JPH06289249A - Apparatus for manufacturing waveguide-type optical component with guide groove for pin fitting and method for manufacturing waveguide-type optical component with guide groove for pin fitting using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a method and a device for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove that can be connected to other optical components by pin-fitting. A waveguide type optical component 21 in which a pin-fitting guide groove is to be engraved by positioning the optical fiber arranging tool 17 mounted on the slicer device 15 and the guide groove engraving blade 16 relative to each other. The optical fiber arranging tool 17 is placed on the fine adjustment table 20 arranged between the optical fiber arranging tool 17 and the light receiving table 19, and the optical fiber arranging tool 17 is provided on both end faces of the waveguide type optical component 21.
After arranging the respective end faces of the light receiving base 19 and the light receiving base 19, by finely moving the fine adjustment base 20 while inputting light from the optical fiber arranging tool 17, the optical fiber arranging tool 17 and the waveguide type optical component. 21 performs optical axis alignment between the light receiving base 19 and the guide groove engraving blade 16 to operate the guide groove engraving blade 16 and guide pin hole 17c (17d) of the optical fiber arranging tool 17 in the waveguide type optical component 21. ) And a pin-fitting guide groove coaxial with

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove and a method for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove using the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A waveguide type optical component in which an optical waveguide core having a predetermined pattern is embedded in a clad is
It is used by connecting a single-core or multi-core optical fiber connector. As the connection method of the optical fiber connector in this case, the optical fiber connector is brought into contact with the end face of the waveguide type optical component, each optical axis of the optical waveguide core and each optical axis of the optical fiber are aligned, and then both are bonded or There are a method of fixing by welding and a method of connecting without alignment.

First, in the case of the former method, as shown in FIG. 1, a waveguide core having a predetermined pattern is formed on a fine adjustment table (not shown) that can be finely moved in the three-dimensional direction. A waveguide type optical component 1, an optical fiber arranging tool 4a for holding, for example, two input side optical fibers 2a, 2b at both ends thereof, and, for example, two output side optical fibers 3a, 3
The optical fiber arranging tool 4b holding b is set in a butted state. Then, the light from the light sources 5a and 5b is input to the input side optical fibers 2a and 2b, respectively, and the optical power from the output side optical fibers 3a and 3b is measured by the optical power meters 6a and 6b, respectively.

In this state, when the optical fiber arranging tool 4a, the waveguide type optical component 1 and the optical fiber arranging tool 4b are slightly moved, the output power measured by the optical power meters 6a and 6b shows the maximum value. In this case, the waveguide type optical component and the optical fiber arranging tools 4a and 4b are bonded and fixed to each other by using an adhesive, assuming that their optical axes are aligned with each other. By the way, this optical axis alignment work requires a lot of time. The reason is,
Once the optical power measurement is started, the optical axis alignment is a short time of about several minutes, but the light source or optical power meter and the optical fiber for connecting the light source or the optical power meter performed before the optical axis alignment are used. This is because it takes a time of the order of several tens of minutes to process the end of the fiber.

Further, in the case of the module manufactured by the above-mentioned method, since the waveguide type optical component and the optical fiber arranging tool are connected by an adhesive, for example, when a part of the optical fiber is broken, the waveguide type optical component is disconnected. Even if there is nothing wrong with the parts themselves, the entire module will have to be destroyed. On the other hand, in the case of the unaligned connection method, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical waveguide core 8 made of quartz glass is also formed on the waveguide substrate 7 such as a Si substrate having a predetermined thickness. A predetermined width and depth can be obtained by using, for example, a dicer from the upper surface of the clad 9 of the waveguide type optical component existing in a state of being buried in the clad 9 having a smaller refractive index) to the bottom of the substrate 1. Two grooves 10a, 10b which are provided and extend in the longitudinal direction of the component are engraved with the above-mentioned optical waveguide core 2 as a positioning reference, and these grooves 10a, 1 are formed.
0b is provided with guide pins 11a and 11b each having a predetermined diameter, and the whole is pressed by the holding plate 12. As a result,
The guide pins 11a and 11b are fixed in the grooves 10a and 10b.

The optical fiber connectors 13 and 13 have therein optical fibers arranged at the same pitch as the cores of the optical waveguide cores 8 of the optical waveguide component, and on both sides, guide pins 11a and Pin hole 13 coaxial with 11b
a and 13b are formed. When connecting the optical fiber connectors 13 and 13 to both ends of the optical waveguide component, the guide pins 11a and 11b are connected to the optical fiber connectors 13 and 13, respectively.
Through the pin holes 13a and 13b, the end faces of the optical waveguide component and the end face of the optical fiber connector 13 are brought into contact with each other, and the both are pressure-welded by using, for example, a spring clip 14.

