Laser-fiber coupling by means of a silicon micro-optical bench and a self-aligned soldering process

Jan Peter Schmidt; A. Cordes; Joerg Mueller; Hans Burkhardt

doi:10.1117/12.201968

22 February 1995 Laser-fiber coupling by means of a silicon micro-optical bench and a self-aligned soldering process

Jan Peter Schmidt, A. Cordes, Joerg Mueller, Hans Burkhardt

Proceedings Volume 2449, Fiber Optic Network Components; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.201968
Event: Advanced Networks and Services, 1995, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

The alignment of laser diodes to monomode fibers has to meet extremely close tolerances for a low coupling loss. Typically < 0.5 micrometers in lateral and vertical direction and less than two degrees in angle deviation are allowed for a coupling loss below 2 dB. Presently such close tolerances can only be met by gluing or soldering both components on separate base plates and combining them via piezoactivated alignment monitoring the output of the circuit and then gluing them using UV-hardening epoxies. Such a procedure is not very economical and not useful for mass applications. This paper presents the principle and realization of a silicon micro-optical bench for laser-fiber-coupling, which avoids the above mentioned disadvantages. The micro-optical bench is realized using well controlled plasma etching processes to transfer the guiding patterns for the laser and the fiber into the silicon substrate, keeping geometry tolerances below +/- 0.5 micrometers in lateral and vertical direction. Mounting the laser diode by means of a self-aligned soldering process, an additional contribution to the precise alignment of the laser is further improved.

Citation Download Citation

Jan Peter Schmidt, A. Cordes, Joerg Mueller, and Hans Burkhardt "Laser-fiber coupling by means of a silicon micro-optical bench and a self-aligned soldering process", Proc. SPIE 2449, Fiber Optic Network Components, (22 February 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.201968

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