Manufacturing method of multi-dimensional close packing optical fiber array, optical fiber array device and assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of optical devices, in particular to a manufacturing method of a multi-dimensional close packing optical fiber array, an optical fiber array device and an optical transmission assembly. According to the scheme, a preset number of same-specification optical fibers are selected; then, arranging the optical fibers layer by layer, and temporarily fixing the optical fibers in each layer at the middle position, far away from the end part by a specified length, of the optical fibers by adopting an adhesive tape; completely immersing the free end of each optical fiber into a solvent with strong volatilization and high surface tension, gradually pulling out and horizontally placing; thirdly, after the solvent is completely evaporated and all layers of optical fibers are gathered together, a specified amount of UV light curing adhesive is dropwise added to the outer portions of the optical fibers in the optical fiber arrangement area according to the preset width and cured; and finally, tearing off the adhesive tape and carrying out optical grinding and polishing on the end part of the cured and formed optical fiber to obtain the required multi-dimensional optical fiber array. According to the invention, the problems of high process difficulty and high cost of manufacturing the optical fiber array by a traditional V-shaped groove method are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical devices, and particularly to a manufacturing method of a multi-dimensional densely packed fiber array, a fiber array device, and an optical transmission component. Background Art

[0002] A fiber array is an optical component that precisely arranges multiple optical fibers together. This device is used in optical communication, photonic integrated circuits, and optical sensors to efficiently transmit and dock optical signals. The core function of a fiber array is to arrange multiple optical fibers at a fixed pitch, thereby achieving efficient coupling and connection between multiple optical channels.

[0003] Fiber arrays mainly rely on precisely engraved V-grooves to achieve positioning. The V-grooves require special cutting processes to achieve precise fiber positioning. The bare fiber part after removing the fiber coating is placed in the V-groove. This process requires precise positioning of the fiber core in the V-groove through ultra-precision machining technology to reduce connection losses. Then, it is fixed with a pressure applicator component and adhesive, and the end face is optically polished to form a fiber array. The substrate material affects the optical properties of the fiber array, and materials with a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion need to be used to ensure that the fiber array is stress-free, highly reliable, and there is no fiber displacement at high temperatures.

[0004] Existing V-grooves for forming fiber arrays are mainly made by ultrasonic methods, photolithography, and etching methods. Among them, the ultrasonic method for making V-grooves includes: first, placing a glass substrate on a mold with a sticky film; then removing the air between the glass substrate and the sticky film; finally, placing the mold with the adhered glass substrate in a fixed position of an ultrasonic cutting machine, and through the action of ultrasonic waves, the energy concentrating blade generates instantaneous telescopic vibration in the radial direction, causing the abrasive grains to repeatedly collide with the workpiece under a high acceleration state. Insert the optical fiber into the groove or hole, and achieve precise alignment through a fine adjustment system. The photolithography plus etching method includes: selecting a substrate material with high hardness and high flatness, such as silicon or quartz. Using photolithography technology to coat a photoresist on the substrate and transfer the pattern to the substrate surface. Etch a V-groove on the silicon substrate through wet etching. The quartz substrate is etched using a hydrofluoric acid solution. The opening angle and depth of the V-groove need to be designed according to the fiber diameter. Place the optical fibers into the V-grooves one by one, and use a microscope to adjust the positions of the optical fibers to ensure that the end faces of the optical fibers are neat and the pitch is precise. Fix the optical fibers in the V-grooves using UV curable glue or epoxy resin.

[0005] Manufacturing fiber arrays using the V-groove method requires complex process procedures and equipment, high production costs, extremely high requirements for process control, and strict requirements for processing accuracy and packaging environment. Therefore, how to provide a manufacturing method for fiber arrays with a simpler process and lower cost is becoming a technical problem that needs to be urgently solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the problems of high process difficulty and high cost in manufacturing fiber optic arrays by the traditional V-groove method, a manufacturing method of a multi-dimensional closely packed fiber optic array, a fiber optic array device, and an optical transmission component are provided.

