Abstract: The application discloses a polymer-based optical splitter on a silicon surface. A trench is formed on the silicon surface and a polymer waveguide having three 45 degree reflectors is patterned in the trench. The trench has two slanted side walls opposite to each other. Two reflectors of the polymer waveguide are arranged on the two slanted side walls. An intrusion structure with a slanted front wall is located in the middle of the waveguide and the third reflector is formed on the slanted front wall. The first reflector receives an optical input source, the second reflector is aligned to return light to the end optical receiver. The third reflector functions as a light splitter and is aligned to an intermediate optical receiver. Light splitting ratio is determined by the third reflector size relative to the waveguide cross section near the third reflector. A fabrication method is disclosed thereof.

Abstract: An optical interconnect structure connecting a VCSEL laser or a photodetector to a fiber cable with a 3D polymer waveguide is described. The waveguide has a vertical portion at one end of a horizontal trench portion joined by a 45 degree sidewall. The vertical portion interfaces with VCSEL laser arranged on a flexible circuit board. The other end of the horizontal trench portion connects to a fiber via a mechanical transport connector. The flexible structure also holds driver, receiver, pad, amplifier, RF chip and transmission lines. A method of fabrication includes: patterning a polymer cladding layer into a horizontal trench and a 45 degree side wall by applying multiple exposure techniques; filling horizontal trench and 45 degree side wall cavity to form a core followed by planarizing the core layer to remove excess core; patterning a vertical cavity aligned with the 45 degree side wall to form a reflector.

Abstract: An optical interconnect device on a silicon substrate is disclosed which includes a trench having two slanted side walls opposite to each other, a number of polymer waveguides formed in the trench, each including a straight portion and two end reflectors formed on the slanted side walls of the trench, a light source and an optical receiver disposed on an insulated layer on the silicon surface outside the trench. Conductive lines are patterned on the insulating layer and connects to the light source and the optical receiver. The light source and the optical receiver are aligned respectively to the two end reflectors of each polymer waveguide such that an optical path is formed from the light source device through the plurality of polymer waveguides to the optical receiver device, via reflection by the two end reflectors. A fabrication method to build the device is disclosed thereof.

Abstract: An optical WDM device on a substrate and a fabrication method are disclosed. The WDM device includes a broadband light source, multiple output optical receivers, and a silicon waveguide terminated with two end reflectors, and a number of sequentially arranged WDM splitters between the two end reflectors. Each of the WDM splitters has a front and rear reflectors. The first end reflector is broadband coated to input light into the waveguide. The front reflectors of the WDM splitters and the second end reflector are narrowband coated so each reflector only selects to reflect one of the wavelengths from the light source. The rear reflectors of the WDM splitters are anti-reflection coated in order to transmit the unselected light to the next stage WDM splitter. The first end reflector is aligned to the input source, the WDM splitters and the second end reflector each are sequentially aligned to the output receivers.

Abstract: FPC-based optical interconnect modules with glass interposer connecting a VCSEL laser to a fiber ribbon cable is described. Improved optical coupling between VCSEL/PD and polymer waveguides are achieved by monolithically integrating micro-lenses and waveguides on the rear side of glass interposer and active devices on the front side. The waveguide has a vertical portion at one end of a horizontal trench portion joined by a 45 degree sidewall. A method of fabrication includes: providing a glass interposer, an array of micro lenses and an array of polymer waveguides having 45 degree tapered ends as reflectors on one surface, and depositing a metal layer and patterning the metal layer into transmission lines on the second surface of the glass substrate, growing bonding pillars for flip chip mounting and assembling active optical devices on the second surface of the glass to connect with the transmission lines.

Abstract: A glass substrate as a platform for a high speed optical interconnect is disclosed. An optical engine is mounted on the top surface and a polymer waveguide on the bottom surface of the glass substrate. A metal plate can be included for mechanical support. The optical engine includes conductive lines patterned into the glass and active optical devices bonded with the conductive lines. An anisotropic conductive film (ACF) connects the optical engine with a printed circuit board. The waveguide, attached parallel to the bottom surface of the glass substrate, includes a core structure, a 45 degree tapered portion at one end of the core structure, used as a light reflector. An optical fiber connector is attached to the far end of the polymer waveguide. The optical path is formed from the active optical device on the top surface, through the glass substrate and the polymer waveguide, to the optical fiber connector on the bottom surface of the glass substrate.

