Tapered photonic waveguide to optical fiber proximity coupler

A photonic waveguide structure comprising:

• a first tapered photonic waveguide structure located within a photonic substrate for guiding an optical signal, the first tapered photonic waveguide structure having a tapered region that progressively tapers in width along a longitudinal length of the first tapered photonic waveguide structure;
• a second tapered photonic waveguide located within the photonic substrate, the second tapered photonic waveguide located adjacent one side of the first tapered photonic waveguide structure and separated from the first tapered photonic waveguide structure by a dielectric material;
• a third tapered photonic waveguide located within the photonic substrate, the third tapered photonic waveguide located adjacent an opposing side to the one side of the first tapered photonic waveguide structure and separated from the first tapered photonic waveguide structure by the dielectric material;
• and
• an optical fiber waveguide having a core region and a cladding region, a portion of the core region partially exposed by removing a portion of the cladding region, an outer surface of the portion of the core region that is partially exposed substantially coupled to the first tapered photonic waveguide structure,
• wherein the optical signal propagating along the first tapered photonic waveguide structure is coupled from the tapered region of the first tapered photonic waveguide structure to the core region of the optical fiber waveguide via the core region that is partially exposed, the optical signal propagating along the first tapered photonic waveguide structure undergoing, based on the second and the third tapered photonic waveguide structure, a mode broadening prior to being coupled from the tapered region of the first tapered photonic waveguide structure to the core region of the optical fiber waveguide.

A method of forming a photonic waveguide coupling device from a fiber optic ferrule device having a single row of substantially parallel fiber holes for receiving a plurality of optical fibers and a pair of alignment holes, the method comprising:

• forming a fiber mounting block by removing a top portion of the fiber optic ferrule device, the removed top portion converting the single row of substantially parallel fiber holes into a single row of substantially parallel channels and converting the pair of alignment holes into a pair of alignment channels;
• placing a plurality of optical fibers having end facets in the single row of substantially parallel channels, the end facets being substantially flush with end portions of the single row of substantially parallel channels;
• and
• polishing the plurality of optical fibers for exposing the core regions of the plurality of optical fibers and generating a downward sloping angle along the length of the core regions towards the end facets,
• wherein the exposed core regions of the plurality of optical fibers having the downward sloping angle along the length of the core regions towards the end facets provide optical coupling with a plurality of tapered photonic waveguide structures in an integrated circuit.