JP5061008B2 - Electro-optic module manufacturing method and electro-optic module - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electro-optic module and a manufacturing method thereof.

  Electric field communication using the surface of the body as a transmission path uses a photonic electric field sensor that detects the optical properties of the electro-optic crystal due to the electric field with laser light to measure subtle changes in the electric field and transmit information. It is. For example, the thing of patent document 1 is known as what utilized electric field communication.

  Since the electro-optic element used in the photonic electric field sensor is a comparatively large one with a size on the order of millimeters, a ridge is shaved from a rectangular parallelepiped electro-optic crystal, and this electro-optic element is manufactured. It was.

  However, when processed by hand, there is a problem that it is difficult to produce in large quantities, and the electro-optic crystal to be processed is in the order of millimeters and has a pattern compared to conventional semiconductor elements. Because of its large size, it is desirable to process at low cost without using expensive fine processing techniques such as dry etching.

  In order to improve the reproducibility and efficiency of manufacturing with the aim of these improvements, dicing and cleaving techniques can be used to enable small-scale mass production with a thin ridge. For example, the technique described in Patent Document 2 is known as a technique using dicing and cleavage techniques.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a conventional electro-optic module. An electro-optic module 100 shown in FIG. 1 detects an electric field by an electro-optic technique using laser light and an electro-optic element 150, and includes an electro-optic element 150, a laser diode 110, and photodiodes 115 and 116. A lens 111, a polarizing beam splitter 112, and a wave plate 113 are installed at the front stage of the electro-optical element 150, and a polarizing beam splitter 114 is installed at the rear stage of the electro-optical element 150. The electro-optical element 150 includes a ridge portion through which laser light passes, and electrodes are formed on both sides of the ridge portion so as to face each other.
JP 2005-277719 A JP 2007-183517 A

  However, even if the electro-optic element is miniaturized while maintaining the performance by using dicing and cleaving technology, the electro-optic element alone is a part of the function as the electro-optic module. However, it is complicated because precise adjustment of the optical axis, alignment, and the like is necessary, and from the viewpoint of cost, the electro-optic module is not expected to be cheap. Specifically, in order to align the optical axis, the electro-optical element is aligned while passing light.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to enable production of an electro-optic module incorporating electro-optic elements in a large amount at a low cost.

The electro-optic module manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the present invention is a process of producing a support base having an installation portion that matches each shape and arrangement of a plurality of optical components including an electro-optic element by an injection molding method or an imprint method. And a step of covering the support base with a three-dimensional mask having an exposed portion corresponding to the installation portion where the electro-optic element is arranged, depositing an electrode material to form an electrode, and arranging a plurality of optical components on a predetermined installation portion a step, was closed, installing part of placing the electro-optical device, there is provided with a groove for clamping an electro-optical element on the upper surface of the installing part, in the step of forming the electrode, the electrode on the bottom surface of the groove A pair of electrodes having a structure in which an electric field is applied perpendicularly to laser light incident on an electro-optic element is formed by oblique vapor deposition from two directions so that no material is attached .

  In the present invention, since the installation portion for fixing the optical component to the support base is formed in advance, precise optical axis alignment is not required, so the manufacturing process of the electro-optic module is greatly simplified, In addition, a module can be manufactured to reduce the cost.

  In the present invention, by previously forming an electrode on the installation portion of the electro-optic element, when the electro-optic element is placed on the installation portion, the electro-optic element and the electrode are simply connected with silver paste or the like. Since it is good, the manufacturing process of the electro-optic module can be simplified.

  In the present invention, it is possible to easily form a pair of electrically separated electrodes by forming a pair of electrodes by oblique vapor deposition from two directions with respect to a groove in which the electro-optic element is disposed. Become.

Electro-optical module according to a second aspect of the present invention, possess a plurality of optical components, including an electro-optical element, a support base having an installation portion that matches the respective shape and arrangement of a plurality of optical components, and electrical The installation portion for arranging the optical element is provided with a groove for sandwiching the electro-optic element on the upper surface of the installation portion, and an electric field is applied perpendicularly to the laser beam incident on the electro-optic element. A pair of electrodes having a structure to be formed is formed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to produce an electro-optic module incorporating electro-optic elements in a large amount at a low cost.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the electro-optic module in the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a top view thereof. The electro-optic module 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 detects an electric field by an electro-optic technique using a laser beam and an electro-optic element 20, and various optical components are arranged on a support base 10. .

