# US 10,371,907 B2 · Fluid control structure

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- Number: US 10,371,907 B2
- Document ID: US10371907B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/701,960
- Filed: 2017-09-12
- Published: 2018-09-13
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-07
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Elaine Cyr; Paul F. Fortier; Takashi Hisada; Patrick Jacques; Koji Masuda; Masao Tokunari
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371907B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/4239: {Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material}
- G02B 6/4214: {the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence)}
- G02B 6/423: {using guiding surfaces for the alignment}
- G02B 6/4238: {Soldering}
- G02B 6/4245: {Mounting of the opto-electronic elements}
- G02B 6/4246: {Bidirectionally operating package structures}
- G02B 6/4249: {comprising arrays of active devices and fibres}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

An optical structure includes a substrate including a cavity on a first surface of the substrate, an optical component on the substrate and an adhesive applied to a side of the optical component to fix the optical component to the substrate. The optical component includes a recess on a second surface of the optical component, the second surface is opposed to the first surface of the substrate, and the recess is provided along an edge of the second surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid control structure, comprising:
a first component including a cavity on a first surface of the first component;
a second component on the first component;
a hydrophobic area on the first component; and
a gap formed between the first component and the second component, the gap forming a narrow area, and a groove formed on the second component and disposed opposite the hydrophobic area, the groove having a gap height that is larger than a gap height of the narrow area, the groove being adjacent to the narrow area and closer to the cavity than the narrow area, and the groove and the hydrophobic area being configured to suppress infiltration of fluid into the cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first component includes a substrate, and the second component includes an optical component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 2, wherein the fluid includes an adhesive applied to a side of the optical component to fix the optical component to the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 2, wherein the optical component includes the groove on a second surface of the optical component, the second surface being opposed to a first surface of the first component and the groove is provided along an edge of the second surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the fluid infiltrates into the gap between the substrate and the optical component due to capillary effect, and the groove prevents the fluid from flowing into the cavity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the groove surrounds an area on the second surface, and the area is a part of the second surface to be opposed to the cavity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the substrate includes a hole, the optical component includes a protrusion on the second surface, and at least a portion of the protrusion is inserted in the hole.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 7, wherein the substrate is provided on a main substrate, wherein the optical component is electrically connected with the main substrate via the protrusion in the hole of the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 7, wherein the fluid infiltrates into the gap between the substrate and the optical component due to capillary effect, and the groove prevents the fluid from flowing into the hole.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 2, wherein the optical component includes a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and the fluid is applied to both sides in a longitudinal direction of the optical component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 2, wherein the substrate includes a waveguide core and the cavity intersects the waveguide core, and an interface between the waveguide core and the cavity reflects a light passing through the waveguide core.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the cavity is filled with gas, and the light is reflected at the interface by total internal reflection.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 12, wherein the fluid is located apart from a light path of the light traveling between the optical component and the interface.

### Claim 14

A fluid control structure, comprising:
a first component including a cavity on a first surface of the first component, the first component being a substrate;
a second component on the first component, the second component being an optical component;
a hydrophobic area on the first component; and
a gap formed between the first component and the second component, the gap forming a narrow area, and a groove formed on the second component and disposed opposite the hydrophobic area, the groove having a gap height that is larger than a gap height of the narrow area, the groove being adjacent to the narrow area and closer to the cavity than the narrow area, and the groove and the hydrophobic area being configured to suppress infiltration of fluid into the cavity, the fluid including an adhesive applied to the optical component to fix the optical component to the substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 14, wherein the optical component includes the groove on a second surface of the optical component, the second surface being opposed to a first surface of the first component and the groove is provided along an edge of the second surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 15, wherein the adhesive infiltrates into the gap between the substrate and the optical component due to capillary effect, and the groove prevents the fluid from flowing into the cavity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 15, wherein the groove surrounds an area on the second surface, and the area is a part of the second surface to be opposed to the cavity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 17, wherein the substrate includes a hole, the optical component includes a protrusion on the second surface, and at least a portion of the protrusion is inserted in the hole.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 18, wherein the substrate is provided on a main substrate, wherein the optical component is electrically connected with the main substrate via the protrusion in the hole of the substrate and wherein the adhesive infiltrates into the gap between the substrate and the optical component due to capillary effect, and the groove prevents the adhesive from flowing into the hole.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The fluid control structure as recited in claim 15, wherein the substrate includes a waveguide core and the cavity intersects the waveguide core, and an interface between the waveguide core and the cavity reflects a light passing through the waveguide core wherein the cavity is filled with gas, and the light is reflected at the interface by total internal reflection.
