Direct interlayer optical coupler
First Claim
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1. A multi-chip module (MCM), comprising:
- a first substrate having a first surface, wherein the first substrate includes;
a first optical waveguide disposed on the first surface; and
a first optical coupler, optically coupled to the first optical waveguide, having a first vertical facet, wherein the first optical coupler has a first optical mode that is different than a second optical mode associated with the first optical waveguide; and
a second substrate having a second surface facing the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the second substrate includes;
a second optical waveguide disposed on the second surface; and
a second optical coupler, optically coupled to the second optical waveguide, having a second vertical facet, wherein the second optical coupler has a third optical mode that is different than a fourth optical mode associated with the second optical waveguide;
wherein the second vertical facet is horizontally displaced relative to and faces the first vertical facet, thereby facilitating direct optical coupling of an optical signal from the first vertical facet to the second vertical facet.
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Abstract
In an MCM, an optical signal is conveyed by an optical waveguide disposed on a surface of a first substrate to an optical coupler having a vertical facet. This optical coupler has an optical mode that is different than the optical mode of the optical waveguide. For example, the spatial extent of the optical mode associated with the optical coupler may be larger, thereby reducing optical losses and sensitivity to alignment errors. Then, the optical signal is directly coupled from the vertical facet to a facing vertical facet of an identical optical coupler on another substrate, and the optical signal is conveyed in another optical waveguide disposed on the other substrate.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multi-chip module (MCM), comprising:
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a first substrate having a first surface, wherein the first substrate includes; a first optical waveguide disposed on the first surface; and a first optical coupler, optically coupled to the first optical waveguide, having a first vertical facet, wherein the first optical coupler has a first optical mode that is different than a second optical mode associated with the first optical waveguide; and a second substrate having a second surface facing the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the second substrate includes; a second optical waveguide disposed on the second surface; and a second optical coupler, optically coupled to the second optical waveguide, having a second vertical facet, wherein the second optical coupler has a third optical mode that is different than a fourth optical mode associated with the second optical waveguide; wherein the second vertical facet is horizontally displaced relative to and faces the first vertical facet, thereby facilitating direct optical coupling of an optical signal from the first vertical facet to the second vertical facet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for direct optical coupling an optical signal from a first substrate to a second substrate, the method comprising:
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transporting the optical signal in a first optical waveguide disposed on a first surface of the first substrate; optically coupling the optical signal from the first optical waveguide to a first optical coupler having a first vertical facet which is disposed on the first substrate, wherein the first optical coupler has a first optical mode that is different than a second optical mode associated with the first optical waveguide; direct optical coupling the optical signal from the first vertical facet to a second vertical facet of a second optical coupler disposed on the second substrate, wherein the first vertical facet faces the second vertical facet; optically coupling the optical signal from the second optical coupler to a second optical waveguide disposed on a second surface of the second substrate, wherein the second surface faces the first surface, and wherein the second optical coupler has a third optical mode that is different than a fourth optical mode associated with the second optical waveguide; and transporting the optical signal in the second optical waveguide.
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20. A method for assembling an MCM, the method comprising:
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placing alignment features in first negative features disposed on a first surface of a first substrate; and mechanically coupling the alignment features to second negative features disposed on a second surface of a second substrate, thereby aligning and maintaining relative positions of a first vertical facet of a first optical coupler on the first substrate and a second vertical facet of a second optical coupler on the second substrate, wherein the first surface faces the second surface; and wherein the first vertical facet faces the second vertical facet, thereby facilitating direct optical coupling of an optical signal from the first substrate to the second substrate.
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Specification