Off-axis Micro-mirror Arrays for Polymer Waveguide Optical Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical multi-chip modules using micro-lenses for light coupling in polymer waveguide arrays suffer from significant optical losses due to surface and internal reflections, chromatic aberrations, and beam broadening, which worsen at higher data rates and smaller waveguide sizes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a micro-mirror array with a transparent body and reflective coating, featuring slanted and elongated surfaces with ellipsoidal or paraboloidal protrusions, is used to efficiently couple light between VCSELs, photodiodes, and fiber optic connectors, reducing optical losses by minimizing reflections and beam divergence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If micro-lenses are used for light coupling in polymer waveguide arrays, then light coupling is achieved, but optical losses increase due to surface and internal reflections, chromatic aberrations, and beam broadening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the micro-lens component from the optical coupling system, replacing it with a micro-mirror array. This eliminates the source of optical losses (surface and internal reflections, chromatic aberrations, beam broadening) while maintaining the light coupling function through reflective surfaces that redirect light without the detrimental effects of refractive elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the optical-mechanical micro-lens system with an optical-mirror system. The micro-mirror array uses reflective surfaces instead of refractive lens elements, fundamentally changing the mechanism of light coupling from transmission through a lens to redirection via mirrors, thereby eliminating the optical losses associated with lens materials and surfaces.
2Productivity
If waveguide core size is decreased to meet higher data rate requirements, then data transmission capacity increases, but optical losses worsen due to tighter coupling constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical coupling parameters by using micro-mirrors with specific geometric configurations (angles, positions, and sizes) that are optimized for coupling into small waveguide cores. The mirror parameters (orientation, distance from core, size) are adjusted to match the reduced core dimensions, enabling efficient coupling even at higher data rates where smaller cores are required.
3Reliability
If micro-lenses are used for optical coupling, then light coupling is achieved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light coupling function with the existing waveguide array structure by integrating micro-mirrors directly into the polymer waveguide array. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate micro-lens components and their associated alignment mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining coupling efficiency through the integrated mirror array.
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 solution significantly reduces optical losses, enabling more efficient light coupling and potentially increasing data transmission bandwidth by up to 10 times, while simplifying the optical interconnect design and reducing signal loss to less than 1 dB.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective coating on at least a portion of the complementary shape
Implementation Method 2
one or more ellipsoidal or paraboloidal protrusion(s) on one of the elongated surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A micro-mirror array for optical coupling in a waveguide array including, a transparent body having a slanted portion, a sidewall portion, and a bottom portion, the sidewall portion and the bottom portion each respectively facing the slanted portion, and wherein a complementary shape of a conventional form off-axis mirror is arranged on the slanted portion, and a reflective coating on at least a portion of the complementary shape.