[0007] The technical solution provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a multi-dimensional closely packed fiber optic array, which includes the following steps:

[0009] S1: Select a preset number of optical fibers of the same specification and trim their end faces.

[0010] S2: Layer by layer, arrange the corresponding number of optical fibers tightly on a preset substrate according to the number of optical fibers in each layer, and temporarily fix each layer of optical fibers on the preset substrate with tape at an intermediate position of a specified length away from the end in the optical fibers.

[0011] S3: Immerse the free ends of each optical fiber completely into a solvent with strong volatility and high surface tension, gradually lift it out and place it horizontally; among them, the area impregnated with the solvent is used as the optical fiber arrangement area.

[0012] S4: After waiting for the solvent in the optical fiber arrangement area to completely evaporate and the optical fibers in each layer to gather and complete, drop a specified amount of UV curable adhesive outside the optical fibers in the optical fiber arrangement area according to a preset width and cure it.

[0013] S5: Tear off the tape used for temporary fixation, and perform optical grinding and polishing on the ends of the cured optical fibers to obtain the required multi-dimensional optical fiber array.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S1, an optical fiber cutting tool is used to trim the end face of the optical fiber to keep the end face flat and smooth.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S2, the distance from the position where the tape is pasted to the end of the optical fiber is recorded as the free end length, and the free end length is 5-10 cm.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S2, the tape uses an easily tearable low-adhesion PI tape.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S3, the solvent uses any one of water, ethanol, acetone, carbon disulfide, and glycerol.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S4, the cured UV curable adhesive serves as a holder for the optical fiber array; the area and dosage of the dropped UV curable adhesive are determined according to the required shape and position of the holder.

[0019] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S4, the UV curable adhesive is an acrylic-based, epoxy-based or polyester-based UV curable glue.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S4, the UV curable adhesive is a UV thermosetting glue, and is cured by a combination of ultraviolet irradiation and heat energy.

[0021] The present invention also includes an optical fiber array device, which includes a plurality of optical fibers and a holder; the optical fibers are arranged in one-dimensional or multi-dimensional close packing. The holder is formed by a UV curable adhesive and is prepared by using the manufacturing method of the multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array as described above.

[0022] The present invention also includes an optical transmission component, which uses the optical fiber array device as described above.

[0023] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] When manufacturing a one-dimensional or multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array, the present invention pre-positions the relative positions of the optical fibers by using a tape, and then uses the capillary force of a liquid medium to pull the optical fibers together for alignment. This new strategy reduces the dependence on complex mechanical equipment, simplifies the operation process, enables the automatic arrangement of optical fibers, and greatly improves production efficiency.

[0025] Since there is no need for a fixed V-groove structure, the present invention does not depend on a specific substrate shape or material, and can be applied to various flat substrate materials, such as glass, silicon wafers or plastic films; it can also adapt to optical fibers of different diameters and different types.

[0026] The process flow of the present invention is more simplified. The entire process only requires auxiliary materials such as solvents and tapes, and goes through several steps such as paste pre-layering, solvent impregnation, natural evaporation, glue encapsulation, and end face treatment, greatly simplifying the manufacturing process. The manufacturing cost is lower, the operation is simple, and it can be carried out under relatively ordinary laboratory conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a step flow chart of the manufacturing method of the multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of typical two-dimensional and three-dimensional close-packed optical fiber arrays.

[0029] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the principle of using capillary force to achieve aggregation during the manufacturing process of the multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array.

[0030] Figure 4It is a state change diagram of the manufacturing process of a one-dimensional fiber array, where part (a) shows the initial positions of the individual fibers in the one-dimensional fiber array, part (b) shows the process diagram of the fibers converging inward, and part (c) shows the state diagram after the fibers have converged.

[0031] Figure 5 It is an image of the fabricated two-dimensional fiber array. Specific embodiments

[0032] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The terms used in the description of the present invention herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "or / and" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0034] Embodiment 1

[0035] This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional closely packed fiber array. This solution uses a flexible pre-stratification technique and a fiber automatic aggregation technique based on capillary force to achieve two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and more complex fiber arrays. During the manufacturing process of the fiber array, there is no need to rely on complex machinery and alignment systems, the manufacturing process is simpler, and the manufacturing cost is lower.

