Patent · US Expired

Method for aligning optical devices with substrate

US6344148B1 · kind B1 · utility

32Cited by
4References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 5, 1999
Grant dateFeb 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/4238
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An easy method proposes a passive alignment by using an alignment mark. That is, V-shaped grooves are utilized as alignment marks in place of a metal pattern of the prior art in observing an optical contrast. Also, in order to adjust a height of an optical device, the support made of a metal is formed in the conventional method, whereas in the present invention a height of an optical device is adjusted by etching the silicon substrate and clamped through the use of solder bumps formed in the V-shaped grooves. And also, in this invention, it is possible that V-shaped grooves can be facilely formed on a non-planarized substrate by using a method of burying a mask material during the formation of the V-shaped grooves. By applying the above principle, the present invention proposes a process capable of passive aligning an optical device, a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) and an optical fiber, simultaneously.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.