JP3192519B2 - 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

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 having a guide groove for pin fitting and a method for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component having a guide groove for pin fitting 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 buried in a cladding is provided on both end surfaces thereof.
A single-core or multi-core optical fiber connector is connected for use. In this case, the connection method of the optical fiber connector is such that 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 bonded. There are a method of fixing by welding and a method of connection without alignment.

First, in the former method, as shown in FIG. 1, a waveguide core having a predetermined pattern is formed on a fine adjustment table (not shown) which can be finely moved in a three-dimensional direction. Waveguide-type optical component 1, an optical fiber array device 4 a holding two input optical fibers 2 a, 2 b at both ends thereof, and two output optical fibers 3 a, 3
b is set in a state where the optical fiber arrangement tool 4b holding b is abutted. Next, light from the light sources 5a and 5b is input to the input optical fibers 2a and 2b, respectively, and the optical power from the output optical fibers 3a and 3b is measured by the optical power meters 6a and 6b, respectively.

In this state, when the optical fiber arrangement 4a, the waveguide type optical component 1, and the optical fiber arrangement 4b are slightly moved relative to each other, and the output power measured by the optical power meters 6a, 6b reaches the maximum value. Then, the waveguide type optical component and the optical fiber alignment tools 4a and 4b are bonded and fixed to each other by using an adhesive. Incidentally, this optical axis alignment work requires a lot of time. The reason is,
Once the optical power measurement is started, the alignment of the optical axis is as short as several minutes, but the connection between the light source or optical power meter and the optical fiber, or the This is because it takes time on the order of several tens of minutes to process the fiber.

In the case of a module manufactured by the above-described method, since the waveguide type optical component and the optical fiber arrangement are connected by an adhesive, for example, when a part of the optical fiber is broken, the waveguide type optical component is disconnected. The entire module must be discarded, even if there are no abnormalities in the parts themselves. On the other hand, in the case of the non-aligned connection method, as shown in FIG. 2, an optical waveguide core 8 made of quartz glass is formed on a waveguide substrate 7 such as a Si substrate having a predetermined thickness. From the upper surface of the cladding 9 of the waveguide type optical component existing in a state of being buried in the cladding 9 (having a smaller refractive index) to the bottom of the substrate 1, a predetermined width and depth can be obtained by using, for example, a dicer. And two grooves 10a and 10b extending in the longitudinal direction of the component are formed by using the optical waveguide core 2 as a reference for positioning.
0b, guide pins 11a and 11b of a predetermined diameter are respectively arranged, and the whole is pressed by the pressing plate 12, and as a result,
The guide pins 11a and 11b are fixed in the grooves 10a and 10b.

[0006] The optical fiber connectors 13 and 13 incorporate optical fibers which are aligned at the same pitch as the cores of the optical waveguide core 8 of the optical waveguide component, and guide pins 11a and 11a are provided on both sides. 11b and the pin hole 13 coaxially.
a, 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.
, And the end face of the optical waveguide component and the end face of the optical fiber connector 13 are brought into contact with each other.

[0007] Thus, the optical axis 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 any centering operation. In the case of this non-aligned connection method, the grooves 10a, 1
As long as Ob is precisely engraved with the pin holes 13a and 13b of the optical connector 13, there is an advantage that the connection can be performed without performing the operation of aligning the optical axis only by arranging the guide pins in the grooves and the pin holes. Have. 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-aligned connection system, in order to realize complete optical axis alignment, a guide groove for pin fitting of an optical component is provided with a guide pin there. At this time, it is necessary that the guide pins are formed so as to be accurately inserted into the guide pin holes of the optical connector so that their optical axes coincide with each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a manufacturing apparatus for a pin-fitting guide groove protruding waveguide type optical component and a method for manufacturing a pin-fitting guide grooved waveguide optical component using the same. Aim.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a blade for forming a guide groove and a guide pin hole formed at a predetermined end surface position. A slicer device in which an optical fiber array is mounted with its longitudinal direction being parallel to the blade surface of the blade; a light receiving table disposed opposite to the optical fiber array in the same plane; and a waveguide light A pin having a component mounting surface, and being arranged between the optical fiber array tool and the light receiving table, and having a fine adjustment table capable of minutely moving in a three-dimensional direction. An apparatus for manufacturing a waveguide type optical component having a guide groove for fitting is provided, and a guide for forming a guide groove for pin fitting by positioning the optical fiber arrangement tool and the blade for forming a guide groove with respect to each other. The waveguide type optical component is After being placed on a fine adjustment table arranged between an arraying tool and a light receiving table, and placing the respective end faces of the optical fiber arraying tool and the light receiving table on both end faces of the waveguide type optical component, the optical fiber By finely moving the fine adjustment table while inputting light from the alignment tool, the optical axis is aligned between the optical fiber alignment tool, the waveguide type optical component, and the light receiving table, and then the guide groove is formed. A guide groove for pin fitting coaxial with a guide pin hole of the optical fiber arrangement tool is formed in the waveguide type optical component by operating a blade for use in the waveguide. Is provided.

[0011]

In the apparatus according to the present invention, the optical fiber arranging device 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 array device, a light receiving table is disposed at a position facing the optical fiber array device, and a waveguide type optical component is positioned between the two. A fine adjustment table that can be finely adjusted is arranged.

