Optical Component Alignment Using Infrared Fiducials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems face challenges in aligning semiconductor lasers between opaque semiconductor chips, as visible alignment is not possible due to the chips' opacity to visible light.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the detection of primary fiducials on each semiconductor chip using infrared light, determining secondary fiducials based on feature information, and adjusting the chips' positions to align optical components, utilizing a positioning system and imaging system to achieve alignment in multiple degrees of freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visible light alignment is used, then alignment simplicity is improved, but alignment feasibility deteriorates due to semiconductor chip opacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of light from visible range to infrared range (e.g., 850nm, 1310nm, or 1550nm) to enable transmission through opaque semiconductor chips. This parameter change allows the alignment system to penetrate the chip substrate and detect fiducial markers, resolving the contradiction between alignment simplicity and feasibility by making the chips transparent to the used wavelength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fiducial markers as intermediary reference features that can be detected through the chip substrate using infrared light. These markers serve as mediators between the alignment system and the optical components, enabling indirect alignment when direct visual alignment is impossible due to chip opacity.
2Device complexity
If single fiducial alignment is used, then alignment process is simplified, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the alignment reference system into multiple fiducial markers (at least two fiducials per chip) instead of using a single fiducial. This segmentation allows the system to detect both lateral position and rotation angle of the chip, providing two-dimensional alignment information that improves precision without excessive complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional single-point alignment to two-dimensional multi-point fiducial alignment. By using multiple fiducials distributed across the chip, the system can determine positional offsets in both x and y directions as well as rotational misalignment, adding dimensional information to the alignment process.
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
Enables precise alignment of optical components carried by semiconductor chips in vertical and horizontal directions, overcoming the opacity issue and improving alignment accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
illuminating the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip with a light source at a first wavelength, the first wavelength being an infrared wavelength; and detecting light passing through the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided to align a first optical component carried by a first semiconductor chip with a second optical component carried by a second semiconductor chip. Each of the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip may include at least one primary semiconductor chip fiducial which assists in the alignment of the first optical component carried by a first semiconductor chip with a second optical component carried by a second semiconductor chip.