Optical fiber array assembly and fiber arrangement device based on optical fiber array assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical fibers, and particularly discloses an optical fiber array assembly and a fiber arrangement device.The optical fiber array assembly comprises a bottom plate, a plurality of first transmission optical fibers and a plurality of second transmission optical fibers, the bottom plate comprises a protruding part and a flat part which are in transition connection through a slope, and the protruding part is provided with a containing groove and a buffering groove; the buffer groove is inclined from the accommodating groove to the slope; the first transmission optical fiber comprises first fiber core parts and first protection parts, the second transmission optical fiber comprises second fiber core parts and second protection parts, the multiple first fiber core parts and the multiple second fiber core parts are alternately arranged on the bottom plate, the multiple first protection parts are arranged above the second protection parts side by side, one end of each second fiber core part is contained in the containing groove, and the other end of each second fiber core part is contained in the containing groove. The other end is connected to the second protection part. According to the scheme, downward bending of the second fiber core part is achieved through the arrangement of the buffer groove, so that enough space is reserved between the first transmission fiber and the upper surface of the cover plate for dispensing, and interference generated when the fiber array assembly is coupled with a chip is effectively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber technology, and more specifically to an optical fiber array assembly and a fiber arrangement device based on the optical fiber array assembly. Background Technology

[0002] A fiber optic array (FA) is an array formed by mounting a bundle of optical fibers or a strip of optical fibers at specified intervals on a substrate. In optical communication, a FA mainly consists of a base plate, a pressure plate, and optical fibers. Typically, multiple grooves are cut into the base plate, and the pressure plate is used to press and fix the optical fibers inserted into these grooves. As a crucial coupling component between optical devices and optical fibers, FAs are widely used in the fabrication of optical communication devices. For example, in silicon photonics chip coupling applications, precise alignment between the waveguide of the silicon photonics chip and the fiber core is required. This process demands extremely high structural adaptability and stability. Silicon photonics chips are typically thin, therefore the cover plate of the FA needs to be designed with a thin structure to match. However, with traditional FAs, especially those with a 127µm pitch (and smaller), the adhesive tail height after fiber arrangement and substrate bonding can easily exceed the upper surface of the cover plate. This causes physical interference between the double-row optical fibers, the adhesive tail, and the substrate, directly affecting the normal coupling between the silicon photonics chip waveguide and the fiber core. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is the low fiber coupling caused by adhesive interference during the fiber installation process in the prior art.

[0004] To address the problems existing in the prior art, according to one aspect of this application, a fiber optic array assembly is disclosed. The fiber optic array assembly includes a base plate, a cover plate, multiple first transmission fibers, and multiple second transmission fibers. The base plate includes a protruding portion and a flat portion, which are connected by a ramp transition. The height of the flat portion is lower than the height of the protruding portion. The protruding portion has a receiving groove and a buffer groove, with the buffer groove inclined from the receiving groove towards the ramp. The first transmission fibers include a first fiber core and a first protective portion. The second transmission fibers include… The second fiber core and the second protective part are arranged alternately on the base plate, with multiple first fiber cores and multiple second fiber cores arranged side by side. The multiple first protective parts are arranged side by side, and the multiple side-by-side first protective parts are located above the multiple side-by-side second protective parts. One end of the first fiber core is housed in the receiving groove, and the other end is connected to the corresponding first protective part. One end of the second fiber core is housed in the receiving groove, and the other end is bent down along the inclined direction of the buffer groove and connected to the corresponding second protective part. The cover plate is placed on top of the transmission optical fiber.

[0005] In some embodiments, one end of the first fiber core is housed in the receiving groove, and the other end of the first fiber core is horizontally or flexibly connected to the first protective layer.

[0006] In some embodiments, the receiving groove is configured as a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove, and the buffer groove is configured as a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove.

[0007] In some embodiments, the receiving groove is configured as a first V-shaped structure, and the buffer groove is a second V-shaped structure. The first V-shaped structure includes a first left side wall, a first right side wall, and a first connecting line. The first left side wall and the first right side wall are connected by the first connecting line. The second V-shaped structure includes a second left side wall, a second right side wall, and a second connecting line. The second left side wall and the second right side wall are connected by the second connecting line. The straight line projection of the second connecting line on the lower horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first connecting line. The straight line projection of the second intersection line of two adjacent second V-shaped structures on the upper horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first intersection line of two adjacent first V-shaped structures.

