FR2459987A1 - DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING PARTS OF AN OPTICAL DISTRIBUTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION CONCERNS A DEVICE AND A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING PARTS OF AN OPTICAL DISTRIBUTOR. THE DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING PARTS OF AN OPTICAL DISTRIBUTOR, CONTAINING LIGHT WAVE GUIDES 9, 10 WHICH MAKE AN ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 45 WITH THE NORMAL AT A LATERAL SURFACE, INCLUDES A PART CONFORMING 1 WITH AT LEAST ONE PRECISION HOLLOW PART 2 INTENDED TO RECEIVE A FILLING MASS, AND GUIDING GROOVES 4, 6 FOR THE WAVE GUIDES. APPLICATION IN PARTICULAR TO OPTICAL DISTRIBUTORS USED FOR THE COUPLING OF OPTICAL FIBERS.

Description

I

  The invention relates to a device for manufacturing

  parts of an optical splitter

  according to the principle of a beam splitter, said parts containing at least one light waveguide, which makes an angle of at least approximately 450 by

  compared to normal to a side surface. In-

  The invention relates to a corresponding method of manufacture. Optical splitters made according to the principle of radiation beam splitters are known for example from the IEEE-Katalog document

  No. 79, CH 1431-6QQEA, 1979, pages 80, 82 and 83.

  In a right-angle room with equal wings and pos-

  Seducing a precise shape is inserted a waveguide of light along the bisector of the right angle. The two side surfaces limiting the right angle are then polished, while the light waveguide is installed. Thanks to a precise assembly of several pieces of this type with the interposed installation of a semi-transparent mirror, for example a thin metal layer or a mirror

  dielectric, a splitter is produced. Polis

  wise optical faces at the ends of these parts

  individual causes significant difficulties.

  The ends of the light waveguides may be slightly chipped during polishing so that these parts are no longer usable for

a low loss junction.

  It has also been proposed that other

  optical titrators made according to the principle of

  beamer and in which first of all

  very light waveguides are abutting and

  aligned - against a continuous light waveguide.

  The light waveguides are guided in guide grooves, for example of a silicon wafer or of another substrate, and are attached to

  a cover, for example by sealing with a cement.

  This "sandwich" is then subdivided at 450 with respect to the light waveguides at the point of intersection of the latter. Then the separation surfaces are optically flat polished, a separation surface is metallized and the two parts are again accurately assembled and sealed with cement. Chipping of the ends of the light waveguides during polishing is then excluded, so that optical splicers with good efficiency can already be produced in good yield.

  very low losses of transmission.

  The object of the present invention is to reduce, in addition, the manufacturing expense, in particular to allow an economical automatic manufacture of these distributors or parts thereof.

big series.

  This problem is solved by using a

  formed with at least one recessed portion of

  for receiving a filler, and a guide groove for each waveguide

  light provided. The shaped part may comprise

  a recess of precision whose shape corresponds to the desired part of the distributor. But, in particular for the mass production, it is also advantageously possible to provide and for example to have simultaneously in the room

  two or more hollowed out parts of

  in such a way that at least one light waveguide can be provided in common for all

recessed precision parts.

  For the manufacture of a half of the splitter

  optical, with two waveguides of light

  between them, it is provided, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, that the axes of the two guide grooves intersect on the edge of the

  part avoids precision, with which they make

  respectively an angle of 45. The light waveguides are then put in place successively so that the second light waveguide abuts, with alignment, by its face.

  frontal against the first waveguide of light.

  In order to be able to correct the intersection point again

  of these two waveguides of light, even a-

  near their introduction, a guide groove, turned away from the recessed portion of precision, is made with a conical shape. In addition there is provided a separate piece of adjustment-comprising a

  guide groove on the outside of the shaped part.

  With this adjustment piece it is possible to achieve precise adjustment of the light waveguide located in the guide groove made with

  a conical shape, at the point of abutment a-

  with the continuous light waveguide. This adjustment

  is done once and for all. 'We connect

  following the adjustment piece to the workpiece

  formed. The desired parts can be manufactured by filling the precision hollow parts with a filling mass after insertion of the guides

  of light waves in the guide grooves. AT-

  when you just have to make sure that the light waveguides do not move during this

  surgery. To obtain a defined surface of the

  it must be manufactured, it is advantageous that the part

  this shaped can be closed by a cover. This cover then simultaneously ensures the fixing of

  light waveguides. It can be a

  flat cover, but also a cover that represents

  feels a copy of the consistent piece.

