Patent ID: 8447150

Claim:
A device for aligning an integrated optical circuit comprising a submicronic operational waveguide ( 53 ) associated with an operational grating ( 52 ) intended for coupling with an optical fiber, further comprising an alignment grating ( 54 ), identical to the operational grating, associated with a blind waveguide ( 55 ) and arranged at a known distance from the operational grating, said blind waveguide comprising a waveguide portion, the core of the waveguide portion being interrupted with the surrounding dielectric cladding, the device for aligning comprising: a circuit positioner that supports and controls movement of the integrated optical circuit; and an optical probe positioner that supports and aligns an optical fiber ( 59 ) on the alignment grating, wherein the circuit positioner and the optical probe position control movement of the integrated optical circuit and the optical fiber to displace the optical fiber with respect to the circuit, while keeping its orientation, by the known distance between the alignment grating and the operational grating.