Apparatus and method for manufacturing optical wire

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing an optical wire is provided. The apparatus includes: a wire forming module configured to form an optical wire optically coupling a first point with a second point; an image acquisition module configured to acquire an image of the optical wire; a curing module configured to cure the optical wire; and a control module. The control module checks the shape and position of the optical wire through the image acquired by the image acquisition module, and outputs a control signal to the curing module so as to emit ultraviolet light to the optical wire.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0114418, filed on September 8, 2022, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0118102, filed on September 6, 2023, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an optical wire. Background Art

[0004] In a photonic chip package using an optical system, one or more lenses are arranged between the holes of the photonic chip to optically couple the photonic chips to each other, minimizing the loss caused by light divergence. Here, one or more prisms (or reflectors) can be added according to the angles between the holes of the photonic chip.

[0005] When alignment errors occur in photonic chip packaging using an optical system including lenses and / or prisms, photonic packaging losses are large. Therefore, optical alignment of the holes of the two photonic chips and the optical system at the level of several microns is required.

[0006] However, since precise optical alignment involves high-precision design technology and tiny chip / fiber arrangement technology, packaging costs increase and mass production is difficult. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to provide an optical wire manufacturing device and method for performing optical coupling without active alignment.

[0008] The present invention also aims to provide an apparatus and method for preventing shape deformation by solidifying an optical wire.

[0009] The objectives to be achieved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the solutions described below and the objectives or effects that may be embodied in the embodiments may also be included in the objectives of the present invention.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing an optical wire, the apparatus comprising: a wire forming module configured to form an optical wire that optically couples a first point with a second point; an image acquisition module configured to acquire an image of the optical wire; a curing module configured to cure the optical wire; and a control module. The control module checks the shape and position of the optical wire through the image acquired by the image acquisition module, and outputs a control signal to the curing module to emit ultraviolet light to the optical wire.

[0011] The wire forming module may include a solution discharge module and a first driving module, wherein the first driving module is configured to move the solution discharge module. The solution discharge module may discharge the polymer solution at a first point and then be moved to a second point by the first driving module, thereby forming an optical wire between the first point and the second point.

[0012] The optical wire may include a first connection portion formed at a first point, a second connection portion formed at a second point, and a linear portion connected between the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

[0013] The solution discharge module may form a first connection portion by discharging a polymer solution at a first point, form a line portion thinner than the first connection portion while moving toward a second point, and form a second connection portion at the second point.

[0014] The image acquisition module may include a camera configured to acquire shape information of the first connection portion, the linear portion, and the second connection portion.

[0015] The control module can determine whether the shape information of the optical wire obtained by the camera matches the predetermined shape range and position information in the memory.

[0016] The image acquisition module and the curing module can be combined into a combined module. The combined module can move the image acquisition module and the curing module along a predetermined path, the image acquisition module can acquire shape information of the optical wire while moving along the predetermined path, and the curing module can cure the optical wire while moving along the predetermined path.

[0017] The combined module may include: an integrated housing, which includes a first space portion extending a certain length from a first surface facing the optical wire, a second space portion connected to the first space portion and accommodating a camera, and a third space portion connected to the first space portion and accommodating a light source of a curing module; an optical filter, which is configured to reflect or transmit light incident on the camera through the first space portion, and to reflect or transmit light emitted from the light source to the first surface; and a second driving module, which is configured to move the integrated housing along a predetermined path.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an optical wire, the method comprising: forming the optical wire between a first point and a second point; acquiring shape information and position information of the optical wire; and emitting ultraviolet light to the optical wire to cure the optical wire.

