Optical 8-channel, 10 Gb/s MT pluggable connector alignment technology for precision coupling of laser and photodiode arrays to polymer waveguide arrays for optical board-to-board interconnects

Papakonstantinou, Ioannis; Selviah, David R.; Wang, Kai; Pitwon, Richard; Hopkins, Ken; Milward, D.

doi:10.1109/ectc.2008.4550220

Cited by 18 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…Figure 5 is a case that the chip optical device is mounded on an OE-PWB by flip chip assembly. Several trials for OE-PWBs have been reported in previous studies [7][8][9] . For example, a 90-degree light path conversion model with two microlens arrays and a micro-mirror has been introduced by Mikko Karppinen and et al 10 .…”

Section: Application Modelsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Optical interface devices applying UV curable resin for flexible optical interconnection

Mikami

Kanda

2010

SPIE Proceedings

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The success of optical interconnection for practical use is strongly dependent on the development of a sophisticated packaging and coupling technology capable of both high coupling efficiency and easy alignment. We have developed the photomask transfer method applying UV curable resin. This technology enables fabrication of arrayed M x N optical patterns at one shot of UV light. It is also possible to fabricate very precise patterns by a conventional photomask. The length/thickness of the fabricated patterns can be controlled by the thickness between the photomask and the substrate. The maximum length reaches over 1,000μm. As applications using this method, two original devices are reviewed. One is a chip optical device which consists of a VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser), optical rods as cores, and a surrounding clad layer. These optical rods can be accurately fabricated on the emitting spot of the VCSEL. This VCSEL device enables flexible packaging on OE-PWBs (opto-electric printed wiring boards). Another is a 90-degree light path conversion device for coupling to an optical wiring on OE-PWBs. It features in hybrid comb-clad consisting of air and polymer parts. This device has a large refractive index difference between the core and hybrid comb-clad, and enables downsizing.

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Section: Application Modelsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Optical interface devices applying UV curable resin for flexible optical interconnection

Mikami

Kanda

2010

SPIE Proceedings

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“…In a prior UK DTI/Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)‐funded LINK project “StorLite”, Xyratex Technology, University College London (UCL) and Exxelis began to investigate the use of polymer, multimode, step index, rectangular core waveguide optical interconnects embedded in a cladding of a lower refractive index, fabricated by photolithography on PCBs and developed novel‐patented techniques (Papakonstantinou et al , 2008b, c; Selviah et al , 2008a; Pitwon et al , 2006) to align them with infra‐red vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). This technology was subsequently licensed to US connector manufacturer Samtec.…”

Section: Motivation For the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated optical and electronic interconnect PCB manufacturing research

et al. 2010

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the research in a project aimed at developing manufacturing techniques for integrated optical and electronic interconnect printed circuit boards (OPCB) including the motivation for this research, the progress, the achievements and the interactions between the partners. Design/methodology/approach -Several polymer waveguide fabrication methods were developed including direct laser write, laser ablation and inkjet printing. Polymer formulations were developed to suit the fabrication methods. Computer-aided design (CAD) tools were developed and waveguide layout design rules were established. The CAD tools were used to lay out a complex backplane interconnect pattern to meet practical demanding specifications for use in a system demonstrator. Findings -Novel polymer formulations for polyacrylate enable faster writing times for laser direct write fabrication. Control of the fabrication parameters enables inkjet printing of polysiloxane waveguides. Several different laser systems can be used to form waveguide structures by ablation. Establishment of waveguide layout design rules from experimental measurements and modelling enables successful first time layout of complex interconnection patterns.Research limitations/implications -The complexity and length of the waveguides in a complex backplane interconnect, beyond that achieved in this paper, is limited by the bend loss and by the propagation loss partially caused by waveguide sidewall roughness, so further research in these areas would be beneficial to give a wider range of applicability. Originality/value -The paper gives an overview of advances in polymer formulation, fabrication methods and CAD tools, for manufacturing of complex hybrid-integrated OPCBs.

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“…New research reported in this paper aims to determine the best method of manufacturing, assembling and designing OPCBs. To develop low-cost manufacturing techniques for integrated OPCBs, the optical coupling efficiency between the waveguide and the laser source is very important as it affects the optical power budget and the bit error rate [3]. The optical coupling efficiency depends on the roughness of the end facet of the waveguide, the lateral and transverse alignment of the waveguide to the laser [4][5][6] and the refractive index difference between the medium of the laser and the core material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The optical coupling efficiency depends on the roughness of the end facet of the waveguide, the lateral and transverse alignment of the waveguide to the laser [4][5][6] and the refractive index difference between the medium of the laser and the core material. In the OPCB design developed at UCL, the daughter board is connected to the backplane by butt-coupling to the waveguide using the new UCL and Xyratex optical connector design [3]. Therefore, the backplane board needs to be cut to make places for the connector mounted on the daughterboard.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polymer waveguide end facet roughness and optical input/output coupling loss for OPCB applications

Baghsiahi

Wang²,

Pitwon³

et al. 2014

Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XVIII

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Electro-optical printed circuit board technology (EOCB) based on integrated planar polymer optical waveguides has been the subject of research and development for many years to provide a cost viable, fully integrated system embedded optical interconnect solution, however a number of constraints of this technology have yet to be overcome. Optical coupling loss at the input and output of the waveguides is one of the major issues and waveguide end facet roughness is one of the main sources of the coupling loss which is investigated in this paper. The results of a comprehensive investigation of the end facet roughness of multimode polymer waveguides, fabricated on FR4 printed circuit boards, PCBs, and its effect of optical loss are presented theoretically and experimentally. The waveguide end facet roughness was measured using an atomic force microscope, AFM, when the waveguides were cut using a milling router with various numbers of cutting edges called flutes. The optimized cutting parameters are derived and the optical coupling loss, between the laser source and the waveguide, due to the different roughness magnitudes is measured by experiment for the first time. To improve the surface quality and decrease the waveguide optical loss, a new fabrication technique for reducing the end facet roughness after cutting is proposed and demonstrated. The insertion loss was reduced by 2.60 dB ± 1.3 dB which is more than that achieved by other conventional methods such as index matching fluid.

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Optical 8-channel, 10 Gb/s MT pluggable connector alignment technology for precision coupling of laser and photodiode arrays to polymer waveguide arrays for optical board-to-board interconnects

Cited by 18 publications

References 10 publications

Optical interface devices applying UV curable resin for flexible optical interconnection

Optical interface devices applying UV curable resin for flexible optical interconnection

Integrated optical and electronic interconnect PCB manufacturing research

Polymer waveguide end facet roughness and optical input/output coupling loss for OPCB applications

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