Method for hermetically sealing optical fiber introducing section and hermetically sealed structure
AssigneeNEC Corporation
InventorKimikazu Higashikawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conventional optical fiber not coated with a metal layer is provided. A solder layer is filled into between a case, for an optical module wherein an optical element is optically coupled with the optical fiber within the case, and a cover conforming to the shape of the case, thereby simply conducting hermetical sealing. Thereafter, a resin, such as a silicone resin, is potted in the optical fiber introducing section. The two-layer hermetical sealing can realize a method for hermetically sealing an optical fiber introducing section which can maintain airtightness high enough to ensure long-term reliability of an optical module. This can facilitate the hermetical sealing of an optical device particularly in its optical fiber introducing section.
Claims28
A method for hermetically sealing a space through which an uncovered optical fiber extends into a case which houses an optical element which is optically coupled to the optical fiber, said method comprising:
- filling at least a portion of the space with a hermetically sealing solder so as to substantially hermetically seal the space while leaving minute gaps at the boundaries between the solder and the uncovered optical fiber;
- and
- covering at least a portion of the solder with a hermetically sealing resin so as to close at least some of the minute gaps.
A hermetically sealed structure, comprising:
- a case;
- an optical element located in the case;
- an uncovered optical fiber extending from a position outside of said case to a position inside of said case, the optical fiber being optically coupled to the optical element, the optical fiber extending into the case through an entry passage formed in the case;
- a hermetically sealing solder filling at least a portion of the entry passage so as to substantially hermetically seal the space while leaving minute gaps at the boundaries between the solder and the uncovered optical fiber;
- and
- a hermetically sealing resin covering at least a portion of the solder so as to close at least some of the minute gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.