Fiber optic-to-waveguide coupling assembly with overlap for edge coupling

A fiber optic-to-waveguide coupling system, comprising:

• a first coupler comprising:
• a first substrate comprising a first plurality of mounting grooves defined in a first surface of the first substrate;
• and
• a fiber array comprising a plurality of data fibers, each of the plurality of data fibers positioned in one of the first plurality of mounting grooves;
• a second coupler comprising a plurality of silicon waveguides;
• and
• an interposer comprising:
• a plurality of waveguide channels defined in a second surface of the interposer;
• a plurality of waveguides, wherein each of the plurality of waveguides is positioned in one of the plurality of waveguide channels;
• wherein at least a portion of the first surface of the first substrate of the first coupler is positioned proximate at least a portion of the second surface of the interposer to form a first overlap therebetween to align the plurality of data fibers of the first coupler with the plurality of waveguides of the interposer;
• and
• wherein at least a portion of the silicon waveguide of second coupler is positioned proximate at least a portion of the second surface of the interposer to form a second overlap therebetween to evanescently couple signals from the plurality of waveguides to the plurality of silicon waveguides;
• wherein the at least one data fiber does not extend into the first overlap.

A method of manufacturing a fiber optic-to-waveguide coupling assembly, comprising:

• positioning at least one data fiber proximate a first surface of a first substrate of a first coupler;
• positioning at least one waveguide proximate a second surface of an interposer;
• aligning the at least one data fiber of the first coupler with the at least one waveguide of the interposer by placing at least a portion of the first surface of the first substrate of the first coupler in contact with at least a portion of the second surface of the interposer to form a first overlap therebetween;
• and
• aligning the at least one waveguide of the interposer with at least one silicon waveguide of a second coupler by placing at least a portion of the second surface of the interposer in contact with the second coupler;
• wherein the at least one data fiber of the first coupler does not extend into the first overlap and the at least one waveguide of the interposer extends into the first overlap.