Optical connection assembly

Abstract

This optical connection assembly comprises a first optical connection component formed of a glass material, a second connection component formed of a ductile material, and a positioning structure. The positioning structure has a protrusion integrated with the first optical connection component, and a recess provided in the second connection component. The protrusion is inserted into the recess in a detachable state.

Description

Optical Connection Assemblies

[0001] This disclosure relates to an optical connection assembly. This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2023-065819, filed April 13, 2023, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application.

[0002] An optical communication module that performs optical communication via an optical transmission medium such as an optical fiber has a structure in which a communication LSI (Large Scale Integration) and multiple optical IC (Integrated Circuit) substrates electrically connected to the communication LSI are mounted on the same substrate. In addition, an optical connection assembly is attached to the optical IC substrate to optically connect the optical IC to the optical transmission medium.

[0003] As a specific example of the above-mentioned optical connection assembly, for example, the optical connection assembly disclosed in Patent Document 1 employs a fitting structure using a guide pin to connect a ferrule attached to the tip of an optical fiber while maintaining its position relative to a silicon substrate serving as a receptacle arranged on an optical IC substrate. Also, the optical connection assembly disclosed in Patent Document 2 employs a fitting structure in which a glass plate is bonded to the receptacle to cover a metal mirror lens provided in the receptacle located on the optical IC, and a guide pin passing through the glass plate is used to connect the receptacle and a fiber connector attached to the tip of the optical fiber.

[0004] US Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0370544 US Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0124798

[0005] The optical connection assembly of the present disclosure includes a first optical connecting component including a substrate made of a glass material, a second optical connecting component made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains a relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component. The positioning structure has a protrusion provided on the first optical connecting component and a recess provided on the second optical connecting component. The protrusion of the first optical component is detachably inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting component.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an optical communication module to which an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure can be applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the basic arrangement of each optical connecting component constituting an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a first and second configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a third configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure and a cross-sectional view thereof. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a pair of a first optical connecting component and a second optical connecting component for each of the first and third configuration examples of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a fourth configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure and a front view thereof. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a fifth configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure and a front view thereof. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of a second optical connecting component that functions as a ferrule for the first, second, or fourth configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure.

[0007] [Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure] As a result of examining the prior art, the inventors have discovered the following problem. Specifically, the above-mentioned optical communication module is required to be miniaturized in order to realize efficient use of storage space. On the other hand, as optical communication modules become more miniaturized, the optical IC substrate approaches the communication LSI, which becomes hot, and the optical connection assembly on the optical IC substrate is exposed to a high-temperature environment caused by the heat generated by the communication LSI. Furthermore, since the optical connection assembly is repeatedly and irregularly attached and detached to and from the optical IC substrate due to replacement of optical wiring, etc., a fitting structure such as that described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 is generally adopted.

[0008] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mating structure in which the alignment of a receptacle and a ferrule is performed using a guide pin, as described above. However, the optical connection assembly described in Patent Document 1 has difficulty maintaining a stable, low-loss optical connection on an optical IC board, which is expected to be exposed to a high-temperature environment of 85°C or higher. This instability in optical connection loss is caused by not taking into consideration the heat resistance and thermal expansion coefficient of the ferrule. Furthermore, the member that holds the guide pin is generally made of a resin material to prevent damage when the guide pin is attached.

[0009] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a connection structure in which a metal mirror lens having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of silicon or glass is provided in a receptacle and light is reflected by the metal mirror lens. Even with this configuration, it is difficult to maintain a stable, low-loss optical connection on an optical IC substrate, which is expected to be exposed to high-temperature environments of 85°C or higher. The main reason for this is the structure in which a metal mirror lens, which is susceptible to the effects of high-temperature environments, is provided on the optical IC substrate. Another factor is that the mirror lens is made of a metal having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of silicon or glass.

[0010] Considering the use of optical connection assemblies in high-temperature environments such as those described above, it is effective to use glass materials with a small thermal expansion coefficient. However, glass materials are brittle, and using glass materials in optical connection assemblies that require components to be attached and detached can also reduce the durability of the optical connection assembly itself.

[0011] The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 partially uses a glass plate. However, the glass plate is used as a cover that prevents dust and resin from entering the installation space of the metal mirror lens, and does not include a waveguide or fiber positioning structure. Furthermore, the relative positions of the glass plate and the guide pin are determined with respect to the metal mirror lens, and such a structure does not take advantage of the advantages of glass material, which has a small thermal expansion coefficient. Furthermore, although the glass plate has a small thermal expansion coefficient, it does not function to achieve the relative positioning of the guide pin and the beam position, or the relative positioning of the optical fiber position and the optical waveguide. Furthermore, the technology of Patent Document 2 does not take into consideration the risk of the glass plate being damaged when the guide pin is inserted through the glass plate.

[0012] The present disclosure provides an optical connection assembly having a structure for achieving sufficient durability while maintaining a stable, low-loss optical connection in expected usage environments.

[0013] Effect of the Present Disclosure According to the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve sufficient durability while maintaining stable low-loss optical connections in anticipated usage environments.

[0014] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be individually listed and described.

[0015] The optical connection assembly disclosed herein includes: (1) a first optical connecting component including a substrate formed of a glass material; a second optical connecting component formed of a ductile material; and a positioning structure that maintains a relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component. The positioning structure has a protrusion provided on the first optical connecting component and a recess provided on the second optical connecting component. The protrusion of the first optical component is detachably inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting component. Note that, in this specification, the recess provided on the second optical connecting component may have any shape that realizes an interlocking structure with the protrusion, and may include, for example, a through hole, a groove, etc.

[0016] As described above, one of the optical connection components constituting the optical connection assembly is a component formed from a glass material. Such glass optical connection components are heat-resistant even in high-temperature environments of 85°C or higher, which is difficult for resins such as PPS (Poly Phenylene Sulfide) and PEI (Poly Ether Imide), which are commonly used in optical connectors, to withstand, and have a small thermal expansion coefficient. Therefore, it is expected that the range of uses of glass components will expand in the future as components for connecting optical transmission media such as optical fibers to optical integrated circuits (ICs) that are placed near heat-generating semiconductors, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which are becoming more and more practical.

[0017] Consider a hypothetical configuration in which a protrusion is integrally formed on a second optical connecting component and the protrusion is detachably inserted into a first optical connecting component made of glass. In this case, because glass is a brittle material, it is conceivable that chipping may occur in the first optical connecting component when the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component are mated, or that the first optical connecting component may be damaged due to excessive force applied from the second optical connecting component to the first optical connecting component. Therefore, between the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component, which are intended for mating, a protrusion may be integrally formed on the first optical connecting component made of glass in advance. For example, by providing a recess into which the protrusion is inserted in the second optical connecting component made of a ductile material such as metal or heat-resistant resin, damage to the glass substrate that serves as the first optical connecting component can be reduced when the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component are mated. The mating direction of the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component may be perpendicular or horizontal to the optical IC substrate.

