Lightwave Microsystems Corporation

Neophotonics Corporation

Robert Cole

Anthony J Ticknor

Kenneth McGreer

Kenneth Purchase

David James Quirke

Peter D Ascanio

David Menche

Michael Guerrero

Chris P Calkins

Actuators facilitating mechanical beam steering for optical integrated circuits are disclosed. The mechanical beam steering can mitigate thermal sensitivity of optical circuits, for example, arrayed waveguides. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating optical integrated circuits employing actuators.

Method and apparatus facilitating mechanical beam steering for optical integrated circuits

Optical integrated circuits are disclosed having a gap traversing the lens or the waveguide grating and an actuator that controllably positions the optical integrated circuit on each side of the gap. As a result, the thermal sensitivity of the optical integrated circuits, for example, arrayed waveguide gratings, is mitigated. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating optical integrated circuits employing the gap and actuator.

Athermal AWG and AWG with low power consumption using groove of changeable width

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of dicing a substrate containing a plurality of non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits, involving forming stop cracks in the wafer, each stop crack adjacent and substantially parallel one of the non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits, and cutting the substrate in a curvilinear manner substantially parallel to a stop crack. Another aspect of the present invention relates to an optical structure containing a substrate; a plurality of non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits on the substrate, each non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuit having an active region; and at least one stop crack positioned adjacent each non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuit.

Crack propagation stops for dicing of planar lightwave circuit devices

An apparatus and method to cut irregularly shaped dice from a wafer using a fluid jet cutting system. One embodiment of the invention involves a method to cut irregularly shaped dice from a wafer, such as planar light-wave circuit device. The method includes placing a wafer on a fixture; aligning the wafer in the fixture to expose the dice to a fluid jet cutting nozzle; supplying an abrasive to the fluid jet cutting nozzle; supplying a pressurized fluid to the fluid jet cutting nozzle expelling the abrasive in combination with the fluid from the fluid jet cutting nozzle at a velocity sufficient to cut through the wafer, while the fluid jet cutting nozzle moves in relation to the wafer in the fixture; and removing the dice from the fixture after the dice have been cut from the wafer. A second embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus to provide a wafer die cutting system to cut a wafer. The apparatus includes a fixture to align and hold the wafer; a cutting nozzle to expel a fluid and an abrasive towards the wafer at a velocity sufficient to cut through the wafer; a fluid source to supply the fluid to the cutting nozzle; an abrasive source to supply the abrasive to the cutting nozzle; and a mechanism to move the cutting nozzle relative to the wafer in the fixture.

Apparatus and method to dice integrated circuits from a wafer using a pressurized jet

The present invention relates to methods and systems for isolating non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits formed on a brittle substrate. For example, a brittle substrate comprising a plurality of non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits is provided on a water jet cutting system. In the cutting head of the water jet cutting system, a mixture of water and abrasive particles is wet injected into a supply of a high pressure water stream. The non-rectangular shaped optical integrated circuits are isolated by water jet cutting in a curvilinear manner without fatally damaging adjacent optical integrated circuits.

Wet injecting fine abrasives for water jet curved cutting of very brittle materials

Optical circuits are disclosed having one or more alignment guides for aligning the circuits with optical fiber arrays. The alignment guides have loop type optical paths extending between first and second ends, which are positioned in a fixed location relative to waveguides in the optical circuit allowing alignment of an optical fiber array with the circuit using a light source and a light detector connected to the array. In addition, methods and systems are disclosed for aligning optical fiber arrays with waveguides in an optical circuit.

Optical alignment guide and method for aligning an optical fiber array with an optical integrated circuit

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for pigtailing optical integrated circuits, wherein optical integrated circuits (OICs) comprise a shelf upon which optical fibers are located, which provides for passive vertical alignment of fiber arrays with OIC waveguides. A cover plate with channels therein is further provided by which passive alignment in five or six alignment axes can be achieved. Also disclosed are methods for attaching fiber arrays to OICs and for manufacturing OICs.

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Mt. Hamilton, CA, United States of America

Robert Cole