Arrayed Waveguide Grating Pivot Structure for Wavelength Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) are sensitive to temperature changes, leading to central wavelength drift, and current temperature compensation assemblies are costly and limited in response sensitivity due to integrally connected hinges made of the same material as the substrate.
Innovation Solution
The arrayed waveguide grating device features a substrate with separate plate portions made of the same material, connected by a pivoting member of a different material, allowing relative movement and improved deformation sensitivity, along with a temperature compensation assembly that includes a movable member and a gap structure to enhance temperature compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an integrally connected hinge made of the same material as the substrate is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and the structure is simplified, but the response sensitivity to substrate deformation and temperature compensation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into two separate plate portions (first plate portion and second plate portion) that are not integrally connected. This segmentation allows each plate portion to deform independently in response to temperature changes, significantly improving the response sensitivity and temperature compensation capability compared to an integrally connected hinge structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A pivoting member is introduced as an intermediary element to connect the first and second plate portions. The pivoting member acts as a mediator that enables relative movement between the two plate portions while maintaining their connection, allowing the structure to achieve both flexibility for temperature compensation and structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the hinge is made of the same material as the substrate, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the improvement of response sensitivity to substrate deformation and temperature compensation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented into two separate plate portions that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized material selection for each component and simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing separate fabrication of the substrate components and the pivoting member, followed by assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses different materials for the substrate plate portions and the pivoting member. The pivoting member is made of a material different from the substrate, allowing optimization of each component's material properties for its specific function - the substrate for structural support and the pivoting member for enabling controlled movement and temperature compensation.
3Reliability
If a gap structure is introduced between plate portions, then the temperature compensation sensitivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into separate plate portions with gaps between them, allowing independent deformation. This segmentation creates the necessary freedom for temperature compensation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that relies on the natural thermal expansion and contraction of the materials rather than complex mechanical compensation mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design improves temperature compensation sensitivity and reduces manufacturing complexity by using a separate pivoting member and gap structure, allowing for greater material and shape variation, and enhances deformation response, thus stabilizing central wavelength.
Implementation Method 1
the pivoting member connects the first plate portion and the second plate portion of the substrate, so that the first plate portion and the second plate portion are movable relative to each other
Implementation Method 2
when the two regions of the substrate are deformed due to temperature changes, they can be rotated and displaced with the hinge as a rotation center
Implementation Method 3
a temperature compensation assembly is generally used for compensation, so as to control the magnitude of its central wavelength change with temperature
Implementation Method 4
when the two regions of the substrate are deformed due to temperature changes
Data Source
AI summary
An arrayed waveguide grating device comprises a substrate, an arrayed waveguide grating chip, and a pivoting member. The substrate comprises a first plate portion and a second plate portion which are separated; the first plate portion and the second plate portion are made of the same material; the arrayed waveguide grating chip comprises an input planar waveguide; the input planar waveguide comprises a first part disposed at the first plate portion of the substrate and a second part disposed at the second plate portion of the substrate; and the pivoting member is made of a material different from that of the substrate and connects the first plate portion and the second plate portion of the substrate, so that the first plate portion and the second plate portion are movable relative to each other.