Apparatus providing simplified alignment of optical fiber in photonic integrated circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9507104-B2
Application number	US-201615134167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2016
Priority date	Jan 2, 2013
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A structure for optically aligning an optical fiber to a photonic device and method of fabrication of same. The structure optically aligns an optical fiber to the photonic device using a lens between the two which is moveable by actuator heads. The lens is moveable by respective motive sources associated with the actuator heads.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method fabricating an optical alignment structure, the method comprising:
fabricating on a photonic integrated circuit:
an alignment lens;
three cantilever arms, each containing a respective actuator head at a free end;
a respective motive source associated with the respective actuator heads for causing movement of the lens;
a photonic device; and
an optical fiber holding structure arranged such that the lens is in an optical path between an optical fiber attached to the optical fiber holding structure and the photonic device.

2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the motive source comprises a respective piezoelectric structure for causing movement of a respective actuator head.

3. A method as in claim 2 , wherein each piezoelectric structure causes a bending movement of a respective cantilever arm to move a respective actuator head.

4. A method as in claim 3 , wherein each piezoelectric structure is provided on a respective cantilever arm.

5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein two of the actuator heads are fabricated to support opposite sides of the lens from below and are provided with a downwardly sloping inclined area for engaging with the lens.

6. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the inclined area comprises a planar area.

7. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the inclined area comprises a curved area.

8. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the inclined area comprises a series of steps.

9. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:
fabricating on the photonic integrated circuit a light detector for detecting light received by at least one of the photonic device and an optical fiber attached to the holding structure.

10. A method as in claim 9 , further comprising fabricating a control system on the photonic integrated circuit which receives light from the light detector and controls the motive sources for moving the actuator heads.

Assignees

• Micron Technology Inc

Inventors

• Sandhu Gurtej
• Meade Roy
• Bi Lei
• Smythe John

Classifications

• Y10T29/42

  Piezoelectric device making · CPC title

• G02B6/4225

  by a direct measurement of the degree of coupling, e.g. the amount of light power coupled to the fibre or the opto-electronic element · 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

• G02B6/4226 Primary

  Positioning means for moving the elements into alignment, e.g. alignment screws, deformation of the mount · CPC title

• G02B6/4204 Primary

  the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208) · CPC title