  The support base 10 is formed with an electro-optic element support portion 11 having a recess extending in the longitudinal direction. A pair of electrodes 12 and 13 are formed on both sides of the concave portion from the inner side surface of the concave portion to the upper surface and side surface of the electro-optic element support portion 11 and part of the upper surface of the support base 10. The electro-optic element 20 is disposed in the recess and is fixed with an adhesive 21. Electrodes are formed on both side surfaces of the electro-optical element 20, and the electrodes of the electro-optical element 20 and the electrodes 12 and 13 formed on the support base 10 are electrically connected by silver paste 22 or solder. The electrodes on both sides of the electro-optic element 20 have a structure in which an electric field is applied perpendicularly to the laser light incident on the electro-optic element 20. An AR coating is applied to the end face of the electro-optic element 20 on which the laser light is incident. The electro-optic element 20 in the present embodiment has a width of 0.2 mm, a height of 0.5 mm, and a length of 7.0 mm.

  The electro-optic module 1 includes a laser diode 110, a lens 111, polarizing beam splitters 112 and 114, a wave plate 113, and photodiodes 115 and 116 as optical components. Each optical component is fixed to an installation part formed in a concave shape on the upper part of the support base 10 so as to match the shape and arrangement thereof. Specifically, a laser diode 110, a lens 111, a polarization beam splitter 112, and a wave plate 113 are disposed in front of the electro-optical element 20, and a polarization beam splitter 114 and photodiodes 115 and 116 are disposed in the subsequent stage of the electro-optical element 20. Is placed.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the electro-optic module will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process of manufacturing the support base 10 by injection molding using a mold. The molds 31 and 32 engraved with the pattern of the support 10 are bonded together and the resin is poured. And the resin-made support stand 10 to which the pattern was transferred is taken out. A plurality of installation portions 15 and electro-optical element support portions 11 for installing various optical components are formed on the support base 10. The installation portion 15 has a concave shape that matches the shape and arrangement of each optical component, and has a structure for fitting the optical component. The electro-optical element support 11 has a structure including a groove for sandwiching the electro-optical element 20 on the upper surface thereof. The installation portion 15 is not limited to a concave shape, and may be a convex shape that fixes each optical component in accordance with its shape and arrangement.

  The material of the support base 10 is insulative, and has a high fluidity suitable for the micro-shaped molds 31 and 32 in the micron order in the molten state. After solidifying, the electro-optic element support part 11 and the installation part 15 are provided. Use a material that does not collapse and has excellent heat resistance. For example, some materials called liquid crystal polymers are suitable for the injection molding. In addition, if it has the said characteristic, you may produce similarly by the imprint method which presses a casting_mold | template and produces a pattern instead of injection molding.

  In the subsequent process, an electrode is formed on the electro-optical element support 11. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a process of mounting the three-dimensional mask 50 on the support base 10. A resin-made three-dimensional mask 50 is mounted on the support base 10 having a three-dimensional shape. The three-dimensional mask 50 has a structure in which portions where electrodes are formed on the support base 10 are cut out. Specifically, when the three-dimensional mask 50 is mounted on the support base 10, the electro-optical element support portion 11 and a part of the upper surface of the support base 10 connected to the electro-optical element support portion 11 are exposed. The end face on the laser beam entrance / exit side of the electro-optic element support 11 is protected so that no electrode is formed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a process of depositing electrodes on the support 10 on which the three-dimensional mask 50 is mounted. FIG. 2A is a perspective view thereof, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the electro-optical element support portion 11. The support 10 on which the three-dimensional mask 50 is mounted is placed in a vacuum chamber, and an electrode material (for example, Cr, Au) is obliquely deposited. When the electrode is formed by vertical vapor deposition, the electrode is short-circuited at the bottom surface 11a of the groove in which the electro-optical element 20 is disposed on the electro-optical element support portion 11, and the electro-optical element 20 does not function. This prevents the bottom surface 11a from being deposited. As shown in FIG. 5B, an electrode can be formed on the exposed portion excluding the bottom surface 11a by performing oblique deposition from two directions. Since the groove has a width of 0.2 mm and a height of 0.5 mm, an electrode is not formed on the bottom surface 11a by performing oblique deposition from two directions at an angle of 68 degrees or less with respect to the bottom surface 11a. .

  FIG. 6 is a view showing the support base 10 on which electrodes are formed. When the support base 10 is taken out from the vacuum chamber and the three-dimensional mask 50 is removed, the support base 10 on which the pair of electrodes 12 and 13 are formed is completed. The electrodes 12 and 13 are formed on part of the upper surfaces of the electro-optic element support 11 and the support 10. However, electrodes are not formed on both end surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the electro-optical element support 11 and the bottom surface 11a of the groove in which the electro-optical element 20 is disposed.

