Optical module, optical module manufacturing apparatus, and optical module manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide an optical module capable of suppressing connection loss.SOLUTION: An optical module 1 includes: a board 10; an optical fiber block 20 formed with a through passage 33 penetrating from the opposite surface facing the board to the surface different from the opposite surface; an optical fiber 51 placed penetrating the optical fiber block; and an adhesive layer 60 that fixes the optical fiber block to the board. Between the side end of the optical fiber and the board, a gas layer 80 communicating with the through the passage is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] In recent years, the use of light has been considered in the fields of high-speed communication, large-capacity communication, and sensing, and silicon photonics has attracted attention. Silicon photonics is a technology for forming optical circuits on a silicon substrate using the CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) process.

[0002] An optical circuit formed by silicon photonics is a microscopic circuit with an optical control function. The optical circuit has an optical input / output section and an optical modulator. The optical input / output section and the optical modulator are connected to each other by a waveguide. This waveguide is a thin-wire waveguide with a diameter on the order of submicrons.

[0003] In order to connect an external transmission medium such as an optical fiber to this waveguide with high precision, various optical interfaces have been actively developed.

[0004] Typically, a method for connecting an optical fiber to a waveguide on a substrate (fiber-to-chip connection) involves connecting the connecting end face of the substrate to the connecting end face of an optical fiber block that bundles one or more optical fibers via an adhesive.

[0005] When this method is used to fix an optical fiber block to a substrate, the laser light emitted from the optical fiber to the substrate passes through the adhesive layer between the optical fiber and the substrate. The adhesive layer is chemically altered by the laser light, so the amount of laser light incident on the waveguide decreases. In other words, a connection loss occurs. It is known that this connection loss increases over time after the laser light is output, and the greater the laser light output, the more likely the connection loss occurs.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to connect the optical fiber block to the substrate so that no adhesive is placed between the optical fiber and the substrate, that is, in the area where the laser light passes.

[0007] However, when fixing the optical fiber block to the substrate, even if adhesive is applied only to the side of the optical fiber block, the adhesive will penetrate between the optical fiber block and the substrate due to capillary action and reach the gap between the optical fiber and the substrate.

[0008] Patent Document 1 discloses that a blocking groove is formed in an optical fiber block or a substrate to prevent the adhesive from entering between the optical fiber and the substrate. The blocking groove is positioned so as to sandwich the optical fiber, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the optical fibers and the traveling direction of the light. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-54110 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] When the size of the optical fiber block is minute, it is difficult to form the blocking grooves of Patent Document 1. In addition, since precision elements are arranged on the substrate, the grooves must be formed carefully and precisely in the substrate. In other words, it is difficult to form grooves in both the optical fiber block and the substrate.

[0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an optical module, an optical module manufacturing apparatus, and an optical module manufacturing method that can suppress connection loss. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] An optical module according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a substrate, an optical fiber block having a through passage formed therein that passes from an opposing surface facing the substrate to a surface other than the opposing surface, an optical fiber arranged to pass through the optical fiber block, and an adhesive layer that fixes the optical fiber block to the substrate, and a gas layer that communicates with the through passage is formed between the substrate side end of the optical fiber and the substrate.

[0013] An optical module manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a gas supply unit that supplies gas toward the substrate through a through passage of an optical fiber block that holds an optical fiber, the through passage forming a through passage extending from an opposing surface facing a substrate to a surface other than the opposing surface, an adhesive supply unit that supplies adhesive to contact the substrate and the optical fiber block, and a hardening unit that fixes the optical fiber block to the substrate by hardening the adhesive.

