Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing an optical printed circuit board and an optical printed circuit board. The method comprises providing a support layer; on the support layer, providing an optical core layer; forming optical channels from the optical core layer and surrounding the optical channels with cladding thereby forming optical waveguides; and during said step of forming the optical channels, forming one or more alignment features, e.g. projections, on the optical printed circuit board.

Abstract: The invention provides an adapter for an optical printed circuit board, the adapter comprising a socket for receiving a daughter card for connecting to a said optical printed circuit board; and a connector for engagement with the optical printed circuit board arranged such that when the connector engages with the optical printed circuit board an optical connection is established between the optical printed circuit board and the adapter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making an electro-optical printed circuit board, the method comprising: providing a support layer having thereon surface mounted electric components within a region of the support layer; forming one or more surface mounted optical components on the surface of the electro-optical printed circuit board; and during formation of the one or more surface mounted optical components shielding the region of the electro-optical printed circuit board where the surface mounted electric components are formed.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical circuit board, the circuit board comprising: a rigid support layer; a flexible support layer formed on the rigid support layer; and, an optical layer formed on the flexible support layer. The optical layer includes one or more optical waveguides extending from a first area of the optical circuit board to an edge of the circuit board wherein the flexible support layer extends beyond the edges of the rigid support layer thereby defining a flexible passive optical connector for the circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical printed circuit board blank, comprising, a support layer; one or more optical waveguides formed thereon; and at least one socket for receiving an optical component, the socket including one or more alignment features to ensure alignment of an input/output interface of the said optical component when arranged in the socket with an input/output interface of the at least one waveguide; and a flexible optical connector arranged at an edge of the circuit board, the optical connector being optically connected to the or each of the sockets, to enable optical communication between an optical component located within the or each of the sockets and the optical connector.

Abstract: The invention provides an adapter for an optical printed circuit board, the adapter comprising a socket for receiving a daughter card for connecting to a said optical printed circuit board; and a connector for engagement with the optical printed circuit board arranged such that when the connector engages with the optical printed circuit board an optical connection is established between the optical printed circuit board and the adapter.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical connector for connecting a user circuit to an optical backplane, in use the connector being adapted for mounting on a user circuit. The connector comprises an active or passive photonic interface through which optical signals may be transmitted and received between a user circuit and a said optical backplane. The connector further is comprised of a primary aligner for engagement with a corresponding aligner on a backplane to ensure alignment of the optical interface with the backplane, and a support for supporting the aligner and/or the optical interface on the connector. The support is selected to enable relative movement between a user circuit to which the connector is connected in use and the aligner and/or the optical interface. The support is preferably a flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical printed circuit board, comprising at least one optical waveguide for carrying optical signals on the optical printed circuit board; and a trench formed adjacent the at least one optical waveguide, wherein the trench contains a light absorptive material to absorb light that strays from the at least one waveguide.