[0008] In some embodiments, the total length of the buffer groove is between 1 / 10 and 9 / 10 of the total length of the receiving groove.

[0009] In some embodiments, the slope angle α of the ramp is 0° to 90°, and the inclination angle β of the buffer groove from the receiving groove to the ramp is 0.5° to 89.5°.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cover plate includes a bottom surface and an end surface. After the cover plate is placed on the transmission optical fiber, the bottom surface is disposed opposite to the base plate, the end surface is disposed facing the protective part, and a relief slope is formed between the bottom surface and the end surface.

[0011] According to another aspect of this application, a fiber optic array assembly based on the aforementioned fiber optic array is also disclosed. The assembly includes a substrate, a silicon photonic chip, and the fiber optic array assembly described in any of the above claims. The fiber optic array assembly is placed upside down on the substrate. After the fiber optic array assembly is placed upside down on the substrate, a cover plate is supported on the substrate. The silicon photonic chip is provided with multiple waveguide strips, and each fiber core in the fiber optic array assembly is coupled with a corresponding waveguide strip.

[0012] In some embodiments, after the fiber array assembly is placed upside down on the substrate, the distance between the first protective layer and the substrate is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate.

[0013] In some embodiments, after the other end of the first fiber core is bent and connected to the first protective layer, the first protective layer is translated in a direction away from the platform portion of the base plate. The translation distance of the first protective layer is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate and the dispensing distance.

[0014] This solution includes, but is not limited to, the following beneficial effects: (1) This solution achieves the downward bending of the second fiber core by setting a buffer groove, without the need for a large bending of the first fiber core. As a result, after the fiber array assembly is inverted on the substrate, the dispensing distance between the first transmission fiber and the substrate meets the distance threshold requirement, reducing the interference between the adhesive and the substrate, improving the coupling effect between the fiber and the waveguide, and adapting to the needs of thin substrate scenarios such as silicon photonic chips; (2) In traditional fiber array assemblies, if the fiber is directly bent downward, the edge of the V-groove will cause a "cutting" effect on the glass fiber. The stress concentration can easily lead to fiber damage. The slope design between the protrusion and the platform in this solution, as well as the design of the buffer groove, provide a smooth guiding path for the fiber bending, so that the fiber core can be bent under a relatively mild stress state, and the stress on the fiber core is more uniform when bending, reducing the risk of breakage and meeting the reliability test requirements such as high and low temperature; (3) The other end of the first fiber core can be connected to the first protective layer horizontally or with a bend, which allows the fiber array assembly to adjust the connection more flexibly in different application scenarios (such as special requirements for spatial layout and coupling angle). (3) The design adapts to various optical coupling requirements and expands the application range of the components; (4) By limiting the V-angle relationship between the receiving groove and the buffer groove, and the projection correspondence between the sidewall and the connecting line, the fiber core bending operation can be carried out along a preset and stable path, reducing fiber damage caused by structural irregularities and improving the reliability of the components; (5) The length of the buffer groove affects the bending distance of the fiber core bending. If it is too short, the fiber core bending will be too rapid, local stress concentration will occur, and it will be easy to break; if it is too long, it will occupy too much substrate space, making it difficult to arrange the upper row of optical fibers. It is limited to 1 / 10~9 / 10 The ratio of the two can make the arc and stress distribution of the fiber bending more reasonable, which can meet the space requirement that the tail glue does not interfere with the substrate, and avoid the fiber from being damaged due to excessive bending. (6) By designing a slope angle of 0°~90° and an inclination angle of 0.5°~89.5°, this solution can not only make the fiber core bending process buffer transition, avoid the V groove edge cutting the fiber core, but also control the length of the substrate, adapt to the requirements of thinning and miniaturization of silicon photonic chips, and avoid the problem that the slope angle is too small, the slope is too gentle, and the substrate length is too large; the slope angle is too large, the slope is too steep, and the fiber core is easily broken due to excessive instantaneous force when bending. (7) By setting the inclination angle, the fiber core can bend naturally along the buffer groove and form a cooperative transition with the slope, further reducing the risk of breakage and improving reliability. (8) By quantifying the dispensing distance by the cover plate thickness, the curvature of the first fiber core can be adjusted under the distance threshold, thereby improving the adjustment flexibility of the fiber laying device. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fiber optic array assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of the fiber optic array assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base plate according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a plan view of the base plate at one angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a plan view of the base plate from another angle, according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the base plate according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the fiber routing device according to an embodiment of this application; In the figure, 1-fiber array assembly, 11-base plate, 111-protrusion, 112-flat portion, 113-slope, 114-accommodating groove, 1141-first left side wall, 1142-first right side wall, 1143-first connecting line, 115-buffer groove, 1151-second left side wall, 1152-second right side wall, 1153-second connecting line, 12-cover plate, 13-first transmission fiber, 131-first fiber core, 132-first protection portion, 14-second transmission fiber, 141-second fiber core, 142-second protection portion, 2-substrate, 3-silicon photonic chip, 31-waveguide strip, 4-adhesive. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this application discloses an optical fiber array assembly and a fiber optic cable arrangement device based on the optical fiber array assembly 1. For details, please refer to... Figures 1 to 7As shown, the fiber optic array assembly 1 includes a base plate 11, a cover plate 12, multiple first transmission optical fibers 13, and multiple second transmission optical fibers 14. The base plate 11 includes a protrusion 111 and a flat portion 112, which are connected by a ramp 113. The height of the flat portion 112 is lower than that of the protrusion 111. The protrusion 111 has a receiving groove 114 and a buffer groove 115, which are inclined from the receiving groove 114 toward the ramp 113. The first transmission optical fiber 13 includes a first fiber core 131 and a first protective portion 132, and the second transmission optical fiber 14 includes a second fiber core 141 and a second protective portion 142. The protective section 142, multiple first fiber cores 131 and multiple second fiber cores 141 are alternately arranged on the base plate 11, multiple first protective sections 132 are arranged side by side, multiple second protective sections 142 are arranged side by side, the multiple side-by-side first protective sections 132 are located above the multiple side-by-side second protective sections 142, one end of the first fiber core 131 is housed in the receiving groove 114, and the other end is connected to the corresponding first protective section 132, one end of the second fiber core 141 is housed in the receiving groove 114, and the other end is bent down along the inclined direction of the buffer groove 115 and connected to the corresponding second protective section 142; the cover plate 12 is placed on top of the transmission optical fiber.

