Method and apparatus for attaching an optical fibre to an optical device
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating an optical fibre alignment structure for aligning and optically coupling an end of an optical fibre to a planar optical device, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a sacrificial structure of a predetermined shape on a surface of a planar substrate, wherein the predetermined shape is chosen to be an inversion of a desired shape of the alignment structure to be fabricated;
(b) fabricating the optical device on the substrate such that the sacrificial structure faces a waveguide portion of the optical device;
(c) etching an optical fibre insertion aperture into said substrate such that the optical fibre insertion aperture is aligned substantially underneath the sacrificial structure; and
(d) selectively etching said sacrificial structure so as to form a region shaped to receive and align an end of an optical fibre, whereby the alignment structure of the desired shape is fabricated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of fabricating an optical fiber alignment structure for an optical device fabricated on the surface of a substrate, the integrated optical device being adapted to be optically coupled to an end of an optical fiber. The method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a sacrificial structure of a predetermined shape on a surface of a planar substrate, wherein the predetermined shape is chosen to be an inversion of a desired shape of the alignment structure to be fabricated; (b) fabricating the optical device on the substrate such that the sacrificial structure faces a waveguide portion of the optical device; (c) etching an optical fiber insertion aperture into said substrate, such that the optical fiber insertion aperture is aligned substantially underneath the sacrificial structure; and (d) selectively etching said sacrificial structure so as to form a region shaped to receive and align an end of an optical fiber, whereby the alignment structure of the desired shape is fabricated. The method can be used to align an optical fiber to a planar waveguide.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating an optical fibre alignment structure for aligning and optically coupling an end of an optical fibre to a planar optical device, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a sacrificial structure of a predetermined shape on a surface of a planar substrate, wherein the predetermined shape is chosen to be an inversion of a desired shape of the alignment structure to be fabricated;
(b) fabricating the optical device on the substrate such that the sacrificial structure faces a waveguide portion of the optical device;
(c) etching an optical fibre insertion aperture into said substrate such that the optical fibre insertion aperture is aligned substantially underneath the sacrificial structure; and
(d) selectively etching said sacrificial structure so as to form a region shaped to receive and align an end of an optical fibre, whereby the alignment structure of the desired shape is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12)
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7. A method of optically coupling an end of an optical fibre to an optical device formed on a substrate, said method including the steps of:
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(a) partially inserting the end of said optical fibre into an optical fibre insertion aperture in said substrate until the end of said fibre contacts an optical fibre alignment structure disposed between the substrate and a waveguide portion of the optical device, said optical fibre alignment structure being arranged to guide an end of an optical fibre into alignment with the waveguide portion, (b) continuing insertion of said optical fibre such that the end of said optical fibre is guided by said optical fibre alignment structure, until the end of said optical fibre is aligned with the waveguide portion of the optical device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18)
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13. An optical fibre alignment assembly for aligning and optically coupling an end of an optical fibre to a planar optical device, the alignment assembly comprising a substrate, an aperture formed through said substrate for receiving said optical fibre therein, and an end-receiving structure shaped to receive an end of said optical fibre inserted through said aperture and to align said optical fibre end with respect to a waveguide portion of said optical device.
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16. An integrated optical structure comprising a substrate, an optical device formed on said substrate. an aperture formed through said substrate for receiving an optical fibre therein and an end-receiving structure shaped to receive an end of an optical fibre inserted through said aperture and to align said optical fibre end with a waveguide portion of said optical device.
Specification