[0014] A method for manufacturing an optical module according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes forming a through passage that penetrates from an opposing surface facing a substrate to a surface other than the opposing surface, supplying gas to the substrate through the through passage of an optical fiber block that holds an optical fiber, applying an adhesive to contact the substrate and the optical fiber block, and hardening the adhesive. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an optical module capable of suppressing connection loss, an optical module manufacturing apparatus, and an optical module manufacturing method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of an optical module according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an optical fiber array of the optical module according to the embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an optical module manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 4]1 is a flowchart showing an optical module manufacturing process executed by an optical module manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining gas supply performed by a manufacturing apparatus; [Figure 6] Bottom view showing the gas layer before adhesive is dispensed [Figure 7] Bottom view showing the gas layer after adhesive is dispensed [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of an optical module according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions are omitted. The shapes and dimensions of the components shown in the drawings are different from the shapes and dimensions of the actual components. Furthermore, the materials of each component of the present disclosure are not limited to those described in this embodiment. In addition, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis in the drawings are mutually orthogonal, forming a right-handed coordinate system.

[0018] <Optical module> 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of an optical module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical module 1 is a mounting substrate manufactured by an optical module 1 manufacturing apparatus 100 (see FIG. 3) which will be described later.

[0019] The optical module 1 includes a substrate 10, an optical fiber block 20, an optical fiber 51, and an adhesive layer 60.

[0020] A waveguide (not shown) and an optical circuit (not shown) are disposed on a surface 11 of the substrate 10. The optical circuit is formed on the surface 11 by, for example, patterning using photolithography. The substrate 10 is formed of a material such as quartz or silicon.

[0021] The optical fiber block 20 is a component for inputting light into the substrate 10, and holds an optical fiber 51. The optical fiber block 20 is fixed to the substrate 10 via an adhesive layer 60.

[0022] The optical fiber block 20 has an opposing surface 31 and a surface 36. The opposing surface 31 is a surface that faces the front surface 11 of the substrate 10.

[0023] The facing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20 is polished, for example, by using a technique such as CMP (chemical mechanical polishing). The reason for polishing is to make the facing surface 31 parallel to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 when the optical fiber block 20 is tilted so that the light emitted from the optical fiber 51 is incident on the substrate 10 at a predetermined angle.

[0024] The surface 36 is the surface of the optical fiber block 20 opposite the opposing surface 31 .

[0025] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the optical fiber block 20. The optical fiber block 20 includes a holder 30 and a lid 40. The holder 30 is a member having a groove forming surface 38 on which a plurality of grooves 35 are formed.

[0026] The multiple grooves 35 are aligned in a row, and each groove 35 extends from the opposing surface 31 to the surface 36 (see FIG. 1). In the groove 35 located at the center among the multiple grooves 35, an optical fiber 51 is disposed from the opposing surface 31 to the surface 36. In the grooves 35 other than the central groove 35, no optical fiber is disposed.

[0027] The grooves 35 have the same shape. The grooves 35 are shaped such that the width of the grooves becomes shorter toward the bottom of the grooves. In this embodiment, the grooves 35 are shaped such that triangular notches are formed in the opposing surface 31.

[0028] The depth of the groove 35 is about 1 μm. The opening angle between one side surface of the groove 35 and the opposite side surface of the groove 35 is equal to or greater than 1 degree and less than 180 degrees.

[0029] The shape of groove 35 may be such that the width dimension becomes shorter toward the bottom of the groove, and the bottom may be a straight line or a curved line when viewed from opposing surface 31.

[0030] The grooves 35 are formed in a groove forming surface 38 of the holder 30 by cutting or patterning using photolithography.

[0031] The holder 30 is made of a material such as quartz or silicon.

[0032] The lid 40 is a member that sandwiches the optical fiber 51 together with the holder 30. Reference numeral 41 in FIG. 2 denotes a surface of the lid 40 facing the holder 30. The surface 41 facing the holder 30 of the lid 40 is aligned with the groove forming surface 38 of the holder 30, so that the optical fiber 51 can be sandwiched together with the holder 30. In this way, the optical fiber 51 is held by the optical fiber block 20.

[0033] The lid 40 is made of a material such as quartz or silicon.

[0034] 1, in the optical fiber block 20, a through hole 32, a through passage 33, and a second through passage 34 are formed by a plurality of grooves 35 and a surface 41 of the lid 40 facing the holder 30. In this embodiment, the through hole 32, the through passage 33, and the second through passage 34 penetrate from the opposing surface 31 to the surface 36.

