Optical waveguide ferrule and method of making an optical waveguide ferrule

An optical waveguide ferrule comprising:

• a carrier tube having a central axis which extends in a longitudinal direction
• a waveguide carrier located within the carrier tube;
• and
• a plurality of optical waveguides extending lengthwise in the longitudinal direction within the waveguide carrier;
• wherein the waveguide carrier comprises a first carrier body having a first principal surface and a second carrier body having a second principal surface which confronts the first principal surface,
• wherein the first principal surface has a plurality of first grooves defined therein which extend lengthwise in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the second principal surface has a plurality of second grooves defined therein which extend lengthwise in the longitudinal direction,
• wherein the plurality of first grooves are aligned with the plurality of second grooves to define a plurality of elongate cavities which extend lengthwise in the longitudinal direction, and
• wherein the plurality of optical waveguides are contained within the plurality of elongate cavities, respectively, and
• wherein the first carrier body has a cross-sectional configuration in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction that is defined by at least apposite first and second parallel surfaces and opposite first and second non-parallel inclined surfaces, wherein one of the first or second parallel surfaces is the first principal surface of the first carrier body.

A method of making an optical waveguide ferrule, comprising:

• etching a silicon wafer to form a plurality of grooves which extend parallel to one another in a first surface of the silicon wafer;
• etching the silicon wafer to form a plurality of trenches in a second surface of the silicon wafer which is opposite the first surface, wherein the trenches are formed so as to extend parallel to one another between respectively adjacent pairs of the parallel grooves and in a same direction as the parallel grooves;
• separating the silicon wafer into discrete chips at respective bottoms of the trenches such that the first surface of each of the discrete chips comprises at least one of the grooves;
• placing an optical waveguide in a groove of a first one of the discrete chips;
• placing the first surface of a second one of the discrete chips against the first surface of the first one of the discrete chips such that the groove of the first one of the discrete chips is aligned with a groove of the second one of the discrete chips, wherein the optical waveguide is enclosed between the respective grooves of the first and second discrete chips.

A method of making an optical waveguide ferrule, comprising:

• etching a silicon wafer to form a plurality of grooves which extend parallel to one another in a first surface of the silicon wafer;
• etching the silicon wafer to form a plurality of trenches in the first surface of the silicon wafer, wherein the trenches are formed so as to extend parallel to one another between respectively adjacent pairs of the parallel grooves and in a same direction as the parallel grooves;
• separating the silicon wafer into discrete chips at respective bottoms of the trenches such that the first surface of each of the discrete chips comprises at least one of the grooves;
• placing an optical waveguide in a groove of a first one of the discrete chips;
• placing the first surface of a second one of the discrete chips against the first surface of the first one of the discrete chips such that the groove of the first one of the discrete chips is aligned with a groove of the second one of the discrete chips, wherein the optical waveguide is enclosed between the respective grooves of the first and second discrete chips.

An optical waveguide ferrule comprising:

• a carrier tube having a central axis which extends in a longitudinal direction;
• a waveguide carrier located within the carrier tube;
• and
• an optical waveguide extending lengthwise in the longitudinal direction within the waveguide carrier;
• wherein the waveguide carrier comprises a first silicon carrier body having a first principal surface and a second silicon carrier body having a second principal surface which confronts the first principal surface,
• wherein the first principal surface has a groove therein which extends lengthwise in the longitudinal direction, the optical waveguide being disposed in the groove, and
• wherein the first carrier body has a cross-sectional configuration in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction that is defined by at least opposite first and second parallel surfaces and opposite first and second non-parallel inclined surfaces wherein one of the first or second parallel surfaces is the first principal surface of the first carrier body.

A method of making an optical waveguide ferrule, comprising:

• etching a silicon wafer to form a plurality of grooves which extend parallel to one another in a first surface of the silicon wafer;
• etching the silicon wafer to form a plurality of trenches in a second surface of the silicon wafer which is opposite the first surface, wherein the trenches are formed so us to extend parallel to one another between respectively adjacent pairs of the parallel grooves and in a same direction as the parallel grooves;
• separating the silicon wafer into discrete chips at respective bottoms of the trenches such that the first surface of each of the discrete chips comprises at least one of the grooves;
• placing an optical waveguide in a groove of one of the discrete chips;
• placing a second chip against the first surface of the discrete chip such that the optical waveguide is enclosed between the groove of the first chip and the second chip.