# US 2017/0285264 A1 · Optical assembly and method for coupling a waveguide array to a photonic-integrated circuit

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- Number: US 2017/0285264 A1
- Document ID: US20170285264A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/475,264
- Filed: 2017-03-31
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01
- Assignees: Institut National D'Optique
- Applicants: Institut National D'Optique
- Inventors: Patrice CÔTÉ; Patrick PARADIS; Marc LÉVESQUE; Jacques RÉGNIER; Alex PAQUET
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285264A1

## CPC

- G02B 6/125: Bends, branchings or intersections
- B29C 65/02: by heating, with or without pressure
- B29C 65/48: using adhesives {, i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding}
- B29D 11/00: Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms (grinding or polishing of optical elements B24B; constructional form of optical elements G02B; {optical parts of spectacles G02C7/00})
- B29D 11/0075: {Connectors for light guides}
- G02B 6/30: for use between fibre and thin-film device
- G02B 6/4225: {by a direct measurement of the degree of coupling, e.g. the amount of light power coupled to the fibre or the opto-electronic element}
- G02B 6/4226: {Positioning means for moving the elements into alignment, e.g. alignment screws, deformation of the mount}
- B29L 2011/00: Optical elements, e.g. lenses, prisms
- G02B 6/4239: {Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material}
- G02B 6/4249: {comprising arrays of active devices and fibres}
- G02B 2006/12061: {Silicon}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

An optical assembly generally having a substrate; a photonic-integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the substrate, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports; a first structure having a bottom surface connected to the substrate, and a first planar surface extending perpendicularly to the substrate; a second structure having a second planar surface being connected to the first planar surface of the first structure via an adhesive, and a support surface; and a waveguide array having a support surface being connected to the support surface of the second structure, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, the optical paths being maintained in optical alignment with corresponding ones of the optical ports via the adhered first and second planar surfaces.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical assembly comprising:
a substrate;
a photonic-integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the substrate, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports;
a first structure having a bottom surface connected to the substrate and a first planar surface perpendicular to the substrate;
a second structure having a second planar surface connected to the first planar surface of the first structure via an adhesive, and a support surface; and
a waveguide array having a support surface being connected to the support surface of the second structure, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with at least two of the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, the at least two of the optical paths being maintained in optical alignment with corresponding ones of the optical ports via the adhered first and second planar surfaces.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein at least the first structure is made of a transparent material and wherein the adhesive is a light-sensitive cured adhesive.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical assembly of claim 2 wherein the bottom surface of the first structure is planar and connected to the substrate via an adhesive.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the second structure and the waveguide array are made integral to one another.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the first structure is indirectly connected to the substrate via the PIC.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of optical ports collectively defines an optical port plane perpendicular to the substrate, the waveguide array being configured so that the optical paths of the waveguide array extend parallel to the substrate and perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, a connection between the first and second planar surfaces preventing rotation about an axis parallel to an intersection of the waveguide plane with the optical port plane when the adhesive is not yet cured.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The optical assembly of claim 6 wherein the waveguide plane extends along the substrate, each of the plurality of waveguides having an end facet, the end facets defining a facet plane being parallel to the optical port plane.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The optical assembly of claim 7 wherein the facet plane and the optical port plane are spaced from one another by a first spacing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The optical assembly of claim 7 wherein the support surface of the second structure faces the substrate, the waveguide array being suspended over the substrate with a second spacing between a bottom surface of the waveguide array and the substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The optical assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of optical ports collectively defines an optical port plane parallel to the substrate, the waveguide array being configured so that the optical paths of the waveguide array intersect the optical port plane and extend parallel to the first and second planar surfaces, a connection between the first and second planar surfaces preventing rotation about an axis parallel to an intersection of the first planar surface with the substrate when the adhesive is not yet cured.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The optical assembly of claim 10 wherein the waveguide plane intersects the optical port plane, each of the plurality of waveguides having an end facet, the end facets defining a facet plane substantially parallel to the optical port plane.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The optical assembly of claim 11 wherein the facet plane and the optical port plane are spaced from one another by a third spacing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The optical assembly of claim 10 wherein the waveguide plane extends parallel to the substrate, the support surface of the second structure facing the substrate, the waveguide array being suspended over the substrate with a fourth spacing between a bottom surface of the waveguide array and the substrate, the facet plane forming an angle with the optical port plane.

### Claim 14

A method for optically coupling a waveguide array to a PIC mounted on a substrate, the method using a first structure and a second structure, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports, the first structure having a bottom surface and a first planar surface, the second structure having a second planar surface and a support surface, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with at least two of the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide array having a support surface, the method comprising the steps of:
connecting the bottom surface of the first structure to the substrate;
connecting the support surface of the second structure to the support surface of the waveguide array;
using a manipulator, engaging the first planar surface of the first structure with the second planar surface of the second structure with a curable adhesive inserted therebetween, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, and adjusting a position and an orientation of the first and second structures to optically couple the at least two of the optical paths with corresponding ones of the plurality of optical ports of the PIC; and
curing the curable adhesive to permanently fix the position and the orientation of the first and second structures.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first and second structure is made of a transparent material, the step of curing including illuminating the curable adhesive through the at least one of the first and second structure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the bottom surface of the first structure is planar, the step of connecting the bottom surface including, using a manipulator, engaging the bottom surface with the substrate with a curable adhesive inserted therebetween, and the step of curing including curing the curable adhesives.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the first structure is made of a transparent material, the step of curing including illuminating the curable adhesive through the first structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the support surface of the second structure and the support surface of the waveguide array are planar, the step of connecting the support surfaces including, using a manipulator, engaging the support surface of the second structure with the support surface of the waveguide array with a curable adhesive inserted therebetween, and the step of curing including curing the curable adhesives.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the second structure is made of a transparent material, the step of curing including illuminating the curable adhesive through the second structure.

### Claim 20

An interconnect structure for use in optically coupling a waveguide array to a PIC mounted on a substrate, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with at least two of the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide array having a support surface, the interconnect structure comprising:
a first structure having a bottom surface being connectable to the substrate, and a first planar surface extending in a non-parallel manner relative to the bottom surface of the first structure; and
a second structure having a second planar surface being connectable to the first planar surface of the first structure via a curable adhesive, and a support surface being connectable to the support surface of the waveguide array, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, the at least two of the optical paths being maintainable in optical alignment with corresponding ones of the optical ports via the adhered first and second planar surfaces.