[0035] The through hole 32 is a hole through which the optical fiber 51 passes. The through hole 32 is located at a position sandwiched between the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34. The through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 are holes used when supplying gas toward the substrate 10. As described above, in this embodiment, the grooves 35 of the holder 30 have the same shape, and therefore the through hole 32, the through passage 33, and the second through passage 34 have the same shape.

[0036] The optical fiber 51 is a medium for transmitting light, such as a single mode fiber, a multimode fiber, a quartz fiber, a plastic fiber, etc. The optical fiber 51 is disposed so as to penetrate the optical fiber block 20.

[0037] The adhesive layer 60 is a layer formed by curing an adhesive. The adhesive layer 60 fixes the optical fiber block 20 to the substrate 10. The adhesive is made of a photocurable resin such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, an acrylic epoxy resin, or a silicone resin.

[0038] A gas layer 80 is formed between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10. The gas layer 80 communicates with the through hole 32, the through passage 33, and the second through passage 34. Thus, the substrate side end 511 of the optical fiber 51 is connected to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 via the gas layer 80.

[0039] A boundary 90 between the adhesive layer 60 and the gas layer 80 is located between the through passage 33 and the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31, and between the second through passage 34 and the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31. More precisely, the gas layer 80 is formed between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 such that the boundary 90 is a predetermined distance away from the through passage 33 toward the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31, and a predetermined distance away from the second through passage 34 toward the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31.

[0040] The gas layer 80 is formed of dry air. The gas layer 80 may be formed of nitrogen, argon, or a mixture thereof.

[0041] <Optical module manufacturing equipment> The manufacturing apparatus 100 for the optical module 1 according to the embodiment will be described below. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an outline of the manufacturing apparatus 100 for the optical module 1 according to the embodiment.

[0042] The manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a stage 101, a substrate adjustment device 102, an optical fiber alignment mechanism 103, a light receiving unit 104, a light measurement device (not shown), a light receiving unit alignment mechanism 105, a gas supply unit 106, an adhesive supply unit 107, a curing unit 108, and a control unit 109.

[0043] The stage 101 is a base on which the substrate 10 is fixed. The stage 101 may be any member capable of fixing the substrate 10. The stage 101 may be formed with suction holes for adsorbing the substrate 10 to the stage 101. In this case, a suction device (not shown) sucks the substrate 10 through the suction holes to bring the substrate 10 into close contact with the stage 101.

[0044] The substrate adjustment device 102 is a device that adjusts the position of the substrate 10 on the stage 101 by moving the stage 101 under the control of the control device 109. The substrate adjustment device 102 may include, for example, a linear motion stage. The substrate adjustment device 102 may also include an imaging device such as a camera. When the substrate adjustment device 102 includes the imaging device, the substrate adjustment device 102 may adjust the position of the substrate 10 based on the imaging result by the imaging device under the control of the control device 109.

[0045] The substrate adjustment device 102 adjusts the position of the substrate 10 so that the substrate 10 is placed at a position (hereinafter referred to as a reference position) suitable for performing an alignment operation (centering operation) described later. This reference position is determined according to the movable range of the optical fiber block 20 by the optical fiber centering mechanism 103.

[0046] The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 is a mechanism that adjusts the position and attitude of the optical fiber block 20 under the control of the control device 109. The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 includes a first holding member 103a and a first movable stage (not shown).

[0047] The first holding member 103a holds the optical fiber 51. The first movable stage is a stage that moves the optical fiber block 20, and is a combination of multiple stages such as a linear motion stage that moves along a linear ball guide and a gonio stage.

[0048] The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 can move the optical fiber block 20 in directions along three mutually orthogonal axes. The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 can also tilt the optical fiber block 20 around three mutually orthogonal axes. In this embodiment, the three axes are the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

[0049] The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 may be configured not to be able to tilt the optical fiber block 20 but to move the optical fiber block 20 in one axial direction. The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 may be configured not to be able to move the optical fiber block 20 but to tilt the optical fiber block 20 around one axis.

