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WO1995005616A1 - Procede pour constituer un dispositif de guide d'ondes optique - Google Patents

Procede pour constituer un dispositif de guide d'ondes optique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1995005616A1
WO1995005616A1 PCT/AU1994/000475 AU9400475W WO9505616A1 WO 1995005616 A1 WO1995005616 A1 WO 1995005616A1 AU 9400475 W AU9400475 W AU 9400475W WO 9505616 A1 WO9505616 A1 WO 9505616A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
refractive index
glass material
index glass
waveguide
mould
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/AU1994/000475
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kenneth Paul Clarke
David Coulson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Telstra Corp Ltd
Original Assignee
Telstra Corp Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Telstra Corp Ltd filed Critical Telstra Corp Ltd
Priority to AU74533/94A priority Critical patent/AU7453394A/en
Publication of WO1995005616A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995005616A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
    • G02B6/122—Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
    • G02B6/125—Bends, branchings or intersections
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of forming an optical waveguide device, an apparatus for use in performing the method and an optical waveguide device.
  • Optical waveguides are normally planar in structure and fabricated from a silica (SiO- 2 ) based glass material.
  • the waveguides are used in optical fibre networks to act as, inter alia, optical couplers or splitters.
  • Silica materials have a softening or melting point at about 1000°C, whereas standard phosphate glasses have a considerably higher melting point.
  • Silica waveguides are normally formed by etching a waveguide path in a polished silica substrate, by chemical etching or plasma etching using a high energy electron beam. Silica material of a higher refractive index is then deposited in the etched path using a deposition process such as CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition).
  • CVD Chemical Vapour Deposition
  • silica waveguides A considerable amount of precise and technical processing is required to form silica waveguides.
  • the waveguides also intrinsically exhibit significant transmission losses.
  • an optical waveguide device including heating and pressing high refractive index glass material into a mould which defines a waveguide path, so as to form a waveguide which follows said path.
  • the present invention also provides an apparatus for forming an optical waveguide device, including means for heating and pressing high refractive index glass material into a mould which defines a waveguide path, so as to form a waveguide which follows said path.
  • SUBSTITUT ⁇ SHEET (RULE 26)
  • the present invention also provides an optical waveguide device produced by the method described above.
  • Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating formation of a waveguide according to a first preferred embodiment
  • Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a heating and compressing apparatus used to perform the method
  • Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating formation of a waveguide according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a plan view of an optical waveguide formed according to the present invention and connected to optical fibres.
  • a waveguide device 2 as shown in Figure 1, includes an upper block 4 of low refractive index glass material and a lower block 6 of high refractive index glass material, as shown in Figure 1A.
  • Both blocks 4 and 6 comprise heavy metal fluoride (HMF) glass, with the low index block 4 forming a cladding of the waveguide, and the high index material 6 being used to form the light guiding region, or core material, of the waveguide device 2.
  • HMF heavy metal fluoride
  • the low index cladding material may comprise the following composition (numbers in mole%):
  • the high index core material 6 may comprise the following composition (numbers in mole%):
  • a 40 g batch of powdered components for the compositions provides a convenient glass block size in a 30 mm diameter straight-walled crucible.
  • the powders are mixed in glassy carbon or platinum crucibles and melted in a furnace at 800°C to 900°C for at least three hours under a dry nitrogen atmosphere.
  • the crucibles are then removed from the furnace and cooled rapidly to avoid crystallisation. Annealing should then be performed at 265°C for at least two hours before gradually cooling to room temperature.
  • the glass blocks obtained are then sawn into discs of the desired size, typically about 1 mm thick for the high index block 6, and 10 mm thick for the low index block 4.
  • the upper face 10 and lower face 12 of the high index block 6, and the lower face 14 of the low index block 4, as shown in Figure 1A, are polished to a high quality optical finish using standard lapping equipment.
  • the final polishing particle size used on the surfaces 10, 12 and 14 should, for example, be 0.1 micron or better. Polishing should be performed without a water containing lubricant as this tends to attack and degrade the glass surfaces 10, 12 and 14.
  • the polished blocks 4 and 6 are placed in a brass compression chamber 16, as shown in Figure 2.
  • the compression chamber 16 includes a support platform 18, a set of heating elements 20, and a thermocouple 22 for measuring the temperature within the chamber 16.
  • a mould 24 is placed on the support platform 18 and the blocks 4 and 6 are placed on top of the mould 24.
  • a hydraulic RAM 26 is mounted on top of the chamber 16 such that the piston 28 extends into the chamber 16 and the piston head 30 can be moved in the direction of the arrow 32 so as to act on material placed on the support platform 18.