[0018] (2) In the above (1), the material of the protrusion may be a material having a thermal expansion coefficient of 10 times or less that of the glass material. When a part of a member having a linear expansion coefficient significantly different from that of the glass material is integrated as a protrusion into a first optical connecting component made of glass, stress may be generated in the first optical connecting component when the member is inserted into the first optical connecting component in a high-temperature environment, which may result in damage to the first optical connecting component. Therefore, by selecting a material having a thermal expansion coefficient of 10 times or less that of the glass material as the material of the protrusion, damage to the first optical connecting component can be reduced.

[0019] (3) In (1) or (2) above, the protrusion may be a guide pin adhesively fixed to the first optical connecting part with a portion thereof inserted into a recess provided in the first optical connecting part. In this specification, the recess provided in the first optical connecting part may have any shape as long as it can maintain a space for accommodating a portion of the guide pin, and may include, for example, a through hole, a groove, etc. Of the guide pins whose portions are accommodated in the recess of the first optical connecting part, the portion exposed from the recess of the first optical connecting part corresponds to the protrusion. In this way, even when a guide pin is used, a positioning structure for the first optical connecting part and the second optical connecting part can be realized.

[0020] (4) In the above (3), the difference between the inner diameter of the recess of the first optical connecting part and the outer diameter of the guide pin may be 2 μm or less, and an adhesive is filled between the inner periphery of the recess of the first optical connecting part and the outer periphery of the guide pin. Assuming use in a high-temperature environment, a heat-resistant adhesive is suitable as the adhesive. Providing a clearance between the recess of the first optical connecting part and the guide pin makes it easy to form a protrusion on the first optical connecting part. Note that, for high-precision positioning, the difference between the inner diameter of the recess of the first optical connecting part and the outer diameter of the guide pin may be 2 μm or less, or even 1 μm or less.

[0021] (5) In any of (1) to (4), the first optical connecting component may include one or more optical waveguides. Each optical waveguide may include an optical fiber embedded in a glass substrate serving as the first optical connecting component or a refractive index change region formed in the glass substrate. By fixing an optical fiber in a through hole formed with high precision in the glass substrate serving as the first optical connecting component or by directly drawing an optical waveguide inside the glass substrate, flexible arrangement patterns such as a two-dimensional arrangement of cores as a light propagation region can be realized. Furthermore, by integrating a protrusion constituting part of the positioning structure into the first optical connecting component having an optical fiber or an optical waveguide formed therein, a fitting structure on an optical IC board can be safely realized without damaging the glass substrate serving as the first optical connecting component.

[0022] (6) In any of the above (1) to (5), the ductile material is 1 × 10 －６ / K or more 7×10 －６ The second optical connecting part may be made of a metal-based material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 1 / K or less. By selecting a metal as the material for the second optical connecting part, damage caused by the insertion operation of the guide pin can be reduced. In this case, in order to be used on an optical IC substrate, the material for the second optical connecting part may be a metal whose thermal expansion coefficient is approximately the same as that of silicon. Examples of the material for the second optical connecting part include Kovar, Invar, and metal-ceramic composite materials.

[0023] (7) In any of the above (1) to (6), the first optical connecting part may be disposed on an optical IC board, and the second optical connecting part may be disposed on the opposite side of the optical IC board from the first optical connecting part. In this configuration, a part of the material of the second optical connecting part is a ductile material having a modulus of 3×10 －５ The resin material may have a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 1 / K or less.

[0024] As a specific configuration, the second optical connecting part may have a dual structure, for example, consisting of a ferrule part made of a resin material and a metal frame surrounding the reference surface of the ferrule part that faces the first optical connecting part. In this case, the recess into which the protrusion of the first optical connecting part is inserted may be provided in the ferrule part or in the metal frame. Furthermore, the metal material used for the frame may be a metal having a thermal expansion coefficient that is the same as or close to that of silicon. Thermal deformation of the resin ferrule part is reduced, and damage due to the insertion operation of the protrusion integrated with the first optical connecting part is reduced. Note that the resin material may be, for example, 1×10 －５ Liquid crystal polymers, PPS, and the like, each having a thermal expansion coefficient of 1 / K or less, can be used. However, because these resin materials have a higher thermal expansion coefficient than silicon, peeling or other problems may occur if they are directly bonded to the silicon of the optical IC substrate. Therefore, a first optical connecting component made of glass, which has an optical waveguide and an integrated protrusion, is placed on the optical IC substrate. In this case, by inserting the protrusion of the first optical connecting component into a recess provided in a resin ferrule portion or a metal frame, a stable mating structure can be achieved even on an optical IC substrate that is significantly affected by heat. As a result, there is no concern about glass breakage when mating the first optical connecting component and the second optical connecting component, and inexpensive resin optical connecting components can be used.

[0025] (8) In any of (1) to (7), the optical connection assembly may have a lens structure arranged on a reference surface facing the second optical connection part. For example, by appropriately bonding the lens structure to the first optical connection part made of glass, it becomes possible to convert light from the optical fiber or optical waveguide of the first optical connection part into a predetermined beam and propagate the beam in space. In this case, it is not necessary to form an optical fiber or optical waveguide for guiding the light in the ductile material, and the light can be propagated in space.

[0026] (9) In any of (1) to (8) above, the optical connection assembly may include a clip member that maintains a state in which the protrusion of the first optical connecting part is inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting part. The clip member has a main body that grips the second optical connecting part while applying a biasing force to the second optical connecting part, and hook portions provided on both ends of the main body. Meanwhile, the first optical connecting part has step portions that are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the hook portions and against which the hook portions abut when the main body grips the second optical connecting part. This structure makes it possible to stably maintain the fitted state between the first optical connecting part and the second optical connecting part.

[0027] (10) In the above (9), the main body may have a first portion formed along a first direction and a pair of second portions formed along a second direction intersecting the first direction. A first end of each second portion in the second direction may be connected to a corresponding end of the first portion in the first direction. The hook portion may be provided at a second end of each second portion that is different from the first end of each second portion in the second direction.

[0028] (11) In the above (10), the clip member may have a cushion member. The first portion may have a surface that faces the second optical connecting part when the main body is holding the second optical connecting part. The cushion member may be disposed on the surface of the first portion that faces the second optical connecting part.

[0029] (12) In any of (1) to (8), the optical connection assembly may include a clip member that maintains a state in which a protrusion of the first optical connecting part is inserted into a recess of the second optical connecting part, and a lens array arranged on a reference surface of the first optical connecting part that faces the second optical connecting part. The clip member has a main body that grips the first optical connecting part while applying a biasing force to the first optical connecting part, and hook portions provided on both ends of the main body. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part has step portions that correspond one-to-one to the hook portions and against which the hook portions abut when the main body grips the first optical connecting part. This structure also makes it possible to stably maintain the mated state between the first optical connecting part and the second optical connecting part. Note that during this mating operation, if a protrusion integrated with the first optical connecting part made of glass unintentionally comes into contact with the second optical connecting part made of a ductile material, stress applied to the protrusion may damage the first optical connecting part. There is also a concern that the lens array of the first optical connecting part may be damaged by contact with the second optical connecting part. To prevent this, the clip member first grips the first optical connecting part to complete rough alignment, and then the protrusion of the second optical connecting part is inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting part, thereby maintaining an appropriate insertion operation and preventing damage to the first optical connecting part made of glass.