[0050] The optical fiber aligning mechanism 103 of this embodiment can move the optical fiber block 20 in three axial directions and tilt the optical fiber block 20 around the three axes, so that it can freely adjust the position and attitude of the optical fiber block 20. This increases the accuracy of adjusting the position and attitude of the optical fiber block 20 with respect to the substrate 10, improving the light transmission efficiency when light is input to the substrate 10 and improving the quality of the manufactured optical module 1.

[0051] The light receiving unit 104 is, for example, an optical fiber. The light receiving unit 104 receives light emitted from the optical circuit of the substrate 10 in response to the light emitted from the optical fiber 51, and outputs the received light to a light detection device.

[0052] The light measuring device is a device that measures the intensity of light, measures the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit 104 , and outputs the measurement result to the control device 109 .

[0053] The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 is a mechanism that adjusts the position and attitude of the light-receiving unit 104 under the control of the control device 109. The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 includes a second holding member and a second movable stage.

[0054] The second holding member holds the light receiving unit 104. The first movable stage is a stage that moves the light receiving unit 104, and is a combination of multiple stages such as a linear motion stage that moves along a linear ball guide and a gonio stage.

[0055] The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 can move the light-receiving unit 104 in directions along three mutually orthogonal axes. The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 can also tilt the light-receiving unit 104 around three mutually orthogonal axes (x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis).

[0056] The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 may be configured not to be able to tilt the light-receiving unit 104 but to move the light-receiving unit 104 in one axial direction. The light-receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 may be configured not to be able to move the light-receiving unit 104 but to tilt the light-receiving unit 104 around one axis.

[0057] The light receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 of this embodiment can move the optical fiber block 20 in three axial directions and tilt the optical fiber block 20 about the three axes, so that the position and attitude of the light receiving unit 104 can be freely adjusted with respect to the substrate 10. This improves the detection accuracy of the light emitted from the substrate 10 by the light measurement device, and improves the accuracy of the position and attitude adjustment of the optical fiber block 20 with respect to the substrate 10. As a result, the light transmission efficiency when light is input to the substrate 10 in the manufactured optical module 1 is improved, and the quality of the manufactured optical module 1 can be improved.

[0058] The gas supply unit 106 is a gas supply device that supplies gas toward the substrate 10 through the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 of the optical fiber block 20. In this embodiment, the gas supply unit 106 supplies dry air. This gas may be a gas other than dry air, such as nitrogen, argon, or a mixture thereof.

[0059] The gas supply unit 106 includes, for example, a cylinder, an air tube, and an air needle, and supplies gas in the cylinder to the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 via the air tube and the air needle.

[0060] The gas supply unit 106 supplies gas at a pressure of 1 Pa or more and 1 MPa or less.

[0061] The adhesive supply unit 107 is a coating device, such as a dispenser, that supplies adhesive to the substrate 10. When one optical module 1 is manufactured, the adhesive supply unit 107 supplies an amount of adhesive, for example, between 1 nL and 1000 μL.

[0062] The curing unit 108 is, for example, a light source that emits ultraviolet light. The curing unit 108 irradiates the adhesive applied to the substrate 10 with ultraviolet light to cure the adhesive, thereby forming an adhesive layer 60 (see FIG. 1).

[0063] The control device 109 controls the overall operation of the manufacturing apparatus 100. The control device 109 is, for example, a microcomputer.

[0064] The control device 109 executes an alignment operation via the optical fiber alignment mechanism 103. The control device 109 also controls the amount of gas supplied by the gas supply unit 106, the amount of adhesive supplied by the adhesive supply unit 107, and the irradiation intensity and irradiation time of ultraviolet light by the curing unit 108.

[0065] The following describes the manufacturing process of the optical module 1 executed by the manufacturing apparatus 100. FIG.

[0066] The control device 109 adjusts the position of the substrate 10 (step S10). In step S10, the substrate adjustment device 102, under the control of the control device 109, moves the stage 101 to which the substrate 10 is fixed, and places the substrate 10 at a reference position.

