# US 8,771,562 B2 · Optical waveguide production method

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- Number: US 8,771,562 B2
- Document ID: US8771562B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/113,220
- Filed: 2011-05-23
- Published: 2011-12-08
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-02
- Assignees: Nitto Denko Corporation
- Applicants: Ryusuke Naito
- Inventors: Ryusuke Naito
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771562B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/138: by using polymerisation
- B29D 11/00663: {Production of light guides}
- B29D 11/00692: {combined with lenses}
- G02B 1/045: {Light guides}
- G02B 2006/12102: {Lens}
- G02B 2006/12123: {Diode}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)

## Abstract

An optical waveguide production method, employs a light-transmissive mold having higher dimensional accuracy for formation of an over-cladding layer. The mold for the formation of the over-cladding layer is unitarily produced by molding a light-transmissive resin with the use of a mold component having the same shape as the over-cladding layer. A recess formed in the mold by removing the mold component in the production of the mold serves as a cavity for the formation of the over-cladding layer. For the formation of the over-cladding layer, a photosensitive resin for the over-cladding layer is injected into the cavity of the mold, and exposed through the mold to be cured while a core formed in a predetermined pattern on a surface of an under-cladding layer is immersed in the photosensitive resin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical waveguide production method, comprising:
forming a core in a predetermined pattern on a surface of an under-cladding layer; and
forming an over-cladding layer to cover the core using a mold, said mold including a cavity having a mold surface conformable to a shape of the over-cladding layer;
wherein the mold is a light-transmissive resin mold produced by placing a mold component having the same shape as the over-cladding layer in a mold production container, filling the container with a light-transmissive resin, curing the light-transmissive resin, taking out the cured resin from the container and removing the mold component from the cured resin, and the cavity for the formation of the over-cladding layer is defined by a recess formed in the mold by the removal of the mold component; and
wherein the over-cladding layer forming step includes placing the mold with the cavity of the mold positioned upwards, filling the cavity of the mold with a photosensitive resin as an over-cladding layer material, and, after the filling, immersing the core in the photosensitive resin and exposing the photosensitive resin through the mold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical waveguide production method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of the cavity of the mold corresponding to a portion of the over-cladding layer covering a distal end of the core has a lens-curvature mold surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optical waveguide production method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive resin for the mold contains a silicone resin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The optical waveguide production method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the light-transmissive resin for the mold contains a silicone resin.