[0030] (13) In the above (12), the main body may have a first portion formed along a first direction and a pair of second portions formed along a second direction intersecting the first direction. A first end of each second portion in the second direction may be connected to a corresponding end of the first portion in the first direction. The hook portion may be provided at a second end of each second portion that is different from the first end of each second portion in the second direction.

[0031] (14) In the above (13), the clip member may have a cushion member. The first portion may have a surface that faces the first optical connecting part when the main body grips the first optical connecting part. The cushion member may be disposed on the surface of the first portion that faces the first optical connecting part.

[0032] As described above, each aspect listed in the [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] section can be applied to all of the remaining aspects individually or to all combinations of these remaining aspects.

[0033] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Specific examples of optical connection assemblies according to the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In addition, in the description of the drawings, identical elements are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an optical communication module to which an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure can be applied. As shown in FIG. 1 , an optical communication module 10, which performs optical communication via an optical fiber 500 serving as an optical transmission medium, has a structure in which a communication LSI 20 and multiple optical IC boards 30, each connected to the communication LSI 20 via electrical wiring 40, are mounted on the same board. An optical connection assembly 100 according to the present disclosure is detachably attached to the optical IC board 30 to optically connect the optical IC and the optical fiber 500. The optical connection assembly 100 includes an optical connection part that functions as a ferrule attached to the tip of the optical fiber 500, and an optical connection part that functions as a receptacle mounted on the optical IC board 30. These optical connection parts are positioned relative to each other by a detachable mating structure. The mating structure is composed of a protrusion provided on one of the optical connection parts and a recess provided on the other. The relative positions of the two optical connection parts are determined by inserting the protrusion into the recess. The recess includes a through hole, a groove, etc. that defines a space for accommodating the protrusion.

[0035] The optical communication module 10 is required to be miniaturized to realize efficient use of storage space. On the other hand, as the optical communication module 10 becomes smaller, the optical IC substrate 30 comes closer to the communication LSI 20, which becomes hot. Therefore, the optical connection assembly 100 on the optical IC substrate 30 is exposed to a high-temperature environment caused by the heat generated by the communication LSI 20. Therefore, the optical connection assembly 100 disclosed herein is configured such that one of the two optical connection parts constituting the optical connection assembly 100 is made of a glass material with a small thermal expansion coefficient.

[0036] However, the glass material used in the first optical connecting component is a brittle material. For this reason, when two optical connecting components are connected using a fitting structure, it is expected that chipping may occur in the glass optical connecting component or that the glass optical connecting component may break due to the application of excessive force. Therefore, in the optical connection assembly 100 disclosed herein, of the two optical connecting components intended to be attached and detached, a protrusion is provided on the first glass optical connecting component so as to protrude, and a recess is provided on the second optical connecting component into which the protrusion is inserted.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a basic arrangement of optical connecting components constituting an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure (denoted as "Basic Arrangement" in FIG. 2). In FIG. 2, the top two rows (denoted as "Vertical Connection" in FIG. 2) show examples of vertical connections between a first optical connecting component made of glass and a second optical connecting component made of a ductile material, while the bottom two rows (denoted as "Horizontal Connection" in FIG. 2) show examples of horizontal connections between a first optical connecting component and a second optical connecting component. In particular, the top row (denoted as "First Arrangement Example" in FIG. 2) shows an example in which a first optical connecting component is arranged on an optical IC substrate. The second row (denoted as "Second Arrangement Example" in FIG. 2) shows an example in which a second optical connecting component is arranged on an optical IC substrate. The third row (denoted as "Third Arrangement Example" in FIG. 2) shows an example in which a first optical connecting component is arranged on an optical IC substrate. The bottom row (denoted as "fourth arrangement example" in FIG. 2) shows an example in which a second optical connecting part is arranged on an optical IC board.

[0038] 2 is a first arrangement example of the optical connection assembly 100 of the present disclosure, and includes a first optical connecting part 110A made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120A made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that vertically connects the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A. In this first arrangement example, the first optical connecting part 110A is mounted on the optical IC board 30, and the second optical connecting part 120A is positioned facing the first optical connecting part 110A. In the following description, the state in which the first optical connecting part and the second connecting part in each arrangement example are positioned along the vertical or horizontal direction will be referred to as the "mated state."

[0039] The glass substrate that becomes the first optical connecting part 110A includes a first reference surface 600a facing the second optical connecting part 120A, a plurality of optical waveguides disposed therein, and a protrusion provided to protrude from the first reference surface 600a. The plurality of waveguides may be optical fibers embedded in the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110A, or may be a refractive index change region drawn inside the glass substrate. In the following description, the plurality of optical waveguides provided in various types of first optical connecting parts, including the first optical connecting part 110A, will be referred to simply as cores 510. The protrusion provided to protrude from the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110A refers to the exposed portion of a guide pin 150 adhesively fixed in a recess provided in the glass substrate. In the following description, the protrusion provided in various types of first optical connecting parts, including the first optical connecting part 110A, will be referred to simply as guide pins 150.

[0040] On the other hand, the second optical connecting part 120A is a ferrule made of a ductile material attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500. The ductile material is a heat-resistant resin, metal, or the like, having a thermal expansion coefficient that is approximately the same as or smaller than that of glass material. The ferrule that becomes the second optical connecting part 120A has a second reference surface 600b facing the first optical connecting part 110A and a recess into which a guide pin 150 provided on the first optical connecting part 110A is inserted, and the tip portion of the optical fiber 500 is accommodated therein. The end face of the optical fiber 500 is disposed on the second reference surface 600b. The recess of the second optical connecting part 120A is a structure for maintaining a space capable of accommodating the guide pin 150 exposed from the first reference surface 600a of the first optical connecting part 110A, and may be, for example, a through hole, a groove, or the like. In the following description, recesses provided in various types of second optical connecting parts, including the second optical connecting part 120A, are referred to as guide holes 151.

[0041] Furthermore, the optical fiber 500 held by various types of second optical connecting parts, including the second optical connecting part 120A, is suitable for use with an optical fiber having low bending loss (hereinafter referred to as a "low bending loss fiber") so as to be able to accommodate flexible bending shapes. A low bending loss fiber is suitable for an optical fiber with an enhanced light confinement function in the core, and can be realized, for example, by a structure in which the refractive index of the core is higher than that of the core in a general optical fiber, or a refractive index structure in which a trench layer having a refractive index lower than that of the cladding is provided between the core and the cladding. A jacket layer is usually provided around the outer periphery of the cladding to maintain the fiber outer diameter in accordance with the standard.

[0042] The optical fiber 500 is made of silica glass with a dopant added to control the refractive index. Specifically, as an example, the central core is made of germanium dioxide (GeO ２The cladding located around the core is made of pure silica glass or fluorine-doped silica glass. The jacket layer is made of pure silica glass. With this fiber composition, an optical fiber can be obtained that is economical and has good shape controllability. The jacket layer may or may not contain chlorine (Cl). The central core is made of GeO ２ and F may be co-doped. In order to increase the strength of optical fiber 500, a combination of methods may be used in the manufacturing stage of optical fiber 500, such as a method of applying a carbon coating to the outer periphery of the glass portion, or a method of adjusting the thermal history during drawing to impart compressive strain to the outer periphery of the glass portion.

