Waveguide sheet, fabrication method thereof and spectrometer using the same

• US 10,145,739 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OTO Photonics
• Original Assignee: OTO Photonics
• Inventors: Hung, Chien-Hsiang, Yeh, Jan Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Md M
• Application Number:
  US15/300,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20170023407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 356326
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0205 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. optical manifolds, diffusers, windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0262 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/18 using diffraction elements, e.g. grating gratings per se G02B

Abstract

An fabrication method of a waveguide sheet for a spectrometer includes the steps of: providing a pattern to be performed by a microelectromechanical (MEM) process; and forming at least one waveguide sheet based on the provided pattern by the MEM process. The pattern includes a shape of a first waveguide sheet. The waveguide sheet includes at least one positioning side and at least one stray light elimination side formed by the MEM process. The positioning side is for a spectral component of the spectrometer to abut against so that the spectral component is positioned at the positioning side, and the stray light elimination side is to be used as a side of a stray light outlet. The structure of the waveguide sheet and the configuration of the spectrometer are also provided.

Claims

1. A waveguide sheet for a spectrometer, comprising

a first surface comprising a reflective layer;

a first positioning side connected to the first surface, wherein the first positioning side is fabricated by a microelectromechanical (MEM) process and has a first surface feature formed by the MEM process, and the first positioning side is for a first spectral component of the spectrometer to abut against so that the first spectral component is positioned at the first positioning side; and

a first stray light elimination side connected to the first surface, wherein the first stray light elimination side is fabricated by the MEM process and has a second surface feature formed by the MEM process, and the first stray light elimination side is to be used as a side of a first stray light outlet,

wherein the waveguide sheet is comprised of a MEM material.

2. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second positioning side connected to the first surface, wherein the second positioning side is fabricated by the MEM process and has a first surface feature formed by the MEM process, and the second positioning side is for the first spectral component of the spectrometer to abut against so that the first spectral component is positioned at the first positioning side and the second positioning side.

3. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third positioning side connected to the first surface, wherein the third positioning side is fabricated by the MEM process and has a first surface feature formed by the MEM process, and the third positioning side is for a second spectral component of the spectrometer to abut against so that the second spectral component is positioned at the third positioning side.

4. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning side is a linear pattern or a non-linear pattern.

5. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second stray light elimination side connected to the first surface, wherein the second stray light elimination side is fabricated by the MEM process and has the second surface feature formed by the MEM process, and the second stray light elimination side is to be used as a side of a second stray light outlet.

6. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, wherein

a third stray light elimination side connected to the first surface, wherein the third stray light elimination side is fabricated by a mechanical cutting process and has a third surface feature formed by the mechanical cutting process, and the third stray light elimination side is to be used as a side of a third stray light outlet.

7. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, wherein the first stray light elimination side is a linear pattern or a non-linear pattern.

8. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, wherein the first surface comprises a primary optical path area and a secondary optical path area, the primary optical path area is defined by a plurality of spectral components of the spectrometer, the spectral components are configured for transmitting valid light signals via the primary optical path area, and the first stray light elimination side is disposed in the secondary optical path area and contacts an edge between the primary optical path area and the secondary optical path area.

9. The waveguide sheet according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second surface connected to the first positioning side and the first stray light elimination side,

wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and has a ground feature formed by a grinding process.

10. A fabrication method of the waveguide sheet according to claim 1 for the spectrometer, comprising:

providing a pattern to be performed by the microelectromechanical (MEM) process, wherein the pattern comprises a shape of the first waveguide sheet; and

forming the at least one waveguide sheet based on the provided pattern by the MEM process;

wherein the waveguide sheet comprises the at least one positioning side and the at least one stray light elimination side formed by the MEM process, the positioning side is for the spectral component of the spectrometer to abut against so that the spectral component is positioned at the positioning side, and the stray light elimination side is to be used as the side of the stray light outlet.

11. The fabrication method according to claim 10, wherein the MEM process comprises:

performing an anisotropic etching process so that the positioning side or the stray light elimination side has an anisotropically etched feature.