[0019] The optical wire can be inspected and cured while the camera and light source are moved together in the longitudinal direction of the optical wire. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Those skilled in the art will more clearly understand the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention by describing in detail exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an apparatus for manufacturing an optical wire according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a diagram showing in advance the position where the optical wire is formed and the shape of the optical wire;

[0023] Figure 3 is a diagram showing a state where an optical wire is formed at a first optical device;

[0024] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a process of forming an optical wire between a first optical device and a second optical device;

[0025] Figure 5 is a diagram showing a process of inspecting and curing an optical wire;

[0026] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an image acquisition module and a curing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7a is a diagram showing a process in which light emitted from an illumination module passes through an optical wire and is collected by an image acquisition module;

[0028] Figure 7b is an image of the optical wire acquired by the image acquisition module;

[0029] Figure 8a is a diagram showing a process of matching an image acquired by an image acquisition module with a pre-stored image;

[0030] Figure 8b is a diagram showing a state in which an image acquired by an image acquisition module does not match a pre-stored image;

[0031] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a process of curing an optical wire by emitting ultraviolet light to the optical wire;

[0032] Fig.10 is a diagram showing a state in which ultraviolet light is emitted when an image is acquired in real time by a camera;

[0033] Fig.11a is a diagram showing an optical module in which two optical coupling bodies formed on the same substrate are connected by an optical wire;

[0034] Fig.11bis a diagram showing an optical module, in which an optical device and an optical waveguide for receiving or outputting optical signals in different directions are connected by an optical wire;

[0035] Fig.12 is a diagram showing an optical module in which two multi-channel optical devices formed at two different substrates are connected by a plurality of optical wires;

[0036] Fig.13 is a diagram showing an optical module in which a plurality of multi-channel optical devices are connected by a plurality of optical wires;

[0037] Fig.14 is a diagram showing an optical module, wherein a plurality of multi-channel optical devices are connected to an optical waveguide via a plurality of optical coupling wires;

[0038] Fig.15 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig.16 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[0040] Fig.17 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and has multiple embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings. However, this does not mean that the present invention is limited to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents and substitutes within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0042] Terms including serial numbers, such as "first", "second", etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component. For example, the second component may be named the first component, and the first component may also be named the second component without departing from the scope of the present invention. The term "and / or" includes any one or a combination of multiple related statements.

[0043] When a first component is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to a second component, the first component may be directly connected or coupled to the second component, or there may be an intervening component between the two. On the other hand, when a first component is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to a second component, there may be no intervening component between the two.

[0044] The terms used in this specification are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not used to limit the present invention. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form also includes the plural form. In this specification, the terms "include", "comprise", "include", "contain", "have", "have" and the like represent the existence of the features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof described in the present invention, and do not exclude the possibility of the existence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Terms defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art. Unless clearly and obviously defined in this specification, terms are not to be understood to have an ideal or overly formal meaning.

[0046] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and repeated description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an apparatus for manufacturing an optical wire according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the position where the optical wire is to be formed and the shape of the optical wire in advance.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 , an apparatus for manufacturing an optical wire according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a wire forming module 100, an image acquisition module 300, a curing module 200, and a control module 500. The wire forming module 100 is used to form an optical wire that optically couples a first point 11a and a second point 12a that are spaced apart from each other. The image acquisition module 300 is used to acquire an image of the optical wire. The curing module 200 is used to cure the optical wire.

[0049] The wire forming module 100 may include a solution discharge module 110 and a first driving module 120. The solution discharge module 110 is filled with a polymer solution and discharges the polymer solution. The first driving module 120 moves the solution discharge module 110 in a vertical direction and / or a horizontal direction.

[0050] The solution discharge module 110 may form an optical wire between a first point 11a of the first optical device 11 and a second point 12a of the second optical device 12 when moved by the first driving module 120. The optical wire may be formed of a transparent material and optically connects the first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12.

[0051] Each of the first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12 provided on the substrate 10 may include one or more holes for outputting or receiving light. The first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12 may be various optical devices for emitting or receiving light, such as a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip, an optical fiber, an optical coupler, a light emitting diode (LED), a light receiving diode, etc.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 When the spacing distance between the first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12 and the positions and heights of the first point 11a and the second point 12a are determined, the position where the optical wire will be formed and the expected trajectory CL1 of the optical wire can be calculated. Therefore, the moving path coordinates of the solution discharge module 110 can be set.