  • the hydraulic RAM 26 is able to exert up to 5000 kPa of pressure on materials placed on the support platform 18.
  • the chamber 16 can be heated accurately to temperatures around 300°C, the working temperature of HMF glass. HMF glass softens around the high 200°C mark.
  • the surfaces of the piston head and the mould 24 which come into contact with the glass blocks 4 and 6 are formed from materials, such as glassy carbon, graphite, gold etc., which ensure the surfaces do not react with the blocks 4 and 6.
  • the mould 24, as shown in Figures 1C and 2 is etched to include at least one v-groove 40 which defines the path of the waveguide for the waveguide device 2.
  • the blocks 4 and 6 are fused together at the surfaces 10 and 14, as shown in Figure IB.
  • the high index HMF glass 6 is also compressed by the mould 24, as shown in Figure 1C, so as to form a waveguide 42 corresponding to the shape and path of the etched groove 40.
  • the remaining portions 44 of the HMF glass 6 are compressed to a thickness which is less than or equal to 1 micron, and is therefore too thin to guide light.
  • the groove 40 is etched to a depth of 5 to 10 microns so as to produce a waveguide 42 of corresponding size which is suitable for single mode transmission.
  • the mould 24 may be, for example, a silica or silicon substrate which is etched using known chemical or plasma etching techniques. Any technique that can provide a mould 24 having a groove 40 with a low surface roughness is suitable to create a low loss waveguide.
  • the chamber 16 should prevent the ingress of moisture from the air which would attack the HMF glass blocks 4 and 6 at elevated temperatures. Placement of the chamber 16 in a glove-box containing dry nitrogen is one solution.
  • the high index material 6 is first placed centrally on the mould 24, and then the low index block 4 is placed on top of the surface 10 of the HMF material 6 with the polished face 14 contacting the HMF material 6.
  • the chamber is sealed and gradually heated, for example to 297°C.
  • pressure is applied gradually to the blocks 4 and 6 using the piston head 30 and does not exceed 5000 kPa to avoid breaking the blocks 4 and 6 or the mould 24.
  • a pressure of 1000 kPa and a temperature of 297°C are typical working values. Higher and lower temperature and pressure values can be used but it is recommended that the temperature be constrained between 280°C to 310°C.
  • a lower temperature increases the difficulty of pressing the glass blocks 4 and 6, and a higher temperature results in the blocks 4 and 6 crystallising after a period of minutes.
  • the blocks 4 and 6 are compressed so as to simultaneously fuse together and form the waveguide 42.
  • the high index material 6 is compressed until it is less than or equal to 1 micron thick, except in the region where it fills the groove 40 so as to form the waveguide 42. This configures the ridge between the waveguide 42 and the remaining portions 44 of the high index material 6 so that the waveguide 42 is able to guide radiation without serious loss to the portions 44.
  • the waveguide device 2 should then be annealed at 265°C for at least two hours before gradual cooling to room temperature.
  • the mould 24 can be designed with raised sections of the appropriate dimensions to form grooves in the high index HMF material 6 to facilitate the alignment and attachment of silica optical fibres, using, for example, uv-curing cement at the same time as forming the waveguide 42.
  • the above fabrication method is particularly advantageous as the one mould 24 can be used for the mass production of waveguide devices.
  • An alternative fabrication technique involves the mould 24 being used as a cladding substrate, and therefore only one piece of high index HMF material 6 is required.
  • the mould 24, in this instance may be a standard phosphate glass substrate.
  • the lower surface 12 of the high index HMF material is polished and placed on the mould 24 in the chamber 16, as shown in Figure 3 A.
  • the HMF material 6 is fused to the cladding substrate 24 and compressed into the v-groove 40 defining the waveguide path, as shown in Figure 3B.
  • the HMF material 6 is then polished, using standard polishing equipment, so as to remove excess material and form a waveguide 50 embedded in the cladding substrate 32 which has an upper surface 52 polished and aligned with the upper surface 54 of the substrate 24, as shown in Figure 3C.
  • the waveguide 50 of the formed waveguide device 48 may be used to provide, for example, an optical splitter or coupler 60, as shown in Figure 4, which is connected to an input optical fibre 62 and output optical fibres 64.
  • the waveguide 42 of the first waveguide device 2 can also similarly be used to provide an optical splitter or coupler.
  • HMF optical fibres are fragile but the production of the waveguides 42 and 50 on relatively substantial blocks 4 and 24 of cladding material produces a strong, reliable optical device.
  • the optical devices 2 and 48 are compatible with standard silica fibres.
  • HMF gl ⁇ ss optical fibres cannot be fusion spliced to standard silica fibres, but the HMF waveguide devices 2 and 48 can be formed with grooves, as discussed above, to provide a strong mechanical fixing point for a silica fibre to be aligned with and connected to the waveguide 42 or 50.
  • rare earth dopants such as Praesodynium Pr or Erbium Er
  • fluoride glass waveguide amplifiers can be produced.
  • rare earth dopants such as Praesodynium Pr or Erbium Er
  • such doping with Pr can provide a compact and reliable optical amplifier which can be used in 1300 nm optical amplifier applications for telecommunications systems.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)

