Abstract

We report the development of a flip-chip end fire coupler which provides efficient coupling between an integrated optics LiNbO₃ channel waveguide chip and a number of single mode fibers. The design shown in Fig. 1 uses a silicon preferentially etched groove fiber positioner.⁽¹⁾ Alignment is accomplished in a single step by viewing through the transparent LiNbO₃ which has been polished on both sides and aligning indiffused registration stripes on the LiNbO₃ with narrow registration grooves etched into the silicon wafer. A special purpose aligner is used for this purpose. To complete the coupler fibers are pressed into the grooves on the silicon wafer. In our experiments the square corner end surface of the channel waveguide was prepared by cleaving the LiNbO₃ crystal.

© 1978 Optical Society of America