Optical Phase Shifting Plate With Thin-Film Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical phase shifting plates face challenges with complex package structures, increased production costs, and deteriorated phase shift responsibility due to the need for external wiring and enlarged optical substrates with chip heaters, which also result in high power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An optical phase shifting plate with a thin-film heater formed on the optical substrate, utilizing a wiring member and intermediate member for perpendicular wiring connections, and a Kovar package with gold-plated alumina components to simplify the structure and reduce thermal expansion mismatch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a chip heater is bonded onto the optical substrate, then the optical path length can be adjusted by thermal response, but the package structure becomes complicated and production cost increases due to external wiring requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The heater wiring is merged with the optical substrate wiring layers. The heater electrode patterns are formed in the same wiring layers as the optical electrode patterns, eliminating the need for separate external wiring structures. This integration simplifies the package structure while maintaining the thermal response capability for optical path length adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heating structure where the heater electrodes are formed within the optical substrate itself using transparent conductive films. This intermediary structure serves as both the heating element and part of the optical path, eliminating the need for external chip heaters and complex wiring mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If a chip heater is used for phase shifting, then optical path length adjustment is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin-film heater electrodes formed by sputtering or other thin-film deposition techniques. These thin films have low thermal mass and high thermal efficiency, requiring less power to achieve the desired temperature change for phase shifting compared to bulk chip heaters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the heater electrode parameters including material composition, thickness, and pattern geometry to achieve efficient heating with minimal power consumption. The transparent conductive film properties are adjusted to balance electrical conductivity and optical transparency, reducing overall system power requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If the optical substrate is enlarged to accommodate chip heater bonding, then the heater can be properly disposed, but phase shift responsibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heater function into distributed electrode patterns formed directly on the optical substrate surface. This segmentation allows the heating function to be integrated into the existing substrate area without requiring substrate enlargement, maintaining the compact form factor necessary for high phase shift responsibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional chip heater structure to a two-dimensional thin-film electrode pattern on the substrate surface. This dimensional change eliminates the need for substrate enlargement while maintaining effective heating capability, preserving the compact optical path and high phase shift responsibility.
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 high-responsibility, low-power phase shifting with simplified packaging, faster thermal response, and reliable wiring, suitable for interferometers like Michelson and Mach-Zehnder systems.
Implementation Method 1
an optical substrate (1) made of silicon which can change the refractive index by means of the thermooptical effect
Implementation Method 2
a thin-film heater (200) formed on the optical substrate (100)
Data Source
AI summary
An optical phase shifting plate includes: an optical substrate configured to change a refractive index for light which passes through the optical substrate by a thermooptical effect; a thin-film heater formed on a surface of the optical substrate; a wiring member disposed to be substantially perpendicular to the surface of the optical substrate; an intermediate member disposed between the optical substrate and the wiring member, the intermediate member having: a first surface that is substantially flush with a surface of the thin-film heater; and a second surface that is substantially flush with a surface of the wiring member and that is perpendicularly adjacent to the first surface, a first bonding wire which electrically connects the surface of the thin-film heater to the first surface of the intermediate member; and a second bonding wire which electrically connects the surface of wiring member to the second surface of the intermediate member.