Abstract

Un procédé pour constituer un dispositif de guide d'ondes optique comprend le chauffage et le pressage d'un matériau en verre à indice de réfraction élevé, dans un moule définissant le chemin de guide d'ondes, de manière à former un guide d'ondes qui suive le chemin.
PCT/AU1994/000475 1993-08-13 1994-08-15 Procede pour constituer un dispositif de guide d'ondes optique Ceased WO1995005616A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU74533/94A AU7453394A (en) 1993-08-13 1994-08-15 A method of forming an optical waveguide device

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPM0571 1993-08-13
AUPM057193 1993-08-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1995005616A1 true WO1995005616A1 (fr) 1995-02-23

Family

ID=3777130

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/AU1994/000475 Ceased WO1995005616A1 (fr) 1993-08-13 1994-08-15 Procede pour constituer un dispositif de guide d'ondes optique

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO1995005616A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19612576A1 (de) * 1995-03-31 1996-10-02 Karlsruhe Forschzent Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von zweischichtigen, lichtleitenden Mikrostrukturen durch Abformtechnik

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2031676A (en) * 1975-12-22 1978-06-15 International Standard Electric Corp. Epitaxially formed heterostructure optical waveguide structure
DE3149907A1 (de) * 1980-12-16 1982-07-15 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Minami-Ashigara, Kanagawa Verfahren zur herstellung einer lichtleitenden platte
WO1982004328A1 (fr) * 1981-05-26 1982-12-09 Inc Gould Dispositif a fibres optiques de construction renforcee au moyen d'un substrat
JPS59165006A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-18 Canon Inc オプチカルフアイバ−プレ−トの製造方法
JPS59166903A (ja) * 1983-03-14 1984-09-20 Canon Inc 光フアイバ−アレイ体の製造方法

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2031676A (en) * 1975-12-22 1978-06-15 International Standard Electric Corp. Epitaxially formed heterostructure optical waveguide structure
DE3149907A1 (de) * 1980-12-16 1982-07-15 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Minami-Ashigara, Kanagawa Verfahren zur herstellung einer lichtleitenden platte
WO1982004328A1 (fr) * 1981-05-26 1982-12-09 Inc Gould Dispositif a fibres optiques de construction renforcee au moyen d'un substrat
JPS59165006A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-18 Canon Inc オプチカルフアイバ−プレ−トの製造方法
JPS59166903A (ja) * 1983-03-14 1984-09-20 Canon Inc 光フアイバ−アレイ体の製造方法

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, P-330, page 113; & JP,A,59 166 903 (CANON K.K.), 20 September 1984. *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, P-330, page 2; & JP,A,59 165 006 (CANON K.K.), 18 September 1984. *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19612576A1 (de) * 1995-03-31 1996-10-02 Karlsruhe Forschzent Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von zweischichtigen, lichtleitenden Mikrostrukturen durch Abformtechnik

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