Abstract: An optical interconnect system has a transmitter and a receiver connected by a single mode fiber. An array of DML lasers in the transmitter emits multiple wavelengths which are multiplexed to the single mode fiber with an array waveguide grating (AWG) device. The receiver demultiplexes the different wavelengths by an AWG polymer waveguide fabricated in a trench on the silicon surface. The AWG demultiplexer includes a high-NA polymer waveguide which has an end reflector approximately formed at 45 degrees for reflecting light from AWG into multiple photodetectors assembled outside the trench. Optionally, a number of through-silicon-vias (TSVs) allow electrical connection access to the lasers and the driver circuit from the backside of the silicon substrate by external power sources.

Abstract: An optical coupling structure is provided, an exemplary structure has a single-mode polymer waveguide terminated with a lens-shaped coupling structure on each end between an edge emitting laser chip and a single mode fiber. The edge emitting laser is assembled on the lower cladding layer of the waveguide front end with a gap filled with index matching structure, with multiple layers of different index materials for better matching efficiency. Another exemplary structure is a multiple channel polymer waveguide, developed for transmitting optical signals from edge emitting laser arrays to fiber arrays as well as to receive optical signals from fiber array to photodiode arrays. The multiple channel polymer waveguides are assembled with multiple channel connector to link to fiber cable. Multiple channel polymer waveguide cores are made to form angles with waveguide axial direction to compensate for the pitch difference between edge emitting laser channels and the single mode fibers in the fiber cable.

Abstract: A three dimensional optical interconnect device having one input and multiple output ports mounted on the same surface of a SOI wafer is disclosed. The first Si surface has a silicon waveguide with a straight portion, a first and a second 45 degree end reflectors and multiple optical splitters arranged in a sequence along the straight portion. The second silicon surface has an insulating layer and an active optical input device (VCSEL laser) and multiple receiver ports mounted on the insulating layer. The first end reflector is aligned to the input optical device, the optical splitters and the second end reflector are sequentially aligned to the photodetectors respectively. Multiple optical paths are formed from the input optical device to each of photodetectors by a reflection from each aligned optical splitter and a reflection from the second end reflector through the silicon substrate.

Abstract: An optical interconnect system has a transmitter and a receiver connected by a single mode fiber. An array of DML lasers in the transmitter emits multiple wavelengths which are multiplexed to the single mode fiber with an array waveguide grating (AWG) device. The receiver demultiplexes the different wavelengths by an AWG polymer waveguide fabricated in a trench on the silicon surface. The AWG demultiplexer includes a high-NA polymer waveguide which has an end reflector approximately formed at 45 degrees for reflecting light from AWG into multiple photodetectors assembled outside the trench. Optionally, a number of through-silicon-vias (TSVs) allow electrical connection access to the lasers and the driver circuit from the backside of the silicon substrate by external power sources.

Abstract: The application discloses a polymer-based optical splitter on a silicon surface. A trench is formed on the silicon surface and a polymer waveguide having three 45 degree reflectors is patterned in the trench. The trench has two slanted side walls opposite to each other. Two reflectors of the polymer waveguide are arranged on the two slanted side walls. An intrusion structure with a slanted front wall is located in the middle of the waveguide and the third reflector is formed on the slanted front wall. The first reflector receives an optical input source, the second reflector is aligned to return light to the end optical receiver. The third reflector functions as a light splitter and is aligned to an intermediate optical receiver. Light splitting ratio is determined by the third reflector size relative to the waveguide cross section near the third reflector. A fabrication method is disclosed thereof.

Abstract: A glass substrate as a platform for a high speed optical interconnect is disclosed. An optical engine is mounted on the top surface and a polymer waveguide on the bottom surface of the glass substrate. A metal plate can be included for mechanical support. The optical engine includes conductive lines patterned into the glass and active optical devices bonded with the conductive lines. An anisotropic conductive film (ACF) connects the optical engine with a printed circuit board. The waveguide, attached parallel to the bottom surface of the glass substrate, includes a core structure, a 45 degree tapered portion at one end of the core structure, used as a light reflector. An optical fiber connector is attached to the far end of the polymer waveguide. The optical path is formed from the active optical device on the top surface, through the glass substrate and the polymer waveguide, to the optical fiber connector on the bottom surface of the glass substrate.

Abstract: An active optoelectronic optical engine layer is assembled on a SOI silicon substrate side, including multiple VCSEL input ports and multiple PD output ports. Each passive straight silicon waveguide terminated with two 45 degree reflectors is fabricated on the silicon-on-oxide surface of the SOI substrate to form an optical path to transmit optical signals from the VCSEL lasers to photodetectors. The active and passive sides are designed and developed as an on-chip optical interconnect module to carry high-speed electrical traces, Improved RF performance is achieved. A method of fabricating the device is disclosed as: on the substrate surface, patterning a plurality of conductive lines and the optical engine has an emitter (VCSEL) and a receiver (PD); on the SOI device layer, patterning a straight portion and two 45 degree end reflectors as the silicon waveguide and align the two 45 degree end reflectors with active optical devices VCSEL and PD.