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, the method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional closely packed fiber array provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0037] S1: Select a preset number of fibers of the same specification and trim their end faces.

[0038] In this embodiment, the fibers are selected according to the total number of fibers included in the finally formed fiber array; it is preferable that the fibers in each fiber array have the same diameter and specification. In practical applications, a fiber cutting tool can be used to trim the end faces of the fibers to ensure that the end faces are flat and smooth, so as to improve the coupling efficiency of the array.

[0039] S2: Layer by layer, arrange the corresponding number of fibers tightly on a preset substrate according to the number of fibers in each layer, and temporarily fix each layer of fibers with tape at an intermediate position at a specified length away from the end in the fibers.

[0040] As Figure 2 shown, assuming that the optical fiber array to be prepared is a three-layer optical fiber array, first, each optical fiber in the first layer is closely arranged on a substrate and fixed with tape; the substrate in this embodiment can be a silicon wafer, quartz, or glass slide. Then, each optical fiber in the second layer is closely arranged on each optical fiber in the first layer and fixed with tape, and finally, each optical fiber in the third layer is closely arranged on each optical fiber in the second layer and fixed with tape. In practical applications, in order to facilitate the removal of the tape after the optical fiber array is formed, the tape used in this embodiment is an easily tearable low-viscosity PI tape.

[0041] In this embodiment, the temporary fixing function of the tape is to perform pre-stratification on the multi-dimensional optical fiber array to fix the relative positions between the optical fibers. In practical applications, the tape used in this embodiment can also be replaced with a thin card that can produce corresponding technical effects, etc.

[0042] In practical applications, the optical fibers can be arranged by layer first and then the tape is pasted; or the optical fibers can be closely arranged and pasted to the tape first, and then pasted to the substrate or the lower-layer optical fibers.

[0043] In this embodiment, the region from the position where the tape is pasted to the end of the optical fiber is recorded as the free end, and the length of the optical fiber in this region is the free end length. In the solution of this embodiment, if the free end length is too long, the pre-stratification effect of the tape will become poor, and if the free end length is too short, the relative positions of the optical fiber arrays will be fixed and further gathering cannot be achieved. Therefore, in the preferred solution of this embodiment, the free end length is 5-10 cm.

[0044] S3: Completely immerse the free ends of each optical fiber into a solvent with strong volatility and high surface tension, gradually lift it out and place it horizontally; wherein, the area impregnated with the solvent is used as the optical fiber arrangement area.

[0045] In this embodiment, the solvent with strong volatility and high surface tension used includes any one of water, ethanol, acetone, carbon disulfide, and glycerol. These solvents can quickly volatilize at room temperature and will not cause corrosion or damage to the surface of the optical fiber. After impregnating the solvent and placing it horizontally, the free ends of any two adjacent optical fibers are tightly bonded together by the solvent contaminated between them. As Figure 3 shown, when the solvent gradually evaporates, under the combined influence of capillary force and gravity, each optical fiber will gradually approach and form the required spatial distribution pattern of the optical fiber array.

[0046] S4: Wait for the solvent in the optical fiber arrangement area to completely evaporate and the gathering of each layer of optical fibers to be completed, and then drop a specified amount of UV curable adhesive outside the optical fibers in the optical fiber arrangement area according to a preset width and cure it.

[0047] In this embodiment, according to the difference in the solvents used, each optical fiber to be formed can be placed in a corresponding environment (such as a relatively high temperature and a suitable ventilation environment) to accelerate the evaporation of the solvent. During the monitoring of the solvent evaporation process, after the solvent has completely evaporated, UV curable adhesive is immediately dropped onto the optical fiber alignment area, and the glue will gradually penetrate into the gaps between adjacent optical fibers along the contact area with the optical fibers, so as to achieve a full - coverage wrapping of the optical fiber array after alignment. At this time, irradiating with an ultraviolet light source to cure the UV glue can keep the optical fiber array in a stable structure. In this embodiment, the cured light - curable adhesive serves as a holder for the optical fiber array; the area and amount of the dropped UV curable adhesive are finally determined according to the shape and position of the required holder.

