Planar Lightwave Circuit Attachment for Stable Silicon Interposer Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Silicon photonics-based systems face challenges in maintaining exact spatial alignment between passive and active components due to warpage issues, leading to significant optical coupling losses.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of spacer components and epoxy material to stabilize the planar lightwave circuit relative to the silicon photonics-based interposer, ensuring precise alignment and minimizing thermal expansion mismatches.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the planar lightwave circuit is directly mounted on the circuit board substrate, then the device complexity is reduced, but warpage occurs leading to misalignment between the planar lightwave circuit and silicon photonics-based interposer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting structure complexityVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A spacer component is introduced as an intermediary element between the planar lightwave circuit and the circuit board substrate. This spacer serves as a mediator that provides mechanical support and maintains precise spacing, preventing warpage-induced misalignment while enabling accurate optical coupling between the planar lightwave circuit and silicon photonics-based interposer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the circuit board substrate, the spacer component, and the planar lightwave circuit. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the substrate provides mechanical support, the spacer maintains precise positioning, and the circuit performs optical functions, thereby achieving both simplicity and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If spacer components and epoxy material are added to stabilize alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidmounting structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer component and epoxy material are merged into a unified mounting solution where the epoxy serves as both the bonding agent and the spacing mechanism. This combination eliminates the need for separate complex adjustment mechanisms, achieving precise alignment through the integrated spacer-epoxy system while maintaining relative structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of energy

If the planar lightwave circuit is positioned closer to the silicon photonics-based interposer, then optical coupling efficiency is improved, but thermal expansion mismatches cause alignment instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical coupling lossVSAvoidalignment stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer component enables precise control of the spacing parameter between the planar lightwave circuit and silicon photonics-based interposer. By optimizing this distance parameter, the system achieves optimal balance between optical coupling efficiency (requiring close proximity) and thermal stability (requiring appropriate spacing to accommodate expansion), thereby reducing optical coupling losses while maintaining alignment stability under thermal variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enhances optical coupling stability and reduces coupling losses by maintaining exact alignment, even in the presence of thermal variations.

Implementation Method 1

minimizing thermal expansion mismatches

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

optical coupling stability and reduces coupling losses by maintaining exact alignment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical coupling:

Data Source

PatentUS20250341674A1Low loss and stable planar lightwave circuit attachment with silicon interposer

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

An optical signal transceiver includes a circuit board substrate, a silicon photonics-based interposer mounted on the circuit board substrate, the silicon photonics-based interposer including at least one of a waveguide configured to transmit optical communication signals and a photo detector configured to detect optical communication signals, and a planar lightwave circuit disposed on the circuit board substrate. The planar lightwave circuit is configured to perform at least a portion of propagation of light signals in an optical communication network, and the planar lightwave circuit is aligned with a side surface of the silicon photonics-based interposer to transmit optical communication signals between the silicon photonics-based interposer and the planar lightwave circuit. The optical signal transceiver includes at least one spacer component disposed between the planar lightwave circuit and the circuit board substrate, and epoxy material in contact with the spacer component.