[0067] Next, the control device 109 executes an alignment operation (step S20).

[0068] The alignment operation refers to moving the optical fiber block 20 to a predetermined position in the xy plane while adjusting the attitude of the optical fiber block 20 so that the facing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20 is parallel to the surface 11 of the substrate 10. The predetermined position is a position of the optical fiber block 20 in the xy plane where the intensity of the light emitted from the optical circuit of the substrate 10 in response to the light emitted to the substrate 10 via the optical fiber 51 is maximized. By moving the optical fiber block 20 to the predetermined position, the optical axis of the optical fiber block 20 is aligned with respect to the substrate 10.

[0069] In step S20, first, the control device 109 controls the optical fiber alignment mechanism 103 to adjust the attitude of the optical fiber block 20 so that the facing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20 is parallel to the surface 11 of the substrate 10. Next, the control device 109 controls the light receiving unit alignment mechanism 105 to adjust the position and attitude of the light receiving unit 104. Next, the control device 109 emits light through the optical fiber 51. The light receiving unit 104 receives light emitted from the optical circuit in response to the light emitted from the optical fiber 51, and outputs the light receiving result to the light measuring device. The light measuring device measures the intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit 104, and outputs the measurement result to the control device 109.

[0070] The control device 109 controls the optical fiber alignment mechanism 103 based on the measurement result by the optical measurement device, and adjusts the position of the optical fiber block 20 so that the measurement result (light intensity) by the optical measurement device is maximized.

[0071] Next, the control device 109 determines whether or not the measurement result (that is, the light intensity) by the light measurement device is maximum (step S30).

[0072] If the measurement result (light intensity) by the light measurement device is not maximum (NO in step S30), the control device 109 executes step S20 until the measurement result (ie, light intensity) by the light measurement device becomes maximum.

[0073] The accuracy of the alignment of the optical axis of the optical fiber block 20 by the operation of step S20 is on the order of nanometers. The operation of step S20 may be performed so that the accuracy of the alignment is on the order of micrometers.

[0074] When the measurement result by the light measurement device becomes maximum (YES in step S30), the control device 109 controls the gas supply unit 106 to supply the first gas (step S40).

[0075] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating gas supply by the manufacturing apparatus 100. In step S40, as shown in Fig. 5, the gas supply unit 106 supplies gas toward the substrate 10 through the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 of the optical fiber block 20. In step S40, the gas supply unit 106 supplies gas at a pressure of 1 Pa or more and 0.1 MPa or less.

[0076] Fig. 6 is a bottom view showing the gas layer 80 before adhesive is supplied to the substrate 10. Fig. 5 shows the state of the gas layer 80 when the optical fiber block 20 is viewed from the surface 11 side of the substrate 10.

[0077] By supplying gas through the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34, the gas gradually spreads in a circular shape from the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34, respectively, between the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20, with the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 as the center. As a result, a gas layer 80 shown in FIG. 6 is formed.

[0078] Next, the control device 109 controls the adhesive supplying unit 107 to apply the adhesive to the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20 so as to contact each other (step S50). Note that the supply of the first gas is terminated before step S50 is executed.

[0079] Next, the control device 109 controls the gas supply unit 106 to start supplying the second gas (step S60). In step S60, the gas supply unit 106 supplies gas toward the substrate 10 through the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34. In step S60, the gas supply unit 106 supplies gas at a pressure of 1 Pa or more and 1.0 MPa or less. This pressure range is different from the pressure range during the first gas supply.

[0080] The adhesive applied to the substrate 10 penetrates between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 by capillary action. The adhesive penetrates between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 because the adhesive has a relatively high wettability with respect to the substrate 10.

[0081] However, since gas is supplied between the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20 in step S60, the intrusion of the adhesive stops at the position where the intrusion pressure of the adhesive between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 is balanced with the pressure of the gas layer 80. This determines the boundary between the adhesive and the gas layer 80.

