Flexible PCB Optical Waveguide Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical and electrical mixed flexible printed wiring boards face challenges in manufacturing complexity, high costs, and increased optical transmission losses due to the need for precise alignment and sealing of light emitting and receiving devices with polymeric optical waveguides, especially in flexible resin materials with low elastic modulus and heat resistance, which are difficult to achieve with high yields and low cost.
Innovation Solution
A flexible printed wiring board with a surface-emitting light emitting device and surface-receiving light receiving device, both in bare chip form, is mounted on the board with a polymer optical waveguide, where the devices are aligned coaxially and sealed with an integral resin, allowing for reduced optical transmission losses and lower power consumption by minimizing the distance between the devices and the waveguide, and using a 90° mounting configuration to simplify alignment and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polymeric optical waveguide is combined with a flexible printed wiring board, then optical transmission capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to precise alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the flexible printed wiring board and polymeric optical waveguide into a single integrated structure where the waveguide is formed by injecting resin through holes in the flexible board. This combining eliminates the need for separate alignment processes and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining optical transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-forming holes in the flexible printed wiring board before assembling the optical waveguide. This preliminary preparation allows the waveguide to be directly formed in the holes during a single injection process, eliminating subsequent alignment steps and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If light emitting and receiving devices are mounted with precise alignment to the optical waveguide, then optical transmission efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mounting of light emitting/receiving devices with the formation of the optical waveguide itself. The devices are mounted directly on the flexible printed wiring board before the waveguide resin is injected, so that the waveguide automatically aligns with the devices during a single process step, eliminating separate alignment operations and reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary mounting of the light emitting and receiving devices on the flexible printed wiring board before forming the optical waveguide. This preliminary action ensures that the devices are in their final positions before the waveguide resin is injected, automatically achieving precise alignment without requiring additional alignment steps or increasing manufacturing cost.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible printed wiring board uses resin material with low elastic modulus, then flexibility is improved, but heat resistance and structural stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material structure combining the flexible printed wiring board with a polymeric optical waveguide material that has different thermal properties. The waveguide material provides enhanced heat resistance while the flexible board maintains its flexibility, creating a composite structure that achieves both flexibility and heat resistance simultaneously.
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
This configuration enables the production of thin, cost-effective optical and electrical mixed flexible printed wiring boards with reduced power consumption and improved transmission efficiency by simplifying the alignment and sealing process, while maintaining flexibility and stability.
Implementation Method 1
an optical waveguide (4) bonded to the flexible printed wiring board body (1A) via an adhesive (5)
Implementation Method 2
bonded to the flexible printed wiring board body (1A) via an adhesive (5)
Data Source
AI summary
A light emitting device and a light receiving device are in a bare chip form and are a light emitting device of surface emitting type and a light receiving device of surface receiving type having an electrode on an opposite surface of a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion respectively, the light emitting device, the light receiving device, and an optical waveguide are mounted on one surface of a flexible printed wiring board body, the light emitting portion of the light emitting device, an optical waveguide core, and the light receiving portion of the light receiving device are arranged substantially coaxially, and the light emitting device and the light receiving device are mounted in such a way that a light emitting/receiving direction is substantially 90° with respect to an orthogonal direction of a surface of the flexible printed wiring board body.