Integrated heater structures in a photonic integrated circuit for solder attachment applications
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsKevin Yasumura, Lieven Verslegers, Jill Berger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus including a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) coupled to an optical bench is disclosed. The PIC includes at least one grating coupler disposed thereon and the optical bench includes an optical system disposed thereon. The apparatus also includes an integrated heater at an upper surface of the PIC under the optical bench or at a bottom surface of the optical bench over the PIC. The apparatus also includes a layer of solder disposed between the PIC and the optical bench for coupling the bottom surface of the optical bench to the PIC. In some implementations, the layer of solder is in thermal communication with the integrated heater.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), the PIC having at least one grating coupler disposed thereon;
- an optical bench;
- an optical system disposed on a top surface of the optical bench;
- an integrated heater at an upper surface of the PIC under the optical bench or at a bottom surface of the optical bench over the PIC;
- and
- a layer of solder disposed between the PIC and the optical bench for coupling the bottom surface of the optical bench to the PIC,
- wherein the layer of solder is in thermal communication with the integrated heater.
A method of assembling a photonic assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having at least one grating coupler disposed thereon;
- providing an optical bench having an optical system disposed thereon;
- providing an integrated heater at an upper surface of the PIC or at a bottom surface of the optical bench;
- providing a layer of solder between the PIC and the optical bench at the integrated heater;
- positioning the optical bench on top of the layer of solder;
- aligning the optical system to the grating coupler by adjusting a position of the optical bench relative to the PIC;
- heating the integrated heater to melt and reflow the solder between the PIC and the optical bench;
- and
- cooling the solder, allowing it to solidify, thereby securing attachment between the PIC and the optical bench.
An apparatus comprising:
- a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having a plurality of grating couplers disposed on the PIC,
- a plurality of optical benches, each having an optical system disposed on its surface and corresponding to one of the plurality of grating couplers;
- a plurality of integrated heaters, each located at an upper surface of the PIC under a corresponding optical bench or at a bottom surface of the corresponding optical bench over the PIC;
- wherein the plurality of integrated heaters are electrically isolated from one another;
- and
- a plurality of layers of solder disposed between the PIC and corresponding optical benches for coupling the plurality of optical benches to the PIC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.