[0053] The moving path coordinates may be stored in a separate memory by the user. The control module 500 may load the movement coordinates stored in the memory and apply an output signal to the first driving module 120 .

[0054] However, the user may not directly set the set value, and the motion path coordinates may be automatically calculated by the control module 500 according to the image. The control module 500 may extract edge information of the first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12 from the image captured by the image acquisition module 300, and calculate the positions of the first point 11a and the second point 12a. Subsequently, the control module 500 may generate motion path coordinates for forming an optical wire between the first point 11a and the second point 12a. As a configuration for automatically calculating the motion path coordinates, various image processing techniques and pattern recognition techniques may be used.

[0055] Figure 3 : is a figure which shows the state which forms an optical wire at the first optical device. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a process of forming an optical wire between a first optical device and a second optical device.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 , the solution discharge module 110 may approach the first optical device 11 and discharge the solution at the first point 11 a to form the first connection portion 21 .

[0057] The first connection portion 21 may be a semi-elliptical shape having a certain curvature, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The shape of the first connection portion 21 may be variously modified according to the amount and viscosity of the discharged solution.

[0058] After the first connection portion 21 is formed, the solution discharge module 110 may be vertically raised to form the optical wire 20. The diameter of the optical wire 20 may be adjusted according to the rising speed of the solution discharge module 110 and the amount of discharged solution.

[0059] The optical wire 20 may be formed of a transparent material and configured in a single wire shape having one end and the other end. The constituent material of the optical wire 20 may be formed into a half-moon shape, and any material that is cured by ultraviolet (UV) light may be selected.

[0060] For example, the optical wire 20 may be made of polystyrene, polymethacrylic acid, polycarbonate, etc. In addition, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as amorphous fluorinated polymers (CYTOP), etc., or epoxy resins, such as polyimide, SU-8, etc., may also be used.

[0061] In addition, the constituent material of the optical wire 20 may be an organic conductive polymer (π-conjugated polymer), the electrical and optical properties of which may be adjusted by chemical doping.

[0062] The solvent of the optical wire solution may be a volatile material (volatile material), and any material used in the corresponding technical field may be selected without limitation.

[0063] The solution discharge module 110 may be a micropipette, but is not necessarily limited thereto. Any configuration for uniformly discharging a wire having a micro-sized (eg, micron-sized) diameter may be used without limitation.

[0064] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the solution discharge module 110 may be moved from the first optical device 11 to the second optical device 12. Here, the optical wire 20 may extend with an appropriate curvature, and the bending stress may be maintained at a level at which the inside or outside of the optical wire 20 is not physically damaged. Therefore, the optical loss of the optical wire 20 may be maintained within a tolerance range or lower.

[0065] Subsequently, the solution discharge module 110 may be lowered to the second point 12 a of the second optical device 12 to form the second connection portion 23 , thereby forming the optical wire 20 between the first optical device 11 and the second optical device 12 .

[0066] The optical wire 20 may include a first connection portion 21 formed at the first optical device 11, a second connection portion 23 formed at the second optical device 12, and a linear portion 22 connecting the first connection portion 21 and the second connection portion 23. The first connection portion 21, the second connection portion 23, and the linear portion 22 may be continuously formed of the same material.

[0067] The first point 11a of the first optical device 11 may be an emission surface from which light is emitted, and the second point 12a of the second optical device 12 may be an incident surface from which light is incident. Therefore, light emitted from the first point 11a may be effectively incident to the second point 12a through the optical wire 20. According to an exemplary embodiment, multiple optical devices may be optically coupled together at low cost without active alignment.

[0068] When the optical wire 20 is fully formed, the image acquisition module 300 can capture an image of the optical wire 20. The control module 500 can extract the acquired shape and position information of the optical wire 20 and control the curing module 200 to emit UV light to the corresponding area. Various image processing techniques can be used to extract the shape and position information of the optical wire 20.

