Attaching optical components using homogenized laser light
An attachable optical component is aligned with a base optical component. The attachable optical component has a mounting surface interfacing with the base optical component and an exposed surface opposed to the mounting surface. Laser light is directed to the exposed surface of the attachable optical component for delivery to the mounting surface. The attachable optical component guides and homogenizes the laser light delivered to the mounting surface and uniformly heats a bonding feature between the mounting surface and the base optical component. The directing and subsequent removing of the laser light bonds the attachable optical component to the base optical component via the bonding feature.
1. A method comprising:
aligning an attachable optical component with a base optical component, the attachable optical component having a mounting surface interfacing with the base optical component and an exposed surface opposed to the mounting surface;
directing laser light from a cleaved output facet of an optic fiber to the exposed surface of the attachable optical component for delivery to the mounting surface, wherein the attachable optical component guides and homogenizes the laser light delivered to the mounting surface and uniformly heats a bonding feature between the mounting surface and the base optical component; and
removing the laser light from the exposed surface, wherein the directing and removing of the laser light bonds the attachable optical component to the base optical component via the bonding feature.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attachable optical component comprises a laser submount and the base optical component comprises a slider body.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein aligning the attachable optical component with the base optical component comprises aligning a laser diode mounted on the laser submount with a waveguide coupler of the slider body.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uniform heating of the bonding feature reduces thermal expansion of tooling used to align the attachable optical component with the base optical component.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cleaved output facet has a cross sectional area that does not extend beyond the exposed surface of the attachable optical component.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding feature comprises a solder pad.
7. An apparatus, comprising:
a first fixture that holds a base optical component that includes a bonding region;
a second fixture that aligns an attachable optical component so that a mounting surface of the attachable optical component faces the bonding region; and
an optic fiber having a cleaved output facet that directs laser light to an exposed surface of the attachable optical component that is opposed to the mounting surface, wherein the attachable optical component homogenizes and delivers the laser light to the mounting surface to uniformly heat the bonding region, and wherein heating of the bonding region bonds the attachable optical component to the base optical component.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the attachable optical component comprises a laser submount and the base optical component comprises a slider body.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the slider body comprises a waveguide coupler that is aligned with a laser diode mounted on the laser submount.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the bonding region comprises a solder pad.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the uniform heating of the bonding region reduces thermal expansion of the first fixture and the second fixture.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cleaved output facet has a cross sectional area that does not extend beyond the exposed surface of the attachable optical component.
13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the optic fiber comprises a multimode fiber having a core diameter that is significantly smaller than outer dimensions of the exposed surface of the attachable optical component.