JP3447364B2 - Optical circuit component and method of manufacturing 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 optical circuit component used for optical communication and the like and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the development of optical communication has been remarkable and has been applied and put to practical use in public communication, CATV, computer networks and the like. However, from the point of view of parts, it has only a few days of practical application, and there are many problems in terms of size reduction and mass productivity for wider spread.
For example, an optical transceiver is composed of a semiconductor laser as a light emitting element, a laser drive circuit, a light receiving element, a demodulation circuit, and an optical fiber, and it is necessary to adjust and assemble each optical and electrical component with high precision. It takes man-hours. In order to further popularize the optical communication system, there is a demand for miniaturization, multifunctionalization, integration and cost reduction of optical circuit components. Particularly, in introducing a subscriber optical communication system, downsizing and cost reduction of optical circuit components are indispensable.

On the other hand, as a function required for the subscriber system, a function such as wavelength division multiplex transmission and bidirectional transmission is required by utilizing the wide band property of optical communication. Several optical packaging circuit boards using an optical waveguide have been proposed. A quartz optical waveguide having a desired function is formed on a silicon substrate by a flame deposition method, and a metal electrode is further wired to mount a semiconductor element, an electric circuit, or the like. An optical fiber is mounted on a substrate having a V groove formed. An optical module is formed by connecting the arranged ones (for example, JP-A-5-60952, JP-A-61-245594, JP-A-5-27140, and JP-A-5-140540).
-60940).

[0004]

However, in these optical circuit parts, as shown in FIG. 13, the optical waveguide substrate 61 having the optical waveguide 63, the light emitting element 67, the light receiving element 65, and the electrode wiring 64, and the optical fiber 68 are fixed. The groove substrate 62 for use is separated. In order to couple the optical waveguide 63 and the optical fiber 68 with low loss, adjustment, assembly and fixing of 1 μm or less are required. V of the groove substrate 62 for fixing the optical fiber 68
Since the selective etching of the silicon substrate and the cutting method of the ceramic substrate are used for forming the groove, there is a drawback that the processing accuracy and mass productivity are poor. Although a V-groove with high accuracy can be formed on a silicon substrate by etching, the V-groove is limited to the V-shape, so that it has a drawback that the degree of freedom is small. Furthermore, when the materials of the optical waveguide substrate 61 and the groove substrate 62 are different, the linear expansion coefficient is different, so that they are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations. Also,
When mounting a semiconductor element or an electric component on a silicon substrate, it is necessary to form an insulating layer on the substrate. Even if the semiconductor element is directly formed on the silicon substrate, the optical waveguide 63
Since the area of the part becomes large, the number of elements that can be obtained from one wafer is reduced, and there is no cost merit due to the semiconductor process.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional optical circuit component, the present invention has an object to provide an optical circuit component having a good fixing property of the optical waveguide, the optical fiber and the semiconductor element, and a good mountability, and a manufacturing method thereof. Is.

[0006]

[0007]

According to the present invention, a groove for an optical waveguide and a fixing groove for fixing an optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers are formed by a single mold material having a convex or concave molding portion on its surface. Is formed on a first glass substrate, and a second glass substrate having a refractive index equal to or close to that of the first glass substrate is attached to an optical waveguide portion having the optical waveguide groove, and the optical waveguide is formed. In the recess of the groove for use, the first
Filled with a material having a higher refractive index than the glass substrate of
After the two glass substrates are bonded together, the light
The part where the end of the waveguide groove exists and the end
The part where the end of the fixing groove is located
A method for manufacturing an optical circuit component characterized by cutting
It

Further , according to the present invention , the optical waveguide groove and the fixing groove for fixing one or a plurality of optical fibers are formed by a single molding material having a convex or concave molding portion on the surface. On the first glass substrate, a material layer having a refractive index higher than that of the first glass substrate is formed on the first glass substrate so that the optical waveguide groove is filled, and the material layer is polished. And removing a portion other than the portion of the optical waveguide groove, and the first portion is formed on the optical waveguide portion having the waveguide groove.
First glass substrate tension combined near glass substrate with a refractive index equal to or refractive index of the two glass substrates
After the two are bonded together, the ends of the optical waveguide groove
Existing part and the fixing part located opposite to the end part
It is characterized by polishing and cutting the part where the end of the groove exists
And a method for manufacturing an optical circuit component.

