Through-etched silicon carriers for passive alignment of optical fibers to surface-active optoelectronic components

Holm, Johan; Åhlfeldt, Henrik; Svensson, Magnus; Vieider, C.

doi:10.1016/s0924-4247(99)00339-8

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Passive self-centering of the fiber during its insertion can be achieved using symmetrical spring structures. 10 It is this approach that we will pursue in this section: we will design and optimize the spring structures to achieve robust self-centering of the fiber while targeting low-cost high-volume fabrication in plastics.…”

Section: Design and Simulation Of Self-centering Fiber Alignment Strumentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-centering fiber alignment structures for high-precision field installable single-mode fiber connectors

et al. 2014

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There is a steady increase in the demand for internet bandwidth, primarily driven by cloud services and highdefinition video streaming. Europe's Digital Agenda states the ambitious objective that by 2020 all Europeans should have access to internet at speeds of 30M b/s or above, with 50% or more of households subscribing to connections of 100M b/s. Today however, internet access in Europe is mainly based on the first generation of broadband, meaning internet accessed over legacy telephone copper and TV cable networks. In recent years, Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) networks have been adopted as a replacement of traditional electrical connections for the 'last mile' transmission of information at bandwidths over 1Gb/s. However, FTTH penetration is still very low (< 5%) in most major Western economies. The main reason for this is the high deployment cost of FTTH networks. Indeed, the success and adoption of optical access networks critically depend on the quality and reliability of connections between optical fibers. In particular a further reduction of insertion loss of fieldinstallable connectors must be achieved without a significant increase in component cost. This requires precise alignment of fibers that can differ in terms of ellipticity, eccentricity or diameter and seems hardly achievable using today's widespread ferrule-based alignment systems.In this paper, we present a field-installable connector based on deflectable/compressible spring structures, providing a self-centering functionality for the fiber. This way, it can accommodate for possible fiber cladding diameter variations (the tolerance on the cladding diameter of G.652 fiber is typically ±0.7µm). The mechanical properties of the cantilever are derived through an analytical approximation and a mathematical model of the spring constant, and finite element-based simulations are carried out to find the maximum first principal stress as well as the stress distribution distribution in the fiber alignment structure. Elastic constants of the order of 10 4 N/m are found to be compatible with a proof stress of 70 M P a. We show the successful prototyping of 3-spring fiber alignment structures using deep proton writing and investigate their compatibility with replication techniques such as hot embossing and injection moulding. Fiber insertion in our self-centering alignment structures is achieved by means of a dedicated interferometric setup allowing assessment of the fiber facet quality, of the fiber's position in relation to the connector's front and of the spring deformation during fiber insertion. These self-centering structures have the potential to become the basic building blocks for a new generation of field-installable connectors, ultimately breaking the current paradigm of ferrule-based connectivity requiring extensive pre-engineering and highly specialized manpower for field deployment.

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Section: Design and Simulation Of Self-centering Fiber Alignment Strumentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-centering fiber alignment structures for high-precision field installable single-mode fiber connectors

et al. 2014

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“…Passive self-centering of the fiber during its insertion can be achieved using symmetrical spring structures. 9 It is this approach that we will pursue in this section: we will design and optimize the spring structures to achieve robust self-centering of the fiber while targeting low-cost high-volume fabrication in plastics.…”

Section: Design and Simulation Of Self-centering Fiber Connector Strumentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and fabrication of advanced fiber alignment structures for field-installable fiber connectors

