Optical receptacle body, optical receptacle, optical module, and method for manufacturing the optical module

Abstract

To provide a light receptacle body that is easy to attract and pick up. [Solution] An optical receptacle body for configuring an optical receptacle for optically coupling an optical transmission body and a photoelectric conversion element mounted on a substrate, wherein the optical receptacle body has a groove for arranging the optical transmission body, and the groove is located on the substrate-side surface facing the substrate when the optical receptacle body is placed on the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a photoreceptor body, a photoreceptor, an optical module, and a method for manufacturing an optical module.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a photoreceptor for optically connecting an optical transmission body (for example, an optical fiber) and a photoelectric conversion element arranged on a substrate has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses such a photoreceptor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an optical transmission body 20 arranged in a photoreceptor 10 as described above and a photoelectric conversion element 40 mounted on a substrate 30 are optically coupled. Light from the optical transmission body 20 is optically controlled by the photoreceptor 10 and reaches the photoelectric conversion element (light receiving element) 40. On the other hand, light from the photoelectric conversion element (light emitting element) 40 is optically controlled by the photoreceptor 10 and reaches the optical transmission body 20. In such a photoreceptor 10, the optical transmission body 20 is arranged in a groove 11 of the photoreceptor 10 and is held such that a pressing member presses the arranged optical fiber.

[0005] It is desirable that the optical receptacle 10 described above be positioned so that its optical surface for controlling light is precisely facing the photoelectric conversion element 40 mounted on the substrate at a predetermined position. When the optical receptacle 10 is positioned, it may be picked up by attracting its upper surface, and this pickup also needs to be performed with precision. However, the optical receptacle 10 described above has a pressing member 12 on the upper surface that is attracted, making it difficult to attract. Therefore, it is difficult to pick up the optical receptacle 10 with precision. If the optical receptacle 10 cannot be picked up with precision, it may become difficult to precisely position the optical surface of the optical receptacle 10 at a predetermined position on the substrate.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an optical receptacle body that is easy to attract and pick up, an optical receptacle having the optical receptacle body, and an optical module having the optical receptacle. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing the optical module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to the following optical receptacle body, optical receptacle, optical module, and method for manufacturing the optical module. [1] An optical receptacle body for configuring an optical receptacle for optically coupling an optical transmission body and a photoelectric conversion element mounted on a substrate, wherein the optical receptacle body has a groove for arranging the optical transmission body, and the groove is located on the substrate-side surface facing the substrate when the optical receptacle body is placed on the substrate. [2] The optical receptacle body according to [1], further comprising: a first optical surface for causing light from the end face of the optical transmission body to be incident on the optical receptacle body, or for causing light that has traveled inside the optical receptacle body to be emitted toward the end face of the optical transmission body; and a second optical surface for causing light from the photoelectric conversion element to be incident on the inside of the optical receptacle body, or for causing light that has traveled inside the optical receptacle body to be emitted toward the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the second optical surface is disposed on the substrate side surface. [3] The optical receptacle body according to [2], further comprising a reflective surface that reflects light incident on the first optical surface toward the second optical surface, or reflects light incident on the second optical surface toward the first optical surface. [4] The optical receptacle body according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising a positioning portion disposed on the substrate-side surface for determining the position of the optical receptacle body relative to the substrate. [5] The optical receptacle body according to any one of [2] to [4], further having a recess disposed on the substrate-side surface, wherein the second optical surface is disposed within the recess. [6] The optical receptacle body according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising a part to be attracted when the optical receptacle is moved, which is disposed on the surface opposite to the substrate-side surface. An optical receptacle comprising an optical receptacle body as described in any one of items [7][1] to [6], and a pressing member for pressing the optical transmission body toward the groove. [8] The pressing member is made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material, and the optical receptacle is as described in [7]. [9] An optical module comprising a substrate, a photoelectric conversion element mounted on the substrate, and an optical receptacle as described in [7] or [8] mounted on the substrate. A method for manufacturing an optical module as described in