[0082] Next, the control device 109 controls the curing unit 108 to cure the adhesive (step S70). In step S70, the curing unit 108 irradiates the adhesive with ultraviolet light. This cures the adhesive to form an adhesive layer 60. As a result, the optical fiber block 20 is fixed to the substrate 10.

[0083] 7 is a bottom view showing the gas layer 80 after the adhesive is supplied to the substrate 10. Since the adhesive is cured while the second gas supply is being performed, the adhesive can be cured in step S60 without changing the position of the determined boundary between the gas layer 80 and the adhesive. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, there is a gas layer 80 between the optical fiber 51 and the substrate 10, but no adhesive layer 60.

[0084] Next, the controller 109 controls the gas supply unit 106 to stop the supply of the second gas (step S80).

[0085] By carrying out the above processes, the optical module 1 shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured.

[0086] Incidentally, after the operation (alignment operation) of step S20, if the position and attitude of the optical fiber 51 are shifted, the alignment operation may be executed each time.

[0087] As described above, the optical module 1 includes the optical fiber block 20 in which the through passage 33 and the second through passage are formed. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the optical module 1, the optical fiber block 20 can be fixed to the substrate 10 while supplying gas through the through passage 33. As a result, a gas layer 80 communicating with the through passage 33 is formed between the substrate side end 511 of the optical fiber 51 and the substrate 10 (hereinafter referred to as the optical path space), so that the optical fiber 51 is not connected to the substrate 10 via the adhesive layer 60.

[0088] Therefore, intrusion of adhesive into the optical path space during the manufacturing process can be prevented simply by performing a simple process of forming the through passage 33 on the optical fiber block 20. Furthermore, the connection loss of the optical fiber 51 to the substrate 10, which increases over time, can be suppressed.

[0089] The optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 are fixed together mainly by connecting the side surface of the optical fiber block 20 to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 with an adhesive layer 60. This makes it possible to firmly fix the optical fiber block 20 to the substrate 10 while suppressing the connection loss of the optical fibers 51, which increases over time.

[0090] The optical fiber 51 is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34. Therefore, compared with the case where only the through passage 33 is formed in the optical fiber block 20, the gas layer 80 can be more reliably formed in the optical path space.

[0091] A gas layer 80 is formed between the optical fiber block 20 and the substrate 10 so that the boundary 90 is a predetermined distance from the through passage 33 toward the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31 and a predetermined distance from the second through passage 34 toward the edge 37 of the opposing surface 31.

[0092] The optical fiber block 20 can be fixed to the substrate 10 more firmly than when there is no adhesive layer 60 between the opposing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20 and the surface 11 of the substrate 10 and the side of the optical fiber block 20 and the surface 11 of the substrate 10 are connected by the adhesive layer 60. On the other hand, compared to when the adhesive layer 60 reaches the through passage 33 and the second through passage, the volume of the adhesive layer 60 that contributes to the connection between the side of the optical fiber block 20 and the surface 11 of the substrate 10 can be secured to be larger. That is, according to this embodiment, the side and the opposing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20 can be fixed to the surface 11 of the substrate 10 in a well-balanced manner via the adhesive layer 60. Therefore, a connection that is strong against external forces can be realized.

[0093] The optical fiber block 20 has a holder 30 in which a plurality of grooves 35 are formed, and a lid 40 that sandwiches the optical fiber 51 placed in the groove 35 together with the holder 30. Therefore, even if the size of the optical fiber placed in the groove 35 is somewhat large, the optical fiber can be fixed by sandwiching it between the holder 30 and the lid 40.

[0094] The multiple grooves 35 have the same shape. That is, the through holes 32, the through passages 33, and the second through passages 34 have the same shape. Therefore, the through passages 33 and the second through passages 34 can be formed simply by subjecting the optical fiber block 20 to the same processing as that for forming the grooves 35 in which the optical fibers 51 are disposed. That is, in addition to the through holes 32, the through passages 33 and the second through passages 34 can be easily formed in the optical fiber block 20.