  In the subsequent process, the electro-optic element 20 is disposed on the electro-optic element support 11. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the electro-optical element 20 is disposed. The electro-optic element 20 in which electrodes are formed in advance in the groove of the electro-optic element support 11 is mounted and fixed with an adhesive 21. Using the silver paste 22, the electrode of the electro-optic element 20 and the electrode formed on the support base 10 are made conductive.

  Then, the laser diode 110, the lens 111, the polarization beam splitters 112 and 114, the wave plate 113, and the photodiodes 115 and 116 are mounted on each of the installation portions 15 formed on the support base 10 and fixed with an adhesive. Thereby, the electro-optic module 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is completed. Within a certain accuracy, the electro-optic module 1 can be manufactured only by arranging optical components without performing optical axis alignment as in the prior art.

  Next, a usage example of the electro-optic module 1 will be described. FIG. 8 shows an electric field detection optical device using the electro-optic module 1. The electric field detection optical apparatus shown in the figure detects an electric field by an electro-optical technique using laser light and the electro-optical element 20. The electrodes 12 and 13 of the electro-optic module 1 are connected to the ground electrode 121 and the signal electrode 120, respectively. Laser light emitted from the laser diode 110 of the electro-optic module 1 enters the polarization beam splitter 112 via the lens 111 and enters the end face of the electro-optic element 20 via the wave plate 113. The incident laser light is modulated by the electric field from the signal electrode 120 while passing through the electro-optic element 20 and is emitted from the opposite end face. Laser light emitted from the electro-optical element 20 is separated into a P-wave component and an S-wave component by the polarization beam splitter 114 and converted into an electric signal by the photodiodes 115 and 116.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the support base 10 including the electro-optic element support portion 11 where the electro-optic element 20 is arranged and the installation portion 15 where each optical component is arranged is integrally formed by injection molding. This eliminates the need for precise optical axis alignment, so that the electro-optic module 1 can be manufactured in large quantities and the cost can be reduced.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an electro-optic module according to an embodiment. It is a top view of the electro-optic module. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the process of producing the support stand of the said electro-optic module. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the process of mounting | wearing the said support stand with a three-dimensional mask. (A) It is a perspective view for demonstrating the process of vapor-depositing an electrode on the said support stand equipped with the three-dimensional mask, (b) is sectional drawing of an electro-optic element support part. It is a perspective view which shows the support stand in which the electrode was formed. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the process of arrange | positioning an electro-optic element to the said support stand. It is a top view which shows the usage example of an electro-optic module. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the conventional electro-optic module.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electro-optical module 10 ... Support part 11 ... Electro-optical element support part 12, 13 ... Electrode 15 ... Installation part 20 ... Electro-optical element 21 ... Adhesive 22 ... Silver paste 31, 32 ... Mold 50 ... Three-dimensional mask 100 ... Electro-optic module 110 ... Laser diode 111 ... Lens 112,114 ... Polarizing beam splitter 113 ... Wave plate 115,116 ... Photo diode 120 ... Signal electrode 121 ... Ground electrode 150 ... Electro-optic element

Claims (2)

A step of producing a support base having an installation portion that matches the shape and arrangement of each of a plurality of optical components including an electro-optic element by an injection molding method or an imprint method;
Covering the support base with a three-dimensional mask in which a portion corresponding to the installation portion for arranging the electro-optic element is exposed, and forming an electrode by evaporating an electrode material;
Have a, placing said plurality of optical components in a predetermined the installation portion,
The installation portion for arranging the electro-optic element includes a groove for sandwiching the electro-optic element on an upper surface of the installation portion,
In the step of forming the electrode, a pair of structures in which an electric field is applied perpendicularly to the laser light incident on the electro-optic element by oblique deposition from two directions so that the electrode material is not attached to the bottom surface of the groove. An electro-optic module manufacturing method characterized by forming an electrode . A plurality of optical components including electro-optic elements;
Have a, a support base having an installation portion that matches the respective shape and arrangement of the plurality of optical components,
The installation portion for arranging the electro-optic element includes a groove for sandwiching the electro-optic element on an upper surface of the installation portion,
An electro-optic module , wherein the groove is formed with a pair of electrodes configured to apply an electric field perpendicularly to laser light incident on the electro-optic element .

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