Vision-Based Passive Alignment of Optical Fiber Subassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for optically coupling optical fibers to optoelectronic devices on a circuit board are costly, complex, and not well-suited for single-mode applications due to the need for active alignment and the use of materials like plastic, which can shift during soldering, compromising optical alignment.
Innovation Solution
A vision-based passive alignment approach using an optical fiber subassembly with precisely located optical fiducials on a support and alignment block, allowing for precise alignment without energized circuitry, and enabling the use of conventional electronics assembly processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If active optical alignment is used to align optical fibers to optoelectronic devices, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to requiring energized circuitry and complex alignment machinery
Solution Approach 1:
Optical fiducials are pre-positioned on the optoelectronic device and support structure before final assembly. These fiducials serve as reference markers that enable passive alignment during manufacturing, eliminating the need for complex active alignment machinery and energized circuitry during the alignment process.
Solution Approach 2:
Optical fiducials act as intermediary reference elements between the optoelectronic device and the alignment system. These fiducials provide visual references that mediate the alignment process, allowing precision alignment through vision-based systems rather than requiring complex active optical feedback mechanisms.
2Ease of manufacture
If plastic components are used in connector assemblies, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates during soldering processes as plastic can shift and compromise optical alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter of the connector housing is changed from plastic to metal. This parameter change enables the connector to withstand high-temperature soldering processes without shifting, thereby maintaining optical alignment reliability while still allowing for manufacturable assembly processes.
3Reliability
If package structures are eliminated to reduce cost, then product cost is reduced, but manufacturing precision may be compromised in achieving stringent single-mode alignment tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system is segmented into separate functional elements: optical fiducials on the device, fiducials on the support structure, and vision-based alignment tools. This segmentation allows for precise alignment to be achieved through coordinated positioning of these elements, eliminating the need for expensive package structures while maintaining single-mode alignment tolerances.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vision-based passive alignment approach to optically couple input/output of optical fibers in optical alignment to optoelectronic components that are supported on a substrate. An optical bench supporting an optical fiber is physically and optically coupled to an optoelectronic device mounted on a submount via an optically transparent alignment block. The transparent alignment block having a first set of optical fiducials for aligning optical fiducials defined on the optical bench with the alignment block, and a second set of optical fiducials for aligning the alignment block with optical fiducials defined on the submount.