[0043] 2, the optical fiber 500 is provided with a preheated bent portion. The heating means for forming the bent portion includes a burner, a CO ２ Laser, arc discharge, heater, etc. can be applied. ２ The laser allows for easy adjustment of irradiation intensity, irradiation area, and irradiation time, making it possible to precisely control the curvature distribution at the bent portion. ２ At the typical laser wavelength of around 10 μm, glass materials are opaque, so CO ２ The laser irradiation energy is absorbed by the surface of the glass material and is transmitted by re-radiation and thermal conduction. ２ If the laser power is too high, the surface temperature of the glass material will rise sharply to the glass evaporation temperature, making it impossible to maintain the shape of the glass component. ２ The laser irradiation power is appropriately adjusted so that the surface layer of the glass material does not evaporate, and the temperature inside the glass in the heated region rises to a temperature equal to or higher than the working point for a certain period of time, thereby removing strain inside the glass. －４ °C / sec or less.

[0044] 2 is a second arrangement example of the optical connection assembly 100 of the present disclosure, and includes a first optical connecting part 110B made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120B made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that vertically connects the first optical connecting part 110B and the second optical connecting part 120B. In this second arrangement example, the second optical connecting part 120B is mounted on the optical IC board 30, and the first optical connecting part 110B is positioned facing the second optical connecting part 120B.

[0045] The glass substrate that becomes the first optical connecting part 110B is attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500, and the end face of the optical fiber 500 and the guide pin 150 are arranged on a first reference surface 600a facing the second optical connecting part 120B. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120B mounted on the optical IC board 30 has a second reference surface 600b facing the first optical connecting part 110B and an opening that connects the surface facing the optical IC board 30 to the second reference surface 600b. The opening of the second optical connecting part 120B defines a space for propagating an optical signal between the first optical connecting part 110B and the optical input / output portion of the optical IC. In addition, a guide hole 151 that accommodates the guide pin 150 provided on the first optical connecting part 110B is also provided on the second reference surface 600b. The ductile material of the second optical connecting part 120B is a heat-resistant resin, metal, or the like that has a thermal expansion coefficient that is approximately the same as or smaller than that of the glass material.

[0046] 2 is a third arrangement example of the optical connection assembly 100 of the present disclosure, and includes a first optical connecting part 110C made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120C made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that horizontally connects the first optical connecting part 110C and the second optical connecting part 120C. In this third arrangement example, the first optical connecting part 110C is mounted on the optical IC board 30, and the second optical connecting part 120C is positioned facing the first optical connecting part 110C.

[0047] The glass substrate serving as the first optical connecting part 110C includes a first reference surface 600a facing the second optical connecting part 120C, a plurality of cores 510 disposed therein, and a guide pin 150 provided on the first reference surface 600a. The cores 510 extend from the first reference surface 600a in the direction indicated by the arrow S1. While the first ends of the cores 510 are located on the first reference surface 600a, the second ends of the cores 510 are spaced apart from the inclined surface of the glass substrate on which the reflecting portion 152 is disposed. The reflecting portion 152 is an optical component that reflects light propagating horizontally (indicated by the arrow S1) to the vertical direction (indicated by the arrow S2) or reflects light propagating vertically to the horizontal direction, and optically connects the second ends of the cores 510 to the optical input / output portion of the optical IC. If the inclined surface is designed to provide a total reflection top surface for the signal light propagating through the cores 510 within the glass substrate, the reflecting portion 152 is unnecessary.

[0048] On the other hand, the second optical connecting part 120C is a ferrule made of a ductile material attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500. The ductile material is a heat-resistant resin, metal, or the like, having a thermal expansion coefficient that is approximately the same as or smaller than that of glass material. The ferrule that becomes the second optical connecting part 120C has a second reference surface 600b facing the first optical connecting part 110C and a guide hole 151 into which a guide pin 150 provided on the first optical connecting part 110C is inserted, and the tip portion of the optical fiber 500 is housed inside. The end face of the optical fiber 500 is located on the second reference surface 600b. The guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120C houses the guide pin 150 exposed from the first reference surface 600a of the first optical connecting part 110C.

[0049] 2 is a fourth arrangement example of the optical connection assembly 100 of the present disclosure, and includes a first optical connecting part 110D made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120D made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that horizontally connects the first optical connecting part 110D and the second optical connecting part 120D. In this fourth arrangement example, the second optical connecting part 120D is mounted on the optical IC board 30, and the first optical connecting part 110D is positioned facing the second optical connecting part 120D.

[0050] The glass substrate that becomes the first optical connecting part 110D is attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500, and the end face of the optical fiber 500 and the guide pin 150 are arranged on a first reference surface 600a facing the second optical connecting part 120D. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120D mounted on the optical IC board 30 has a second reference surface 600b facing the first optical connecting part 110D and an opening that connects the surface facing the optical IC board 30 to the second reference surface 600b. This opening defines a propagation path of light propagating between the optical fiber 500 and the optical input / output portion of the optical IC, and a reflecting mirror 153 is arranged on the propagation path. The reflecting mirror 153 has the function of reflecting light propagating in the horizontal direction indicated by arrow S1 in the vertical direction indicated by arrow S2, or reflecting light propagating in the vertical direction in the horizontal direction. Also, a guide hole 151 for accommodating a guide pin 150 provided on the first optical connecting part 110D is provided on the second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120D. The ductile material of the second optical connecting part 120D is a heat-resistant resin, metal, or the like having a thermal expansion coefficient that is approximately the same as or smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass material.

[0051] In any of the above-mentioned first to fourth arrangement examples, the mating state of the first optical connecting part and the second optical connecting part is achieved by inserting the guide pin 150 into the guide hole 151 until the first reference surface 600a and the second reference surface 600b abut.

[0052] Fig. 3 shows a first and second configuration examples of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure (denoted as "optical connection assembly 1" in Fig. 3). The upper part of Fig. 3 (denoted as "first configuration example" in Fig. 3) shows a specific configuration of the first arrangement example shown in the top row of Fig. 2. The lower part of Fig. 3 (denoted as "second configuration example" in Fig. 3) shows a specific configuration of the third arrangement example shown in the third row of Fig. 2.

[0053] The first configuration example in the upper part of Fig. 3 is a specific configuration of the first arrangement example in Fig. 2. In this first configuration example, the optical connection assembly 100A includes a first optical connecting part 110A made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120A made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains the relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A.

[0054] The first optical connecting part 110A is mounted on the optical IC substrate 30. A core 510 provided in the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110A extends from a surface facing the optical input / output portion of the optical IC to a first reference surface 600a, with a first end optically coupled to the optical input / output portion of the optical IC. A guide pin 150 is provided on the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110A. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120A is attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500, which has a bent portion, and functions as a ferrule made of a ductile material. The second optical connecting part 120A is provided with a guide hole 151 into which the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110A is inserted. The end face of the optical fiber 500 is positioned on a second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120A facing the first optical connecting part 110A. The guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110A and the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120A form a positioning structure.

[0055] The first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A having the above-described structure are vertically connected in a positioned state by inserting the guide pins 150 into the guide holes 151.

