Patent ID: 8971679
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: G02B,G03F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for passive alignment of optical devices, the apparatus comprising: a substrate including a trench in a top surface thereof, the trench having a first end positioned at an edge of the substrate and a second end positioned at an interior region of the substrate; a lens disposed on the top surface of the substrate adjacent to the second end of the trench; a top holder having a longitudinal indentation in a bottom surface thereof for mounting an optical fiber, the longitudinal indentation being sized to fit a top portion of the optical fiber such that a bottom portion of the optical fiber extends below the bottom surface of the top holder when the optical fiber is mounted therein, wherein one or both of the substrate and the top holder include one or more spacer features configured for three-dimensional (3D) passive alignment of the optical fiber with the lens when the top holder is brought into contact with the substrate, such that a vertical distance dy between an optical axis of the lens and an optical axis of the optical fiber is less than ¼ of a mode radius of the optical fiber, a horizontal distance dx between the optical axis of the lens and the optical axis of the optical fiber is about ¼ of a mode radius of the optical fiber or less, and a longitudinal spacing dz between an end of the lens and an end of the optical fiber is about a mode radius of the optical fiber or less.