Manufacturing of Optical Waveguides

• US 20090169152A1
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Östergard, Toni
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/34 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/203 One or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/138 by using polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/25 Preparing the ends of light guides for coupling, e.g. cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1039 Surface deformation only of sandwich or lamina [e.g., embossed panels]

Abstract

Optical waveguide and manufacturing of an optical waveguide comprising embossing at least one groove into a first substrate by rolling, applying at least a second substrate into the groove and covering at least the groove with a third substrate such that the groove constitutes an optical waveguide for optical signal transmission.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

embossing at least one groove into a first substrate by rolling;

applying at least a second substrate into the groove; and

covering at least the groove with a third substrate

such that the groove constitutes an optical waveguide for optical signal transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein embossing the groove comprises rolling the groove into the first substrate continuously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein embossing the groove comprises rolling the groove into the first substrate by a roll-to-roll process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein embossing the groove comprises applying heat onto the first substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein embossing the groove comprises varying width and/or depth of the groove.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the width-depth ratio of the groove is between 0.5-10.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the width and/or depth of the groove is at least 10 μ

m.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the width and/or depth of the groove is chosen to provide a single mode and/or multi-mode optical waveguide.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein embossing the groove comprises providing a linear and/or curved groove.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising embossing at least one electrical conductor into the first substrate by rolling.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the second substrate comprises at least one of

A) screen printing;

B) ink-jet printing; and

C) spraying.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing excess of second substrate after spraying.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising drying and/or hardening by polymerization the second substrate after application into the groove.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein covering at least the groove with a third substrate comprises at least one of

A) screen printing;

B) ink-jet printing;

C) spraying; and

D) laminating.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising drying and/or hardening by polymerization the third substrate after covering the groove.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein covering at least the groove with a third substrate comprises covering the whole first substrate.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising cutting the optical waveguide into pieces after covering the at least one groove.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein cutting the optical waveguide comprises cutting the waveguide at a position with increased width and/or depth of the groove.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising embossing at least two grooves for optical signal transmission into the first substrate and embossing at least one non-guiding groove in between the at least two grooves such that cross-talking of the signals between the at least two grooves is reduced.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein embossing the at least one non-guiding groove in between the at least two grooves is done after the third substrate is applied.

21. An optical waveguide comprising:

a first substrate with at least one embossed groove made by rolling;

the groove filled with a second substrate; and

a third substrate covering at least the groove

such that the groove constitutes an optical waveguide for optical signal transmission.

22. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the groove is a continuous groove within the first substrate.

23. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the groove has varying width and/or depth.

24. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the width-depth ratio of the groove is between 0.5-10.

25. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the width and/or depth of the groove is at least 10 μ

m.

26. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the width and/or depth is chosen to provide a single mode and/or multi-mode optical waveguide.

27. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the groove is linear and/or curved.

28. The optical waveguide of claim 21, further comprising at least one electrical conductor embossed into the first substrate by rolling.

29. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the first substrate is a transparent and/or thermoplastic material.

30. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the first substrate is a foil with a thickness of 0.1-5 mm.

31. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the first substrate is a polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyethylene, or polystyrene, or any derivate thereof.

32. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the second substrate is a transparent and/or organic, or inorganic material.

33. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the second substrate is a fluid capable of drying and/or hardening by polymerization.

34. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the second substrate has an optical refractive index η

₂ after drying and/or hardening by polymerization the second substrate which is higher than the optical refractive index η

₁ of the first substrate.

35. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the third substrate has an optical refractive index η

₃ equal to the optical refractive index η

₁ of the first substrate.

36. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the third substrate covers the whole first substrate.

37. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein at least two grooves for optical signal transmission within the first substrate are isolated from each other by one non-guiding groove in between the at least two grooves such that cross-talking of the signals between the at least two grooves is reduced.

38. The optical waveguide of claim 21, wherein the at least one non-guiding groove is embossed into the third substrate and the first substrate.

39. A system comprising:

manufacturing optical waveguides according to claim 21 with;

an embossing roll arranged for embossing at least one groove into a first substrate;

a first application unit arranged for applying at least a second substrate into the groove; and

a second application unit arranged for covering at least the groove with a third substrate

such that the groove constitutes an optical waveguide for optical signal transmission.

40. A mobile communication equipment comprising an optical waveguide of claim 21 for data transmission.

41. The mobile communication equipment of claim 40, wherein the optical waveguide is arranged to transport data within at least a hinge of a clam shell.

42. A use of an optical waveguide according to claim 21 in consumer electronic devices for data transmission, in particular in mobile communication devices.

43. The use of claim 42, wherein the optical waveguide is arranged to transport data within at least a hinge of a clam shell mobile communication device.

44. A system comprising:

manufacturing optical waveguides according to claim 21 with;

means for embossing at least one groove into a first substrate;

means for applying at least a second substrate into the groove; and

means for covering at least the groove with a third substrate

such that the grove constitutes an optical waveguide for optical signal transmission.