Method of inspecting optical waveguide substrate for optical conduction at increased speed and also inspecting optical waveguide substrate for crosstalk

A method of inspecting an optical waveguide substrate having a substrate and an optical waveguide mounted on the substrate and having a first mirror surface on one end face thereof and a second mirror surface on another end thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

• applying a laser beam to said one end face in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said optical waveguide, and directing, with said first mirror surface, said laser beam to travel in a direction parallel to the surface of said optical waveguide through said optical waveguide;
• directing, with said second mirror surface, the laser beam emitted from said other end face of said optical waveguide to travel in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said optical waveguide;
• detecting, with an imaging device, the laser beam directed and emitted from said other end of said optical waveguide, and outputting, from said imaging device, detected image information representative of light spot positions to a light spot position confirming device;
• and
• comparing said detected image information with reference image information stored in said light spot position confirming device, with said light spot position confirming device, to determine whether an amount of light conducted through said optical waveguide is acceptable or not.

A method of inspecting an optical waveguide substrate having a substrate, an optical waveguide mounted on the substrate, a first pyramid mirror mounted on the substrate at one end face of said optical waveguide, and a second pyramid mirror mounted on the substrate at another end face of said optical waveguide, said method comprising the steps of:

• applying a laser beam to said first pyramid mirror in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said optical waveguide, and directing, with said first pyramid mirror, said laser beam to travel in a direction parallel to the surface of said optical waveguide, from said one end face into and through said optical waveguide;
• directing, with said second pyramid mirror, the laser beam emitted from said other end face of said optical waveguide to travel in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said optical waveguide;
• detecting, with an imaging device, the laser beam directed and emitted from said other end of said optical waveguide, and outputting, from said imaging device, detected image information representative of light spot positions to a light spot position confirming device;
• and
• comparing said detected image information with reference image information stored in said light spot position confirming device, with said light spot position confirming device, to determine whether an amount of light conducted through said optical waveguide is acceptable or not.

A method of inspecting an optical waveguide substrate having a substrate and an optical waveguide mounted on the substrate and having a first mirror surface on one end face thereof and a second mirror surface on another end thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

• moving a lens positioned in a terminal portion of the path of a laser beam in a laser beam scanning optical system to deflect the direction in which the laser beam travels;
• applying said laser beam to said one end face in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said optical waveguide, and directing, with said first mirror surface, said laser beam to travel in a direction inclined to the surface of said optical waveguide through said optical waveguide;
• directing, with said second mirror surface, the laser beam emitted from said other end face of said optical waveguide to travel in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said optical waveguide;
• detecting, with an imaging device, the laser beam directed and emitted from said other end of said optical waveguide, and outputting, from said imaging device, detected image information representative of light spot positions to a light spot position confirming device;
• and
• comparing said detected image information with reference image information stored in said light spot position confirming device, with said light spot position confirming device, to determine whether an amount of light conducted through said optical waveguide is acceptable or not.

A method of inspecting an optical waveguide substrate having a substrate, an optical waveguide mounted on the substrate, a first pyramid mirror mounted on the substrate at one end face of said optical waveguide, and a second pyramid mirror mounted on the substrate at another end face of said optical waveguide, said method comprising the steps of:

• moving a lens positioned in a terminal portion of the path of a laser beam in a laser beam scanning optical system to deflect the direction in which the laser beam travels;
• applying said laser beam to said first pyramid mirror in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said optical waveguide, and directing, with said first pyramid mirror, said laser beam to travel in a direction inclined to the surface of said optical waveguide through said optical waveguide;
• directing, with said second pyramid mirror, the laser beam emitted from said other end face of said optical waveguide to travel in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said optical waveguide;
• detecting, with an imaging device, the laser beam directed and emitted from said other end of said optical waveguide, and outputting, from said imaging device, detected image information representative of light spot positions to a light spot position confirming device;
• and
• comparing said detected image information with reference image information stored in said light spot position confirming device, with said light spot position confirming device, to determine whether an amount of light conducted through said optical waveguide is acceptable or not.

A method of inspecting an optical component mounted, together with an inspecting optical waveguide, on a substrate, said substrate supporting thereon a first pyramid mirror at one end face of said inspecting optical waveguide and a second pyramid mirror at another end face of said inspecting optical waveguide, said method comprising the steps of:

• applying a laser beam to said first pyramid mirror in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said inspecting optical waveguide, and directing, with said first pyramid mirror, said laser beam to travel in a direction parallel to the surface of said inspecting optical waveguide, from said one end face into and through said inspecting optical waveguide;
• directing, with said second pyramid mirror, the laser beam emitted from said other end face of said inspecting optical waveguide to travel in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said inspecting optical waveguide;
• reflecting the laser beam directed and emitted from said other end face of said inspecting optical waveguide from optical component to travel backwards to said second pyramid mirror and from said other end face through said inspecting optical waveguide
• directing, with said first pyramid mirror, the laser beam which has traveled backwards and has been emitted from said one face of said inspecting optical waveguide to travel in the direction perpendicular to the surface of said inspecting optical waveguide;
• and
• applying the laser beam which has traveled backwards to a light detector, and detecting an amount of light of the laser beam with said light detector to inspect a positional displacement of said optical component.