[0069] However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this case, and the control module 500 may determine whether the shape and position of the optical wire 20 acquired by the image acquisition module 300 match the predetermined shape and position information in the memory.

[0070] The memory (not shown) may store shape information and position information for optically coupling at least two optical devices with the optical wire 20 without light loss, such as the shape of the first connecting portion 21, the diameter and curvature of the linear portion 22, the shape of the second connecting portion 23, etc.

[0071] Therefore, when the acquired shape and position of the optical wire 20 matches the predetermined shape and position information in the memory, the control module 500 may output a control signal to the curing module 200 so as to emit UV light to the optical wire 20 .

[0072] When the optical wire 20 is completely formed, the solvent evaporates. Therefore, the optical wire 20 solidifies to a certain extent, but is not yet cured. Therefore, when it is determined that the optical wire 20 matches the predetermined shape, UV light may be emitted to completely cure the polymer. In other words, the polymer of the optical wire 20 according to the exemplary embodiment may be a UV-cured polymer. However, the polymer of the optical wire 20 is not necessarily limited thereto, and may also be a thermosetting polymer. In this case, the curing module 200 may include a heater for applying heat.

[0073] The optical wire 20 that is not completely cured may be easily deformed due to shrinkage that occurs over time. For example, about 10 seconds after the optical wire 20 is formed, the shape that was initially formed may be deformed. In this case, the optical coupling performance may be reduced. Therefore, it may be important to cure the optical wire 20 before the shape of the optical wire 20 is deformed.

[0074] According to an exemplary embodiment, the control module 500 may detect the shape and position of the optical wire 20 from the image acquired by the image acquisition module 300 and cure the optical wire 20 through the curing module 200 to complete the curing before deformation occurs.

[0075] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an image acquisition module and a curing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7a is a diagram showing a process in which light emitted from an illumination module passes through an optical wire and is collected by an image acquisition module. Figure 7b It is an image of the optical wire acquired by the image acquisition module.

[0076] Reference Figure 6 , the image acquisition module 300 and the curing module 200 may be connected to one combined module 400. The combined module 400 may include an integrated housing having a plurality of optical paths, an optical filter 420 disposed in the integrated housing 410, and a second driving module 430 for moving the integrated housing 410.

[0077] The integrated housing 410 may include a first space portion 411 extending a certain length from the first surface F1 facing the optical wire 20, a second space portion 412 connected to the first space portion 411 and accommodating the camera 310, and a third space portion 413 connected to the first space portion 411 and accommodating the light source 210 of the curing module 200.

[0078] The integrated housing 410 may include an optical filter 420 that transmits the light L1 incident on the camera 310 through the first space portion 411 and reflects the UV light emitted from the light source 210 to the first surface F1. For example, the optical filter 420 may transmit visible light and reflect UV light. However, the optical filter 420 is not necessarily limited to this and may also be designed to reflect visible light and transmit UV light.

[0079] The second driving module 430 can move the integrated housing 410 along a predetermined path. The first driving module 120 can move the solution discharge module 110 along a predetermined path to form the optical wire 20, and the second driving module 430 can move the combined module 400 along the same moving path as the solution discharge module 110 for imaging and / or curing.

[0080] The image acquisition module 300 may include a camera for capturing images and a first lens 320 for focusing light so as to input the image into the camera 310. The configuration of the image acquisition module 300 may also include various devices required for collecting and processing images. The image acquisition module 300 may transmit the collected images to the control module 500.

[0081] The illumination module 440 may be disposed on a side opposite to the image acquisition module 300 based on the optical wire 20 to emit illumination light to the optical wire 20. Therefore, the illumination light transmitted through the image acquisition module 300 may be incident to the image acquisition module 300.

[0082] Reference Figure 7a , in the illumination light emitted to the optical wire 20, the first light L1 incident to the central region R1 of the optical wire 20 may be transmitted through the optical wire 20, while the second light L2 incident to the edge region R2 of the optical wire 20 may be completely reflected without being transmitted through the optical wire 20. Therefore, in the image acquired by the image acquisition module 300, the edge region R2 of the optical wire 20 may be displayed as black, while the central region R1 may be displayed as a relatively bright color (e.g., white).