12. The fabrication method according to claim 11, wherein the anisotropic etching process comprises:

anisotropically etching a substrate to form at least one anisotropically etched trench on a top surface of the substrate,

wherein a sidewall of the anisotropically etched trench comprises at least one anisotropically etched surface to be used as the positioning side or the stray light elimination side.

13. The fabrication method according to claim 11, wherein the anisotropic etching process comprises:

performing an electron-beam etching process, an ion etching process, a reactive-ion etching process, a deep reactive-ion etching process, a wet etching process or a photo etching process, so that the positioning side or the stray light elimination side has an electron-beam etched feature, an ion etched feature, a reactive-ion etched feature, a deep reactive-ion etched feature, a wet etched feature or a photo etched feature.

14. The fabrication method according to claim 10, wherein the MEM process comprises:

performing an electrocasting process, a nano-imprint process or a lift-off process, so that the positioning side or the stray light elimination side has an electrocasted feature, a nano-imprinted feature or a lift-off feature.

15. The fabrication method according to claim 10, wherein the pattern to be performed by the MEM process further comprises a shape of a second waveguide sheet, and the shape of the first waveguide sheet shares at least one side with the shape of the second waveguide sheet.

16. The fabrication method according to claim 10, wherein the pattern to be performed by the MEM process further comprises a shape of a third waveguide sheet, and the shape of the third waveguide sheet is different from the shape of the first waveguide sheet.

17. The fabrication method according to claim 10, wherein the MEM process comprises:

performing a plating process, so that a first surface of the waveguide sheet has a reflective layer.

18. The fabrication method according to claim 17, wherein the MEM process further comprises:

performing an adhesion process, so that the first surface is adhered with a dicing tape.

19. The fabrication method according to claim 18, wherein the MEM process further comprises:

performing a grinding process, so that a second surface opposite to the first surface of the waveguide sheet has a ground feature.

20. The fabrication method according to claim 17, wherein the MEM process further comprises:

performing a mechanical cutting process to cut another side of the waveguide sheet, wherein the other side is not aligned with the positioning side along a same straight line.

21. The fabrication method according to claim 20, wherein the MEM process further comprises:

performing an adhesion process prior to the mechanical cutting process, so that a second surface opposite to the first surface of the waveguide sheet is adhered with a dicing tape.

22. A spectrometer, comprising:

a first waveguide sheet comprising at least one first positioning side and at least one first stray light elimination side formed by a first microelectromechanical (MEM) process, wherein the first stray light elimination side is to be used as a side of a stray light outlet;

a first spectral component abutting against the first positioning side; and

a second waveguide sheet disposed under the first waveguide sheet, wherein a gap is formed between the first waveguide sheet and the second waveguide sheet.

23. The spectrometer according to claim 22, wherein the first spectral component comprises an optical sensor, a grating, a slit member, an optical filter, a glare shield, a reflective lens, a focus lens or a quasi-planar lens.

24. The spectrometer according to claim 22, wherein first spectral component and the first waveguide sheet are comprised of a same material.

25. The spectrometer according to claim 22, wherein the first waveguide sheet further comprises a second positioning side formed by the first MEM process, and the first spectral component abuts against the first positioning side and the second positioning side.

26. The spectrometer according to claim 22, wherein the first waveguide sheet further comprises a third positioning side formed by the first MEM process, the spectrometer further comprises a second spectral component, and the second spectral component abuts against the third positioning side.

27. The spectrometer according to claim 22, wherein the second waveguide sheet further comprises a third positioning side and a second stray light elimination side formed by a second MEM process, the spectrometer further comprises a second spectral component, the second spectral component abuts against the third positioning side, and the second stray light elimination side is to be used as another side of the stray light outlet.

28. The spectrometer according to claim 22, further comprising:

a second spectral component optically coupled to the first spectral component via the gap, so that a primary optical path area and a secondary optical path area are defined on the first waveguide sheet, the primary optical path area is for transmitting valid light signals, and the first stray light elimination side is disposed in the secondary optical path area and contacts an edge between the primary optical path area and the secondary optical path area.