OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING OPTICAL FIBER

• Main Author: TSURUOKA TAIJI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.03.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical waveguide device capable of easily connecting optical fibers to an optical circuit element and a packaging method for packaging the optical fibers into the optical waveguide device. SOLUTION: Tapers are respectively formed in the introducing part of an aperture 3 constituted by the respective V-grooves 12, 21 of a silicon substrate 1 and a retaining substrate 2 and are worked to a funnel shape as a whole. The angle parts where the respective V-grooves 12, 21 of the substrates 1, 2 and the substrate end faces come into continuous contact with each other are etched to a taper shape at a prescribed angle as shown in (B) by utilizing the technique of silicon anisotropic etching in order to form the introducing part of the aperture 3 to the funnel shape. There is no need for previously aligning the optical fiber into the V-grooves prior to joining of the retaining substrate 2 in the case of the introducing part of the aperture 3 having such funnel shape. The plural optical fibers are successively inserted therein and finally the optimum position of the optical fibers is fixed by, for example, a UV curing resin, etc., by which the optical waveguide device is easily completed.