Method for manufacturing an optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018106954-A1
Application number	US-201715730415-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 11, 2017
Priority date	Oct 13, 2016
Publication date	Apr 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical device comprising forming a first trench in a glass plate and a second trench perpendicular to the first trench, wherein the first trench has an end opening into the second trench. The trenches are treated with hydrofluoric acid. The first trench is filled with a material to form a waveguide, and a mirror is formed on the wall of the second trench opposite the waveguide. An encapsulation layer is deposited over the glass plate, waveguide and second trench.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing an optical device, the method comprising:
forming a first trench in a glass plate according to a design of a waveguide; forming a second trench in the glass plate, wherein the second trench crosses the first trench, and wherein the first trench has an open end in a first wall of the second trench; treating the glass plate and surfaces of the first and second trenches with hydrofluoric acid; covering a second wall of the second trench opposite the first wall with a mirror; filling the first trench with a material having a refractive index different from that of the glass plate to form a waveguide; and depositing an encapsulation layer over the glass plate, waveguide, and second trench.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first trench and the second trench are formed by laser engraving.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first trench and the second trench are formed using a pulsed laser with a duration of pulses in the range from 2 to 500 femtoseconds.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror is inclined relative to vertical.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mirror is inclined at an angle in the range from 40 to 50 degrees relative to vertical.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the waveguide and mirror are separated by a distance of less than 50 μm.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the glass of the glass plate is lower than the refractive index of the material filling the first trench, and the refractive index of the material of the encapsulation layer is lower than the refractive index of the material filling the first trench.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror is curved.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror comprises aluminum, copper, or an alloy of aluminum and copper.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first trench has a width of 5 to 10 μm.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises silicon oxide or a polymer.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the material filling the first trench comprises a polymer.

13 . A method of manufacturing an optical device, the method comprising:
engraving a first trench in a glass plate; engraving a second trench in the glass plate obliquely relative to a direction normal to an upper surface of the glass plate, wherein the second trench crosses the first trench, and wherein the first trench has an open end in a first wall of the second trench; treating the glass plate and surfaces of the first and second trenches with hydrofluoric acid; depositing a resin layer onto the glass plate and surfaces of the first and second trenches; removing a portion of the resin layer from a second wall of the second trench opposite the first wall; depositing a metal layer over remaining portions of the resin layer and second wall of the second trench; removing all remaining portions of the resin layer and any portions of the metal layer covering the resin layer, leaving a portion of the metal layer on the second wall of the second trench to form a mirror; filling the first trench with a material having a refractive index different from that of the glass plate to form a waveguide, wherein the waveguide is separated from the mirror by a distance of less than 50 μm; and depositing an encapsulation layer over the glass plate, waveguide, and second trench.

14 . An optical device, comprising:
a glass plate: a first trench in the glass plate; a second trench in the glass plate, wherein the second trench crosses the first trench, and wherein the first trench has an open end in a first wall of the second trench; a waveguide inside the first trench, wherein the waveguide is formed of a material having a refractive index different from that of the glass plate; a mirror on a second wall of the second trench opposite the first wall and waveguide; and an encapsulation layer over the glass plate, waveguide, and second trench, wherein the encapsulation layer fills the second trench.

15 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the mirror is inclined relative to vertical in the range from 40 to 50 degrees relative to vertical.

16 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the waveguide and mirror are separated by a distance of less than 50 μm.

17 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the refractive index of the glass plate is lower than the refractive index of the waveguide and the refractive index of the encapsulation layer is lower than the refractive index of the waveguide.

18 . The optical device according claim 14 , wherein the mirror is curved.

19 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the mirror comprises aluminum, copper, or an alloy of aluminum and copper.

20 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the first trench has a width of 5 to 10 μm.

21 . The optical device according to claim 14 , wherein the waveguide comprises a polymer and the encapsulation layer comprises silicon oxide or a polymer.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Sa

Inventors

• Ayi-Yovo Folly Eli
• Durand Cédric
• Gianesello Frédéric

Classifications

• G02B6/0065 Primary

  Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects · CPC title

• B23K26/0624

  using ultrashort pulses, i.e. pulses of 1 ns or less · CPC title

• G02B2006/12176

  Etching · CPC title

• G02B6/12004

  Combinations of two or more optical elements · CPC title

• B23K26/402

  involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators · CPC title