhesive layers located between the end face of the first lens structure and the end face of the second optical waveguide.

6. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of adhesive layers further comprises a third adhesive layer, the third adhesive layer different from the second adhesive layer;
the first adhesive layer is in contact with the first optical waveguide;
the third adhesive layer is in contact with the second optical waveguide;
the second adhesive layer is in contact with the first adhesive layer and the third adhesive layer; and
the optical connection structure further comprises a second lens structure on an interface between a third surface of the second adhesive layer and a fourth surface of the third adhesive layer.

7. The optical connection structure according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first lens structure and the second lens structure include spherical surfaces; and
a radius of curvature of the first lens structure is smaller than a radius of curvature of the second lens structure.

8. The optical connection structure according to claim 6 , wherein:
a refractive index of the first adhesive layer, a refractive index of the first lens structure, a refractive index of the second adhesive layer, a refractive index of the second lens structure, and a refractive index of the third adhesive layer satisfy:
nl1≥na1, nl1≥na2, n 1 2≥na2, and nl2≥na3,

wherein the refractive index of the first adhesive layer is nal, the refractive index of the first lens structure is nli, the refractive index of the second adhesive layer is na 2 , the refractive index of the second lens structure is n 12 , and the refractive index of the third adhesive layer is na 3 .

9. A method of providing an optical connection structure, the method comprising:
arranging a plurality of adhesive layers in a propagation direction of light from a first optical waveguide to a second optical waveguide, wherein the optical connection structure couples the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide, wherein a mode field of the first optical waveguide is different than a mode field of the second optical waveguide, wherein the plurality of adhesive layers comprise a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer; and
disposing a first lens structure on an interface between a first surface of the first adhesive layer and a second surface of the second adhesive layer, wherein the first adhesive layer, the first lens structure, and the second adhesive layer have a same refractive index.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
a refractive index of each of the plurality of adhesive layers and a refractive index of each clad layer of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide that are in contact with the plurality of adhesive layers are set so that a return loss between connections has an absolute value of 25 dB or more.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
a refractive index of each of the plurality of adhesive layers and a refractive index of the first lens structure in contact with the plurality of adhesive layers are set so that a return loss between connections has an absolute value of 25 dB or more.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
a distance between an end face of the first lens structure and an end face of the first optical waveguide facing to the first lens structure is set to a value that is different from a neighborhood value of an integral multiple of an effective half-wavelength of light propagating in a portion of the plurality of adhesive layers located between the end face of the first lens structure and the end face of the first optical waveguide.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
a distance between an end face of the first lens structure and an end face of the second optical waveguide facing to the first lens structure is set to a value that is different from a neighborhood value of an integral multiple of an effective half-wavelength of light propagating in a portion of the plurality of adhesive layers located between the end face of the first lens structure and the end face of the second optical waveguide.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
the plurality of adhesive layers further comprises a third adhesive layer, the third adhesive layer different from the second adhesive layer;
the first adhesive layer is in contact with the first optical waveguide;
the third adhesive layer is in contact with the second optical waveguide;
the second adhesive layer is in contact with the first adhesive layer and the third adhesive layer; and
the method further comprises disposing a second lens structure on an interface between a third surface of the second adhesive layer and a fourth surface of the third adhesive layer.

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Endo Jun
• Shikama Kota
• Aratake Atsushi

Classifications

• G02B6/1228

  Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers (for coupling with fibres G02B6/305) · 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

• G02B6/4206

  Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/30 Primary

  for use between fibre and thin-film device · CPC title

• G02B6/4239 Primary

  Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material · CPC title