[0056] The second configuration example in the lower part of Fig. 3 is a specific configuration of the third arrangement example in Fig. 2. In this second configuration example, the optical connection assembly 100C includes a first optical connecting part 110C made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120C made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains the relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part 110C and the second optical connecting part 120C.

[0057] The first optical connecting part 110C is mounted on the optical IC substrate 30. The core 510 provided in the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110C has a first end located on the first reference plane 600a and a second end extending to just before the inclined surface of the glass substrate on which the reflecting part 152 is disposed. The reflecting part 152 directs light from the second end of the core 510 toward the optical input / output part of the optical IC and reflects light from the optical input / output part of the optical IC toward the second end of the core 510, thereby optically coupling the core 510 and the optical input / output part of the optical IC. A guide pin 150 is provided on the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110C. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120C is attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500 and functions as a ferrule made of a ductile material. The second optical connecting part 120C also has a guide hole 151 into which the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110C is inserted. An end face of the optical fiber 500 is disposed on a second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120C that faces the first optical connecting part 110C. A positioning structure is formed by the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110C and the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120C.

[0058] The first optical connecting part 110C and the second optical connecting part 120C having the above-described structure are connected horizontally in a positioned state by inserting the guide pins 150 into the guide holes 151.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a third configuration example of an optical connection assembly according to the present disclosure and its cross-sectional view (denoted as "optical connection assembly 2" in Figure 4). The upper part of Figure 4 (denoted as "third configuration example" in Figure 4) shows a specific configuration of the second arrangement example shown in the second part of Figure 2. The lower part of Figure 4 (denoted as "II cross section" in Figure 4) shows the cross-sectional structure of the optical connection assembly taken along line II shown in the upper part of Figure 4.

[0060] The third configuration example in the upper part of Fig. 4 is a specific configuration of the second arrangement example in Fig. 2. In this third configuration example, the optical connection assembly 100E includes a first optical connecting part 110E made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120E made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains the relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E.

[0061] The first optical connecting part 110E is adhesively fixed to a ferrule 300 attached to the tip portion of an optical fiber 500 having a bent portion. The end face of the optical fiber 500 is disposed on the end face of the ferrule 300, and the optical fiber 500 is optically connected to a core 510 provided inside a glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110E. The core 510 of the first optical connecting part 110E extends from a surface facing the ferrule end face to a first reference surface 600a, with a first end optically coupled to the optical fiber 500. Guide pins 150 are provided on the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110E. A lens array 400 having lens surfaces 410 corresponding one-to-one to the cores 510 is adhesively fixed to a region of the first reference surface 600a between the guide pins 150 and where the second ends of the cores 510 are located.

[0062] On the other hand, the second optical connecting part 120E is mounted on the optical IC substrate 30. The second optical connecting part 120E has an opening 154 extending from a second reference surface 600b facing the first optical connecting part 110E toward the optical IC in order to maintain a space in which each lens surface 410 of the lens array 400 of the first optical connecting part 110E and the optical input / output portion of the optical IC are optically coupled. Furthermore, guide holes 151 into which guide pins 150 of the first optical connecting part 110E are inserted are provided on the second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120E so as to sandwich the opening 154. The guide pins 150 of the first optical connecting part 110E and the guide holes 151 of the second optical connecting part 120E form a positioning structure.

[0063] The first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E having the above-described structure are vertically connected in a positioned state by inserting the guide pins 150 into the guide holes 151. The lower part of Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a third configuration example including an optical connecting assembly 100E in which the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E are vertically connected on the optical IC substrate 30.

[0064] 4 , in the third configuration example, a second optical connecting part 120E having an opening 154 is mounted on the optical IC substrate 30, and a guide pin 150 is inserted into the guide hole 151 with the first reference surface 600a and the second reference surface 600b abutting against each other. With the guide pin 150 inserted into the guide hole 151, a stacked structure is realized in which the second optical connecting part 120E is disposed on the optical IC substrate 30, the first optical connecting part 110E is disposed on the second optical connecting part 120E, and the ferrule 300 is disposed on the first optical connecting part 110E. At this time, within the space defined by the opening 154 of the second optical connecting part 120E, a lens array 400 adhesively fixed to the glass substrate of the first optical connecting part 110E and a lens 155 disposed in the optical input / output portion of the optical IC are located. The lens surfaces 410 of the lens array 400 and the lenses 155 of the optical IC substrate 30 correspond one-to-one to each other, and each function as a collimator lens.

[0065] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing specific configurations of pairs of first and second optical connecting components for the first and third exemplary configurations of the optical connection assembly of the present disclosure (denoted as "optical connecting components" in FIG. 5). In FIG. 5, the top two rows (denoted as "first exemplary configuration" in FIG. 5) show examples of the first and second optical connecting components of the first exemplary configuration shown in the top row of FIG. 3, while the bottom two rows (denoted as "third exemplary configuration" in FIG. 5) show examples of the first and second optical connecting components of the third exemplary configuration shown in the top row of FIG. 4. In particular, the top row (denoted as "first optical connecting component" in FIG. 4) shows an assembly process for a first optical connecting component made of a glass material, which is applied to the first exemplary configuration. The second row (denoted as "second optical connecting component" in FIG. 5) shows a front view of a second optical connecting component made of a ductile material, which is applied to the first exemplary configuration. The third row (indicated as "first optical connecting part" in FIG. 4) shows the assembly process of the first optical connecting part applied to the third configuration example. The bottom row (indicated as "second optical connecting part" in FIG. 5) shows the front configuration of the second optical connecting part applied to the third configuration example.

[0066] The first optical connecting part 110A applied to the first configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 3 is manufactured as shown in the top part of Fig. 5. That is, a plurality of cores 510 extending from a first reference surface 600a to the surface facing the optical IC board 30 are formed in the glass substrate 111 that becomes the first optical connecting part 110A. Also, a pin insertion port 112 is formed in the first reference surface 600a, and a guide pin 150 is adhesively fixed thereto. That is, an adhesive 113 is filled between the pin insertion port 112 and the guide pin 150, and thereby the guide pin 150 is provided in the first optical connecting part 110A.

[0067] In a configuration in which an optical fiber is embedded as the core 510 formed inside the glass substrate 111 that becomes the first optical connecting part 110A, a through-hole for inserting the optical fiber is formed in the glass substrate 111. This through-hole is formed using a process that combines photolithography and dry etching such as RIE (Reactive Ion Etching), or a laser-based hole-drilling technique. However, any glass hole-drilling technique can be used as long as the through-hole position has an error of 1 μm or less from the predetermined design position and the inner diameter of the through-hole can be within ±1 μm or less from the target inner diameter. Furthermore, the through-hole for inserting the optical fiber provided in the glass substrate 111 does not have to be perpendicular to the first reference plane 600 a of the glass substrate. 2, the through-holes are formed so that the angle between the first reference surface 600a of the glass substrate or the first reference surface 600a and the through-hole is θ, in other words, so that the through-holes are inclined at an angle of 90°-θ, for example, 8°, with respect to the normal direction of the first reference surface 600a, thereby effectively reducing reflection at the connection interface with the optical input / output unit of the optical IC. Note that the core 510 formed inside the glass substrate 111 may be a refractive index change region in which a refractive index change occurs due to laser irradiation.

