US 2006/0140537 A1 · Optical device and fabrication method and apparatus for the same

Abstract

An optical device fabrication method capable of fabricating optical devices with high precision and reliability in a simple process and at a low cost. The method of splicing a first optical device and a second optical device to fabricate a third optical device includes the steps of: (a) starting heating of an end surface of the first optical device to soften the end surface; (b) pushing the second optical device into the softened end surface to splice the first optical device and a joint surface of the second optical device to each other; (c) pulling back the second optical device to arrange the joint surface of the second optical device onto or outside of the end surface of the first optical device; and (d) terminating heating of the end surface to fix the first and second optical device spliced to each other.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An optical device fabrication method of splicing a first optical device and at least one second optical device to fabricate a third optical device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) starting heating of an end surface of said first optical device to soften the end surface;
(b) pushing said at least one second optical device into the softened end surface of said first optical device by a predetermined amount to splice said first optical device and a joint surface of said at least one second optical device to each other;
(c) pulling back said at least one second optical device to a predetermined position to arrange the joint surface of said at least one second optical device onto or outside of the end surface of said first optical device;
and
(d) terminating heating of the end surface of said first optical device to fix said first optical device and said at least one second optical device spliced to each other.

2 more elements

An optical device fabrication apparatus for splicing a first optical device and at least one second optical device to fabricate a third optical device, said device comprising:

first holding means for holding said first optical device;
second holding means for holding said at least one second optical device;
heating means for heating an end surface of said first optical device;
position adjusting means for mounting and carrying at least one of said first holding means and said second holding means to arrange said at least one second optical device at a predetermined position relative to said first optical device;
and
control means for controlling at least said position adjusting means to push said at least one second optical device into the end surface of said first optical device, which is softened by being heated by said heating means, by a predetermined amount to splice said first optical device and a joint surface of said at least one second optical device to each other, and then, to pull back said at least one second optical device to a predetermined position to arrange the joint surface of said at least one second optical device onto or outside of the end surface of said first optical device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical device and fabrication method and apparatus for the same

Life of this patent

Optical device and fabrication method and apparatus for the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25