[10] [9], comprising the steps of: preparing an optical receptacle as described in [7] or [8], wherein the optical transmission body is arranged between the groove and the pressing member; and moving the prepared optical receptacle to a predetermined position relative to the substrate by attracting the surface opposite to the substrate-side surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical receptacle body that is easy to attract and pick up, an optical receptacle having the optical receptacle body, and an optical module having the optical receptacle. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for manufacturing the optical module is provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view of a conventional optical module, and Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view of an optical module according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an optical module according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figures 3A to 3C show the configuration of an optical receptacle according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] Figures 4A to 4C show the configuration of the optical receptacle body according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figures 5A to 5C show the configuration of the optical receptacle body according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [Optical module configuration] Hereinafter, an optical module according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0011] Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view showing an optical module 100a according to an embodiment of the present invention. This cross-sectional view is perpendicular to the substrate 30 and is a cross-sectional view along the extending direction of the optical transmission body. The optical module 100a in Figure 1B includes a substrate 30, a photoelectric conversion element 40 mounted on the substrate 30, and an optical receptacle 100 mounted on the substrate 30. The optical receptacle 100 also includes an optical receptacle body 110 and a pressing member 120, and the optical transmission body 20 is positioned between them. The optical receptacle body 110 has a first optical surface 111, a second optical surface 112, a reflective surface 113, and a groove 114.

[0012] The optical module 100a may be used as a transmitting optical module 100a, as in the conventional method, or as a receiving optical module 100a.

[0013] When the optical module 100a is used as a receiving optical module 100a, the light emitted from the end face of the optical transmission body 20 enters the optical receptacle body 110 at the first optical surface 111, is reflected by the reflective surface 113 and travels through the optical receptacle 110, and is emitted from the optical receptacle body 110 at the second optical surface 112 to reach the photoelectric conversion element 40. In this case, the photoelectric conversion element 40 functions as a light receiving element.

[0014] When the optical module 100a is used as a transmitting optical module 100a, the light emitted from the photoelectric conversion element 40 mounted on the substrate 30 enters the optical receptacle 100 at the first optical surface 111, is reflected by the reflective surface 113, travels through the optical receptacle body 110, is emitted from the optical receptacle 100 at the second optical surface 112, and reaches the end face of the optical transmission body 20. In this case, the photoelectric conversion element 40 functions as a light-emitting element.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1B, the photoreceptor body 110 of the photoreceptor 100 of the present invention has a second optical surface 112 and a groove 114 in which the optical transmission body 20 is arranged on the substrate-side surface 110a facing the substrate 30 when arranged with respect to the substrate 30. Further, a pressing member 120 for pressing the optical transmission body 20 against the groove 114 is arranged on the substrate-side surface 110a. That is, the pressing member 120 is arranged between the substrate 30 and the photoreceptor body 110. For this reason, there is no pressing member 120 on the surface opposite to the substrate-side surface 110a of the photoreceptor body 110 (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as the opposite-side surface 110b). Therefore, it is easy to suck and pick up the photoreceptor 100.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing method of the above optical module 100a. As shown in FIG. 2, the manufacturing method includes a step (S110) of preparing a photoreceptor in which the optical transmission body 20 is arranged, and a step (S120) of moving the prepared photoreceptor to a predetermined position with respect to the substrate. Hereinafter, each will be described.

[0017] The step (S110) of preparing the photoreceptor 100 in which the optical transmission body 20 is arranged is performed as follows. First, the optical transmission body 20 is arranged in the groove 114 of the photoreceptor body 110. Next, the optical transmission body 20 is pressed against the groove 114 with the pressing member 120. Next, an adhesive is applied to the optical transmission body 20 arranged in the groove 114. Next, the adhesive is cured. By doing so, the photoreceptor 100 in which the optical transmission body 20 is arranged can be prepared. Note that the preparation step may be performed through the steps as described above, or the photoreceptor 100 in which the optical transmission body 20 is arranged in advance may be prepared. The adhesive is not particularly limited as long as it can adhere and hold the optical transmission body 20 between the groove 114 and the pressing member 120. Examples of the adhesive include ultraviolet curable adhesives.

[0018] The step (S120) of moving the prepared optical receptacle 100 to a predetermined position on the substrate 30 is performed as follows. First, the optical receptacle 100 is picked up by using a suction device to suck up the opposite surface 110b of the prepared optical receptacle 100. The optical receptacle 100 according to this embodiment does not have a pressing member 120 on the opposite surface 110b. For this reason, it is easy to pick up as described above.

[0019] Next, the picked-up optical receptacle is moved to a predetermined position on the substrate. Specifically, it is preferable to move and position it so that the second optical surface 112 of the optical receptacle body 110 aligns with the photoelectric conversion element 40. Since adhesive 31 is pre-applied to the substrate 30, the optical receptacle 100 can be fixed to the substrate and mounted by curing the adhesive 31 after placement. The adhesive 31 is not particularly limited as long as it can adhere the optical receptacle 100 to the substrate 30. Examples of adhesives include ultraviolet curing adhesives. When picked up, the opposite surface 110b is on the upper side in the direction of gravity, and the substrate side surface 110a is on the lower side in the direction of gravity.

