Chip assembly and method of making a chip assembly

Abstract

Alignment features for an optical fibre assembly are formed directly into an ion trap chip to align an optical module with respect to the ion trap chip. This is achieved using microfabrication techniques to etch alignment elements into the surface of the ion trap chip, advantageously carried out with lithographic precision achieving the alignment accuracy required of the optical beam geometries for the application, with an alignment accuracy of a few micrometres. The alignment elements are advantageously etched along defined crystal planes of the silicon substrate of the chip. An external microstructure can be micromachined with lithographic precision to contain locating features that will fit, or 'plug', into the recesses of the chip, for instance ion microtrap chip.