Optical Module Capillary Attachment for Precise Cap Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in forming smaller optical modules is the difficulty in placing sufficient quantities of liquid adhesive without excess or improper placement, which can misalign caps with substrates and damage sensitive components.
Innovation Solution
The use of caps with standoffs and alignment features that initiate capillary action to move adhesive away from the substrate and control lateral movement, ensuring proper alignment and removing excess adhesive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid adhesive is applied to attach the cap to the substrate, then the cap can be secured to the substrate, but excess adhesive can misalign the cap and damage sensitive components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a capillary channel as an intermediary structure between the cap and substrate. This channel guides the liquid adhesive through capillary action, ensuring the adhesive flows only to the intended bonding area and not onto sensitive components. The capillary channel acts as a mediator that controls adhesive distribution, preventing both misalignment and component damage while maintaining reliable attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific capillary channel structure at the bonding interface between the cap and substrate. This localized structure with specific dimensions (width, depth, length) provides controlled adhesive flow only where needed, while other areas remain protected from adhesive exposure. The local modification of the bonding interface enables precise adhesive management without affecting the entire assembly.
2Strength
If adhesive is applied in sufficient quantity to ensure proper bonding, then bonding strength is improved, but excess adhesive causes misalignment and component damage
Solution Approach 1:
The capillary channel serves as an intermediary that receives and channels the liquid adhesive from the application point to the bonding interface. By designing the channel with appropriate cross-sectional area and length, the system can accommodate sufficient adhesive quantity for strong bonding while the channel walls prevent adhesive from spreading to misaligned positions or reaching sensitive components. The intermediary structure decouples the adhesive quantity needed for bonding from the harmful effects of excess adhesive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes capillary action, a fluid dynamics phenomenon, to control adhesive flow through the capillary channel. The capillary forces (surface tension and adhesive forces) naturally draw the liquid adhesive through the channel and distribute it along the bonding interface. This hydraulic/capillary mechanism ensures adequate adhesive penetration for strong bonding while automatically limiting the spread to prevent excess adhesive from causing misalignment or component damage.
3Manufacturing precision
If the cap is placed close to the substrate for precise alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but adhesive control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-forming the capillary channel structure within the cap or substrate before the adhesive application step. This pre-configured channel system is ready to guide and control the adhesive flow as soon as the adhesive is applied. By having the control structure in place beforehand, the system can maintain precise cap-substrate alignment without requiring complex real-time adhesive control mechanisms during the bonding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The capillary channel acts as an intermediary control element that simplifies adhesive management in close-proximity bonding. Even when the cap is placed very close to the substrate for high precision alignment, the capillary channel provides a defined pathway for adhesive flow, preventing uncontrolled spreading. This intermediary structure reduces the complexity of adhesive control by providing passive, geometry-based flow management rather than requiring active control systems.
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 approach improves the optical module formation process by maintaining alignment and preventing adhesive from damaging sensitive components, making it more precise and efficient.
Implementation Method 1
The standoff is configured to initiate capillary action upon contacting adhesive on a substrate
Implementation Method 2
The capillary action may move at least a portion of the adhesive away from the substrate toward the cap via surface tension and wetting
Implementation Method 3
The capillary action may move at least a portion of the adhesive away from the substrate toward the cap via surface tension and wetting
Data Source
AI summary
A cap for an optical module includes features that aid in adhesive attachment. In some examples, the cap includes a standoff configured to initiate capillary action upon contacting adhesive on a substrate to move the cap toward the substrate and an alignment feature configured to control lateral movement of the cap with respect to the substrate as the capillary action moves the cap toward the substrate. In other examples, the cap includes a standoff configured to initiate movement of an adhesive away from a substrate via surface tension and wetting upon contacting the adhesive and an alignment feature is configured to control lateral movement of the cap with respect to the substrate as the adhesive moves away from the substrate.