[0095] Therefore, there is no need to form grooves in the substrate 10, which are difficult to form and may damage the optical circuit of the substrate 10 during formation. In other words, the reliability of the characteristics of the optical circuit arranged on the substrate 10 can be maintained.

[0096] The manufacturing apparatus 100 hardens the adhesive while supplying the gas, which makes it possible to more reliably prevent the adhesive from entering the optical path space.

[0097] The manufacturing apparatus 100 stops the gas supply when applying the adhesive. Therefore, the adhesive can be applied to the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20 without being hindered by gas leaking between the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20.

[0098] (Modification) The following describes the optical module 1 according to the modified example, focusing mainly on the differences from the embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the optical module 1 according to the modified example. The optical module 1 according to the modified example includes a second optical fiber 52 in addition to the optical fiber 51.

[0099] The second optical fiber 52 is disposed so as to penetrate through the optical fiber block 20 .

[0100] Accordingly, four grooves 35 are formed in the holder 30, and the second optical fiber 52 is disposed in one of the two grooves 35 in the central portion. Thus, the groove 35, together with the surface 41 of the lid 40 on the holder 30 side, forms a through hole 32 through which the second optical fiber 52 passes. As a result, the second optical fiber 52 is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through path 33 and the second through path 34.

[0101] Since the second optical fiber 52, together with the optical fiber 51, is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34, even if the number of optical fibers bundled by the optical fiber block 20 increases, the gas layer 80 can be more reliably formed in the optical path space. The optical fiber block 20 may bundle three or more optical fibers. In that case, the optical fiber block 20 has the same number of through holes 32 as the number of optical fibers. Moreover, the through holes 32 are all formed at positions sandwiched between the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34.

[0102] (Other variations) In the above embodiment, the optical fiber block 20 has been described as including the holder 30 and the lid 40, but may be formed of one block member. In this case, the through hole 32, the through passage 33, and the second through passage 34 are formed as holes penetrating the block member constituting the optical fiber block 20.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the surface 36 has been described as being the surface opposite the opposing surface 31. However, the surface 36 does not necessarily have to be the surface opposite the opposing surface 31, and may be any surface other than the opposing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20. For example, the through passage 33 and the second through passage 34 may be formed from the opposing surface 31 to a side surface of the optical fiber block 20 (for example, a surface facing the positive direction of the x-axis in FIG. 2).

[0104] The optical fiber block 20 may have only the through passage 33 formed therein, and may not have the second through passage 34 formed therein. Furthermore, the optical fiber block 20 may have three or more through passages formed therein. For example, the third through passage and the fourth through passage may be formed in the optical fiber block 20 such that the third through passage, the through hole 32, and the fourth through passage are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the through passage 33, the through hole 32, and the second through passage 34.

[0105] It is sufficient that the gas layer 80 communicates with at least the through path 33 and is located in the optical path space. Therefore, the adhesive layer 60 does not have to be located between the surface 11 of the substrate 10 and the opposing surface 31 of the optical fiber block 20. In other words, the boundary 90 between the adhesive layer 60 and the gas layer 80 may be located at a position coinciding with the edge 37 in the horizontal direction.

[0106] The gas supply unit 106 may supply gas through the through hole 32, that is, through the gap between the optical fiber block 20 and the optical fiber 51. The gas supply unit 106 may continue to supply gas from before the adhesive is applied until after the adhesive is cured. In this case, the gas supply unit 106 may execute the first gas supply until the adhesive supply unit 107 completes the application of the adhesive, and execute the second gas supply after the application of the adhesive is completed. As described above, the maximum value (0.1 MPa) of the pressure range when the first gas is supplied is smaller than the maximum value (1.0 MPa) of the pressure range when the second gas is supplied. Therefore, the application of the adhesive is less likely to be hindered by gas leaking from between the substrate 10 and the optical fiber block 20. [Industrial Applicability]