[0048] In the actual application process, the UV curable adhesive can be an acrylic - based, epoxy - based or polyester - based UV curable glue. In a more optimized solution of this embodiment, the UV curable adhesive uses a UV thermosetting glue and is cured by a combination of ultraviolet irradiation and heat energy.

[0049] S5: Tear off the tape used for temporary fixation, and perform optical grinding and polishing on the ends of the cured and formed optical fibers to obtain the required multi - dimensional optical fiber array.

[0050] Analysis shows that: The manufacturing method of the optical fiber array provided in this embodiment automatically pulls the optical fibers closer and arranges them neatly through the capillary force of the solvent. After the solvent has completely evaporated, the optical fibers are then encapsulated and fixed using UV curable glue, thereby forming a stable optical fiber array. This new process does not require the preparation of a specific V - groove structure on the surface of the substrate material, so it can be applied to optical fibers of different diameters and different types of substrate materials. In addition, the manufacturing process of this solution does not require the use of various complex optical devices or alignment systems. It is a flexible, efficient and low - cost processing method, and can simultaneously achieve the manufacturing of one - dimensional or multi - dimensional closely - packed optical fiber arrays.

[0051] Embodiment 2

[0052] This embodiment provides an optical fiber array device, which includes multiple optical fibers and a holder; the optical fibers are arranged in one - dimensional or multi - dimensional close packing. The holder is formed by a UV curable adhesive and is prepared by using the manufacturing method of the multi - dimensional close - packed optical fiber array as in Embodiment 1. Compared with the existing optical fiber array devices, the manufacturing process of the optical fiber array provided in this embodiment is simpler, has a lower cost, and can be used to produce multi - dimensional complex - distribution close - packed optical fiber arrays.

[0053] This embodiment provides an optical transmission component, which uses the aforementioned fiber optic arrayer. The optical transmission component may further include a plurality of fiber optic connectors, each fiber optic connector is connected to a corresponding optical fiber and serves as a signal output end of the optical transmission component to output the received optical signal. The fiber optic connector is used to connect to the next-level receiving unit of the optical signal, such as the receiving end of the backbone network or the user end of the metropolitan area network, etc., so as to realize the optical signal transmission between the optical module and the user end. The type of the fiber optic connector can be an MT-RJ connector, an LC (Lucent Connector) connector, etc. The present application does not limit this.

[0054] The fiber optic array in the optical transmission component provided in this embodiment can also directly serve as the optical signal input end of an optical module (such as a wavelength selective switch). In the optical transmission component, the number of fiber optic arrayers is not limited, and it can be applied to application scenarios with a large optical capacity.

[0055] Verification experiment

[0056] In order to verify the effect of the manufacturing method of the multi-dimensional close-packed fiber optic array provided by the present invention, technicians respectively designed verification experiments to manufacture one-dimensional and two-dimensional close-packed fiber optic arrays. The experimental process is as follows:

[0057] I. One-dimensional fiber optic array

[0058] (1) Clean the surface of the substrate to ensure no dust and impurities. Use ethanol for ultrasonic cleaning, and place the substrate on a clean workbench to reduce the influence of dust on subsequent operations.

[0059] (2) Use a pipette to drop a drop of water in the center of the substrate. The volume of the water drop is adjusted according to the number of optical fibers to be arranged. And it is evenly distributed on the substrate surface.

[0060] (3) Insert the optical fibers into the water drop one by one, manually adjust the initial position and spacing of the optical fibers to make them roughly aligned. Observe the arrangement of the optical fibers through a microscope and make fine adjustments.

[0061] Among them, the addition order of the optical fiber and water on the substrate can be adjusted. For example, it is possible to drop water first and then insert the optical fiber into the water drop, or to place the optical fiber first and then drop water on the optical fiber.

