Groove Formation in Quartz Waveguide Chips
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing grooves in quartz-based waveguide chips are limited by chip size, making it difficult to produce grooves of any length and limiting the layout and integration of components like wavelength filters in hybrid optical devices.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a marker indicating the planned cutting line on the quartz-based waveguide chip, followed by precise alignment and irradiation with laser light to create grooves that divide regions for light propagation and non-propagation, allowing for bonding with a secondary nonlinear waveguide chip without size limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional methods (dicing saw, laser drilling) are used to form grooves in quartz-based waveguide chips, then grooves can be formed in small chips, but the chip size is limited and grooves of any length cannot be manufactured
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the groove formation process into multiple sections along the propagation direction. By forming grooves in different sections at different times using a movable stage, the system can create long grooves that extend beyond the chip's physical dimensions, thereby overcoming the limitation of conventional single-step groove formation methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces temporal dimension to the groove formation process. Instead of forming the entire groove simultaneously in one step, the groove is formed progressively along its length by moving the stage in the propagation direction, allowing grooves of any length to be created regardless of chip size.
2Length of moving object
If the chip size is increased to accommodate longer grooves, then groove length can be extended, but the layout and integration of components like wavelength filters become limited
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the groove formation into multiple sections that can be processed independently at different times, the invention allows other components to be integrated into the chip layout without interfering with the groove formation process, thus enabling better component integration while maintaining long groove lengths.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable stage enables dynamic groove formation where the processing position can be adjusted during fabrication. This dynamic approach allows flexible layout design for integrating wavelength filters and other components around the groove paths, optimizing both groove length and component placement.
3Strength
If adhesive is applied to the connection end surface for bonding, then bonding strength is improved, but adhesive effusion to the waveguide region causes reflection losses
Solution Approach 1:
The groove divides the connection end surface into multiple regions: a waveguide region and adhesive application regions. This segmentation allows adhesive to be applied only to specific areas away from the waveguide, ensuring strong bonding without adhesive effusion into the optical path, thus preventing reflection losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove creates local quality differences across the connection end surface. The waveguide region maintains optical quality for light propagation, while the groove regions are designated for adhesive application. This local differentiation enables simultaneous optimization of bonding strength and optical performance by controlling where adhesive is applied.
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 the easy manufacturing of grooves of any length in quartz-based waveguide chips, overcoming size limitations and facilitating the integration of components in hybrid optical devices without reflection losses due to refractive index differences.
Implementation Method 1
a step of manufacturing the groove on the connection end surface of the quartz-based waveguide chip so as to divide the region where the light propagates from the region where the light does not propagate by moving the stage in the extending direction of the marker while irradiating the quartz-based waveguide chip with the laser light from an upper side
Data Source
AI summary
A groove having any length is manufactured in a quartz-based waveguide chip without limitation of a chip size. A marker indicating a planned cutting line extending from a connection end surface of a quartz-based waveguide chip in an in-chip plane direction is formed in advance by processing a core layer of the waveguide of the quartz-based waveguide chip, an irradiation position of laser light is aligned with a position of a starting point of the marker in a state where quartz-based waveguide chip is placed on a stage, and a groove is manufactured in the connection end surface of the quartz-based waveguide chip by moving the stage in the extending direction of the marker while irradiating the quartz-based waveguide chip with the laser light from an upper side.