[0009]

[0010]

The present invention can realize an integrated optical circuit component and a method of manufacturing the optical circuit component, which can be positioned with high accuracy, can be manufactured at low cost, and have high productivity by the above-described structure and manufacturing method.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows steps of a first method of manufacturing an optical circuit component of the present invention. First, an optical fiber fixing (reference) groove 3 and an optical waveguide groove 4 are formed on a transparent glass or resin substrate 1 with a mold material (not shown) (FIG. 1).
a). FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the molded substrate 1. Here, a 4 to 4 star coupler is shown as an example,
It is not necessarily limited to this. Next, the substrate 1 in which the concave optical waveguide groove 4 is formed in this way has a value equal to or close to that of the substrate 1, preferably a refractive index difference of 0.
A transparent substrate 2 of glass or resin having a refractive index of 05 or less, more preferably 0.01 or less, is bonded by direct bonding or adhesion by heat treatment (FIG. 1b). Next, the concave portion of the optical waveguide groove 4 is filled with the transparent material 11 having a value higher than the refractive index of the substrate 1 or 2 (see FIG. 1).
c). Thereby, the optical waveguide portion is formed. After that, the optical fiber 5 is fixed in the optical fiber fixing groove 3 (FIG. 1d).

FIG. 3 shows steps of a second method for manufacturing an optical circuit component of the present invention. First, an optical fiber fixing groove 23 and an optical waveguide groove 24 are formed on a transparent glass or resin substrate 21 with a mold material (not shown) (FIG. 3a). Next, the glass layer 22 having a higher refractive index than the substrate 21 is entirely formed so as to fill the waveguide groove 24 (FIG. 3b). Next, the buried layer 22 is polished to a predetermined thickness, and the portions other than the waveguide portion 27 of the groove 24 are removed by polishing or etching (FIG. 3c). Next, a transparent substrate 25 made of glass or resin having a refractive index equal to or close to that of the substrate 21 is attached by direct bonding or adhesion by heat treatment (FIG. 3d). After that, the optical fiber 26 is fixed in the optical fiber fixing groove 23 (see FIG. 3).
e).

FIG. 4 shows steps of the fourth manufacturing method of the present invention. First, the waveguide substrate 3 is made of a mold material (not shown).
The optical waveguide groove 34 is formed in 2. Also, the substrate 32
An optical fiber fixing groove 33 is formed by a mold material (not shown) on a transparent fiber fixing substrate 31 made of glass or resin having a refractive index equal to or close to (FIG. 4a). FIG. 5 shows the fiber fixing substrate 31 after molding.
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the waveguide substrate 32 after molding.
Next, the substrate 32 in which the waveguide groove 34 is formed and the substrate 31 in which the fiber fixing groove 33 is formed are bonded together by heat treatment (FIG. 4B). Next, in the optical waveguide groove 34,
It is filled with a transparent material having a value higher than the refractive index of the substrate 1 or 2 (FIG. 4c). Thereafter, the optical fiber 35 is fixed in the optical fiber fixing groove 33 (FIG. 4d).

FIG. 7 shows steps of the fourth manufacturing method of the present invention. First, a transparent glass or resin waveguide substrate 4
A groove 44 for an optical waveguide is formed in 2 by a mold material (not shown). Further, the optical fiber fixing groove 43 is formed by a mold material (not shown) on the glass or resin transparent fiber fixing substrate 41 having a refractive index equal to or close to that of the substrate 42 (FIG. 7a). Next, a glass burying layer 45 having a higher refractive index than the substrate 42 is formed on the substrate 32 so as to fill the recess of the waveguide groove 44 (FIG. 7b). Next, the buried layer 45 is polished to a predetermined thickness, and the portion other than the waveguide portion 47 having the optical waveguide groove 44 is removed by polishing or the like (FIG. 7C).
After that, the substrate 42 and the fiber fixing substrate 41 are bonded by direct bonding or adhesion by heat treatment (FIG. 7d). Then, the optical fiber 46 is fixed in the optical fiber fixing groove 43 (FIG. 7e).

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, in any of the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, there is a portion where the end portion of the optical waveguide exists and an end portion of the fixing groove (at a position facing each other) adjacent to the end portion. Grind and cut the part and the specified width at the same time,
It is desirable to flatten the end face on the optical waveguide side. This is a technique for solving the following disadvantages of the manufacturing method. That is, in the above-described manufacturing method, when the two upper and lower substrates are bonded together, the bonding accuracy is incorrect, or the waveguide end face 81 is distorted when the groove is formed by the mold member. In addition, the filling material may spill out, and even if the optical fiber is placed in the fixing groove due to various reasons,
The position of the end of the optical fiber may not be accurately adjusted to the end of the groove for the optical waveguide. This, by the polishing cutting,
By flattening the area around the groove end portion for the optical waveguide, the position of the end portion of the optical fiber can be accurately adjusted to the groove end portion for the optical waveguide. This makes it possible to connect the fiber to the waveguide with low loss and low reflection. Reference numeral 82 is a groove formed during this polishing and cutting. FIG. 9 is a side view when the optical fibers 91 and 92 are mounted on the substrate 93 after such polishing and cutting. By flattening the end face 94 of the optical waveguide, the optical fibers 91 and 92 are brought into close contact with each other and the waveguide 9
5 can be connected.