[0019] Continue reading Figure 7 As shown, the fiber optic assembly includes a substrate 2, a silicon photonic chip 3, and an optical fiber array assembly 1 of any of the above. The optical fiber array assembly 1 is placed upside down on the substrate 2. After the optical fiber array assembly 1 is placed upside down on the substrate 2, a cover plate 12 supports it on the substrate 2. The silicon photonic chip 3 is provided with multiple waveguide strips 31, and each fiber core in the optical fiber array assembly 1 is coupled to one waveguide strip 31. It can be understood that by setting a buffer groove 115, the second fiber core 141 is bent downwards without the need for a large bending of the first fiber core 131. Thus, after the optical fiber array assembly 1 is upside down on the substrate 2, the dispensing distance between the first transmission optical fiber 13 and the substrate 2 meets the distance threshold requirement, reducing the interference between the adhesive 4 and the substrate 2, improving the coupling effect between the optical fiber and the waveguide, and adapting to the needs of thin substrate 2 scenarios such as silicon photonic chip 3. Furthermore, in the traditional fiber array assembly 1, if the fiber is directly bent downwards, the edge of the V-groove will cause stress concentration similar to "cutting" the glass fiber, which can easily lead to fiber damage. In this solution, the design of the ramp 113 between the protrusion 111 and the platform, as well as the design of the buffer groove 115, provides a smooth guiding path for the fiber bending downwards, so that the fiber core can be bent downwards under relatively mild stress. Moreover, the stress on the fiber core is more uniform when bending downwards, reducing the risk of breakage and meeting the reliability test requirements such as high and low temperatures.

