Development of a fabrication technology for integrating low cost optical interconnects on a printed circuit board

Geert Van Steenberge; Nina Hendrickx; Peter Geerinck; Erwin Bosman; Steven Van Put; Jurgen Van Erps; Hugo Thienpont; Peter Van Daele

doi:10.1117/12.644508

10 February 2006 Development of a fabrication technology for integrating low cost optical interconnects on a printed circuit board

Geert Van Steenberge, Nina Hendrickx, Peter Geerinck, Erwin Bosman, Steven Van Put, Jurgen Van Erps, Hugo Thienpont, Peter Van Daele

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6126, Photonics Packaging and Integration VI; 612603 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.644508
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2006, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We present a fabrication technology for integrating polymer waveguides and 45° micromirror couplers into standard electrical printed circuit boards (PCBs). The most critical point that is being addressed is the low-cost manufacturing and the compatibility with current PCB production. The latter refers to the processes as well as material compatibility. Multimode waveguides are patterned by KrF excimer laser ablation in acrylate polymers with 0.13 dB/cm propagation loss at 850 nm. Single mode waveguides using inorganic-organic hybrid polymers show an attenuation loss of 0.62 ± 0.08 dB/cm at 1.3 μm. A process for embedding metal coated 45° micromirrors in optical waveguiding layers is developed. Mirrors are selectively metallized using a lift-off process. Filling up the angled via without the presence of air bubbles and providing a flat surface above the mirror is only possible by enhancing the cladding deposition process with ultrasound agitation. Initial single mode coupling loss measurements at 1.3 μm show an excess mirror loss of 1.55 dB. Multimode coupling loss measurements will improve this excess loss, because of the lower surface roughness of the mirrors using the acrylate polymers for multimode waveguides.

Citation Download Citation

Geert Van Steenberge, Nina Hendrickx, Peter Geerinck, Erwin Bosman, Steven Van Put, Jurgen Van Erps, Hugo Thienpont, and Peter Van Daele "Development of a fabrication technology for integrating low cost optical interconnects on a printed circuit board", Proc. SPIE 6126, Photonics Packaging and Integration VI, 612603 (10 February 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.644508

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available