Optical waveguide device

• US 4,932,743 A
• Filed: 04/14/1989
• Issued: 06/12/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Isobe, Tami, Yokomori, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/338,316
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.11, 350/96.12, 350/96.13, 350/96.14, 350/96.15, 350/96.17, 350/96.19, 350/96.30, 350/96.34, 350/96.18, 250/227
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical waveguide device which comprises a substrate, an optical waveguide layer formed on the substrate, a gap adjusting layer formed on the optical waveguide layer, a metallic layer formed on the gap adjusting layer to partly cover the gap adjusting layer and having an opening therein, a dielectric adhesive layer disposed in contact with the gap adjusting layer through the opening of the metallic layer, and a dielectric prism disposed on the adhesive layer. The gap adjusting layer has an index of refraction which is lower than that of the optical waveguide layer. An incident light passes through the opeining of the metallic layer. The dielectric adhesive layer has an index of refraction which is higher than that of the optical waveguide layer. The dielectric prism has an index of refraction which is higher than that of the optical waveguide layer.

Claims

1. An optical waveguide device comprising:

a substrate;

an optical waveguide layer formed on said substrate;

a gap adjusting layer formed on said optical waveguide layer and having an index of refraction which is lower than that of said optical waveguide layer;

a metallic layer formed on said gap adjusting layer to partly cover the gap adjusting layer and having an opening through which an incident light passes;

a dielectric adhesive layer disposed in contact with said gap adjusting layer through said opening of said metallic layer and having an index of refraction which is higher than that of said optical waveguide layer; and

a dielectric prism disposed on said adhesive layer and having an index of refraction which is higher than that of said optical waveguide layer.

2. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein the size of said opening is slightly smaller than the beam diameter of said incident light.

3. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein a dielectric buffer layer having a low index of refraction is disposed between said substrate and said optical waveguide layer.

4. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made from Si.

5. An optical waveguide device according to claim 3, wherein said buffer layer is made from SiO₂ film.

6. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said optical waveguide layer is made from SiON.

7. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said gap adjusting layer is made from SiO₂ film.

8. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said metallic layer is made from Ag.

9. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is made from a polyimide resin.

10. An optical waveguide device according to claim 1, wherein said opening has a specific shape to perform a specific optical function in accordance with said shape.

11. An optical waveguide device comprising:

a substrate;

an optical waveguide layer formed on said substrate;

a clad layer covering at least a part of said optical waveguide layer and having an opening through which an incident light to be coupled passes; and

an optical element disposed on said opening of said clad layer for guiding said incident light to said optical waveguide layer,

wherein said opening has a specific shape to perform a specific optical function in accordance with said shape.

12. An optical waveguide device according to claim 11, wherein the boundary of said opening is inclined with respect to a propagation direction of said incident light so as to perform a function for changing an optical passage.

13. An optical waveguide device according to claim 11, wherein the boundary of said opening has a lens like curved shape so as to perform a condenser function and a mode splitter function.

14. An optical waveguide device according to claim 11, wherein said opening is filled with a dielectric material having a low index of refraction.

15. An optical waveguide device according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of said clad layer in the boundary area adjacent to said opening is changed along the propagation direction of the light so that the index of refraction thereof gradually changes.