PASSIVE OPTOELECTRONIC COMPONENT MANUFACTURING

摘要

The infrastructure required for fiber optic communication systems to become truly affordable includes a supply of individual components at a price that can only be achieved through full automation of the packaging processes. We illustrate the manufacturing of typical passive photonics components through the case of a polarization dependent optical isolator. Identification of the available options here requires an understanding of the underlying optical principles and functionality, as well as of the influences of process variations and part tolerances on performance. Issues relating to cost, ease of manufacturing and automation are discussed. These include component design and materials selection, as well as questions of intellectual property.