[0020] The details of each configuration are described below.

[0021] (substrate) The substrate 30 is not particularly limited as long as it can mount the photoelectric conversion element 40 and the optical receptacle 100. Here, mounting includes cases where the photoelectric conversion element 40 is directly placed on the substrate 30 and cases where it is placed via other components. Similarly, this includes cases where the optical receptacle 100 is directly placed on the substrate 30 and cases where it is placed via other components. For example, as shown in Figure 1B, the optical receptacle 100 is mounted on the substrate 30 by being placed on the substrate 30 via a cured adhesive 31. Examples of substrates 30 include glass composite substrates, glass epoxy substrates, and flexibsil substrates.

[0022] (Photoelectric conversion element) The photoelectric conversion element 40 is a light-emitting element and / or a light-receiving element. The photoelectric conversion element 40 is, for example, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) or a photodiode. The number of photoelectric conversion elements 40 is not particularly limited and may be one or more, selected to match the number of second optical surfaces 112 of the optical receptacle body 110. In this embodiment, the number of photoelectric conversion elements 40 is multiple (four).

[0023] (Optical transmission device) The type of optical transmission body 20 is not particularly limited. Examples of types of optical transmission bodies 20 include optical fibers and optical waveguides. The number of optical transmission bodies 20 is not particularly limited and is selected to match the second optical surface 112 of the optical receptacle body 110, and may be one or more. In this embodiment, the number of optical transmission bodies 20 is multiple (four).

[0024] (Configuration of optical receptacles) Figure 3A is a plan view of the optical receptacle 100 in which the optical transmitter 20 is located, Figure 3B is a rear view, and Figure 3C is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 3B.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3B and 3C, the optical receptacle 100 comprises an optical receptacle body 110 and a pressing member 120. The optical receptacle body 110 is formed using a material that is transparent to light of wavelengths used in optical communication (transmitted and received light). Examples of such materials include transparent resins such as polyetherimide (PEI) and cyclic olefin resins. Furthermore, the optical receptacle body 110 and the pressing member 120 are preferably manufactured by injection molding.

[0026] Furthermore, the optical receptacle body 110 and the pressing member 120 may each be made of a material that does not transmit ultraviolet light or a material that transmits ultraviolet light, but it is preferable that the pressing member 120 be made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material. This makes it easier to cure the ultraviolet-curable adhesive by irradiating it with ultraviolet light through the pressing member 120 while the optical receptacle 100 is placed on the substrate 30 via an ultraviolet-curable adhesive. Examples of ultraviolet-transmitting materials include ultraviolet-transmitting resins, glass, etc.

[0027] Figures 4A to 5C show the configuration of the optical receptacle body 110. Figure 4A is a plan view of the optical receptacle body 110 as seen from the opposite surface 110b, and Figure 4B is a bottom view as seen from the substrate side 110a. Figure 4C is a rear view of the optical receptacle body 110, Figure 5A is a front view, Figure 5B is a side view, and Figure 5C is a cross-sectional view along the CC line in Figure 4C.

[0028] The following describes the details of each component of the optical receptacle 110.

[0029] <First optical surface> The first optical surface 111 either emits light incident on the first optical surface 111 toward the end face of the optical transmission body 20, or emits light from the end face of the optical transmission body 20.

[0030] The first optical surface 111 is not particularly limited as long as it can perform the above-described functions. In this embodiment, the first optical surface 111 is planar and in contact with the end face of the optical transmission body 20. The first optical surface 111 is located on the substrate-side surface 110a of the optical receptacle body 110. The size of the first optical surface 111 can be appropriately adjusted according to the number of optical transmission bodies 20. In this embodiment, the first optical surface 111 is an elongated plane in the direction in which the four optical transmission bodies 20 are aligned, corresponding to the four optical transmission bodies 20 arranged in a row.

[0031] <Second optical surface> The second optical surface 112 receives light emitted from the photoelectric conversion element 40, or emits light emitted from the end face of the optical transmission body 20, which has passed through the inside of the optical receptacle 100, and directs it toward the photoelectric conversion element 40. The second optical surface 112 is located on the substrate-side surface 110a.

[0032] The second optical surface 112 is not particularly limited as long as it can perform the above-mentioned functions. The second optical surface 112 may be a flat surface or a curved surface. In this embodiment, the second optical surface 112 is a curved surface and is a convex lens that is convex toward the photoelectric conversion element 40.