[0020] In some embodiments, one end of the first fiber core 131 is accommodated within the receiving groove 114, such as... Figure 1As shown, the other end of the first fiber core 131 is horizontally connected to the first protective layer. At this time, the first transmission fiber 13 is horizontally positioned. Therefore, when the fiber array assembly 1 is placed upside down on the substrate 2 of the fiber optic cable, the dispensing distance between the first transmission fiber 13 and the substrate 2 via adhesive 4 meets the distance threshold requirement, reducing interference between the adhesive 4 and the substrate 2, improving the coupling effect between the fiber and the waveguide, and adapting to the needs of thin substrate 2 scenarios such as silicon photonics chips 3. At this time, the distance between the first protective layer and the substrate 2 is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate 12.

[0021] Furthermore, in yet another embodiment, one end of the first fiber core 131 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 114, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the other end of the first fiber core 131 is bent and connected to the first protective layer. At this time, the first protective layer is translated away from the platform portion of the base plate 11. The translation distance of the first protective layer is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate 12 and the dispensing distance. It is understood that the other end of the first fiber core 131 can be connected to the first protective layer horizontally or with a bend, allowing the fiber array assembly 1 to more flexibly adjust the connection method in different application scenarios (such as special requirements for spatial layout or coupling angle), adapting to diverse optical coupling needs and expanding the assembly's applicability. Furthermore, by quantifying the dispensing distance through the thickness of the cover plate 12, the bend of the first fiber core 131 can be adjusted within a distance threshold, thereby improving the adjustment flexibility of the fiber arrangement device.

[0022] In some embodiments, the receiving groove 114 can be a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove, and the buffer groove 115 can be a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove.

[0023] In this example, continue to participate Figures 3 to 6The receiving groove 114 is constructed as a first V-shaped structure, and the buffer groove 115 is constructed as a second V-shaped structure. The first V-shaped structure includes a first left side wall 1141, a first right side wall 1142, and a first connecting line 1143. The first left side wall 1141 and the first right side wall 1142 are connected by the first connecting line 1143. The second V-shaped structure includes a second left side wall 1151, a second right side wall 1152, and a second connecting line 1153. The second left side wall 1151 and the second right side wall 1152 are connected by the second connecting line 1153. The straight line projection of the second connecting line 1153 on the lower horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first connecting line 1143. The straight line projection of the second intersection line of two adjacent second V-shaped structures on the upper horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first intersection line of two adjacent first V-shaped structures. Specifically, by limiting the V-angle relationship between the receiving slot 114 and the buffer slot 115, as well as the projection correspondence between the sidewalls and the connecting lines, the fiber core bending operation can be carried out along a preset and stable path, reducing fiber damage caused by structural irregularities and improving component reliability.

[0024] In some embodiments, the total length of the buffer groove 115 is between 1 / 6 and 1 / 2 of the total length of the receiving groove 114. It is understood that the length of the buffer groove 115 affects the bending distance of the fiber core downward. If it is too short, the downward bending of the fiber core will be too abrupt, resulting in local stress concentration and easy breakage; if it is too long, it will occupy too much space on the substrate 2, making it difficult to arrange the upper row of optical fibers. Limiting the ratio to 1 / 6 to 1 / 2 allows for a more reasonable arc and stress distribution of the fiber downward bending, which satisfies the space requirement that the tail adhesive does not interfere with the substrate 2, and also avoids damage to the optical fiber due to excessive bending.

[0025] In some embodiments, the slope angle α of the ramp 113 is 0° to 90°, preferably 15° to 60°.

[0026] In some embodiments, the inclination angle β of the buffer groove 115 from the accommodating groove 114 to the ramp 113 is 0.5°~90°, preferably 5°~60°. This application example, by designing a ramp angle of 15°~60° and an inclination angle of 5°~45°, can both buffer the transition during the fiber core bending process, avoid the V-groove edge cutting the fiber core, and control the length of the substrate 2, adapting to the requirements of thinning and miniaturization of the silicon photonic chip 3. It also avoids the problems of the ramp 113 being too gentle and occupying too much length of the substrate 2 if the ramp angle is too small, or the ramp 113 being too steep, causing the fiber core to be subjected to excessive instantaneous force and easily break during bending. Furthermore, by setting the inclination angle, the fiber core can bend naturally along the buffer groove 115, forming a cooperative transition with the ramp 113, further reducing the risk of breakage and improving reliability.

