Method of arranging optical fiber ends opposite waveguide ends

1. A method of arranging a network of coplanar ends of optical fibers of a bundle of parallel fibers opposite a corresponding network of ends of waveguides of a semiconductor wafer, the bundle of fibers and the wafer being displaceable with respect to each other in first and second orthogonal directions, the method comprising the successive steps of:

a) arranging the fiber bundle above the wafer so that the network of coplanar ends of optical fibers and the network of ends of waveguides have the same orientation with respect to the first and second directions, and a projection of an axis of each of the fibers on the wafer is parallel to the second direction;

b) injecting, into one of the fibers, a light beam having a wavelength such that light is scattered from the walls of the fiber, locating the fiber axis based on the scattered light, and displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with respect to each other in the first direction to align a characteristic point of the wafer in line with the projection of the axis of the fiber on the wafer, without the end of the fiber being opposite the characteristic point; and

c) displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with respect to each other until the end of the fiber is located opposite a corresponding end of a waveguide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, at step c), a light beam having a wavelength adapted to the fiber is injected into the fiber.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers and the waveguides are capable of transmitting a light signal having a wavelength in the range from 1.3 to 1.5 μm.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, at step b), the wavelength of the beam is in the range from 600 to 780 nm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers share a same cladding.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are organized in a bar.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle is arranged in a holding device comprising an orientation marker, step a) comprising aligning the orientation marker with the first direction.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the wafer is substantially parallel to the first and second directions and, at step a), the plane of the ends of the optical fibers is made substantially parallel to the first and second directions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are inclined with respect to the normal to the plane of the fiber ends.

10. A test station capable of implementing the method of claim 1 .

11. The test station of claim 10 , wherein step b) is implemented in automated fashion.

12. A method of arranging a network of coplanar ends of optical fibers of a bundle of parallel fibers opposite a corresponding network of ends of waveguides of a semiconductor wafer, the bundle of fibers and the wafer being displaceable with respect to each other in first and second orthogonal directions, the method comprising the successive steps of:

a) arranging the fiber bundle above the wafer so that the network of coplanar ends of optical fibers and the network of ends of waveguides have the same orientation with respect to the first and second directions, and a projection of an axis of each of the fibers on the wafer is parallel to the second direction;

b) injecting, into one of the fibers, a light beam having a wavelength such that light is scattered from the walls of the fiber, locating the fiber axis based on the scattered light, and displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with respect to each other in the first direction to align a characteristic point of the wafer in line with the projection of the axis of the fiber on the wafer, without the end of the fiber being opposite the characteristic point; and

c) displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with respect to each other until the end of the fiber is located opposite a corresponding end of a waveguide, wherein the characteristic point corresponds to said end of a waveguide, step c) comprising a step c1) of displacing the wafer and the fiber bundle with respect to each other in the second direction until the end of the fiber is located opposite said point.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein, at step c1), the displacement is stopped when a quantity of light received at a level of the characteristic point is maximum.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wafer comprises a graduated vernier in the second direction, the method further comprising:

at the end of step c1), locating the position of the fiber bundle on the vernier; and

during a subsequent alignment of said ends of the fibers on said ends of waveguides, carrying out steps a) and b) and then a step of displacing the wafer and the fiber bundle with respect to each other in the second direction all the way to the located position.

15. A method of arranging a network of coplanar ends of optical fibers of a bundle of parallel fibers opposite a corresponding network of ends of waveguides of a semiconductor wafer, the bundle of fibers and the wafer being displaceable with respect to each other in first and second orthogonal directions, the method comprising the successive steps of:

a) arranging the fiber bundle above the wafer so that the network of coplanar ends of optical fibers and the network of ends of waveguides have the same orientation with respect to the first and second directions, and a projection of an axis of each of the fibers on the wafer is parallel to the second direction;

b) injecting, into one of the fibers, a light beam having a wavelength such that light is scattered from the walls of the fiber, locating the fiber axis based on the scattered light, and displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with respect to each other in the first direction to align a characteristic point of the wafer in line with the projection of the axis of the fiber on the wafer, without the end of the fiber being opposite the characteristic point; and

c) displacing the fiber bundle and the wafer with resect to each other until the end of the fiber is located opposite a corresponding end of a waveguide, wherein the characteristic point corresponds to an end of an auxiliary waveguide and the position of the characteristic point relative to said end of a waveguide is known, step c) successively comprising:

a step c1) of displacing the wafer and the fiber bundle with respect to each other in the second direction until the end of the fiber is located above the characteristic point; and

a step c2) of displacing the wafer and the fiber bundle with respect to each other based on the known position of the point relative to said end of a waveguide.