[0033] In this embodiment, the second optical surface 112 is located within a recess 116 on the substrate-side surface 110a, as shown in Figure 4B. This prevents damage to the second optical surface 112. The number of second optical surfaces 112 is not particularly limited and may be one or more, depending on the number of photoelectric conversion elements 40. In this embodiment, there are multiple (four) second optical surfaces 112.

[0034] <Reflective surface> The reflective surface 113 is positioned on the optical path between the first optical surface 111 and the second optical surface 112, and reflects light from the first optical surface 111 toward the second optical surface 112, or reflects light from the second optical surface 112 toward the first optical surface 111. The optical receptacle body 110 may or may not have the reflective surface 113.

[0035] The reflective surface 113 may be flat or curved. The curved surface of the reflective surface 113 may have a light-gathering or light-diffusing function. Specifically, the reflective surface 113 may reflect light from the second optical surface 112 toward the first optical surface 111 to gather it. Alternatively, the reflective surface 113 may reflect light from the first optical surface 111 toward the second optical surface 112 to gather it. In this embodiment, the reflective surface 113 is flat and inclined with respect to the substrate 30.

[0036] <groove> The groove 114 is where the optical transmission body 20 is positioned. The groove 114 is located on the substrate-side surface 110a. The groove 114 extends from the back side to the front side of the optical receptacle body 110. The cross-sectional shape of the groove 114 is not particularly limited as long as the optical transmission body 20 can be positioned there. The groove may be U-shaped or V-shaped. The number of grooves 114 is not particularly limited and may be one or more depending on the number of optical transmission bodies 20. In this embodiment, there are multiple grooves 114 (four).

[0037] <Surface side of the substrate> The substrate-side surface 110a is the surface (bottom surface) that faces the substrate 30 when the optical receptacle body 110 is placed relative to the substrate 30. The substrate-side surface 110a includes the surface facing the substrate 30 (for example, the surface parallel to the substrate 30). The substrate-side surface 110a also includes a stepped surface (for example, the surface perpendicular to the substrate 30) located between two surfaces facing the substrate (for example, two surfaces parallel to the substrate 30) and connecting these two surfaces. In this embodiment, the first optical surface 111, the second optical surface 112, the groove 114, and the positioning portion 115 are arranged on the substrate-side surface 110a. In this embodiment, the second optical surface 112, the first optical surface 111, and the groove 114 (bottom of the groove 114) are arranged in this order when arranged from those closest to the substrate 30 to those furthest away in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 30. In other words, when the optical receptacle body 110 is placed on the substrate 30, the first optical surface 111 is located on the substrate 30 side of the groove 114 (the bottom of the groove 114), and the second optical surface 112 is located on the substrate 30 side of the first optical surface 111.

[0038] <Opposite side> The opposite surface 110b is the surface (top surface) of the optical receptacle body 110 opposite to the substrate-side surface 110a. The opposite surface 110b does not have a groove 114, and the pressing member 120 is not positioned there. As a result, the opposite surface 110b has a large area and is suitable as the surface to be attracted. On the opposite surface 110b, the part to be attracted 110c can be at any position that is easy to attract. The part to be attracted 110c can be a position and range on the opposite surface 110b such that the optical receptacle 100 does not tilt relative to the substrate 30 when the optical receptacle 100 is attracted and picked up. The surface of the opposite surface 110b may be a flat surface or a curved surface (convex or concave surface). In this embodiment, the opposite surface 110b is a flat surface. The area of ​​the opposite surface 110b can be larger than the area of ​​the substrate 30-side surface of the pressing member 120. This makes the opposite surface 110b suitable as the side that will be sucked in.

[0039] <Pressing member> The pressing member 120 presses the optical transmission body 20 toward the groove 114. In the optical module 100a, the pressing member 120 is positioned on the substrate-side surface 110a, similar to the groove 114. The pressing member 120 is not particularly limited as long as it can press the optical transmission body 20. In this embodiment, the pressing member 120 is rectangular parallelepiped in shape. In this embodiment, the pressing member 120 has a size (thickness) such that when it is positioned to press the optical transmission body 20 toward the groove 114, its surface on the substrate 30 side protrudes toward the substrate 30 more than the optical receptacle body 110. As a result, as shown in Figure 1B, when the optical receptacle 100 is mounted on the substrate 30, the optical receptacle 100 (optical receptacle body 110) is mounted on the substrate 30 via the pressing member 120. It is preferable that the pressing member 120 is made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material. This makes it easier to cure the photoreceptacle 100 when fixing it to the substrate 30 with an ultraviolet-curable adhesive. Specifically, in a substrate 30 on which the photoreceptacle 100 is mounted via an ultraviolet-curable adhesive, the adhesive becomes easier to cure when ultraviolet light is irradiated from a direction nearly parallel to the substrate 30.