[0083] The control module 500 can measure the width of the black area as the edge area R2 in the image acquired by the image acquisition module 300, and determine whether the shape of the optical wire 20 satisfies a predetermined shape condition. For example, when the ratio of the width of the black area to the width of the white area in the image of the optical wire satisfies a predetermined ratio, it can be determined that the optical wire shape condition is satisfied.

[0084] When it is determined that the optical wire 20 forms a desired shape at a desired position, the control module 500 may control the curing module 200 to cure the optical wire 20 .

[0085] Figure 8a is a diagram showing a process of matching an image acquired by an image acquisition module with a pre-stored image. Figure 8b 2 is a diagram showing a state in which an image acquired by an image acquisition module does not match a pre-stored image. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a process of curing an optical wire by emitting UV light to the optical wire.

[0086] Reference Figure 8a , the control module 500 can compare the pre-stored shape information with the actually measured shape information to determine whether the shape of the optical wire 20 matches the pre-stored shape information. Various image processing techniques can be used to determine whether the shape matches the pre-stored shape information. A two-dimensional (2D) graph is shown in the figure, but a three-dimensional (3D) graph can be obtained according to the design technology.

[0087] When it is determined that the shape and position information IMG2 of the optical wire 20 matches the predetermined shape and position information IMG1a , IMG1b , the control module 500 may control the curing module 200 to cure the optical wire 20 . Figure 8a An example is shown in which it is determined that the optical wire 20 is normal because the actually measured shape information IMG2 is located between two pre-stored shape information IMG1a and IMG1b.

[0088] On the other hand, when Figure 8b When the shape information IMG3 of the optical wire 20 shown does not match the pre-stored shape information IMG1a, IMG1b, an error message may be output. For example, when the connection portion of the optical wire 20 is flatter than the pre-stored connection portion shape, it may be determined that the shape information IMG3 does not match the pre-stored shape information IMG1a, IMG1b. In addition, when the connection portion is formed to be excessively convex, it may be determined that the shape information IMG3 does not match the pre-stored shape information IMG1a, IMG1b. In this case, it is difficult to perform the function of the optical wire, and thus an alarm signal may be output to the outside.

[0089] Reference Fig. 9 , the curing module 200 may include a light source 210 and a second lens 220. The light source 210 may be a UV LED. However, the light source 210 is not limited thereto, and various UV lamps may be used. The second lens 220 may gather light emitted by the light source 210. Therefore, the UV light L2 gathered by the second lens 220 may be reflected by the optical filter 420 and locally emitted to the optical wire 20.

[0090] The second lens 220 may be manufactured so as to locally emit the concentrated UV light L2 to the optical wire to be cured. Since the UV light is emitted only to the corresponding optical wire, it is possible to prevent the adjacent optical wire from being accidentally cured.

[0091] Fig.10 This is a diagram showing the state of emitting UV light when an image is acquired in real time by a camera.

[0092] Reference Fig.10 , when the integrated housing 410 is moved by the second driving module 430, image acquisition and curing can be performed simultaneously. In other words, the image acquisition module 300 can continuously acquire images and transmit the images to the control module 500, and the control module 500 can extract the position information of the optical wire 20 through image analysis and emit UV light to the corresponding position. According to this configuration, images can be acquired in real time and ultraviolet light can be emitted to the accurate position, so that the deformation of the optical wire 20 can be minimized.

[0093] Fig.11a is a diagram showing an optical module in which two optical coupling bodies formed on the same substrate are connected by an optical wire. Fig.11b is a diagram showing an optical module in which an optical device and an optical waveguide that receives or outputs an optical signal in different directions are connected by an optical wire. Fig.12 is a diagram showing an optical module in which two multi-channel optical devices formed at two different substrates are connected by a plurality of optical wires. Fig.13is a diagram showing an optical module in which a plurality of multi-channel optical devices are connected by a plurality of optical wires. Fig.14 is a diagram showing an optical module in which a plurality of multi-channel optical devices are connected to an optical waveguide via a plurality of optical coupling wires.

