Patent ID: 7511258

Claim:
A method of preparing a first optical component for incorporation into an optical subassembly, said optical subassembly having a top and bottom orientation and comprising a platform defining an upward-facing V-groove with walls of a certain pitch; said method comprising: (a) defining, in a single photolithography step, the location of (i) at least two parallel V-grooves in a wafer to define at least one center portion having a reference surface between two V-grooves and a side portion on either side of said center portion; and (ii) a fiducial location for mounting a first optical element on said center portion between said parallel V-grooves, said fiducial being a certain distance relative to said parallel V-grooves; (b) etching said V-grooves to define side walls of the center portion; (c) creating a fiducial at said fiducial location; (d) securing an optical element to said center portion relative to said fiducial; and (e) separating said side portions from said center portion along said V-grooves to define said first optical component; (f) inverting said first optical component in said upwardly-facing V-groove of said platform such that said first optical component is supported by said platform solely by the contact of said sides against said walls.