METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COUPLING OF OPTICAL FIBERS TO SILICON PHOTONIC DEVICES
A system comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a first microlens array including a plurality of microlenses. Each of the plurality of optical fibers is bonded to one of the plurality of microlenses. The system also includes a prism disposed adjacent the first microlens array, a second microlens array disposed adjacent the prism, and a silicon photonics substrate disposed adjacent the second microlens array and including a plurality of input coupling elements and one or more optical waveguides.
1 . A system comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers;
a first microlens array including a plurality of microlenses, wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is bonded to one of the plurality of microlenses;
a prism disposed adjacent the first microlens array;
a second microlens array disposed adjacent the prism; and
a silicon photonics substrate disposed adjacent the second microlens array and including a plurality of input coupling elements and one or more optical waveguides.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of input coupling elements comprise a plurality of grating couplers.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more optical waveguides is optically coupled to one of the plurality of input coupling elements.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first microlens array is bonded to an input surface of the prism.
5 . The system of claim 4 wherein the first microlens array further comprising a spacer configured to separate the first microlens array from the input surface of the prism by a predetermined distance.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second microlens array is bonded to an output surface of the prism.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the second microlens array further comprising a spacer configured to separate the second microlens array from the output surface of the prism by a predetermined distance.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein:
the microlenses in the first microlens array are configured to collimate input light emitted by the plurality of optical fibers to produce a set of collimated beams;
the prism is configured to reflect the set of collimated beams via total internal reflection; and
the microlenses in the second microlens array are configured to focus the set of collimated beams to produce a set of converging beams incident on the plurality of input coupling elements.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the set of converging beams are incident on the plurality of input coupling elements at a non-normal angle of incidence.
10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the non-normal angle of incidence ranges from 4° to 20°.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the non-normal angle of incidence is 8°.
12 . The system of claim 1 further comprising an alignment structure disposed on a surface of the silicon photonics substrate.
13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the alignment structure comprises one or more ridges.
14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the alignment structure comprises one or more pillars.