Fiber block alignment structure
AssigneePOET Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSuresh Venkatesan, Jing Yang, Lucas Soldano
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Abstract
Embodiments of alignment structures are disclosed that enable the alignment of a fiber attach unit (FAU) and the optical fibers contained therein to optical components on optical interposers or substrates on which photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are formed. Alignment of the optical fibers is enabled without the requirement for powering of the active optoelectrical devices in the PIC, but rather use an external testing apparatus to provide one or more optical signals to facilitate alignment. Methods for alignment using embodiments of the alignment structure is also disclosed.
Claims20
A method for optically aligning an optical fiber to an optical or optoelectronic element formed on a substrate, the method comprising
- providing a mounting component,
- wherein the mounting component comprises the optical fiber and a first optical component,
- wherein the first optical component is disposed at a first distance and a first orientation to the optical fiber,
- forming a second optical component on the substrate with the substrate comprising the optical or optoelectronic element,
- wherein the second optical component is formed on the substrate at a second distance and a second orientation to the optical or optoelectronic element,
- wherein the second distance and the second orientation are related to the first distance and the first orientation
- in such a way to enable an optical alignment of the optical fiber to the optical or optoelectronic element by optically aligning the first optical component to the second optical component,
- coupling the mounting component to the substrate,
- optically aligning the first optical component to the second optical component using an optical signal transmitting between the first and second optical components.
A method for optically aligning an optical fiber to an optical or optoelectronic element formed on a substrate, the method comprising
- providing a mounting component,
- wherein the mounting component comprises the optical fiber and a first optical component,
- wherein the first optical component is disposed at a first distance to the optical fiber,
- forming the optical or optoelectronic element on the substrate,
- forming a second optical component on the substrate,
- wherein the second optical component is configured to direct optical signals between a first direction not parallel to a lateral surface of the substrate and a second direction parallel to the lateral surface,
- wherein the second optical component is formed at a second distance to the optical or optoelectronic element, with the second distance equaled to the first distance,
- wherein the equality between the first and second distances is configured so that an action of optically aligning the first optical component to the second optical component results in an optical alignment of the optical fiber to the optical or optoelectronic element,
- coupling the mounting component to the substrate,
- optically aligning the first optical component to the second optical component using an optical signal transmitting between the first and second optical components.
An optical device comprising
- an optical or optoelectronic element formed on a substrate,
- a first optical component formed on the substrate at a first distance to the optical or optoelectronic element,
- wherein the first optical component is configured to send or to receive an optical signal in a first direction not parallel to a lateral surface of the substrate,
- a mounting component comprising a second optical component and an optical fiber,
- wherein the second optical component is disposed at a second distance to the optical fiber,
- wherein the second distance is equaled to the first distance,
- wherein the mounting component is configured to be attached to the substrate, with the second optical component optically aligned to the first optical component,
- wherein the equality between the first and second distances is characterized as to enable an optical alignment of the optical fiber to the optical or optoelectronic element through the optical alignment of the second optical component to the first optical component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.