et al. 2012

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Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) networks have been adopted as a potential replacement of traditional electrical connections for the 'last mile' transmission of information at bandwidths over 1Gb/s. However, the success and adoption of optical access networks critically depend on the quality and reliability of connections between optical fibers. In particular a further reduction of insertion loss of field-installable connectors must be achieved without a significant increase in component cost. This requires precise alignment of fibers that can differ in terms of ellipticity, eccentricity or diameter and seems hardly achievable using today's widespread ferrule-based alignment systems.Novel low-cost structures for bare fiber alignment with outstanding positioning accuracies are strongly desired as they would allow reducing loss beyond the level achievable with ferrule-bore systems. However, the realization of such alignment system is challenging as it should provide sufficient force to position the fiber with sub-micron accuracy required in positioning the fiber. In this contribution we propose, design and prototype a bare-fiber alignment system which makes use of deflectable/compressible micro-cantilevers. Such cantilevers behave as springs and provide self-centering functionality to the structure.Simulations of the mechanical properties of the cantilevers are carried out in order to get an analytical approximation and a mathematical model of the spring constant and stress in the structure. Elastic constants of the order of 10 4 to 10 5 N/m are found out to be compatible with a proof stress of 70 MP a. Finally a first self-centering structure is prototyped in PMMA using our Deep Proton Writing technology. The spring constants of the fabricated cantilevers are in the range of 4 to 6 × 10 4 N/m and the stress is in the range 10 to 20 MP a. These self-centering structures have the potential to become the basic building blocks for a new generation of field-installable connectors.

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“…We also wish to achieve a sidewall angle near 90º or with a slight positive taper in order to precisely align the fiber with respect to the vertical J-coupler. The Bosch process is commonly used to fabricate deeply etched vias that possess high aspect ratio and anisotropy [15][16][17][18]. This process is illustrated schematically in fig.…”

Section: Through-wafer Etchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to realize the fabrication of this device, which requires a smoothly contoured, three-dimensional profile, we have developed a grayscale lithography process based on high energy beam sensitive (HEBS) glass [10][11][12][13][14]. We have also developed high speed plasma etching capability based on deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) [15][16][17][18] to achieve a throughwafer etch process for mechanically securing and aligning the optical fiber underneath the parabolic mirror.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micromachining of a fiber-to-waveguide coupler using grayscale lithography and through-wafer etch

Dillon

Zablocki

Shi

et al. 2008

Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology XIII

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For some time, the micro-optics and photonics fields have relied on fabrication processes and technology borrowed from the well-established silicon integrated circuit industry. However, new fabrication methodologies must be developed for greater flexibility in the machining of micro-optic devices. To this end, we have explored grayscale lithography as an enabler for the realization of such devices. This process delivers the ability to sculpt materials arbitrarily in three dimensions, thus providing the flexibility to realize optical surfaces to shape, transform, and redirect the propagation of light efficiently. This has opened the door for new classes of optical devices. As such, we present a fiber-to-waveguide coupling structure utilizing a smoothly contoured lensing surface in the device layer of a silicon-on insulator (SOI) wafer, fabricated using grayscale lithography. The structure collects light incident normally to the wafer from a singlemode optical fiber plugged through the back surface and turns the light into the plane of the device layer, focusing it into a single-mode waveguide. The basis of operation is total internal reflection, and the device therefore has the potential advantages of providing a large bandwidth, low polarization sensitivity, high efficiency, and small footprint. The structure was optimized with a simulated annealing algorithm in conjunction with two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation accelerated on the graphics processing unit (GPU), and achieves a theoretical efficiency of approximately seventy percent, including losses due to Fresnel reflection from the oxide/silicon interface. Initial fabrication results validate the principle of operation. We discuss the grayscale fabrication process as well as the through-wafer etch for mechanical stabilization and alignment of the optical fiber to the coupling structure. Refinement of the through-wafer etch process for high etch rate and appropriate sidewall taper are addressed.

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Through-etched silicon carriers for passive alignment of optical fibers to surface-active optoelectronic components

Cited by 15 publications

References 10 publications

Self-centering fiber alignment structures for high-precision field installable single-mode fiber connectors

Self-centering fiber alignment structures for high-precision field installable single-mode fiber connectors

Design and fabrication of advanced fiber alignment structures for field-installable fiber connectors

Micromachining of a fiber-to-waveguide coupler using grayscale lithography and through-wafer etch

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