  For trouble-free clearance of the ter-

  mined out of the forming tool, it is expected that

  recessed portion of precision includes a punch of

  gagement. As already mentioned, manufactured parts should be optically polished at least along a surface with the guide

  of lightwaves inserted. In order to facilitate the

  necessary polishing and to respect

  precise angular position between narrow tolerances

  rances, it is intended that the shaped part

  one or more cavities along the edge of the

  Precision cut tie, which cuts at 450 the axes of the guide grooves. In particular it is expected that one of these cavities is in the vicinity of the point of intersection of the axes of the guide grooves and the edge of the recessed portion. These cavities can be made with the shape of a quarter sphere, so that when filling, with a lid representing

  for example a copy of the conformed part, it appears

  Ralt button-shaped elevations at the surface to be polished. During polishing, only these elevations must be eliminated. In addition, the cavity located at the coupling point of two light waveguides can be used in such a way that firstly only the cavity is filled by

  curable glue and that the waveguides of

  are then fixed in their reciprocal

  at their point of coupling. In the room

  formed, for example, provision may be made

  additional positive dosage. It turned out

  It is particularly appropriate to use an optical adhesive which hardens rapidly, for example in the case of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In the case of the use of a lid, part of it should be suitable for exposure with ultraviolet light. After hardening of the optical adhesive, the whole of the recessed portion of precision is filled with a filling mass. It is important that the filler mass is intimately associated with the surface of the light waveguide and the glue.

  optical located in the cavity. In the case where the guides

  light waves are reciprocally abutted with alignment at the coupling point, the

  filling mass must be optically transparent

  rent at least in this area so that the light

  not be lost, when overcoupling from a gui-

  of light waves in the other light waveguides, in the corners between the waveguides

from light.

  According to an advantageous embodiment variant

  of the invention, it is intended that in the obvious part

  Precision die engage consistent appendages

  whose axes are aligned with the axes of the grooves

  guiding res. In the finished castings, therefore, cylindrical recesses on the outer surfaces are formed at the level of the light waveguides into which, for example, capillary tubes can be inserted.

  glass. A terminator finished and equipped with this

  The housing can be mounted in a housing which has a number of holes corresponding to the number of light waveguides and is equipped as already proposed - connectors which are fitted on the casing with respect to the axes of the waveguides of

  light and are then attached. The capillary tubes

  Glass's role is to absorb the pressure of

  opposing inserters to be accom-

  later, and to spread this pressure

  on a large enough surface of the mass of

  pleating, so that the sensitive front surfaces of the light waveguides of the splitter are not

not damaged.

  By way of example, several examples of a device and a method according to the invention have been described for manufacturing the parts of a distributor. FIG. 1 represents a possible embodiment of the lower part of a device for

  make one half of a splitter.

  Figure la shows a larger scale section of the two parts of the device at a level of

consistent appendix.

  Figure 2 shows the subsequent machining of a

half removed from a dispatcher.

  Figure 3 shows a splitter constituted

two halves of this kind.

  Figure 4 represents another form of

  a splitter half, which can be manufactured with the same device as shown

in Figure 1.

  Figures 5 and 6 show two variants of a

  complete splitter with casing and connectors.

  Figure 7 shows a top view, corresponding to

  to that of Figure 1, the lower half of a device for manufacturing simultaneously

  the two halves of a splitter.

  Figure 1 shows, according to a plan view, the

  lower part of the shaped part of a

  tif to make a half of a tundish and having a recessed portion of precision 2. At the bottom

  of this hollow part is located a punch of

  not shown here, which has a flat surface parallel to the plane of the drawing. The guiding grooves 4 and 6 serve to receive the light waveguides 9 and 10. At the point of intersection of these two waveguides of light, a small cavity 5 is disposed in the shaped part. quarter-sphere shape, so that during filling, while the upper part of the shaped part is put in place, a button-shaped elevation is obtained along the edge A9 '. By means of mixed lines two other cavities of this type have been indicated which increase in addition the angular precision.

during polishing.

