title: Low-loss passive alignment of single-mode fibers in low-temperature cofired ceramics using CO2 laser fabricated U-grooves.
abstract: We report a step toward optoelectronic integration on low-temperature cofired ceramics substrates in the form of fiber alignment U-grooves. The precision of the CO2 laser machining of green state ceramic for this purpose is investigated. The groove-writing process with a speed of 1 mm/s was carried out in air at room temperature and ambient pressure. The process is to a large extent self-cleaning without any gas jet assist. By analysis of groove profiles after firing of a near-zero shrinkage green tape formulation, it is shown that the cutting accuracy is approximately 2 microm, which is at the fundamental limit set by the particle size (1-5 microm). We demonstrate low-loss butt coupling of <1 dB for single-mode fibers using the laser written U-grooves. The technique exhibits a potential for fabrication of low-cost fiber ribbon and fiber array connectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. k.m.nowak@hw.ac.uk
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bell