[0062] (4) Water evaporation and automatic alignment of optical fibers. Let the sample stand still and allow the water to naturally evaporate at room temperature. During the process, as Figure 4 shown, the capillary force gradually pulls the optical fibers closer and aligns them automatically. Monitor the process of water evaporation to ensure that the optical fibers remain aligned before the water completely evaporates.

[0063] (5) After the water completely evaporates, drop a small amount of UV curable glue above the optical fiber arrangement area. Use ultraviolet light to irradiate for 5 - 10 minutes to cure the UV glue and fix the optical fiber array.

[0064] (6) If high-precision fiber optic coupling is required, grind and polish the end face of the fiber optic array to improve the optical coupling efficiency.

[0065] II. Two-dimensional fiber optic array

[0066] Select fibers of the same diameter and specification, and use a fiber optic cutting tool to trim the end face of the fibers to ensure that the end face is flat and smooth, so as to improve the coupling efficiency of the array.

[0067] Select a low-viscosity glue, neatly place the first layer of fibers on a clean base, and gently stick a piece of tape at one end to fix their relative positions. Carefully place the second layer of fibers above the first layer of fibers and fix them again with tape.

[0068] Slowly immerse the free ends in water, gradually lift the fibers out of the water, or place them on a glass slide and drip water droplets; wait for the water to evaporate, and use the capillary force of the water to gradually gather the fibers. After processing, drop a small amount of UV curable glue in the fiber arrangement area. Figure 5 This is the two-dimensional fiber optic array after gathering. After the UV glue is cured, the end face of the fiber optic array can also be ground and polished.

[0069] The above-described embodiments only represent one implementation manner of the present invention, and the description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a multidimensional close-packed optical fiber array, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: S1: Select a preset number of optical fibers of the same specification and trim their end faces; S2: According to the number of optical fibers in each layer, the corresponding number of optical fibers are closely arranged on a preset substrate layer by layer, and the optical fibers of each layer are temporarily fixed with adhesive tape at the middle position of the optical fibers away from the end of the optical fibers at a specified length; S3: completely immersing the free ends of each optical fiber into a highly volatile solvent with high surface tension, gradually pulling them out and placing them horizontally; wherein the area immersed in the solvent serves as the optical fiber arrangement area; S4: After the solvent in the optical fiber arrangement area is completely evaporated and the optical fibers of each layer are gathered together, a specified amount of UV light-curing adhesive is dripped onto the outside of the optical fibers in the optical fiber arrangement area according to a preset width and cured; S5: tear off the tape used for temporary fixation, and optically grind and polish the end of the cured optical fiber to obtain the desired multi-dimensional optical fiber array.

2. The method for manufacturing a multidimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, a fiber optic cutting tool is used to trim the end face of the optical fiber to keep the end face flat and smooth.

3. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the distance from the position where the tape is pasted to the end of the optical fiber is recorded as the free end length, and the free end length is 5-10 cm.

4. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the adhesive tape is an easy-to-tear low-viscosity PI tape.

5. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the solvent is any one of water, ethanol, acetone, carbon disulfide, and glycerol.

6. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, the photocurable adhesive is cured to serve as a holder for the optical fiber array; The area and amount of the UV light curing adhesive to be dripped are determined according to the desired shape and position of the holder.

7. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, the UV light-curing adhesive is acrylic-based, epoxy-based or polyester-based UV light-curing glue.

8. The method for manufacturing a multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, the UV light-curing adhesive adopts UV thermosetting adhesive and is cured by a combination of ultraviolet irradiation and thermal energy.

9. An optical fiber array device, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of optical fibers and a holder; the optical fibers are arranged in one-dimensional or multi-dimensional close packing; the holder is formed by UV light-curing adhesive and is prepared by the manufacturing method of the multi-dimensional close-packed optical fiber array as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. An optical transmission component, characterized in that: It adopts the optical fiber array device as claimed in claim 9.

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