Optical Testing & Assembly
Improve the fiber-to-chip coupling of your optical testing and assembly processes with core based active alignment for each fiber of your fiber array. Independent and simultaneous control of each fiber core will improve your alignment time, accuracy, and repeatability.
The permanent attachment of optical fibers to components like photonic chips, lenses, or optical fibers is essential to ensure the best optical transmission in your system during its life time. Per fiber based alignment will allow you to develop an assembly process with suppressed misalignment losses.
The "perfect" fiber array
Fiber arrays exhibit a typical core pitch accuracy of 0.3 - 0.5 µm. Multiple applications require a core pitch accuracy of less than 0.1 µm. MicroAlign enables the realization of a new generation of fiber arrays where each fiber core position can be accurately controlled. MicroAlign can help to scale up the fiber arrays dimensions in 1D and 2D by aligning each fiber with the right accuracy and by keeping a low complexity manufacturing process based on the alignment of multiple fibers in a single step.
Applications of technology
Industries
Quantum computing
Communication
Optical transceivers, switches, splitters and AWGs are extensively used in DATACOM and TELECOM networks. The MicroAlign technology has potential to support the manufacturing process of such devices by either improving the fiber alignment accuracy, and by replacing manual alignment operations with an automated solution. The capability of per-fiber based alignment will be a game changer in co-packaged optics as well, where tens of optical fibers are expected to be connected to several photonic chips incapsulated in the same package.
About MicroAlign solution
MicroAlign is developing a revolutionary alignment solution to optimally connect multiple optical fibers and photonics integrated chips.
The problem
Optimal coupling between optical fiber arrays and photonic chips is limited by the core positioning imperfections in fiber arrays.
The solution
The MicroAlign micro actuator provides per-fiber alignment capabilities and can suppress residual misalignment losses due to fiber eccentricity.
The application
The MicroAlign actuation technology, together with the developed control electronics and software, will enable fast and accurate fiber array alignment, in wafer testing and photonic assembly equipment.