[0068] The material of the guide pin 150 may be a material having a thermal expansion coefficient that is 10 times or less the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass substrate 111. If a part of a member having a linear expansion coefficient significantly different from that of the glass material is provided on the glass substrate 111 as the guide pin 150, stress will be generated in the glass substrate 111 when the guide pin 150 is inserted into the glass substrate 111 in a high-temperature environment. As a result, there is a risk of the glass substrate 111 being damaged. Therefore, by selecting a material having a thermal expansion coefficient that is 10 times or less the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass material as the material of the guide pin 150, it is possible to reduce damage to the glass substrate 111 that will become the first optical connecting part 110A.

[0069] As shown in the top row of FIG. 5 , the guide pin 150 is partially inserted into a pin insertion port 112 provided in the glass substrate 111 that constitutes the first optical connecting component 110A, and is adhesively fixed to the glass substrate 111. The difference between the inner diameter of the pin insertion port 112 of the glass substrate 111 and the outer diameter of the guide pin 150 may be 2 μm or less, and adhesive 113 is filled between the inner periphery of the pin insertion port 112 and the outer periphery of the guide pin 150. The adhesive 113 may be a heat-resistant adhesive, assuming use in a high-temperature environment. By providing a clearance between the pin insertion port 112 of the glass substrate 111 and the guide pin 150, the guide pin 150 that serves as a protrusion can be easily provided on the glass substrate 111. For high-precision positioning, the difference between the inner diameter of the pin insertion port 112 of the glass substrate 111 and the outer diameter of the guide pin 150 may be 2 μm or less, or may be 1 μm or less.

[0070] Furthermore, an optical fiber is embedded as the core 510 inside the glass substrate 111 that becomes the first optical connecting part 110A, or a refractive index change region formed by laser drawing is formed. In this way, by fixing an optical fiber in a through hole formed with high precision in the glass substrate 111 or by directly drawing an optical waveguide inside the glass substrate 111, flexible arrangement patterns such as a two-dimensional arrangement of the cores 510 as the light propagation region can be realized. Furthermore, by providing a guide pin 150 that forms part of the positioning structure on the glass substrate 111 in which an optical fiber or an optical waveguide is formed inside, the fitting structure on the optical IC substrate 30 can be safely realized without damaging the glass substrate 111.

[0071] The second optical connecting part 120A applied to the first configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 3 has a structure as shown in the second part of Fig. 5. That is, the second optical connecting part 120A functions as a ferrule attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber 500, and the end face of the optical fiber 500 and the guide hole 151 into which the guide pin 150 is inserted are arranged on a second reference surface 600b facing the first reference surface 600a of the first optical connecting part 110A. The ductile material of the second optical connecting part 120A has a ductility of 1 x 10 －６ / K or more 7×10 －６ The material of the second optical connecting part 120A may be a metal-based material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10 or less. By selecting a metal as the material of the second optical connecting part 120A, damage caused by the insertion operation of the guide pin 150 can be reduced. In this case, in order to be applied to use on the optical IC board 30, the material of the second optical connecting part 120A may be a metal having a thermal expansion coefficient that is approximately the same as that of silicon. The material of the second optical connecting part 120A may be, for example, a metal having a thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10 －６ Kovar having a linear expansion coefficient of 2×10 －６ Examples of suitable materials include Invar and metal ceramic composite materials having a linear expansion coefficient of 1 / K or less.

[0072] Next, the first optical connecting part 110E applicable to the third configuration example shown in the upper part of FIG. 4 is manufactured as shown in the third part of FIG. 5. That is, a plurality of cores 510 extending from a first reference surface 600a to a surface facing the optical IC substrate 30 are formed on the glass substrate 111 that becomes the first optical connecting part 110E. Furthermore, pin insertion openings 112 are formed on the first reference surface 600a, and guide pins 150 are adhesively fixed thereto. That is, adhesive 113 is filled between the pin insertion openings 112 and the guide pins 150, thereby providing the guide pins 150 to the first optical connecting part 110A. This configuration is the same as the manufacturing process for the first optical connecting part 110A described above. However, in the first optical connecting part 110E applicable to the third configuration example, a lens array 400 is adhesively fixed on the first reference surface 600a. This lens array 400 has lens surfaces 410 that correspond one-to-one to the plurality of cores 510 provided inside the glass substrate 111.

[0073] The formation of the cores 510 in this first optical connecting part 110E, the material of the guide pins 150, etc. are the same as in the case of the first optical connecting part 110A described above. Also, by appropriately bonding the lens array 400 to the glass substrate 111 that becomes the first optical connecting part 110E, it becomes possible to convert light from the multiple cores 510 provided inside the glass substrate 111 into a predetermined beam and propagate it spatially. In this case, as will be described later, it is not necessary to form an optical fiber or optical waveguide that guides light in the second optical connecting part 120E made of a ductile material, and light can be propagated through space.

[0074] The second optical connecting part 120E applied to the third configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 4 has a structure as shown in the bottom part of Fig. 5. As described above, this second optical connecting part 120E is provided with an opening 154 that defines a space for propagating light from the core 510 of the first optical connecting part 110E. This opening 154 surrounds the optical input / output part of the optical IC, and a lens 155 is disposed at the optical input / output part of the optical IC. Furthermore, the second optical connecting part 120E is provided with guide holes 151 on either side of the opening 154. Note that the same material as that of the second optical connecting part 120A described above is used as the material for the second optical connecting part 120E.

[0075] Figure 6 shows a fourth configuration example of the optical connection assembly of the present disclosure and its front view (labeled "optical connection assembly 3" in Figure 6). The upper part of Figure 6 (labeled "fourth configuration example" in Figure 6) shows the fourth configuration example, in which a structure for stabilizing the optical connection state is added to the first configuration example shown in the upper part of Figure 3. The lower part of Figure 6 (labeled "front view" in Figure 6) shows a front view of the fourth configuration example as seen from the direction indicated by arrow A shown in the upper part of Figure 6.

[0076] The fourth configuration example in the upper part of Fig. 6 includes the entire first configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 3. However, in addition to the first configuration example, this fourth configuration example includes a structure for maintaining the mated state of the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A. The maintenance of this mated state is achieved by a clip member 700.

[0077] That is, in this fourth configuration example, the optical connection assembly 100A includes a first optical connecting part 110A made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120A made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains the relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A. The first optical connecting part 110A mounted on the optical IC board 30 has a core 510 provided in its glass substrate and a guide pin 150 provided on a first reference surface 600a. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120A provided at the tip portion of the optical fiber 500 has a guide hole 151 into which the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110A is inserted, and the end face of the optical fiber 500 is positioned on a second reference surface 600b. The guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110A and the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120A form a positioning structure. The first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A having such a structure are vertically connected in a positioned state by inserting the guide pins 150 into the guide holes 151.

[0078] However, the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110A is detachably fitted into the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120A. In this case, there is a possibility that the guide pin 150 may unintentionally come out of the guide hole 151 during use. For this reason, this fourth configuration example includes a clip member 700 as a structure for maintaining the fitted state of the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A.

