Optical Fiber Vacuum Collet for Uniform Lens Curing Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lens curing methods for multi-channel optical modules face challenges such as lens misalignment due to non-uniform UV epoxy shrinkage and thermal expansion issues, leading to increased process time and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A lens curing device and method that uses a vacuum collet with an embedded optical fiber connected to a UV light source to simultaneously perform optical alignment and UV epoxy curing, ensuring uniform curing and minimizing misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UV light is radiated from outside the vacuum collet, then the curing process can be performed, but non-uniform shrinkage occurs causing lens misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
An optical fiber is introduced as an intermediary to transmit UV light from an external source through the vacuum collet to the UV epoxy. The optical fiber acts as a mediator that delivers curing light uniformly from the center position without requiring external radiation, thereby achieving both uniform curing and accurate lens alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/external UV radiation system with an optical fiber-based light transmission system. Instead of radiating UV light from outside the vacuum collet, the system uses an optical fiber to conduct UV light through the center of the collet, eliminating the non-uniform shrinkage problem caused by external radiation.
2Reliability
If metallic vacuum collet is irradiated with UV light, then curing can be performed, but thermal expansion occurs causing improper light alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber serves as an intermediary that transmits UV light without absorbing significant heat. By conducting light through the optical fiber rather than irradiating the metallic vacuum collet directly, the system avoids thermal expansion of the metal collet that would cause misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes direct UV irradiation of the metallic vacuum collet with optical fiber-based light transmission. This replacement eliminates the thermal expansion issue because the optical fiber conducts light with minimal heat generation, preventing improper light alignment caused by metal expansion.
3Productivity
If lens fixing is performed with UV epoxy, then short-time fixing is achieved, but shrinkage phenomenon causes distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber acts as an intermediary to deliver UV light uniformly from the center position to the UV epoxy. This uniform light delivery ensures even curing and minimizes shrinkage-induced distortion, maintaining lens position accuracy while achieving rapid fixing through UV epoxy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of UV light delivery from external radiation to internal conduction through optical fiber. This parameter change enables uniform energy distribution to the UV epoxy, achieving both rapid curing (high productivity) and minimal shrinkage distortion (high precision).
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 solution enables simultaneous light alignment and UV epoxy curing, reducing the risk of lens misalignment and thermal expansion issues, thereby decreasing process time and improving productivity in multi-channel optical module manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
an optical fiber that is embedded in at least a portion of the vacuum collet while connected to an ultraviolet (UV) light source in a preset wavelength band and transmits light radiated from the UV light source to a UV epoxy applied to a lower end of the lens
Implementation Method 2
an ultraviolet (UV) light source in a preset wavelength band and transmits light radiated from the UV light source
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum collet that picks up the lens
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a lens curing device for a multi-channel optical module, which cures a lens after arranging the lens on multiple axes between a laser diode and an optical waveguide of the optical module for each channel, the lens curing device including a vacuum collet that picks up the lens, a driver that moves the vacuum collet that picks up the lens and disposes the moved vacuum collet at an arrangement position of a submount, and an optical fiber that is embedded in at least a portion of the vacuum collet while connected to an ultraviolet (UV) light source in a preset wavelength band and transmits light radiated from the UV light source to a UV epoxy applied to a lower end of the lens.