[0027] In some embodiments, the cover plate 12 includes a bottom surface and an end surface. After the cover plate 12 is placed on the transmission optical fiber, the bottom surface is disposed opposite to the base plate 11, and the end surface is disposed facing the protection part. An avoidance slope is formed between the bottom surface and the end surface.

[0028] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A fiber optic array assembly, characterized in that, The fiber array assembly includes a base plate (11), a cover plate (12), multiple first transmission fibers (13), and multiple second transmission fibers (14). The base plate (11) includes a protrusion (111) and a flat portion (112), which are connected by a ramp (113). The height of the flat portion (112) is lower than that of the protrusion (111). The protrusion (111) has a receiving groove (114) and a buffer groove (115), which are inclined from the receiving groove (114) toward the ramp (113). The first transmission fiber (13) includes a first core portion (131) and a first protective portion (132), and the second transmission fiber (14) includes a second core portion (141). The first fiber core (131) and the second fiber core (141) are alternately arranged on the base plate (11). The first protective part (132) is arranged side by side, and the second protective part (142) is arranged side by side. The first protective part (132) arranged side by side is located above the second protective part (142) arranged side by side. One end of the first fiber core (131) is housed in the receiving groove (114), and the other end is connected to the corresponding first protective part (132). One end of the second fiber core (141) is housed in the receiving groove (114), and the other end is bent down along the inclined direction of the buffer groove (115) and connected to the corresponding second protective part (142). The cover plate (12) is placed on top of the transmission optical fiber.

2. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the first fiber core (131) is housed in the receiving groove (114), and the other end of the first fiber core (131) is horizontally or curvedly connected to the first protective layer.

3. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving groove (114) is constructed as a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove, and the buffer groove (115) is constructed as a V-shaped groove, a U-shaped groove, a semi-circular groove, or a rectangular groove.

4. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The receiving groove (114) is constructed as a first V-shaped structure, and the buffer groove (115) is constructed as a second V-shaped structure. The first V-shaped structure includes a first left side wall (1141), a first right side wall (1142), and a first connecting line (1143). The first left side wall (1141) and the first right side wall (1142) are connected by the first connecting line (1143). The second V-shaped structure includes a second left side wall (1151), a second right side wall (1152), and a second connecting line (1153). The second left side wall (1151) and the second right side wall (1152) are connected by the second connecting line (1153). The straight line projection of the second connecting line (1153) on the lower horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first connecting line (1143). The straight line projection of the second intersection line of two adjacent second V-shaped structures on the upper horizontal plane is on the extension line of the first intersection line of two adjacent first V-shaped structures.

5. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total length of the buffer groove (115) is between 1 / 10 and 9 / 10 of the total length of the receiving groove (114).

6. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The slope angle α of the ramp (113) is 0°-90°, and the inclination angle β of the buffer groove (115) from the receiving groove (114) to the ramp (113) is 0.5°~89.5°.

7. The fiber optic array assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate (12) includes a bottom surface and an end surface. After the cover plate (12) is placed on the transmission optical fiber, the bottom surface is arranged opposite to the base plate (11), and the end surface is arranged facing the protection part. An avoidance slope is formed between the bottom surface and the end surface.

8. A fiber optic array assembly-based fiber optic cable arrangement device, characterized in that, The device includes a substrate (2), a silicon photonic chip (3), and an optical fiber array assembly (1) as described in any one of claims 1-7. The optical fiber array assembly (1) is placed upside down on the substrate (2). After the optical fiber array assembly (1) is placed upside down on the substrate (2), the cover plate (12) is supported on the substrate (2). The silicon photonic chip (3) is provided with multiple waveguide strips (31). Each fiber core in the optical fiber array assembly (1) is coupled with a waveguide strip (31).

9. The fiber optic array assembly fiber arrangement device according to claim 8, characterized in that, After the fiber array assembly (1) is placed upside down on the substrate (2), the dispensing distance between the first protective layer and the substrate (2) is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate (12), and the dispensing distance meets the distance threshold requirement.

10. The fiber optic array assembly arrangement device according to claim 8, characterized in that, After the other end of the first fiber core (131) is bent and connected to the first protective layer, the first protective layer is translated in a direction away from the platform portion of the base plate (11). The translation distance of the first protective layer is determined based on the thickness of the cover plate (12) and the dispensing distance.

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