Lens Clip for Optical Alignment in UV-Cured Transceivers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Optical transceivers face challenges in maintaining proper alignment of optical components due to post-annealing shift caused by UV-curing adhesives, which shrink and disrupt the alignment of lenses relative to laser diodes during the curing process, leading to reduced yield and performance.
Innovation Solution
A lens clip with a base and parallel arms forming an optical lens slot that securely holds the lens using a friction fit, minimizing the impact of post-annealing shift by allowing uniform shrinkage of UV-curing adhesives and maintaining alignment with the laser diode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If UV-curing optical adhesives are used to attach focusing lenses, then component attachment is achieved, but post-annealing shift occurs causing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lens clip as an intermediary component between the focusing lens and the substrate. The lens clip provides a mechanical reference structure that mediates the attachment process, allowing the lens to be positioned accurately while the adhesive cures. This intermediary structure prevents the adhesive from directly causing misalignment of the lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens clip is attached to the substrate beforehand to establish a stable reference framework before the lens is positioned and secured. This preliminary action ensures that the mechanical reference structure is in place to guide and maintain lens alignment during the subsequent adhesive application and curing process.
2Strength
If adhesive shrinkage is allowed to occur during UV curing, then complete bonding is achieved, but displacement and misalignment result
Solution Approach 1:
The lens clip acts as a counterbalancing structure that compensates for the shrinkage forces generated by the curing adhesive. The rigid mechanical reference structure of the lens clip resists the displacement caused by adhesive contraction, maintaining the lens in its correct position while the adhesive achieves full bonding strength.
3Manufacturing precision
If mechanical reference structures are added to maintain alignment, then optical precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lens clip introduces mechanical reference structures only in the local area where the focusing lens is attached, rather than requiring complex reference structures throughout the entire optical transceiver. This localized approach provides the necessary alignment precision for the critical lens-to-laser diode interface without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
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 lens clip effectively maintains optical alignment, ensuring precise positioning and reducing yield loss by canceling out displacement caused by adhesive shrinkage, thereby enhancing the stability and performance of optical transceivers.
Implementation Method 1
securely holding the optical lens at a predetermined position using, for instance, a friction fit
Implementation Method 2
UV-curing optical adhesives can cause misalignment of components, which is known as post-annealing shift, which results from the structural changes to an adhesive as it cures/hardens. For instance, UV-curing optical adhesives 'shrink' in response to exposure to UV light.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is generally directed to a lens clip that includes an optical lens slot to securely hold an optical lens at a predetermined position to mitigate effects of post-annealing shift. The lens clip includes a base that provides at least one substrate mating surface for mounting to a substrate, and at least first and second arms extending from the base. The first and second arms extend substantially parallel relative to each other and define at least a portion of an optical lens slot. The optical lens slot is configured to receive at least a portion of an optical lens and securely hold the optical lens at a predetermined position to ensure optical alignment of the optical lens, e.g., relative to an associated laser diode or other optical component, during fixation of the optical lens to the substrate using, for instance, UV-curing optical adhesives.