In the molding of the fiber fixing groove or the waveguide groove in the embodiment of the present invention, for positioning for mounting a light emitting element, a light receiving element, an electrode wiring, an electronic circuit or a semiconductor element, an IC, an LSI. Markers may be marked. This marker may be either convex or concave. FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the substrate on which the marker is engraved. With this marker 104, for example, the waveguide part and the mounting element can be accurately aligned.

The markers are, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a fiber fixing substrate 111 and a waveguide substrate 112.
It may be for sticking together. Fixing substrate 111
Side marker 110 and the waveguide substrate 112 side marker 11
By aligning 4 with each other, the optical fiber and the optical waveguide can be accurately aligned, and a low loss connection can be made. In this case, the markers may be alignment marks or mechanical fittings by a combination of concave and convex. Desirably, a combination of concave and concave or concave and convex is preferable.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description,
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can provide an optical circuit component that is excellent in coupling / fixability between an optical waveguide, an optical fiber, and a mounting element, mountability, and the like, and is excellent in mass productivity and a manufacturing method thereof.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram of a method for manufacturing an optical circuit component according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical circuit component according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process diagram of a method for manufacturing an optical circuit component according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram of a method for manufacturing an optical circuit component according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fiber fixing board component according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a waveguide board component according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a process diagram of a method for manufacturing an optical circuit component according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an optical circuit component according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of an optical circuit component according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an optical circuit component according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an optical circuit component according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an optical circuit component according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a conventional optical circuit component.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 substrate 2 substrates 3 Optical fiber fixing groove 4 Optical waveguide groove 5 optical fiber

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --Continued from the front page (56) Reference JP-A-3-132705 (JP, A) JP-A-3-144516 (JP, A) JP-A-3-170905 (JP, A) JP-A-4- 52606 (JP, A) JP 5-249342 (JP, A) JP 6-3545 (JP, A) JP 61-83506 (JP, A) JP 63-250609 (JP, A) JP 64-26806 (JP, A) JP 4-157403 (JP, A) JP 5-264856 (JP, A) JP 59-159106 (JP, A) JP 58-149008 (JP, A) JP-A-1-287605 (JP, A) International Publication 93/021550 (WO, A1) A. Rogner et. al. , 1994 Optical Fiber Communication Confence, pp. 279-280 (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/12-6/14 G02B 6/30 G02B 6/42-6/43

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical waveguide groove and a fixing groove for fixing one or a plurality of optical fibers are formed on a first glass substrate by a single molding material having a convex or concave molding portion on its surface. Then, a second glass substrate having a refractive index equal to or close to that of the first glass substrate is attached to the optical waveguide portion having the optical waveguide groove, and the first glass substrate is provided in the concave portion of the optical waveguide groove. Of the two glass substrates filled with a material having a higher refractive index than the glass substrates of
The end of the optical waveguide groove is present after
And the fixing groove located opposite to the end of the fixing groove.
A method for manufacturing an optical circuit component, which comprises polishing and cutting a portion where an end portion exists . 2. An optical waveguide groove and a fixing groove for fixing one or a plurality of optical fibers are formed by a single molding material having a convex or concave molding portion on a surface thereof.
Formed on the glass substrate of, and on the first glass substrate,
A material layer having a refractive index higher than that of the first glass substrate is formed so as to fill the optical waveguide groove, and the material layer is polished to remove a portion other than the optical waveguide groove. the optical waveguide portion with waveguide groove, said first combined span the first glass substrate near a glass substrate with a refractive index of equal to or refractive index, the two glass substrates together Hariawa
After that, a portion where the end portion of the optical waveguide groove is present,
There is an end of the fixing groove located opposite the end
A method for manufacturing an optical circuit component, which comprises polishing and cutting a portion to be formed. 3. A positioning marker for mounting an electronic component is formed on all or part of the glass substrate, and the position marker is formed.
The placement marker is designed to show the uneven steps formed by the mold material.
The marking according to claim 1 or 2.
2. The method for manufacturing an optical circuit component according to 2 . 4. A whole or a part of the glass substrate, forming a positioning marker to utilize in laminating the glass substrate of one of the glass substrate and the other, the positioning marker
Is a marquee having uneven steps formed by a mold material.
The method of manufacturing an optical circuit component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a ring.