Abstract: An optical interconnect structure connecting a VCSEL laser or a photodetector to a fiber cable with a 3D polymer waveguide is described. The waveguide has a vertical portion at one end of a horizontal trench portion joined by a 45 degree sidewall. The vertical portion interfaces with VCSEL laser arranged on a flexible circuit board. The other end of the horizontal trench portion connects to a fiber via a mechanical transport connector. The flexible structure also holds driver, receiver, pad, amplifier, RF chip and transmission lines. A method of fabrication includes: patterning a polymer cladding layer into a horizontal trench and a 45 degree side wall by applying multiple exposure techniques; filling horizontal trench and 45 degree side wall cavity to form a core followed by planarizing the core layer to remove excess core; patterning a vertical cavity aligned with the 45 degree side wall to form a reflector.

Abstract: An optical WDM device on a substrate and a fabrication method are disclosed. The WDM device includes a broadband light source, multiple output optical receivers, and a silicon waveguide terminated with two end reflectors, and a number of sequentially arranged WDM splitters between the two end reflectors. Each of the WDM splitters has a front and rear reflectors. The first end reflector is broadband coated to input light into the waveguide. The front reflectors of the WDM splitters and the second end reflector are narrowband coated so each reflector only selects to reflect one of the wavelengths from the light source. The rear reflectors of the WDM splitters are anti-reflection coated in order to transmit the unselected light to the next stage WDM splitter. The first end reflector is aligned to the input source, the WDM splitters and the second end reflector each are sequentially aligned to the output receivers.

Abstract: An optical interconnect device on a silicon substrate is disclosed which includes a trench having two slanted side walls opposite to each other, a number of polymer waveguides formed in the trench, each including a straight portion and two end reflectors formed on the slanted side walls of the trench, a light source and an optical receiver disposed on an insulated layer on the silicon surface outside the trench. Conductive lines are patterned on the insulating layer and connects to the light source and the optical receiver. The light source and the optical receiver are aligned respectively to the two end reflectors of each polymer waveguide such that an optical path is formed from the light source device through the plurality of polymer waveguides to the optical receiver device, via reflection by the two end reflectors. A fabrication method to build the device is disclosed thereof.

Abstract: FPC-based optical interconnect modules with glass interposer connecting a VCSEL laser to a fiber ribbon cable is described. Improved optical coupling between VCSEL/PD and polymer waveguides are achieved by monolithically integrating micro-lenses and waveguides on the rear side of glass interposer and active devices on the front side. The waveguide has a vertical portion at one end of a horizontal trench portion joined by a 45 degree sidewall. A method of fabrication includes: providing a glass interposer, an array of micro lenses and an array of polymer waveguides having 45 degree tapered ends as reflectors on one surface, and depositing a metal layer and patterning the metal layer into transmission lines on the second surface of the glass substrate, growing bonding pillars for flip chip mounting and assembling active optical devices on the second surface of the glass to connect with the transmission lines.

Abstract: An optical coupling structure is provided, an exemplary structure has a single-mode polymer waveguide terminated with a lens-shaped coupling structure on each end between an edge emitting laser chip and a single mode fiber. The edge emitting laser is assembled on the lower cladding layer of the waveguide front end with a gap filled with index matching structure, with multiple layers of different index materials for better matching efficiency. Another exemplary structure is a multiple channel polymer waveguide, developed for transmitting optical signals from edge emitting laser arrays to fiber arrays as well as to receive optical signals from fiber array to photodiode arrays. The multiple channel polymer waveguides are assembled with multiple channel connector to link to fiber cable. Multiple channel polymer waveguide cores are made to form angles with waveguide axial direction to compensate for the pitch difference between edge emitting laser channels and the single mode fibers in the fiber cable.

Abstract: A three dimensional optical interconnect device having one input and multiple output ports mounted on the same surface of a SOI wafer is disclosed. The first Si surface has a silicon waveguide with a straight portion, a first and a second 45 degree end reflectors and multiple optical splitters arranged in a sequence along the straight portion. The second silicon surface has an insulating layer and an active optical input device (VCSEL laser) and multiple receiver ports mounted on the insulating layer. The first end reflector is aligned to the input optical device, the optical splitters and the second end reflector are sequentially aligned to the photodetectors respectively. Multiple optical paths are formed from the input optical device to each of photodetectors by a reflection from each aligned optical splitter and a reflection from the second end reflector through the silicon substrate.