Claims
- 21. A self-aligned optical coupler for optically connecting devices, comprising:
a flexible waveguide ribbon having first and second ports, comprising:
a strip of a flexible substrate; a first layer having a first refractive index, formed on said strip; at least one waveguide having a second refractive index, formed on a first portion of said first layer; and a second layer having the first refractive index, formed on said at least one waveguide and second portion of said first layer; a first alignment structure formed by an etching process into the flexible waveguide ribbon proximate to the first port of said waveguide ribbon, for providing alignment in at least two dimensions relative to a first optical device on a support mechanism; a second alignment structure formed on the support mechanism, for mating with the first alignment structure and providing alignment between the first port and the first optical device; and an adhesive formed on the waveguide ribbon and the support mechanism proximate to the first port and the first optical device to secure the alignment and connection between the first port and first optical device.
- 22. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 21, wherein:
said at least one waveguide has the first port beveled at an angle between 35 and 55 degrees relative to a direction of a longest dimension of said waveguide; and a reflective material is formed on the beveled first port for receiving or sending light from or to the first optical device having a port at an angle relative to the direction of the longest dimension of the first optical device.
- 23. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 22, wherein the first optical device is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).
- 24. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 22, wherein:
said at least one waveguide is fabricated from ULTEM material; and said first and second layers are fabricated from BCB material.
- 25. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 24, wherein said adhesive is a glob of dark epoxy.
- 26. A self-aligned optical flexible coupler comprising:
a flexible optical waveguide having first and second ports at its respective ends and at least one alignment feature selectively etched into the waveguide; a flexible cladding surrounding said flexible optical waveguide; a first alignment mark on said cladding proximate to the first port; a second alignment mark on a support mechanism proximate to an optical device; and aligning first and second alignment marks with machine vision techniques, such that the first port is aligned with the optical device; forming a glob of adhesive on the end of the optical waveguide to secure the alignment of the first port with the optical device; and wherein the refractive index of the cladding is lower than the refractive index of the optical waveguide.
- 27. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 26, wherein:
the first port is beveled at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees relative to a direction of a longest dimension of said optical waveguide; and a reflective material is formed on the beveled first port.
- 28. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 27, wherein:
said flexible optical waveguide is fabricated from ULTEM material; and said flexible cladding is fabricated from BCB material.
- 29. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 28, wherein the glob of adhesive is dark epoxy.
- 30. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 27 wherein the optical device is at least one VCSEL.
- 31. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 21, further including a key used to align said first self-alignment structure and said second self-alignment structure in at least one dimension.
- 32. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 26, further including a key used to align said first self-alignment structure and said second self-alignment structure in at least one dimension.
- 33. The self-aligned optical coupler of claim 21 wherein the selective etch process comprises:
a) depositing a layer of waveguide material on a flexible polymer substrate having first and second sides, and a low refractive index buffer layer attached to the first side of the substrate; b) photolithographically defining at least one waveguide from said layer of waveguide material, said waveguide being perpendicular to the first and second sides of the substrate; c) depositing a layer of cladding polymer; d) photolithographically exposing and etching the cladding polymer and waveguide material proximate to the first and second sides; and e) photolithographically exposing and etching the waveguide material proximate to the first and second sides so as to define a first groove proximate to the second side.
- 34. A process for making a passively aligned flexible optical coupler, comprising:
a) depositing a layer of waveguide material on a flexible polymer substrate having first and second sides, and a low refractive index buffer layer attached to the first side of the substrate; b) photolithographically defining at least one waveguide from said layer of waveguide material, said waveguide being perpendicular to the first and second sides of the substrate; c) depositing a layer of cladding polymer; d) photolithographically exposing and etching the cladding polymer and waveguide material proximate to the first and second sides; and e) photolithographically exposing and etching the waveguide material proximate to the first and second sides so as to define a first groove proximate to the second side.
- 35. The process for making a passively aligned flexible optical coupler of claim 33 wherein the cladding polymer layer has an index of refraction lower than the waveguide material.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/775,330, filed on Dec. 31, 1996.
Government Interests
[0002] The U.S. Government may have rights in the present invention.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09268191 |
Mar 1999 |
US |
Child |
10136871 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08775330 |
Dec 1996 |
US |
Child |
09268191 |
Mar 1999 |
US |