OPTICAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD WITH TWO LIGHT WAVEGUIDE LAYERS OPTCALLY COUPLED TO EACH OTHER

• US 20130315536A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: HUANG, HSIN-SHUN
• Granted Patent: US 9,310,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12002 Three-dimensional structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1228 Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers for coupling with fibres G02B6/305
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/26 Optical coupling means G02B6/36, G02B6/42 take precedence

Abstract

An optical PCB includes a substrate layer, a first light waveguide layer and a second light waveguide layer. The first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are positioned on the substrate layer and are optically coupled with each other. The first light waveguide layer includes a first tapered end facing toward the second light waveguide layer, and the second light waveguide layer includes a second taped end facing toward the first light waveguide layer. The first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are optically coupled with each other via the first tapered end and the second tapered end.

Claims

1. An optical PCB, comprising:

a substrate layer;

a first light waveguide layer on the substrate layer; and

a second light waveguide layer on the substrate layer, the second light waveguide layer being optically coupled with the first light waveguide layer;

wherein the first light waveguide layer comprises a first tapered end facing toward the second light waveguide layer, the second light waveguide layer comprises a second taped end facing toward the first light waveguide layer, the first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are optically coupled with each other via the first tapered end and the second tapered end.

2. The optical PCB of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface.

3. The optical PCB of claim 2, wherein the optical PCB comprises an interconnecting light waveguide layer positioned between the first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer, and the interconnecting light waveguide layer optically couples the first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer.

4. The optical PCB of claim 3, wherein the interconnecting light waveguide layer comprises a third tapered end and a fourth tapered end opposite to the third tapered end, the first tapered end overlaps the third tapered end, and the second tapered end overlaps the fourth tapered end.

5. The optical PCB of claim 4, wherein an orthogonal projection of the third tapered end on the first surface substantially coincides with an orthogonal projection of the first tapered end on the first surface, and an orthogonal projection of the fourth tapered end on the first surface substantially coincides with an orthogonal projection of the second tapered end on the first surface.

6. The optical PCB of claim 3, wherein the first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer are positioned on the first surface of the substrate layer.

7. The optical PCB of claim 6, wherein the optical PCB comprises a reflecting layer covering the first light waveguide layer and the second light waveguide layer.

8. The optical PCB of claim 3, wherein the first light waveguide layer is positioned on the first surface of the substrate layer, and the second waveguide layer is positioned on the second surface of the substrate layer.

9. The optical PCB of claim 8, wherein the optical PCB comprises a first reflecting layer covering the first light waveguide layer and a second reflecting layer covering the second light waveguide layer.

10. The optical PCB of claim 3, wherein the substrate layer defines a first receiving groove in the first surface, a second receiving groove in the second surface and a third receiving groove communication with the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove, the third receiving groove is defined in a side surface of the substrate substantially perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, the first light waveguide layer is received in first receiving groove, the second light waveguide layer is received in the second receiving groove, and the interconnecting light waveguide layer is engaged into the third receiving groove from the side surface of the substrate layer.

11. The optical PCB of claim 10, wherein the first receiving groove comprises a first tapered portion corresponding to the first tapered end, the second receiving groove comprises a second tapered portion corresponding to the second tapered portion, the first tapered end is engaged into the first tapered portion, and the second taper end is engaged into the second tapered portion.

12. The optical PCB of claim 2, wherein the first light waveguide layer is positioned in on the first surface, the substrate defines a receiving groove in the first surface, the second light waveguide layer is received in receiving groove, and the first tapered end overlaps and touches the second tapered end.

13. The optical PCB of claim 12, wherein an orthogonal projection of the first tapered end on the first surface substantially coincides with an orthogonal projection of the second tapered end on the first surface.

14. The optical PCB of claim 2, wherein the substrate defines a first receiving groove in the first surface and a second receiving groove in the second surface, the first receiving groove communicates with the second receiving groove, the first light waveguide layer is received in first receiving groove, the second light waveguide layer is received in the second receiving groove, and the first tapered end overlaps and touches the second tapered end.

15. The optical PCB of claim 14, wherein the first receiving groove comprises a first tapered portion corresponding to the first tapered end, the second receiving groove comprises a second tapered portion corresponding to the second tapered portion, the first tapered end is engaged into the first tapered portion, and the second taper end is engaged into the second tapered portion.

16. The optical PCB of claim 14, wherein an orthogonal projection of the first tapered end on the first surface substantially coincides with an orthogonal projection of the second tapered end on the first surface.