Therefore, after the mutual positional relationship between the optical fiber arrangement tool and the blade of the slicer device is determined, and the waveguide-type optical component is placed on the fine adjustment table, the light is applied to both end faces of the waveguide-type optical component. In this state, the end face of the fiber array device and the end face of the light receiving stand are arranged. Here, when light is input from the optical fiber arrangement tool, the light passes through the waveguide core of the optical waveguide type optical component and enters the light receiving table. Therefore, while measuring the light output from the light receiving unit with the optical power meter connected to the light receiving unit, fine-adjust the fine adjustment table and make sure that the optical axes coincide with each other at the mutual position where the light output from the light receiving unit is maximized. Is determined.

If a guide groove is cut in the waveguide type optical component by the blade of the slicer device while maintaining this state, the cut position of the guide groove becomes a position corresponding to the guide pin hole of the optical fiber arrangement tool. .

[0014]

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

The optical fiber arrangement tool 17 has an end face 17a.
The figure has eight waveguide cores 17b and guide pin holes 17c and 17d formed using the waveguide cores 17b as positioning references. These waveguide cores 17
b, light can be input from the optical fiber tape 18a. The end face 17 of this optical fiber array device 17
The light receiving table 19 is arranged at a position facing the position a. The light receiving table 19 is located in the same plane as the optical fiber arraying tool 17,
The optical axis of the waveguide core of the light receiving table 19 and the waveguide core 17b of the optical fiber arrangement tool 17 are aligned with each other. The waveguide core of the light receiving table 19 is an optical fiber tape 1
8b, it is connected to an optical power meter (not shown).

A fine adjustment table 20 is arranged between the optical fiber arrangement 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 figure, whereby the waveguide type optical component 21 mounted thereon is It can be positioned with respect to the tool 17 and the light receiving table 19. Using this device, a waveguide-type optical component with a guide groove for pin fitting can be manufactured as follows.

First, the positioning between the blade 16 and the optical fiber arrangement tool 17 in the slicer device 15 is performed. For example, as shown in FIG.
Are formed, and guide pin holes 17c, 1b formed on both side ends of these waveguide core groups.
The optical fiber arrangement tool 17 having the 7d
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 on both sides and the center of the guide pin hole is set to, for example, 1.425 mm.

The position of the blade 16 is adjusted so that the horizontal distance and the vertical distance between the blade 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. Thus, the cutting edge 16 of the blade 16 is
a is located just above the center of the guide pin hole 17a.

Next, the cross-sectional shape of the waveguide core, the pitch between the cores, and the like are determined according to the optical fiber arrangement tool 17 and the light receiving table 19.
A waveguide type optical component 21 having the same cross-sectional shape and core pitch of the waveguide core is mounted on the fine adjustment table 20 so that the respective waveguide cores become coaxial. Optical fiber tape 18a
While inputting light from the optical receiver and measuring the optical power with an optical power meter (not shown) connected to the light receiving table 19,
Move 0 slightly. When the measured optical power reaches a maximum, the fine adjustment of the fine adjustment table 20 is stopped.

In this state, the optical fiber alignment 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 table 19 are aligned with each other. Therefore, the cutting edge 16a of the blade 16 located on the waveguide-type optical component can be accurately aligned with the optical fiber alignment tool 17
1.425mm horizontally from the center of the waveguide core at one end
It is separated by a distance of 2,000 mm in the vertical direction.

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

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, the apparatus of the present invention has an optical fiber arrangement as a master mounted on a slicer device. The optical axis alignment of the waveguide core with the waveguide type optical component can be performed. Since the optical fiber arrangement tool and the blade are set in a predetermined positional relationship with each other in advance, the guide groove engraved on the waveguide type optical component by the blade is formed in the optical fiber arrangement tool as a master. It becomes coaxial with the guide pin hole provided, 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 by 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 the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a conventional example of connection between 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 any alignment.

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

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Slicer apparatus 16 Blade 17 Optical fiber arrangement tool 17a End face of optical fiber arrangement tool 16b Waveguide core 17c, 17d Guide pin hole 18a, 18b Optical fiber tape 19 Light receiving table 20 Fine adjustment table 21 Waveguide type Optical components

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hisaharu Yanagawa 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Nobuo Tomita 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan (56) References JP-A-4-353805 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/30 G02B 6/12-6/14

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical fiber array device having a guide groove engraving blade and having a guide pin hole drilled at a predetermined end surface position has its longitudinal direction parallel to the blade surface of the blade. A slicer device mounted on the optical fiber array device; a light receiving table opposed to the optical fiber array device in the same plane; and a mounting surface for a waveguide type optical component, and the optical fiber array device and the An apparatus for manufacturing a waveguide-type optical component with a guide groove for pin fitting, comprising: a fine adjustment table that is disposed between the light receiving table and the microscopic movement in a three-dimensional direction. 2. A waveguide type optical device in which an optical fiber arrangement tool mounted on a slicer device according to claim 1 and a guide groove engraving blade are positioned relative to each other, and a pin fitting guide groove is engraved. The component was placed on a fine adjustment table arranged between the optical fiber arrangement tool and the light receiving table, and the respective end faces of the optical fiber array tool and the light receiving table were arranged on both end faces of the waveguide type optical component. After that, by finely moving the fine adjustment table while inputting light from the optical fiber array tool,
The optical axis alignment is performed between the optical fiber array device, the waveguide type optical component, and the light receiving table, and then the guide groove engraving blade is operated to operate the optical fiber array device on the waveguide type optical component. Forming a pin-fitting guide groove coaxial with said guide pin hole.