  To make cylindrical shape recesses

  circular drique in the castings, at the level of the light waveguides 9 and 10, provision is made

  shaped appendages 3a and 3b in the

  formed. FIG. 1 shows a partial view in section of the lower part 1 of the shaped part and of the upper part I of the part shaped at the level of a shaped appendix, the two halves being represented by being separated from each other. the other from a short distance &. As we can see on

  this figure, the two halves 3b and IIIb of the appen-

  The shaped dice have guide grooves 4 and 4 'for receiving and accommodating the waveguide.

  9. During the casting of the halves of the

  partitor, the two parts of the shaped part are pressed against each other so that the

distance 8 vanishes.

  As can be seen further from the

  1, the guiding groove 6 is part of the

  hollowed out by precision 2 widening with a

  tapered to allow, by means of a workpiece 7 having a guide groove 8, a precise adjustment of the light waveguide 10 at the point of coupling with the continuous light waveguide 9. This adjustment is done once for

  all on the filling device. This adjustment

  The point of intersection of the axes of the light waveguides 9 and 10 is located exactly in the center of the cavity 5, i.e. on

the edge A <'.

  One half of the splitter is manufactured by first installing the light waveguide 9 into the guide groove 4 of the lower part 1 of the shaped part. Then, the light waveguide 9 must be devoid of any plastic coating at the shaped part, and at least in the area of the cavity 5. The light waveguide 10 is brought closer to the against the light waveguide 9. The front surface of the waveguide of

  light 10 must be flat and free of defects. In-

  Then we fix firmly the upper part I of the part shaped to the lower part 1 and we sink

  the filling mass in the recessed part of pre-

  2. After curing, remove the halves of the tundish. Commemasse filling, we use

  advantageously an optically transparent material.

  The filler mass should also rapidly harden

  Dement. However, we can also imagine that before performing the total casting of the filling mass in the recessed portion of precision 2, we stick everything

  first, the light waveguides 9 and 10

  at the cavity level with a mass of

  optical system. For this purpose it is necessary to

  shaped part an additional dosing device.

  It may be particularly appropriate to use an optical adhesive which hardens rapidly in the case of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In the case of the use of such a glue, an ultraviolet lamp must be able to illuminate the area of the cavity 5, which is for example made possible by the fact

  that the upper part I of the shaped part possesses

  a cover that can be removed. After hardening

  the optical adhesive is then filled, the whole of the recessed portion of precision 2 with a filling mass. It is important that the filling mass is intimately aligned with the guide surface

  of light waves and optical glue.

  FIG. 2a shows the disengaged half 111 of the distributor, which is constituted by the casting 11 provided with light waveguides 9 and 10. In the two recesses in the form of a circular cylinder formed by the two shaped appendages 3a and 3b, glass capillary tubes 12a and 12b, which are to be sealed with the waveguides of

  light and with the casting 11, are already

  over the light waveguides. Flat polishing of the splitter half 111 at the three outer surfaces F9, F9 'and F10 is then carried out perpendicularly to the plane passing through the light waveguides, so that

  obtains optical surfaces at the level of the tubes

  pillars 12a and 12b and at the optical coupling point of the light waveguides 9 and 10. Since at the coupling point

  only the elevation 13 must be eliminated by polishing

  ge, the base area F9 'extended for the glazed polish

  only the critical position of the surface (the point of intersection of the axes of the fibers exactly

  in the front surface F9 'to 450) can be

  between narrow tolerances. Figure 2b shows

  presents half of the splitter, polished. Figure 2c shows a partial section on a larger scale

around the coupling point.

  We equip the boundary surface in a known manner.

  F9 9, a radiation divider mirror 15 and

  it then seals from the optical point of view this sur-

  front face to a half of the distributor 112 not metallized, but otherwise identical, in accordance with Figure 3, to obtain a distributor 110. It must then be ensured that the axes of all four waveguide elements, of light are exactly aligned. The editing is greatly

  facilitated when using as reference surfaces

  the surfaces Fg and P10 and that the joining or joining of the two halves 11 and 112 of the distributor takes place on a mounting plate comprising

stop edges.

  Figure 4 shows another form of

  half of the dispatcher, corresponding to the

  Figure 2a. The identical parts are again

  from the same reference numbers. In this case, instead of the glass capillary tubes, they are cable frames 14a and 14b of the waveguides

  of light which are fitted on the free ends

  said light waveguides and are sealed

  to the casting 11 .. It is realized as pre-

  cedently the polish of the front surface F9 'to 45'.

  Then we seal again two halves of

  tor, by metallizing one in a similar way to

  the embodiment of FIG.

