IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,857,531
Granted Patent B2
US 9,857,531 · App. 15/342,566 · Granted Jan 2, 2018

Optical component with angled-facet waveguide

Inventors: Russell A. Budd (North Salem, NY); Daniel M. Kuchta (Patterson, NY); Benjamin Giles Lee (New York, NY); Laurent Schares (Sleepy Hollow, NY); Clint Lee Schow (Ossining, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G02B6/12G02B6/125G02B6/3652G02B6/423G02B2006/12119G02B2006/12147G02B2006/12166G02B2006/12173G02B2006/12176Y10T156/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,857,531
App. No.
15/342,566
Granted
Jan 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system comprises a first optical component comprising at least one waveguide and at least one self-alignment feature; and a second optical component comprising at least another waveguide and at least another self-alignment feature; wherein the self-alignment feature of the second optical component engage to assist in optically-coupling the waveguide of the first optical component and the waveguide of the second optical component when the first optical component has a manufacturing tolerance in a given geometric dimension and is mounted in the second optical component.

Claims (42)

1. A system, comprising,

a first optical component comprising at least one waveguide and at least one self-alignment feature; and

a second optical component comprising at least another waveguide and at least another self-alignment feature;

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component engage to assist in optically-coupling the waveguide of the first optical component and the waveguide of the second optical component when the first optical component has a manufacturing tolerance in a given geometric dimension and is mounted in the second optical component; and

further wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of pedestal structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of staircase structures, wherein a subset of the set of pedestal structures engage at least a portion of the set of staircase structures; or

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of staircase structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of pedestal structures, wherein a subset of the set of pedestal structures engage at least a portion of the set of staircase structures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the respective self-alignment features provide lateral offset during bonding of the first optical component and the second optical component to compensate for misalignment in optical coupling which occurs as a result of the manufacturing tolerance in the given geometric dimension of the first optical component.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each self-aligning feature is a self-aligning lithographic feature.

6. A system comprising:

a first optical component comprising at least one waveguide and at least one self-alignment feature; and

a second optical component comprising at least another waveguide and at least another self-alignment feature;

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component engage to assist in optically-coupling the waveguide of the first optical component and the waveguide of the second optical component when the first optical component has a manufacturing tolerance in a given geometric dimension and is mounted in the second optical component; and

further wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a line structure and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of ramp structures, wherein portions of the line structure engage portions of the set of ramp structures; or

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of ramp structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a line structure, wherein portions of the line structure engage portions of the set of ramp structures.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a first optical component, the first optical component comprising at least one waveguide and at least one self-alignment feature;

a second optical component, the second optical component comprising at least another waveguide and at least another self-alignment feature;

wherein the at least one waveguide of the first optical component is configured to optically-couple to the at least one wave guide of the second optical component;

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component engage to assist in optically-coupling the waveguide of the first optical component and the waveguide of the second optical component when the first optical component has a manufacturing tolerance in a given geometric dimension and is mounted in the second optical component; and

further wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of pedestal structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of staircase structures, wherein a subset of the set of pedestal structures engage at least a portion of the set of staircase structures; or

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of staircase structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of pedestal structures, wherein a subset of the set of pedestal structures engage at least a portion of the set of staircase structures.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the respective self-alignment features provide lateral offset during bonding of the first optical component and the second optical component to compensate for misalignment in optical coupling which occurs as a result of the manufacturing tolerance in the given geometric dimension of the first optical component.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each self-aligning feature is a self-aligning lithographic feature.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a first optical component, the first optical component comprising at least one waveguide and at least one self-alignment feature;

a second optical component, the second optical component comprising at least another waveguide and at least another self-alignment feature;

wherein the at least one waveguide of the first optical component is configured to optically-couple to the at least one wave guide of the second optical component;

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component engage to assist in optically-coupling the waveguide of the first optical component and the waveguide of the second optical component when the first optical component has a manufacturing tolerance in a given geometric dimension and is mounted in the second optical component; and

further wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a line structure and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a set of ramp structures, wherein portions of the line structure engage portions of the set of ramp structures; or

wherein the self-alignment feature of the first optical component comprises a set of ramp structures and the self-alignment feature of the second optical component comprises a line structure, wherein portions of the line structure engage portions of the set of ramp structures.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit carrier.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second optical component comprises a photonic integrated circuit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2016
From: BUDD, RUSSELL A.; KUCHTA, DANIEL M.; LEE, BENJAMIN GILES; SCHARES, LAURENT; SCHOW, CLINT LEE
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040214/0865 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15096996 · Apr 12, 2016
Division 13898890 · May 21, 2013
Related Publication 20170082798A1 · Mar 23, 2017