OPTICAL COUPLING SYSTEM, CORRESPONDING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20180113256A1
• Filed: 05/30/2017
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Shaw, Mark Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,591,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres

Abstract

An optical coupling includes a body having a first surface which couples with a photonics integrated circuit and a second surface including an array of lenses integral with the body. The array of lenses couples to an optical fiber connector. The array of lenses may be a linear array. The body may be made of a polymer material, which may be optically cured. The photonics integrated circuit and the optical coupling may be used, for example, in a mobile phone. The optical coupling may be made by shaping curable material on a photonics integrated circuit into a body, and curing the body of curable material. The cured body includes the first surface in contact with the photonics integrated circuit and the second surface including the array of optical lenses to couple with the optical fiber connector.

Claims

1. An optical coupling, comprising:

a body having;

a first surface which, in operation, couples with a photonics integrated circuit; and

a second surface including an array of lenses integral with the body, wherein the array of lenses, in operation, couples to an optical fiber connector.

2. The optical coupling of claim 1 wherein said array of lenses includes a linear array of lenses.

3. The optical coupling of claim 1 wherein said body comprises polymer material.

4. The optical coupling of claim 1 wherein said body comprises cured material.

5. The optical coupling of claim 4 wherein the cured material comprises optically cured material.

6. The optical coupling of claim 1 wherein the array of lenses extend away from the second surface of the body.

7. A device, comprising:

a photonics integrated circuit, which, in operation, converts one or more of;

at least one electrical signal into an optical signal; and

at least one optical signal into an electrical signal; and

an optical coupling including a body having;

a first surface optically coupled with the photonics integrated circuit; and

a second surface including an array of lenses integral with the body, wherein the array of lenses, in operation, couples to an optical fiber connector.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said array of lenses includes a linear array of lenses.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said body comprises polymer material.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein said body comprises cured material.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the cured material comprises optically cured material.

12. The device of claim 7 wherein said body is positioned directly adjacent to said photonics integrated circuit.

13. The device of claim 7 wherein said photonics integrated circuit includes optical gratings and said optical coupling couples with said optical gratings.

14. The device of claim 7, comprising an electrical circuit coupled with the photonics integrated circuit.

15. The device of claim 14, comprising pillars coupling the electrical circuit with the photonics integrated circuit.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the electrical circuit comprises image processing circuitry.

17. The device of claim 16, comprising mobile phone circuitry.

18. The device of claim 7 wherein the array of lenses extend away from the second surface of the body.

19. A method of manufacturing an optical coupling, comprising:

shaping curable material on a photonics integrated circuit into a body; and

curing the body of curable material, the cured body including;

a first surface in contact with the photonics integrated circuit; and

a second surface including an array of optical lenses to couple with an optical cable.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising dispensing the curable material on to the photonics integrated circuit.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said array of lenses includes a linear array of lenses.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said curable material comprises a polymer.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising optically curing the curable material.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein shaping the curable material into the body comprises stamping the curable material.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising removing excess curable material after the stamping.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein said photonics integrated circuit includes optical gratings and said optical coupling couples with said optical gratings.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the array of optical lenses extend away from the second surface of the cured body.

28. A system, comprising:

an integrated circuit having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface including a plurality of optical grating couplers; and

an optical coupling body on the first surface of the integrated circuit, the optical coupling body including;

a base portion having a first and second surface, the first surface of the base portion optically coupling with the plurality of optical grating couplers of the integrated circuit; and

a plurality of optical lenses on the second surface of the base portion.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the plurality of optical lenses extend away from the second surface of the base portion.

30. The system of claim 28, comprising an optical fiber connector optically coupled to the plurality of optical lenses of the optical coupling body.