  The titrant obtained by sealing may finally be coated again externally in order to increase the resistance

  the sealing surface and, for the purpose of

  protect it, so that only the four

  cable ends are clear.

  In Figure 5 there is shown how a distributor 110 according to Figure 3 is mounted in a casing 16 which has four holes 17a to 17d. At these holes, flanges 18a to 18d are fitted on the casing with respect to the axes of the light waveguides and are then fixed. Thanks to precision drillings formed in these collars, it is possible to subsequently couple outer plugs or connectors of light waveguides, by their front surfaces,

  directly against the frontal surfaces of the

  110. The capillary tubes 12a to 12d have

  then for the role of taking the pressure of these con-

  and distribute it over a larger area.

  carrying the filling mass, so that the sensitive front surfaces of the waveguides of

  splitter light are not damaged.

  Figure 6 shows another form of realization

  comprising a splitter 110 ', in which glass capillary tubes 12a' to 12d longer

  are sealed in the recesses of the

  Lées. As a result, threaded collars can be mounted directly on these glass capillary tubes and can be rigidly connected, for example to

  by means of a casing coating 21 obtained by ex-

  trusion, to the distributor 110 y. On the threaded collar we install precision bushes 20a to 20d

  centered on the axes of the light waveguides.

  The connectors thus formed can be connected

  in the usual way to insertion devices

outside.

  Figure 7 shows a device allowing

  simultaneously manufacture the two halves of the

  contender. The identical parts are again

  the same reference figures as in

  the case of Figure 1. For the parts of the se-

  half of the dispatcher, the reference figures

  are characterized by an additional index.

  In the case of this embodiment of the

  cast, the cavity 5 according to the example

  embodiment of Figure 1 is replaced by

  an empty space between the two bars 5a 'and 5b'.

  Here it is also advantageous to realize, as

  that connection of the two "drafts" 1 only one-

  nipple in the form of a circular cylinder in place of the button previously provided. All other phases

  operating procedures to manufacture a corresponding splitter

  to those previously described.

Claims (10)

  1) Device for making parts of a housing   optical splitter operating according to the principle of a beam splitter, said parts containing at least one light waveguide, which makes an angle of about 450, at least with the: normal to a surface   lateral, characterized by a shaped part   at least one recessed portion of precision (2) of   adapted to receive a filling mass and a guiding groove (4, 6) for each waveguide expected light, (9, 10).   2) Device according to claim 1 comprising two guide grooves for each recessed portion of precision, characterized in that the axes of these two grooves (4, 6) intersect on the edge (A9 ') of the recessed portion of precision (2), with which   they make an angle of 45 respectively.   3) Device according to claim 2, characterized   due to the fact that a guide groove (6) is conically formed in the part opposite the recessed precision part (2) and   an additional adjustment room is provided for   re (7) having a guide groove (8).   4) Device according to any one of the   1 to 3, characterized in that the piece   shaped can be closed by a cover.   Device according to claim 4, characterized   rised by the fact that the lid represents a co- pie of the consistent piece.   6) Device according to any one of the claims   1 to 5, characterized in that the part   recess (2) has a punch of ment.   7) Device according to any one of the claims   cations 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that 24S9987   formed one or more cavities (5) along the edge (A9 ') of the recessed precision portion (2), which intersects with 450 the axes of the grooves of guiding (4,6).   8) Device according to claim 7, characterized   rised by the fact that a cavity (5) is situated at   calf of the point of intersection of the axes of the grooves   guide (4, 6) and the edge (.1).   9) Device according to any one of the   1 to 8, characterized in that in the   recessed part of precision (2) undertake   shaped dices (3a, 3b), the axes of which are aligned   with the axes of the guide grooves (4, 6).   ) Device according to any one of the   1 to 9, characterized in that the mass   filling is transparent from the standpoint of op- tick.   11) Device according to claims 7 and 10   taken as a whole, characterized by the fact that the filling mass is optically transparent at the level of the cavity (5).   12) Method for manufacturing a part of a distribution   by means of a device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that   light waveguides are inserted (9, 10)   in the guide grooves (4, 6) of the   formed and that eventually one adjusts them   compared to the others, we fill in the obvious part   of precision (2) with a filling mass and, after the hardening of this mass, it is submitted to   an optical polishing plane surfaces, whose norms   males intersect at an angle of 450 light waves (9, 10).