Optical Waveguide Substrate Recess Mounting for Positional Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical waveguide mounted substrates face challenges in achieving sufficient positional accuracy between silicon waveguides and core layers, making precise mounting of silicon photonic chips and optical waveguides on interconnect substrates difficult.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an interconnect substrate with a recess that accommodates part of the optical waveguide substrate's support, allowing the core layer to face away from the recess while ensuring high positional accuracy through optical coupling of silicon waveguides with the core layer, independent of electrical connection, using a build-up multilayer interconnect substrate with insulating layers and conductive bonding materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silicon photonic chip and optical waveguide are mounted on interconnect substrate, then electrical coupling and optical coupling are achieved, but positional accuracy between silicon waveguide and core layer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the optical coupling function from the electrical connection function. The optical waveguide substrate with core layer is positioned independently above the interconnect substrate, while electrical connections are established through conductive bonding materials between pads on the silicon photonic chip and the interconnect substrate. This segmentation allows optical alignment to be optimized independently from electrical mounting constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary structure - the optical waveguide substrate with support - that positions the core layer at a specific height above the interconnect substrate. This intermediary allows the core layer to be precisely positioned for optical coupling while the silicon photonic chip handles electrical connections, resolving the conflict between optical precision and electrical mounting.
2Ease of manufacture
If optical waveguide substrate is mounted on interconnect substrate, then electrical connection is established, but misalignment occurs between silicon waveguide and core layer
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the mounting process into independent optical positioning and electrical connection steps. The optical waveguide substrate is first positioned to achieve precise optical alignment between core layer and silicon waveguide, then electrical connections are separately established through conductive bonding materials. This segmentation eliminates the trade-off between ease of manufacture and alignment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to the mounting structure by positioning the core layer at a specific height above the interconnect substrate using the optical waveguide substrate support. This vertical separation allows horizontal alignment to be optimized for optical coupling while electrical connections are made through the vertical conductive bonding material path.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical waveguide mounted substrate includes an interconnect substrate having a recess that opens on a first surface thereof, and an optical waveguide device including: an optical waveguide substrate including a support and a core layer disposed on the support; and a silicon photonic chip including a silicon substrate and a silicon waveguide disposed on the silicon substrate, the silicon waveguide being optically coupled with the core layer, wherein the optical waveguide substrate is mounted on the interconnect substrate such that the core layer faces away from the recess and at least a part of a thickness of the support is situated inside the recess.