[0094] See also Fig.11a The optical module includes an optical interposer 41 , an optical device 42 , an optical waveguide 43 and an optical wire 20 .

[0095] The optical interposer 41 is a platform formed to include multiple electronic devices and multiple optical devices to facilitate the transmission of electrical and optical signals. Here, the electronic devices include various signal processing circuit devices that can be manufactured using chemical or silicon processing technology, such as signal generators, amplifiers, modulators, demodulators, frequency converters, linearizers, voltage converters, etc.

[0096] The optical device 42 includes a semiconductor laser diode, a photodiode, an optical modulator, an optical demodulator, an optical multiplexer, an optical demultiplexer, a filter, a reflector, a lens, an optical waveguide, an optical coupler, and the like.

[0097] The first optical coupling body 44 is a structure for transmitting the optical signal received from the optical device 42 to the optical wire 20 , and its design may consider at least one of the geometrical characteristics or the wave mechanical characteristics of the optical signal received from the optical device 42 .

[0098] The geometric characteristics of the optical signal include characteristics of two-dimensional or three-dimensional representation taking into account straightness, reflection, refraction, etc. For example, when the optical signal received from the optical device 42 is divergent at a specific radiation angle, the divergent optical signal can be converged or converted into a parallel propagating optical signal and then transmitted to the optical wire 20.

[0099] In addition, the design of the first optical coupling entity 44 may take into account the wave mechanical characteristics of the optical signal. For example, the first optical coupling entity 44 may include a grating coupler for transmitting the optical signal received from the optical device 42 to the optical wire 20.

[0100] The second optical coupling body 45 is a structure for transmitting the optical signal passing through the optical wire 20 to the outside of a preset optical device or optical module, and its design can consider one or both of the geometric characteristics or wave mechanical characteristics of the optical signal passing through the optical wire 20.

[0101] The optical waveguide 43 is formed to include a core and a cladding so that the optical signal received from the second optical coupling unit 45 can be transmitted to the outside without noise or loss. Here, the design of the core and cladding of the optical waveguide 43 can take into account the wavelength of the optical signal generated, emitted or received from the optical device 42.

[0102] The optical waveguide 43 may be formed of the same material as the optical wire 20 , and the end of the optical waveguide 43 in close contact with the second optical coupling entity 45 may be designed in consideration of the characteristics of the optical signal received from the second optical coupling entity 45 .

[0103] See also Fig.11b In the optical module, the optical device 53 and the electronic device 52 may be provided on the substrate 51, and the electronic device 52 may be a device for high-speed driving the optical device 53. Such an electronic device may be a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC).

[0104] The optical device 53 may be continuously connected to the optical waveguide 54 through the optical wire 20. According to an exemplary embodiment, the optical device 53 and the optical waveguide 54 may be optically coupled through the optical wire 20 even if the first point of the optical device 53 and the incident surface of the optical waveguide 54 are formed perpendicular to each other.

[0105] Reference Fig.12 The optical module may include a first substrate 61, a second substrate 62, a first optical device group 11G, a second optical device group 12G, and an optical wire group 20G.

[0106] According to an exemplary embodiment, when there are multiple optical wires, the above reference may be repeated. Figures 3 to 9 The process described. For example, a first optical wire is formed and cured, and then a second optical wire is formed. This process can be repeated as many times as the number of wires required. Alternatively, multiple optical wires can be formed in a unit group and then cured simultaneously.

