Optical Waveguide Lamination with Liquid Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming optical waveguides on circuit substrates are inefficient, requiring high takt time and cost, limiting circuit slimming and versatility, and often necessitate complex processes and metal layers for wiring.
Innovation Solution
A method involving lamination of core and cladding sheets, bevel-cutting, and use of a liquid adhesive to form a double-layered optical waveguide structure, eliminating the need for a triple-layered structure and complex processes, allowing for enhanced versatility and reduced takt time and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a triple-layered structure is formed by laminating and curing lower cladding sheet, laminating and patterning core sheet, and laminating and curing upper cladding sheet, then the optical waveguide can be formed with proper structure, but much takt time and cost are required and the circuit cannot be slimmed down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lower cladding layer and core layer formation into a single lamination step by using a pre-coated core sheet with lower cladding layer already applied. This merging of steps reduces the total number of lamination and curing cycles required, thereby reducing takt time while maintaining the necessary optical waveguide structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower cladding layer is pre-applied to the core sheet before lamination to the substrate. This preliminary action allows the lower cladding layer to be positioned and prepared in advance, eliminating the need for a separate lamination and curing step for the lower cladding layer during the main manufacturing process, thus reducing overall production time.
2Reliability
If a triple-layered structure is formed by laminating and curing lower cladding sheet, laminating and patterning core sheet, and laminating and curing upper cladding sheet, then the optical waveguide can be formed with proper structure, but the process requires more steps and higher cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing steps into fewer operations. Specifically, the lower cladding layer formation is combined with the core sheet preparation stage, and the lamination process is optimized to reduce the number of separate curing cycles required, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process and reducing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The core sheet is prepared in advance with the lower cladding layer already coated and patterned. This preliminary preparation allows for more efficient lamination and reduces the complexity of the main manufacturing process, as the lower cladding layer does not need to be applied and cured separately during production.
3Ease of manufacture
If upper cladding layer and core layer are laminated on metal layer for wiring layer formation, then the optical waveguide can be formed, but the laminated product is restricted to structure with predetermined wiring layer directly on upper cladding layer, leading to lack of versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the optical waveguide lamination process from the wiring layer formation process. The optical waveguide (core layer with upper and lower cladding layers) is formed as an independent laminated product that can be subsequently mounted on the circuit substrate with wiring layers. This segmentation allows independent optimization of optical and electrical layers, enhancing design flexibility and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an adhesive layer as an intermediary between the optical waveguide and the circuit substrate. This adhesive mediator allows the optical waveguide to be mounted on the substrate after the wiring layers are already formed, enabling flexible integration without requiring the optical waveguide to be laminated directly on the metal layer during substrate fabrication.
4Shape
If V-groove is formed on core layer by cutting process and unnecessary core layer is melted and removed, then the optical waveguide can be shaped, but wet process is required and steps become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core layer patterning step from the lamination process. The core sheet is pre-patterned with the desired waveguide shape and core regions before lamination to the substrate. This extraction eliminates the need for post-lamination cutting and melting processes, simplifying the manufacturing steps while achieving the required optical waveguide shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The core layer is pre-patterned with the desired waveguide geometry and core regions before lamination to the substrate. This preliminary patterning eliminates the need for complex post-lamination shaping processes such as V-groove formation, cutting, and melting, thereby reducing process complexity and steps.
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 method reduces takt time and cost, enhances versatility, and simplifies the process by eliminating the need for metal layers and complex wet processes, while maintaining high alignment accuracy and allowing for multiple optical waveguides to be formed collectively.
Implementation Method 1
coating a liquid adhesive having a composition that is able to constitute a cladding layer of the optical waveguide, on an area of the circuit substrate on which the optical waveguide is to be arranged... bringing at least one of the clad/core bonded pieces into contact with the liquid adhesive... curing the liquid adhesive, thereby forming the optical waveguide on the circuit substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Parallel-aligned core layers are formed by patterning a core sheet laminated on a base plate, and a clad/core bonded body is formed by laminating a cladding sheet. The base plate is peeled from one surface of the clad/core bonded body and a dicing tape is pasted on the other surface of the clad/core bonded body. An inclined surface is formed by bevel-cutting both end portions of the core layers. Clad/core bonded pieces are formed by straight-cutting the cladding sheet between core layers and on an outside of outermost core layers. A mask is disposed on the clad/core bonded pieces, and then a metal film is formed on the inclined surface. The clad/core bonded pieces are separated individually by peeling the pieces from the dicing tape after the mask is removed. The clad/core bonded piece is brought into contact with the liquid adhesive coated on a circuit substrate and aligned thereon. Then, the liquid adhesive is cured.