Optical and optoelectronic articles

• US 20030053784A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: David, Moses M., Miller, Michael N., Nelson, Brian K., Gates, Brian J., Brennan, James F. III, LaBrake, Dwayne L., Cronk, Bryon J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/128
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/22 with other inorganic material C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/282 Carbides, silicides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/105 Protective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/14 Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02395 Glass optical fibre with a protective coating, e.g. two layer polymer coating deposited directly on a silica cladding surface during fibre manufacture G02B6/02052, G02B6/02057, G02B6/024, G02B6/032, G02B6/105, G02B6/14 take precedence; coating on fibre gratings G02B6/02104; multilayer core or cladding G02B6/036; reinforcing splice joints G02B6/2558; optical cables, i.e. comprising protective structures external to the protective coating such as a jacket or plural coated optical fibres G02B6/44; coating of glass to obtain optical fibres C03C25/104
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

Optical and optoelectronic articles incorporating an amorphous diamond-like film are disclosed. Specifically, the invention includes optical or optoelectronic articles containing an amorphous diamond-like film overlying two or more proximate substrates, and to methods of making optical and optoelectronic articles. In certain implementations, the film comprises at least about 30 atomic percent carbon, from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent silicon, and from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent oxygen on a hydrogen-free basis. Another embodiment includes optical or optoelectronic articles containing an amorphous diamond-like film that is further coated with a metallic or polymeric material for attachment to a device package.

Claims

1. An optical or optoelectronic article comprising:

an optical glass substrate;

a polymeric substrate proximate the optical glass substrate; and

an amorphous diamond-like film deposited on at least a portion of the glass substrate and at least a portion of the polymeric substrate.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film is selected from the group consisting of diamond-like carbon, diamond-like glass, diamond-like network, interpenetrating diamond-like nanocomposites, and combinations thereof.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film comprises at least about 25 atomic percent carbon, from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent silicon, and from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent oxygen on a hydrogen-free basis.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film comprises from about 30 to about 70 atomic percent carbon, from about 20 to about 40 atomic percent silicon, and from about 20 to about 40 atomic percent oxygen on a hydrogen-free basis.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film has an average thickness from about 0.01 to about 100 microns.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the glass substrate is a waveguide.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein the waveguide is an optical fiber.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film provides a hermetic seal between the glass substrate and the polymeric substrate.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like film is stable at temperatures above 300°

C.

10. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one coating on the diamond-like film.

11. The article of claim 10 wherein the outermost coating is glass solder, metal, or a polymeric composition.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the metal comprises a first layer of nickel and a second layer of gold.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the polymeric substrate is selected from the group comprising epoxy, silicone, polyimide, acrylate, fluorinated polymer, and combinations thereof.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is selected from the group comprising a laser module, anoptical amplifier module, a fiber optic pigtail, a thermal package, an optical amplifier module, a optical switch module, a dispersion compensation device, an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer unit, or an optical receiver.

15. The article of claim 1, further comprising:

a coating deposited on at least a portion of the amorphous diamond-like film; and

a package enclosing at least a portion of the amorphous diamond-like film.

16. The optical article of claim 15, further comprising an attaching means to adhere the package to the amorphous diamond-like film.

17. The optical article of claim 15, where the coating is metallic or polymeric.

18. The optical article of claim 16, wherein the attaching means is solder, glass frit, or a laser weld.

19. A method of depositing a diamond-like film onto a glass and polymeric substrate, the method comprising:

a. providing a capacitively coupled reactor system, comprising at least one grounded and one powered electrode in an evacuable reaction chamber;

b. at least partially evacuating the chamber;

c. applying radio frequency power to at least one electrode;

d. introducing a carbon-containing source into the chamber to form a plasma comprising reactive species in proximity to the electrodes and to further form an ion sheath proximate at least one electrode; and

e. exposing an article containing a glass substrate and a proximate polymeric substrate to the reactive species within the ion sheath to form an amorphous diamond-like film on at least the portion where the glass substrate and the polymeric substrate are proximate.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of pre-cleaning the article before applying a diamond-like film.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of post-annealing the diamond-like film.

22. A method of making an optical or optoelectronic package comprising:

a. providing a capacitively coupled reactor system, comprising at least two electrodes in an evacuable reaction chamber;

b. at least partially evacuating the chamber;

c. pre-cleaning an article containing a glass substrate and a proximate polymeric substrate,

d. applying radio frequency power to at least one electrode;

e. introducing a carbon-containing source into the chamber to form a plasma comprising reactive species in proximity to the electrodes and to further form an ion sheath proximate at least one electrode;

e. exposing at least a portion of an article containing a glass substrate and a proximate polymeric substrate to the reactive species within the ion sheath to form an amorphous diamond-like film on at least the portion where the glass substrate and the polymeric substrate are proximate;

f. post-annealing the diamond-like film;

g. metalizing at least a portion of the substrate coated with amorphous diamond-like film; and

h. affixing a portion of the metal to a package.

23. An optical article comprising:

an optical glass substrate;

an amorphous diamond-like film deposited on at least a portion of the glass substrate;

at least one coating on the diamond-like film; and

a package enclosing at least a portion of the amorphous diamond-like film.