Optical connecting structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11934011-B2
Application number	US-202017432266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Apr 15, 2019
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

An optical connection structure 1 includes a waveguide substrate; a Si waveguide formed on one surface of the waveguide substrate and having a first end surface; an optical fiber having a second end surface facing the first end surface; a terrace section extending further toward the optical fiber side from an end portion on the optical fiber side of the waveguide substrate; and a lens disposed on the terrace section, and arranged on an optical axis connecting the first end surface and the second end surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical connection structure comprising:
a substrate;
a first waveguide on a first surface of the substrate, the first waveguide including a first end surface;
a second waveguide comprising a second end surface facing the first end surface of the first waveguide;
a terrace extending toward the second waveguide from a third end surface of the substrate, the third end surface of the substrate facing the second waveguide;
an optical element on the terrace, wherein the optical element is arranged on an optical axis connecting the first end surface of the first waveguide and the second end surface of the second waveguide; and
an adhesive layer bonding a fourth end surface of the terrace to the second end surface of the second waveguide.

2. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connection layer formed of a material having a refractive index smaller than a refractive index of the optical element, and wherein the connection layer is configured to cover the optical element between the first end surface and the second end surface.

3. The optical connection structure according to claim 2 , wherein a length along the optical axis of the terrace corresponds to an optical path length of an optical system including the optical element in the connection layer.

4. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the terrace is lower than the first surface of the substrate on which the first waveguide is formed.

5. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element includes a light curing resin material.

6. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is a lens configured to focus light.

7. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second optical element on the terrace, wherein the second optical element is arranged on the optical axis connecting the first end surface of the first waveguide and the second end surface of the second waveguide.

8. A method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a first waveguide on a first surface of the substrate, the first waveguide including a first end surface;
arranging a second end surface of a second waveguide to face the first end surface of the first waveguide, wherein a terrace extends toward the second waveguide from a third end surface of the substrate, the third end surface of the substrate facing the second waveguide;
bonding, with an adhesive layer, a fourth end surface of the terrace to the second end surface of the second waveguide; and
attaching an optical element on the terrace, wherein the optical element is arranged on an optical axis connecting the first end surface of the first waveguide and the second end surface of the second waveguide.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
forming a connection layer of a material having a refractive index smaller than a refractive index of the optical element, wherein the connection layer covers the optical element between the first end surface and the second end surface.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a length along the optical axis of the terrace corresponds to an optical path length of an optical system including the optical element in the connection layer.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a surface of the terrace is lower than the first surface of the substrate on which the first waveguide is formed.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the optical element includes a light curing resin material.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the optical element is a lens configured to focus light.

14. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
attaching a second optical element on the terrace, wherein the second optical element is arranged on the optical axis connecting the first end surface of the first waveguide and the second end surface of the second waveguide.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the second optical element is physically separated from the optical element.

16. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a core of the second waveguide is thicker than a core of the first waveguide.

17. The optical connection structure according to claim 7 , wherein the second optical element is physically separated from the optical element.

18. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 , wherein a core of the second waveguide is thicker than a core of the first waveguide.

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Endo Jun
• Shikama Kota
• Aratake Atsushi

Classifications

• G02B6/30 Primary

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

• B29D11/00692

  combined with lenses · 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

• G02B2006/12102

  Lens · CPC title

• G02B6/305 Primary

  and having an integrated mode-size expanding section, e.g. tapered waveguide · CPC title