[0079] The clip member 700 has a main body 730 that grips the second optical connecting part 120A while applying a biasing force to the second optical connecting part 120A, hook portions 720 provided on both ends of the main body 730, and a cushion member 710 that protects the surface of the gripped second optical connecting part 120A.

[0080] The main body 730 is U-shaped. More specifically, the main body 730 has a first portion 731 formed along the first direction A1 and a pair of second portions 732 formed along the second direction A2. The second direction A2 intersects (is perpendicular to) the first direction A1. The first portion 731 and the pair of second portions 732 are each formed like a rectangular plate. The longitudinal direction of the first portion 731 is aligned with the first direction A1. The longitudinal direction of the second portions 732 is aligned with the second direction A2. A first end of each second portion 732 in the second direction A2 is connected to a corresponding end of the first portion 731 in the first direction A1. The hook portion 720 is provided at a second end (an end not connected to the first portion 731) of each second portion 732 that is different from the first end in the second direction A2.

[0081] 6 , the first optical connecting part 110A has step portions 450 that are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the hook portions 720 and against which the hook portions 720 abut when the main body 730 grips the second optical connecting part 120A. The mated state of the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A is achieved by inserting the guide pin 150 into the guide hole 151 until the first reference surface 600a of the first optical connecting part 110A abuts the second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120A. At this time, the hook portions 720 of the clip member 700 gripping the second optical connecting part 120A fit into the step portions 450 of the first optical connecting part 110A, and the mated state of the first optical connecting part 110A and the second optical connecting part 120A is stably maintained.

[0082] The first portion 731 has a surface 731a that faces the second optical connecting part 120A when the main body 730 is gripping the second optical connecting part 120A. The cushion member 710 is disposed on the surface 731a. The length from the top of the main body 730 of the clip member 700 to the hook portion 720 (the length from the first end of the second portion 732 to the hook portion 720) is shorter than the sum of the thickness of the cushion member 710, the thickness of the second optical connecting part 120A, and the thickness of the first optical connecting part 110A from the first reference surface 600a to the step portion 450. When the main body 730 is gripping the second optical connecting part 120A, the cushion member 710 contacts the surface of the second optical connecting part 120A. A biasing force is generated by the contraction of the thickness of the cushion member 710. The Young's modulus of the cushion member 710 may be 100 MPa or more and 40 GPa or less. The Young's modulus of the cushion member 710 can be measured by a weight loading method, a tuning fork measuring method, or the like.

[0083] Fig. 7 shows a fifth configuration example of the optical connection assembly of the present disclosure and its front view (labeled "optical connection assembly 4" in Fig. 7). The upper part of Fig. 7 (labeled "Fifth Configuration Example" in Fig. 7) shows the fifth configuration example, which is the third configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 4, to which a structure for stabilizing the optical connection state is added. The lower part of Fig. 7 (labeled "Front View" in Fig. 7) shows a front view of the fifth configuration example as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow A shown in the upper part of Fig. 7.

[0084] The fifth configuration example in the upper part of Fig. 7 includes the entire third configuration example shown in the upper part of Fig. 4. However, in addition to the third configuration example, this fifth configuration example includes a structure for maintaining the mated state of the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E. The maintenance of this mated state is achieved by a clip member 700.

[0085] That is, in this fifth configuration example, the optical connection assembly 100E includes a first optical connecting part 110E made of glass, a second optical connecting part 120E made of a ductile material, and a positioning structure that maintains the relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E. The first optical connecting part 110E is adhesively fixed to a ferrule 300 attached to the tip portion of an optical fiber 500. The first optical connecting part 110E has a core 510 provided therein, and a lens array 400 having guide pins 150 and lens surfaces 410 is adhesively fixed to a first reference surface 600a. Meanwhile, the second optical connecting part 120E is mounted on an optical IC substrate 30. The second optical connecting part 120E has an opening 154 and guide holes 151 provided on a second reference surface 600b so as to sandwich the opening 154. The guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110E and the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120E form a positioning structure.

[0086] In this fifth configuration example, as in the above-described fourth configuration example, the guide pin 150 of the first optical connecting part 110E is detachably fitted into the guide hole 151 of the second optical connecting part 120E. In this case, there is a possibility that the guide pin 150 may unintentionally come out of the guide hole 151 during use. For this reason, this fifth configuration example includes a clip member 700 as a structure for maintaining the fitted state of the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E.

[0087] The clip member 700 has a main body 730 that grips the first optical connecting part 110E while applying a biasing force to the first optical connecting part 110E adhesively fixed to the ferrule 300, hooks 720 provided on both ends of the main body 730, and a cushion member 710 that protects the surface of the gripped first optical connecting part 110E. On the other hand, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 7 , the second optical connecting part 120E has step portions 460 that are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the hooks 720 and against which the hooks 720 abut when the main body 730 grips the first optical connecting part 110E. The mated state of the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E is achieved by inserting the guide pins 150 into the guide holes 151 until the first reference surface 600a of the first optical connecting part 110E abuts the second reference surface 600b of the second optical connecting part 120E. At this time, the hook portion 720 of the clip member 700 gripping the second optical connecting part 120E fits into the step portion 460 of the first optical connecting part 110E, and the fitted state between the first optical connecting part 110E and the second optical connecting part 120E is stably maintained.

[0088] In this example, the surface 731a of the first portion 731 faces the first optical connecting part 110E when the main body 730 grips the first optical connecting part 110E. The cushion member 710 is disposed on the surface 731a. The length from the top of the main body 730 of the clip member 700 to the hook portion 720 (the length from the first end of the second portion 732 to the hook portion 720) is shorter than the sum of the thickness of the cushion member 710, the thickness of the first optical connecting part 110E, and the thickness of the second optical connecting part 120E from the second reference surface 600b to the step portion 460. When the main body 730 grips the first optical connecting part 110E, the cushion member 710 contacts the surface of the first optical connecting part 110E. A biasing force is generated by the contraction of the thickness of the cushion member 710. The Young's modulus of the cushion member 710 may be 100 MPa or more and 40 GPa or less. The Young's modulus of the cushion member 710 can be measured by a weight loading method, a tuning fork measurement method, or the like.

[0089] In addition, when the distance from the first reference surface 600a to the lens surface 410 of the lens array 400 is L1, the distance from the first reference surface 600a to the tip of the guide pin 150 is L2, and the distance from the first reference surface 600a to the hook portion 720 when the clip member 700 is holding the first optical connecting part 110E is L3, the relationship L1 < L2 < L3 may be satisfied in order to avoid damage to the first optical connecting part 110E as described above.

[0090] 8 is a diagram showing a modified example of a second optical connecting component that functions as a ferrule in the first, second, or fourth configuration example of the optical connection assembly of the present disclosure (denoted as "second optical connecting component" in FIG. 8). The upper part of FIG. 8 (denoted as "first modified example" in FIG. 8) shows a first modified example of the second optical connecting component shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, etc. The lower part of FIG. 8 (denoted as "second modified example" in FIG. 8) shows a second modified example of the second optical connecting component shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, etc. In the first, second, or fourth configuration example, the first optical connecting component made of glass is disposed on the optical IC substrate, while the second optical connecting component made of a ductile material is disposed on the opposite side of the optical IC substrate from the first optical connecting component.

