Optical coupling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9459409-B2
Application number	US-201514820406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

An optical coupling device comprises an optical fiber block including a first block part and a second block part contacting with one side of the first block part, an optical fiber penetrating the optical fiber block and having an end surface exposed at a bottom surface of the optical fiber block, a semiconductor chip disposed below the optical fiber block and having an optical input/output element disposed on a top surface of the semiconductor chip to correspond with the end surface of the optical fiber, and a planarization layer disposed on the top surface of the semiconductor chip and having a recess region. A bottom surface of the first block part has a higher level than that of the second block part. The bottom surface of the second block part contacts with a bottom of the recess region. The optical fiber is optically coupled with the optical input/output element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical coupling device comprising:
an optical fiber block including a first block part and a second block part contacting one side of the first block part;
an optical fiber penetrating the optical fiber block and having an end surface exposed at a bottom surface of the optical fiber block;
a semiconductor chip disposed below the optical fiber block, the semiconductor chip having a top surface on which an optical input/output element is disposed such that the optical input/output element corresponds to the end surface of the optical fiber; and
a planarization layer disposed on the top surface of the semiconductor chip and having a recess region,
wherein a bottom surface of the first block part has a higher level than a bottom surface of the second block part from a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip, the bottom surface of the second block part contacts a bottom of the recess region, and the optical fiber is optically coupled with the optical input/output element, and
wherein the second block part comprises an upper portion disposed at a higher level than the bottom surface of the first block part.

2. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber penetrates the first block part and the end surface of the optical fiber has the same level as the bottom surface of the first block part.

3. The optical coupling device of claim 2 , wherein the optical input/output element is adjacent to the recess region and spaced apart from the recess region, in a plan view.

4. The optical coupling device of claim 2 , wherein the second block part further comprises:
a lower portion disposed at a lower level than the bottom surface of the first block part,
wherein the recess region comprises an alignment region having a structure engaging with the lower portion of the second block part.

5. The optical coupling device of claim 4 , wherein an inner sidewall of the alignment region contacts a sidewall of the lower portion of the second block part.

6. The optical coupling device of claim 4 , wherein the recess region further comprises an additional region extending from the alignment region, and
wherein the additional region has a tapered shape such that a width of the additional region increases as it extends from the alignment region, in a plan view.

7. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the optical fiber has the same level as the bottom surface of the second block part.

8. The optical coupling device of claim 7 , wherein the optical input/output element overlaps with the recess region, in a plan view.

9. The optical coupling device of claim 7 , wherein the second bock part further comprises:
a lower portion disposed at a lower level than the bottom surface of the first block part,
wherein the recess region comprises an alignment region having a structure engaging with the lower portion of the second block part and a portion of the optical fiber protruding from the bottom surface of the first block part.

10. The optical coupling device of claim 9 , wherein an inner sidewall of the alignment region contacts a sidewall of the lower portion of the second block part and a sidewall of the optical fiber.

11. The optical coupling device of claim 9 , wherein the recess region further comprises an additional region extending from the alignment region, and
wherein the additional region has a tapered shape such that a width of the additional region increases as it extends from the alignment region, in a plan view.

12. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the first block part contacts a top surface of the planarization layer.

13. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the optical fiber contacts the optical input/output element.

14. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , further comprising an optical via pattern disposed between the end surface of the optical fiber and the optical input/output element, wherein the optical via pattern comprises a material having a higher refractive index than that of the planarization layer.

15. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the second block part further comprises:
a lower portion disposed at a lower level than the bottom surface of the first block part,
wherein the lower portion is inserted into the recess region.

16. The optical coupling device of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of a sidewall of the lower portion contacts an inner sidewall of the recess region.

17. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , further comprising a fixing part covering a top surface of the planarization layer and a sidewall of the optical fiber block.

18. The optical coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is a first optical fiber and the optical input/output element is a first optical input/output element, the device further comprising a second optical fiber and a second optical input/output element,
wherein an optical fiber array includes the first and second optical fibers that are arranged in a line, and an optical input/output element array includes the first and second optical input/output elements corresponding to the first and second optical fibers, respectively.

19. An optical coupling device comprising:
an optical fiber block including a first block part and a second block part contacting one side of the first block part;
an optical fiber penetrating the optical fiber block and having an end surface exposed at a bottom surface of the optical fiber block;
a semiconductor chip disposed below the optical fiber block, the semiconductor chip having a top surface on which an optical input/output element is disposed such that the optical input/output element corresponds to the end surface of the optical fiber; and
a planarization layer disposed on the top surface of the semiconductor chip and having a recess region,
wherein a bottom surface of the first block part has a higher level than a bottom surface of the second block part from a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip, the bottom surface of the second block part contacts a bottom of the recess region, and the optical fiber is optically coupled with the optical input/output element, and
wherein the end surface of the optical fiber has the same level as the bottom surface of the first block part.

20. An optical coupling device comprising:
an optical fiber block including a first block part and a second block part directly contacting one side of the first block part;
an optical fiber penetrating the optical fiber block and having an end surface exposed at a bottom surface of the optical fiber block;
a semiconductor chip disposed below the optical fiber block, the semiconductor chip having a top surface on which an optical input/output element is disposed such that the optical input/output element corresponds to the end surface of the optical fiber; and
a planarization layer disposed on the top surface of the semiconductor chip and having a recess region,
wherein a bottom surface of the first block part has a higher level than a bottom surface of the second block part from a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip, the bottom surface of the second block part contacts a bottom of the recess region, and the optical fiber is optically coupled with the optical input/output element.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Kwack Myungjoon
• Kim Gyungock
• Park Jaegyu
• Jang Ki Seok
• Joo Jiho

Classifications

• G02B6/3616

  Holders, macro size fixtures for mechanically holding or positioning fibres, e.g. on an optical bench (supporting carriers of a microbench type G02B6/3648; micromanipulators B25J7/00; cassettes, bobbins G02B6/4439) · CPC title

• G02B6/30 Primary

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

• G02B6/423 Primary

  using guiding surfaces for the alignment · CPC title

• G02B6/3644

  the coupling means being through-holes or wall apertures · CPC title

• G02B7/004 Primary

  Manual alignment, e.g. micromanipulators · CPC title