[0107] See also Fig.13 , the first optical device group 11G can be divided into a plurality of first unit groups 11G1, 11G2, ... and 11Gn, and the second optical device group 12G can also be divided into a plurality of second unit groups. The optical wire group 20G can be divided into a plurality of sub-wire groups 20G1, 20G2, ... and 20Gn according to the number of inputs and outputs of the unit groups of the first optical device group 11G and the second optical device group 12G. In addition, as Fig.14 As shown, a plurality of first unit groups 11G1, 11G2, ..., and 11Gn of the first optical device group 11G may be connected to the optical waveguide array OP1. In this way, the optical wire material may be applied to various forms of optical modules without limitation.

[0108] Fig.15 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0109] Reference Figures 1 to 6 and Fig.15, the method for manufacturing an optical wire includes a pattern recognition operation S11, an operation S12 of forming the optical wire, an operation S13 of acquiring an image of the optical wire, and an operation S14 of curing the optical wire.

[0110] The pattern recognition operation S11 may be an operation of finding the positions of the first point 11 a and the second point 12 a to be connected by the optical wire 20 and setting a setting value to form the optical wire 20 for connecting the first point 11 a and the second point 12 a .

[0111] In operation S12 of forming the optical wire, first, the solution discharge module 110 may be placed at the first point 11a of the first optical device 11, and then the solution may be discharged to form the first connection portion 21. Subsequently, while continuously discharging the solution, the solution discharge module 110 may be vertically ascended to form the linear portion 22, and moved to the second optical device 12 to form the second connection portion 23 at the second point 12a of the second optical device 12.

[0112] In operation S13 of acquiring an image of the optical wire, the shape and position of the optical wire 20 may be checked using the camera 310. The position of the object may be extracted using various image processing techniques without limitation.

[0113] In operation S14 of curing the optical wire, UV light may be locally emitted to the optical wire 20 to cure the optical wire 20. Light emitted from the light source 210 may be condensed by the second lens 220 and locally emitted to the optical wire 20.

[0114] Reference Figures 1 to 6 and Fig.16 , a method of manufacturing an optical wire according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a pattern recognition operation S21, an optical wire forming operation S22, an operation of determining whether additional formation of the optical wire is required S23, and an operation of forming an additional wire S25.

[0115] The pattern recognition operation S21 may be an operation of finding positions of the plurality of first points 11a and the plurality of second points 12a to be connected by optical wires, and setting set values ​​to form the plurality of optical wires 20 for connecting the plurality of first points 11a and the plurality of second points 12a.

[0116] According to an exemplary embodiment, since there are a plurality of first points 11 a and a plurality of second points 12 a , it is possible to determine the positions of the points and calculate a path forming the optical wire 20 connecting the first points 11 a and the second points 12 a .

[0117] The shape of the optical wire 20 can be determined according to the positions of the plurality of first points 11 a and the plurality of second points 12 a , and the motion path coordinates of the solution discharge module 110 and the combination module 400 can be set according to the shape of the optical wire 20 .

[0118] In operation S22 of forming the optical wire, the solution discharge module 110 may be placed at the first point 11a of the first optical device 11, and then discharge the optical wire solution to form the first connection portion 21. Subsequently, while continuously discharging the solution, the solution discharge module 110 may vertically rise to form the linear portion 22, and move to the second optical device 12 to form the second connection portion 23 at the second point 12a of the second optical device 12.

[0119] In the operation S23 of determining whether it is necessary to additionally form an optical wire, it may be determined whether all of the plurality of first points 11a and all of the plurality of second points 12a are connected by the optical wire 20, and when optical coupling of an optical device has not been completed, an optical wire may be additionally formed. When coupling of all optical devices has been completed, the currently formed optical wire may be solidified without forming more optical wires (S24), and the process may then end.

[0120] In operation S25 of forming an additional wire, an optical wire may be formed at an optical device to which an optical wire has not yet been connected, and the formed optical wire may be cured.

[0121] When the operation is completed, it is determined whether additional wires need to be formed (S26), and when no more optical wires need to be additionally formed, the process ends.