[0091] In each example shown in the upper and lower rows of Fig. 8, the second optical connecting part is made of a member of a different ductile material. In particular, the example of the second optical connecting part shown in the upper row of Fig. 8 includes a ferrule part 350 having a structure similar to that of the second optical connecting part 120A of the first configuration example, and a metal frame 800 surrounding the tip portion of the ferrule part 350 including the second reference surface 600b. In the example in the upper row of Fig. 8, the end face of the optical fiber 500 is disposed on the second reference surface 600b surrounded by the metal frame 800 mainly composed of metal, and guide holes 151 are provided to sandwich these end faces.

[0092] The material of the metal frame 800 is 1×10 －６ / K or more 7×10 －６ The material of the metal frame 800 may be any material containing metal as its main component and having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10 / K or less. －６ Kovar having a linear expansion coefficient of 2×10－６ Invar, metal ceramic composite materials, etc., having a linear expansion coefficient of 3×10 / K or less are applicable. Materials mainly composed of metal contain 30% or more of metal. By selecting a metal as the material for the second optical connecting part, damage caused by the insertion operation of the guide pin can be reduced. On the other hand, the material for the ferrule portion 350 is a material having a linear expansion coefficient of 3×10 －５ The material of the ferrule portion 350 may be a resin material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 1×10 / K or less. －５ a liquid crystal polymer having a linear expansion coefficient of 2.5×10 －５ PPS having a linear expansion coefficient of 1 / K or less is applicable.

[0093] Furthermore, when the second optical connecting component has a dual structure consisting of a resin portion and a metal portion, the guide hole 151 into which the guide pin 150 is inserted may be provided in either the resin portion or the metal portion. The lower part of Fig. 8 shows an example of a second optical connecting component in which a ferrule portion 360 having a guide hole 151 attached to the tip portion of an optical fiber 500 is surrounded by a metal frame 810 with the second reference surface 600b exposed. The optical fiber 500 is disposed on the second reference surface 600b, while the guide hole 151 is provided in the metal frame 810.

[0094] As shown in the upper and lower sections of Figure 8, the frames surrounding the tip portions of the ferrule portions 350 and 360 are made of a material primarily composed of a metal having a thermal expansion coefficient that is equal to or close to that of silicon. This reduces thermal deformation of the resin ferrule portions 350 and 360 and reduces damage caused by the insertion of the guide pin 150. Because the resin material of the ferrule portions 350 and 360 has a larger thermal expansion coefficient than silicon, there is a risk of peeling if the resin material is directly bonded to the silicon of the optical IC substrate. Therefore, in the optical connection assembly configuration examples shown in the upper and lower sections of Figure 8, in which the second optical connecting component is applied, the first optical connecting component is disposed on the optical IC substrate. In this case, by inserting the guide pin 150 into the guide hole 151 provided in the resin ferrule portion 350 or the metal frame 810, a stable mating structure can be achieved even on an optical IC substrate that is significantly affected by heat.

[0095] 10...Optical communication module 20...Communication LSI 30...Optical IC substrate 40...Electrical wiring 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E...Optical connection assembly 110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, 110E...First optical connecting part 111...Glass substrate 112...Pin insertion port 113...Adhesive 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D, 120E...Second optical connecting part 150...Guide pin 151...Guide hole 152...Reflecting part 153...Reflecting mirror 154...Opening 155...Lens 300...Ferrule 350, 360...Ferrule part 400...Lens array 410...Lens surface 450...Step portion 460...Step portion 500...Optical fiber 510...Core 600a... First reference surface 600b... Second reference surface 700... Clip member 710... Cushion member 720... Hook portion 730... Main body 731... First portion 731a... Surface 732... Second portion 800, 810... Metal frame A, S1, S2... Arrows

Claims

1. a first optical connecting part including a substrate formed of a glass material; a second optical connecting part formed of a ductile material; a positioning structure for maintaining a relative positional relationship between the first optical connecting part and the second optical connecting part; Equipped with the positioning structure has a protrusion provided on the first optical connecting part and a recess provided on the second optical connecting part, The protrusion is detachably inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting part. Optical connection assembly.

2. the protrusion is formed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient that is 10 times or less the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass material; The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

3. the protrusion is constituted by a guide pin adhesively fixed to the first optical connecting part in a state where a part of the guide pin is inserted into a recess provided in the first optical connecting part, The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

4. The difference between the inner diameter of the recess of the first optical connecting part and the outer diameter of the guide pin is 2 μm or less, and an adhesive is filled between the inner periphery of the recess of the first optical connecting part and the outer periphery of the guide pin. The optical connection assembly of claim 3 .

5. The first optical connecting part includes one or more optical waveguides, Each of the optical waveguides includes an optical fiber embedded in the first optical connecting part or a refractive index change region formed therein. The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

6. The ductile material is 1×10 －６ / K or more 7×10 －６ / K or less, The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

7. the first optical connecting part is disposed on an optical IC substrate; the second optical connecting part is disposed on the opposite side of the optical IC board with respect to the first optical connecting part, A part of the second optical connecting part is made of the ductile material. －５ / K or less, The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

8. A lens structure is disposed on a reference surface facing the second optical connecting part. The optical connection assembly of claim 1 .

9. a clip member for maintaining a state in which the protrusion is inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting part; the clip member has a main body that grips the second optical connecting part while applying a biasing force to the second optical connecting part, and hook portions provided on both ends of the main body, The first optical connecting part has a step portion provided in one-to-one correspondence with the hook portion, and the step portion abuts against the hook portion when the main body grips the second optical connecting part.

9. The optical connection assembly according to claim 1.

10. the main body has a first portion formed along a first direction and a pair of second portions formed along a second direction intersecting the first direction, a first end of each of the second portions in the second direction is connected to a corresponding end of the first portion in the first direction; The optical connection assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the hook portion is provided at a second end of each of the second portions, the second end being different from the first end in the second direction.

11. The clip member has a cushion member, the first portion has a surface facing the second optical connecting part when the main body is holding the second optical connecting part, The cushion member is disposed on the surface. The optical connection assembly of claim 10.

12. a clip member that maintains a state in which the protrusion is inserted into the recess of the second optical connecting part; a lens array disposed on a reference surface of the first optical connecting part facing the second optical connecting part; Equipped with the clip member has a main body that grips the first optical connecting part while applying a biasing force to the first optical connecting part, and hook portions provided on both ends of the main body, The second optical connecting part has a step portion provided in one-to-one correspondence with the hook portion and against which the hook portion abuts when the main body grips the first optical connecting part.

9. The optical connection assembly according to claim 1.

13. the main body has a first portion formed along a first direction and a pair of second portions formed along a second direction intersecting the first direction, a first end of each of the second portions in the second direction is connected to a corresponding end of the first portion in the first direction; The optical connection assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the hook portion is provided at a second end of each of the second portions, the second end being different from the first end in the second direction.

14. The clip member has a cushion member, the first portion has a surface facing the first optical connecting part when the main body is holding the first optical connecting part, The cushion member is disposed on the surface.

14. The optical connection assembly of claim 13.