Optical component, fiber collimator array and wavelength selective switch

A wavelength selective switch comprising:

• a fiber collimator array including a fiber array in which a plurality of optical fibers containing an optical fiber corresponding to an input port and optical fibers corresponding to output ports is arrayed and a microlens array in which microlenses are arrayed on a transparent substrate in positions corresponding to the plurality of optical fibers, and the fiber collimator array collimating a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal input to the optical fiber corresponding to the input port by the microlens corresponding to this optical fiber, to output the collimated wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• a spectral element for spectrally separating the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal output from the fiber collimator array according to wavelengths;
• a condenser element for condensing optical signals of respective wavelengths spectrally separated by the spectral element on different positions;
• and
• a mirror array including a plurality of mirrors disposed on the condensing positions of the optical signals of respective wavelengths, and the mirror array outputting the optical signal reflected by each mirror from any one of the optical fibers corresponding to the output ports via the condenser element, the spectral element and the fiber collimator array,
• wherein, in the fiber collimator array, each microlens and the transparent substrate are oppositely arranged so that a plurality of projections formed on a bottom face of each microlens intersects with a plurality of projections formed on a surface of the transparent substrate, and each microlens and the transparent substrate are adhered to each other by an adhesive.

A method of manufacturing a fiber collimator array including a fiber array in which a plurality of optical fibers is arrayed and a microlens array in which microlenses are arrayed on a transparent substrate in positions corresponding to the plurality of optical fibers, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of projections on a bottom face of each microlens and on a surface of the transparent substrate;
• oppositely arranging the bottom face of each microlens and the surface of the transparent substrate so that the plurality of projections formed on the bottom face of each microlens intersects with the plurality of projections formed on the surface of the transparent substrate;
• and
• adjusting a position of each microlens on the transparent substrate to arrange each microlens on an optical axis of each optical fiber, to adhere each microlens to the transparent substrate by an adhesive.

A method of manufacturing an optical component having an adhesive structure in which a first optical member and a second optical member are adhered to each other, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of projections on the first optical member and on the second optical member;
• oppositely arranging the first optical member and the second optical member so that the plurality of projections formed on the first optical member intersects with the plurality of projections formed on the second optical member;
• and
• adjusting a position of the first optical member on the second optical member to adhere the first optical member to the second optical member by an adhesive.