Apparatus and method of aligning optical fibers to optical devices
AssigneeCoviant, Inc.
InventorsJoseph L. Dallas, Angelique X. Irvin, Robert W. Irvin, Ralph S. Jameson, William A. Mamakos
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Abstract
A multi-fiber alignment system is provided for actively aligning optical fibers to an optical waveguide base on alignment status between each optical fiber and a corresponding optical device. Each of the optical fibers is held by bonding agent on a thermal pad from which radiation melts the bonding agent during adjustment of the optical fiber, and the optical fiber is fixed in its position by solidifying the bonding agent when being accurately aligned to a corresponding optical device.
Claims31
A method for actively aligning optical fibers to optical devices, comprising the steps of:
- providing a base substrate on which the optical devices are arranged;
- forming on the base substrate thermal pads each of which is disposed in alignment with corresponding one of the optical devices;
- depositing a bonding agent on the respective thermal pads;
- selectively activating the thermal pads so that selected thermal pads generate heat to melt the bonding agent thereon;
- placing the optical fibers on the respective thermal pads, optical fibers on the selected thermal pads are surrounded by the melting bonding agent;
- adjusting the optical fibers on the selected thermal pads to be aligned to the respective optical device;
- and
- solidifying the bonding agent on the selected thermal pads by inactivating the heat directed to selected thermal pads.
An apparatus for aligning a plurality of optical fibers to a plurality of optical devices, comprising:
- a base substrate;
- thermal pads formed on the top surface of the base substrate and in communication with a radiation source;
- and
- a bonding agent deposited on the respective thermal pads, wherein each of the optical fibers aligned to a corresponding optical devices is surrounded by the bonding agent on corresponding one of the thermal pads;
- wherein the radiation source in communication with the thermal pads melt the bonding agent thereon when the radiation source is activated to generate heat on the thermal pads.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.