[0107] The present disclosure can be suitably used for an optical module manufactured by connecting an optical fiber to a substrate, an optical module manufacturing apparatus, and an optical module manufacturing method, and can be used in fields such as high-speed optical communications represented by silicon photonics and high-precision sensing using laser light. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1 Optical module 10 Substrate 20 Optical fiber block 30 Holder 31 Opposite Surface 32 Through hole 33 Passage 34 2nd passageway 35 Groove 36 sides 37 Relationship 40 Lid 41 sides 51 Optical Fiber 511 Board side edge 52 Second optical fiber 511 Board side edge 60 Adhesive layer 70 Adhesive 80 Gas Layer 90 boundaries 100 Manufacturing equipment Stage 101 102 Board adjustment device 103 Optical fiber alignment mechanism 104 Light receiving section 105 Light receiving unit alignment mechanism 106 Gas Supply Section 107 Adhesive Supply Section 108 Hardened part 109 Control device

Claims

1. A substrate; an optical fiber block having a through hole and a through passage formed therein, the through hole and the through passage extending from a surface facing the substrate to a surface different from the surface facing the substrate; an optical fiber disposed to pass through the optical fiber block; an adhesive layer for fixing the optical fiber block to the substrate; the optical fiber is disposed in the through hole but not in the through passage; A gas layer communicating with the through-path is formed between the substrate side end of the optical fiber and the substrate. Optical module.

2. a second through passage is formed in the optical fiber block, the second through passage penetrating from the opposing surface to a surface different from the opposing surface and communicating with the gas layer; The optical fiber is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through passage and the second through passage, The optical fiber is not disposed in the second through passage.

2. The optical module according to claim 1.

3. a second optical fiber disposed to pass through the optical fiber block; The second optical fiber is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through path and the second through path.

3. The optical module according to claim 2.

4. The boundary between the adhesive layer and the gas layer is located between the through passage and the edge of the opposing surface.

4. The optical module according to claim 2 or 3.

5. the optical fiber block includes a holder having a plurality of grooves formed therein, and a lid that sandwiches the optical fiber disposed in one of the plurality of grooves together with the holder; the through passage is a groove formed in the holder, the through passage being formed by a groove separate from a groove in which the optical fiber is disposed and a surface of the lid facing the holder; The optical module according to claim 1 .

6. The grooves are of the same shape.

6. The optical module according to claim 5.

7. a gas supply unit that supplies a gas toward the substrate through a through-path formed in an optical fiber block that holds an optical fiber, the through-path extending from a surface facing the substrate to a surface different from the surface facing the substrate; an adhesive supplying section that supplies an adhesive to the substrate and the optical fiber block so as to contact each other; a curing section that fixes the optical fiber block to the substrate by curing the adhesive; An optical module manufacturing apparatus comprising:

8. a second through passage is formed in the optical fiber block, the second through passage penetrating from the opposing surface to a surface different from the opposing surface; The gas supply unit supplies gas through the through passage and the second through passage.

8. An optical module manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The curing unit cures the adhesive while the gas supply unit supplies the gas.

9. The optical module manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 or 8.

10. The gas supply unit supplies gas at a pressure of 1 Pa or more and 1.0 MPa or less.

10. An optical module manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7.

11. a through passage formed in an optical fiber block that holds an optical fiber and that extends from a surface facing the substrate to a surface different from the surface facing the substrate, and a gas is supplied to the substrate through the through passage of the optical fiber block; Applying an adhesive to the substrate and the optical fiber block; Allowing the adhesive to cure; A method for manufacturing an optical module.

12. a second through passage is formed in the optical fiber block, the second through passage penetrating from the opposing surface to a surface different from the opposing surface; The optical fiber is disposed at a position sandwiched between the through passage and the second through passage, Supplying gas through the second through passage; The method for manufacturing an optical module according to claim 11 , further comprising:

13. The adhesive is cured while gas is being supplied through the through passage. The method for manufacturing the optical module according to claim 11 or 12.

14. The gas is supplied at a pressure of 1 Pa or more and 1.0 MPa or less. A method for manufacturing the optical module according to any one of claims 11 to 13.

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