IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,656,559
Granted Patent B2
US 12,656,559 · App. 18/557,870 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Integrated optical device and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Yu Kurata (Musashino, JP); Yoshihiro Ogiso (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NTT, Inc.
G02B6/4239G02B6/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,656,559
App. No.
18/557,870
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated optical device capable of easily connecting waveguides and achieving stable optical coupling is provided. In the integrated optical device in which an optical circuit that is provided on a substrate that does not transmit light from an ultraviolet range to a visible range and performs optical signal processing and an optical function element made of a material that does not transmit light in the ranges are butt-connected, in the optical circuit, a butt coupling holding substrate that transmits light in the ranges is mounted in a groove that reaches a connection end face where an input/output waveguide is formed, the connection end face of the optical circuit and an end face of the butt coupling holding substrate are processed to be flush with each other, and the optical circuit and the optical function element are fixed by a UV curing adhesive filling the connection end face.

Claims (24)

1 . An integrated optical device in which an optical circuit that is provided on a substrate that does not transmit light from an ultraviolet range to a visible range and performs optical signal processing and an optical function element made of a material that does not transmit light from the ultraviolet range to the visible range are butt-connected,

in the optical circuit, a butt-coupling holding substrate that transmits light from the ultraviolet range to the visible range is fixed in a groove that reaches a connection end face on which an input/output waveguide is formed, and the connection end face of the optical circuit and an end face of the butt-coupling holding substrate being processed to be flush with each other, and

the optical circuit and the optical function element are fixed by a UV curing adhesive filling the connection end face that is cured by UV light transmitted through the butt-coupling holding substrate,

the groove is formed from an upper cladding layer and a lower cladding layer forming the input/output waveguide, extends over a portion of the substrate, except for a region where a waveguide core of the input/output waveguide is formed, the butt-coupling holding substrate is at least in contact with the lower cladding layer and fixed so as to be housed within the groove,

a depth of the groove and a thickness of the butt-coupling holding substrate are at least equal to a thickness of the optical functional element.

2 . The integrated optical device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the optical circuit includes a Si substrate,

the optical function element includes a Si or InP substrate, and

the butt-coupling holding substrate is made of a SiO 2 substrate and is thicker than the optical function element.

3 . The integrated optical device according to claim 1 , wherein in the butt-coupling holding substrate, a light shielding film that transmits or absorbs near-infrared light is formed on a surface facing an end face that is flush with the connection end face.

4 . A method for manufacturing an integrated optical device in which an optical circuit that is provided on a substrate that does not transmit light from an ultraviolet range to a visible range and performs optical signal processing and an optical function element made of a material that does not transmit light from the ultraviolet range to the visible range are butt-connected,

in the optical circuit, a butt-coupling holding substrate that transmits light from the ultraviolet range to the visible range is fixed so as to be housed within a groove that reaches a connection end face on which an input/output waveguide is formed, and the connection end face of the optical circuit and an end face of the butt-coupling holding substrate are processed to be flush with each other,

the groove is formed from an upper cladding layer and a lower cladding layer forming the input/output waveguide, extends over a portion of the substrate, except for a region where a waveguide core of the input/output waveguide is formed,

a depth of the groove and a thickness of the butt-coupling holding substrate are at least equal to a thickness of the optical functional element,

the method comprising:

a step of inputting light for alignment to the optical circuit, inputting the light again from the optical function element to the optical circuit via the input/output waveguide and monitoring the light output from the optical circuit;

a step of aligning input/output waveguides of the optical circuit and the optical function element such that light intensity of the monitored light is maximized;

a step of filling the connection end face with a UV curing adhesive; and

a step of irradiating the connection end face with UV light through the butt-coupling holding substrate to cure the UV curing adhesive.

5 . The method for manufacturing the integrated optical device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the optical circuit includes a Si substrate,

the optical function element includes a Si or InP substrate, and

the butt-coupling holding substrate includes a SiO2 substrate and is thicker than the optical function element.

6 . The method for manufacturing the integrated optical device according to claim 4 , wherein in the butt-coupling holding substrate, a light shielding film that transmits or absorbs near-infrared light is formed on a surface facing an end face that is flush with the connection end face.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 18, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072507/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2023
From: KURATA, YU; OGISO, YOSHIHIRO
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065385/0701 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240219639A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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