In this way, the optical axes of the optical waveguide core 8 and the optical fiber of the optical fiber connector 13 coincide with each other, and the optical connection is completed without performing alignment work there. In the case of this unaligned connection method, the grooves 10a, 1 of the waveguide type optical component are used.
If 0b is accurately engraved with the pin holes 13a and 13b of the optical connector 13, there is an advantage that the guide pins can be arranged in the groove and the pin hole and can be connected without performing the optical axis alignment work. I have it. Further, for example, even when a part of the optical fiber is broken, the clip 14 is released to separate the waveguide type optical component and the optical connector, and a new optical connector can be pin-fitted, so that the entire module is discarded. There is no need.

[0008]

In the case of the above-mentioned non-centering connection method, in order to realize a complete optical axis alignment, the guide groove for pin fitting of the optical component has the guide pin arranged therein. At this time, it is necessary that the guide pins are accurately inserted so that they can be inserted into the guide pin holes of the optical connector and their optical axes are aligned with each other.

The present invention provides a manufacturing apparatus of a pin-fitting guide groove protruding waveguide type optical component for meeting the above-mentioned demand and a method of manufacturing a pin fitting guide groove type waveguide type optical component using the same. To aim.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a blade for engraving a guide groove and a guide pin hole formed at a predetermined end face position. A slicer device in which the optical fiber arranging device is mounted with its longitudinal direction parallel to the blade surface of the blade; a light-receiving base arranged opposite to the optical fiber arranging device in the same plane; and a waveguide-type light. A pin having a component mounting surface, arranged between the optical fiber arranging tool and the light receiving base, and capable of minute movement in a three-dimensional direction; An apparatus for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component with a guide groove for fitting is provided, and a guide groove for pin fitting is formed by positioning the optical fiber arranging tool and the guide groove engraving blade with each other. Waveguide type optical components are The optical fiber is placed on a fine adjustment table arranged between the array tool and the light receiving table, and the respective end surfaces of the optical fiber array tool and the light receiving table are arranged on both end surfaces of the waveguide type optical component. By slightly moving the fine adjustment base while inputting light from the arrangement tool, optical axis alignment is performed between the optical fiber arrangement tool, the waveguide type optical component and the light receiving base, and then guide groove engraving is performed. A guide groove for pin fitting coaxial with the guide pin hole of the optical fiber arranging tool is operated by operating a blade for use in the waveguide type optical component A method of manufacturing the same is provided.

[0011]

In the device of the present invention, the optical fiber arranging tool is integrally mounted on the slicer device for engraving the guide groove. A guide pin hole is formed at a predetermined position on the end face of the optical fiber arranging tool, a light receiving base is disposed at a position facing the optical fiber arranging tool, and a position of the waveguide type optical component is provided between the two. There is a fine adjustment stand that can be finely adjusted.

Therefore, when the waveguide type optical component is placed on the fine adjustment table after the mutual positional relationship between the optical fiber arranging tool of the slicer device and the blade is determined, the optical components are placed on both end faces of the waveguide type optical component. The end face of the fiber array tool and the end face of the light receiving base are in a state of being respectively arranged. Here, when light is input from the optical fiber arranging tool, the light passes through the waveguide core of the optical waveguide type optical component and is input to the light receiving base. Therefore, while measuring the optical output from the light receiving base with the optical power meter connected to the light receiving base, make sure that the optical axes of the two optical axes match at the mutual positions where the optical output from the light receiving base is maximized by finely moving the fine adjustment base. To be judged.

If a guide groove is engraved in the waveguide type optical component with the blade of the slicer device while maintaining this state, the engraved position of the guide groove will be a position corresponding to the guide pin hole of the optical fiber arranging tool. .

[0014]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the device of the present invention.
In the figure, the slicer device 15 is equipped with a blade 16 for engraving a desired guide groove and an optical fiber arranging tool 17 described later.

The optical fiber arranging tool 17 has an end face 17a.
In the figure, it has eight waveguide cores 17b and guide pin holes 17c and 17d formed with these waveguide cores 17b as the positioning reference. These waveguide cores 17
Light can be input from the optical fiber tape 18a to b. The end face 17 of this optical fiber arranging tool 17
The light receiving base 19 is arranged at a position facing a. The light receiving base 19 is located in the same plane as the optical fiber arranging tool 17,
The optical axes of the waveguide core of the light receiving base 19 and the waveguide core 17b of the optical fiber arranging tool 17 are aligned with each other. The waveguide core of the light receiving base 19 is the optical fiber tape 1
It is connected to an optical power meter (not shown) via 8b.

A fine adjustment table 20 is arranged between the optical fiber arranging tool 17 and the light receiving table 19. The fine adjustment table 20 can be finely moved in the three-dimensional directions of X, Y, and Z in the drawing, whereby the waveguide type optical component 21 mounted on the fine adjustment table 20 can be moved to the blade 16 and the optical fiber array. It can be positioned with respect to the tool 17 and the light receiving base 19. Using this apparatus, a waveguide type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove can be manufactured as follows.

