Mode size converters and methods of fabricating the same

• US 9,310,555 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Sun, Jibin, Zhang, Haipeng, Razdan, Sandeep, Pugliano, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, ELLEN E
• Application Number:
  US14/279,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 385/28, 216/24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1228 Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers for coupling with fibres G02B6/305
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/14 Mode converters

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a method of fabricating a mode size converter. The method includes: exposing a photoresist-coated substrate to varying doses of light exposure to produce a profile in the photoresist of a beam mode size converter; and etching the photoresist-coated substrate to remove an equal thickness of the photoresist and substrate. The beam mode sized converter includes: a first surface having a first surface height and a first surface width; a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface having a second surface height different than the first surface height and a second surface width different than the first surface width; and one or more boundary surfaces connecting the first surface and second surfaces.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a mode size converter, the method comprising:

exposing a photoresist-coated substrate to varying doses of light exposure to produce a profile in the photoresist of a beam mode size converter including;

a first surface having a first surface height and a first surface width;

a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface having a second surface height different than the first surface height and a second surface width different than the first surface width; and

one or more boundary surfaces connecting the first surface and second surfaces; and

etching the photoresist-coated substrate to remove an equal thickness of the photoresist and substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface has a rectangular profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface has a square profile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface has a rectangular profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface has a square profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second surface height is smaller than the first surface height; and

the second surface width is smaller than the first surface width.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode size converter fabricated from silicon.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the silicon has a refractive index of 3.5;

the first surface height is about 13 μ

m;

the first surface width is about 13 μ

m;

the second surface height is about 0.35 μ

m;

the second surface width is about 0.145 μ

m; and

the first surface and the second surface are separated by a length of about 1 mm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode size converter is fabricated from a polymer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the polymer has a refractive index of 1.5;

the first surface height is about 9 μ

m;

the first surface width is about 9 μ

m;

the second surface height is about 3 μ

m;

the second surface width is about 3 μ

m; and

the first surface and the second surface are separated by a length of about 1 mm.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the polymer is SU-8.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the polymer is a polyimide.

13. A mode size converter produced according to the method of claim 1.