[0040] <Positioning section> As shown in Figure 4B, the optical receptacle body 110 may have a positioning portion 115. The positioning portion 115 serves as a guide for determining the position when mounting the optical receptacle 100 on the substrate 30. Specifically, the position of the optical receptacle 100 can be determined by positioning the positioning portion 115 relative to any mark on the substrate. The positioning portion 115 is not particularly limited as long as it can perform this function. In this embodiment, there are four positioning portions 115, each corresponding to one of the four second optical surfaces 112, and they are arranged on the substrate-side surface 110a. In this embodiment, the positioning portions 115 are arranged within the recesses 116, similar to the second optical surfaces 112. Also, in this embodiment, the positioning portion 115 has a circular convex shape in plan view.

[0041] (effect) The optical receptacle 100 according to this embodiment of the present invention does not have a pressing member 120 on the opposite surface 110b, and has a wide surface on the opposite surface 110b. Therefore, the optical receptacle 100 is easy to pick up by attraction and is less likely to tilt. As a result, the optical receptacle 100 can be mounted accurately to a predetermined position on the substrate 30. In addition, in the optical receptacle 100 according to this embodiment, since the groove 114 and the second optical surface 112 are visible from the same direction, it is possible to evaluate whether the optical receptacle body 110 is molded to a predetermined shape by evaluating the positions of both. Furthermore, it is possible to evaluate the position of the optical transmission body placed in the groove 114 in relation to the second optical surface 112. These features help to increase the reliability of obtaining the desired optical coupling efficiency when the optical receptacle 100 is mounted to a predetermined position on the substrate 30. In addition, since the pressing member 120 is made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material, it is easier to fix it to the substrate 30 using only an ultraviolet-curable adhesive. [Industrial applicability]

[0042] The optical receptacle and optical module according to the present invention are useful, for example, in optical communication using an optical transmission medium. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 100a optical module 10,100 optical receptacles 12, 120 Pressing member 20 Optical transmission material 30 circuit boards 31 Adhesive 40 Photoelectric conversion element 110 Optical Receptacle Body 110a Substrate side surface 110b Opposite side 110c Attracted part 111 1st optical surface 112 Second optical surface 113 Reflective surface 114 Groove 115 Positioning section 116 recess

Claims

1. An optical receptacle body for configuring an optical receptacle to optically couple an optical transmission body and a photoelectric conversion element mounted on a substrate, It has grooves for arranging the optical transmission body, The groove is located on the substrate-side surface facing the substrate when the optical receptacle body is placed on the substrate. Optical receptacle unit.

2. A first optical surface for causing light from the end face of the optical transmission body to be incident on the optical receptacle body, or for causing light that has traveled inside the optical receptacle body to be emitted toward the end face of the optical transmission body, A second optical surface for causing light from the photoelectric conversion element to enter the interior of the optical receptacle body, or for causing light that has traveled through the interior of the optical receptacle body to be emitted toward the photoelectric conversion element, It further possesses, The second optical surface is located on the substrate-side surface, The optical receptacle body according to claim 1.

3. The optical receptacle body according to claim 2, further comprising a reflective surface that reflects light incident on the first optical surface toward the second optical surface, or reflects light incident on the second optical surface toward the first optical surface.

4. The optical receptacle body according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning portion disposed on the substrate-side surface for determining the position of the optical receptacle body with respect to the substrate.

5. The substrate side surface further has a recess, The second optical surface is located within the recess. The optical receptacle body according to claim 2.

6. The optical receptacle body according to claim 1, further comprising an attractive portion disposed on the surface opposite to the substrate-side surface for being attracted when the optical receptacle is moved.

7. The optical receptacle body according to claim 1, A pressing member for pressing the optical transmission body toward the groove, A light receptacle having [a specific feature / feature].

8. The optical receptacle according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member is made of an ultraviolet-transmitting material.

9. circuit board and A photoelectric conversion element mounted on the aforementioned substrate, The optical receptacle according to claim 7, mounted on the substrate, An optical module having

10. A method for manufacturing an optical module according to claim 9, A step of preparing the optical receptacle according to claim 7, wherein the optical transmission body is placed between the groove and the pressing member, A step of moving the prepared optical receptacle to a predetermined position relative to the substrate by attracting the surface opposite to the substrate-side surface, A method for manufacturing an optical module having the following characteristics.

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