First, the blade 16 and the optical fiber arranging tool 17 in the slicer device 15 are positioned relative to each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the cross-sectional dimension is 8 μm □
8 waveguide cores 17b are formed, and guide pin holes 17c, 1 are formed at both ends of the waveguide core group.
The optical fiber arranging tool 17 having 7d is a slicer device 15.
Be attached to. Here, the center of each waveguide core and the center of the guide pin hole are both located in the same plane,
The distance between the center of the waveguide core and the center of the guide pin hole on both sides is set to 1.425 mm, for example.

By adjusting the position of the blade 16, the horizontal distance and the vertical distance between the cutting edge 16a of the blade 16 and the center of the waveguide core at one end are 1.425 mm and 2.000 mm, respectively.
Set to. In this way, the cutting edge 16 of the blade 16
a is located immediately above the center of the guide pin hole 17a.

Next, regarding the cross-sectional shape of the waveguide core and the pitch between the cores, the optical fiber arranging tool 17 and the light receiving base 19 are used.
The waveguide type optical component 21 having the same cross-sectional shape and core pitch as the waveguide core is mounted on the fine adjustment table 20 so that the respective waveguide cores are coaxial. Optical fiber tape 18a
The light is input from the fine adjustment table 2 while measuring the optical power with an optical power meter (not shown) connected to the light receiving table 19.
Finely move 0. When the measured optical power reaches the maximum, the fine movement of the fine adjustment table 20 is stopped.

In this state, the optical fiber arranging tool 17
The optical axis of the waveguide core 17b, the waveguide core of the waveguide type optical component, and the waveguide core of the light receiving base 19 are aligned with each other. Therefore, the cutting edge 16a of the blade 16 located on the waveguide type optical component is accurately attached to the optical fiber arranging tool 17.
1.425mm horizontally from the center of the waveguide core at one end
It is separated by 2,000 mm in the vertical direction.

Using this state as a position reference, the fine adjustment table 20 is finely moved in the X, Y, and Z directions by a predetermined amount, and the waveguide type optical component 2 is obtained.
By cutting the upper surface of 1 with the blade 16, a guide groove coaxial with the guide pin 17a (17b) of the optical fiber arranging tool 17 is formed. The mode of fine movement of the fine adjustment table 20 is appropriately selected according to the dimensions of the cross-sectional shape of the waveguide core, the cross-sectional dimensions of the guide pin holes, the cross-sectional dimensions of the guide pin for fitting, and the like.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, in the device of the present invention, the optical fiber arranging tool is mounted on the slicer device as the master, so that the optical fiber arranging tool is installed before the engraving of the guide groove by the blade. The optical axes of the waveguide cores can be aligned with the waveguide type optical component. Since the optical fiber arranging tool and the blade are set in advance in a predetermined positional relationship with each other, the guide groove engraved in the waveguide type optical component by the blade is formed in the master optical fiber arranging tool. It becomes coaxial with the formed guide pin hole, and high accuracy is secured between the guide groove and the guide pin hole.

The waveguide type optical component with a guide groove for pin fitting manufactured according to the present invention can be detachably connected to another optical component such as an optical connector or an optical fiber via a guide pin.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a conventional example in connecting a waveguide type optical component and an optical fiber.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which an optical fiber connector is connected to a waveguide type optical component without alignment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of positioning between the optical fiber arranging tool and the blade.

[Explanation of symbols]

 15 Slicer Device 16 Blade 17 Optical Fiber Arrangement Tool 17a End Face of Optical Fiber Arrangement Tool 16b Waveguide Core 17c of Optical Fiber Arrangement Tool 17c, 17d Guide Pin Holes 18a, 18b Optical Fiber Tape 19 Light Receiver 20 Fine Tuning Table 21 Waveguide Type Optical parts

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kuji Yanagawa 2-6-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Innovator Nobuo Tomita 1-1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A state in which an optical fiber arranging tool having a blade for engraving a guide groove and having a guide pin hole bored at a predetermined end face position has its longitudinal direction parallel to the blade surface of the blade. A slicer device mounted on the optical fiber arranging device; a light-receiving base facing the optical fiber arranging device in the same plane; and a mounting surface for the waveguide type optical component, and the optical fiber arranging device and the optical fiber arranging device. A device for manufacturing a waveguide-type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove, which is provided between the light receiving base and a fine adjustment base capable of minute movement in a three-dimensional direction. 2. A waveguide-type optical device for engraving a pin-fitting guide groove for positioning between an optical fiber arranging tool mounted on the slicer device of claim 1 and a guide groove engraving blade. The component is placed on a fine adjustment table arranged between the optical fiber arranging tool and the light receiving table, and the respective end surfaces of the optical fiber arranging tool and the light receiving table are arranged on both end surfaces of the waveguide type optical part. After that, by slightly moving the fine adjustment table while inputting light from the optical fiber arranging tool,
Optical axis alignment is performed between the optical fiber arranging device, the waveguide type optical component, and the light receiving base, and then a guide groove engraving blade is operated to operate the optical fiber arranging device on the waveguide type optical component. A method for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component with a pin-fitting guide groove, wherein a pin-fitting guide groove coaxial with the guide pin hole is engraved.