[0122] Fig.17 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0123] Reference Fig.13 and Fig.17 , the method for manufacturing an optical coupling wire according to this exemplary embodiment includes a pattern recognition operation S31, an operation S32 of forming an N-th unit group of optical wires, an operation S33 of curing an (N-1)-th unit group of optical wires, and an operation S34 of determining whether it is necessary to additionally form a unit group of optical wires.

[0124] In the pattern recognition operation S31 , when a plurality of optical devices are manufactured in an array form and have a plurality of outputs, a position connected to an optical wire may be determined for each unit group, and a path for forming an optical wire connecting the unit groups may be calculated.

[0125] In operation S32 of forming the optical wire of the Nth unit group, the optical wire may be formed for each unit group. For example, a plurality of optical wires may be continuously formed in the first unit group. The optical wire may be formed by moving the solution discharge module 110 .

[0126] In operation S33 of curing the optical wire of the (N-1)th unit group, the optical wire formed in the previous unit group may be cured simultaneously. For example, all optical wires of the first unit group may be formed and then cured when the optical wire of the second unit group is formed. In other words, the formation of the optical wire and the curing of the optical wire may be performed in parallel.

[0127] In operation S34 of determining whether it is necessary to additionally form optical wires of a unit group, it may be determined whether optical wires are formed in a plurality of unit groups. When optical coupling in the optical device is not completed, additional optical wires may be formed.

[0128] According to an exemplary embodiment, the optical wire is cured while the shape and position of the optical wire are checked. Therefore, the reliability of the optical wire can be improved.

[0129] Various advantages and effects of the exemplary embodiments are not limited to the above contents, and can be easily understood in the above description of the specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0130] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been mainly described, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and applications not described above can be made without departing from the essential features of the exemplary embodiments. For example, each component specified in the embodiment can be implemented in a modified form. In addition, the differences in these modifications and applications should be understood to fall within the scope defined by the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for manufacturing an optical wire, the device comprising: a wire forming module configured to form an optical wire that optically couples the first point with the second point; an image acquisition module, the image acquisition module being configured to acquire an image of the optical wire; a curing module, the curing module being configured to cure the optical wire; as well as Control module, The control module checks the shape and position of the optical wire through the image acquired by the image acquisition module, and outputs a control signal to the curing module to emit ultraviolet light to the optical wire.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The wire forming module comprises: a solution discharge module; and a first driving module, the first driving module being configured to move the solution discharge module, The solution discharge module discharges the polymer solution at the first point and is then moved to the second point by the first driving module, thereby forming the optical wire between the first point and the second point.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The optical wire comprises: a first connection portion formed at the first point; a second connection portion formed at the second point; and A linear portion connected between the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The solution discharge module forms the first connection portion by discharging the polymer solution at the first point, forms the line portion thinner than the first connection portion while moving toward the second point, and forms the second connection portion at the second point.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The image acquisition module includes a camera configured to acquire shape information of the first connection portion, the linear portion, and the second connection portion.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The control module determines whether the shape information of the optical wire acquired by the camera matches the predetermined shape range and position information in the memory.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The image acquisition module and the curing module are combined into a combined module. The combination module enables the image acquisition module and the curing module to move along a predetermined path. The image acquisition module acquires the shape information of the optical wire while moving along the predetermined path, and The curing module cures the optical wire while moving along the predetermined path.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: The combined module comprises: An integrated housing, the integrated housing comprising a first space portion extending a certain length from a first surface facing the optical wire, a second space portion connected to the first space portion and accommodating the camera, and a third space portion connected to the first space portion and accommodating the light source of the curing module; an optical filter configured to reflect or transmit light incident on the camera through the first spatial portion, and to reflect or transmit light emitted from the light source to the first surface; and A second driving module is configured to move the integrated housing along the predetermined path.

9. A method for manufacturing an optical wire, the method comprising: forming an optical line between the first point and the second point; Obtaining shape information and position information of the optical wire; as well as Ultraviolet light is emitted to the optical wire to cure the optical wire.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The optical wire is inspected and cured while the camera and the light source are moved together along the longitudinal direction of the optical wire.

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