METHOD FOR CONNECTING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

PURPOSE:To stably exhibit a fixing function by forming a fixing groove having a specific size and adjusting the optical axes of an optical fiber and an optical waveguide in the fixing groove, then dropping a fixing agent to the groove part behind the end face of the optical fiber and allowing the agent to flow to a prescribed position and to cure. CONSTITUTION:The fixing groove 3 which has the width W larger than the outside diameter of the optical fiber 4 and with which the depth of the groove bottom measured from the center of the core layer 3 of the optical waveguide 2 has the size larger than the radius R of the optical fiber 4 is formed near the end part of the optical waveguide 2 on an optical waveguide circuit substrate 1. The optical axes of the optical fiber 4 and the optical waveguide 2 are adjusted in the fixing groove 3; thereafter, the fixing agent 5 is dropped into the groove part behind the end face of the optical fiber and is allowed to flow to the prescribed position and to cure. The amt. of the adhesive agent is determined by the size of the fixing groove 3 and the interracial tension of the adhesive agent. Since the fixing groove 3 can be determined with the good size accuracy, the amt. of the adhesive agent can be controlled with high accuracy. The stress to be applied on the optical fiber 4 on curing of the adhesive agent is controlled in this way and the misalignment of the optical fiber 4 arising from the fixing is prevented.