The components for processing and transmitting optical signals have one or more inputs and outputs. The packaging or testing process requires an optical fiber to be adjusted with an accuracy of only a few tenths of a nanometer for each individual input and output. If the so-called alignment process is sequential, it quickly becomes uneconomical due to the time factor. As a result, a solution is required for a simultaneous alignment process on the input and output side that shortens the test duration of the components.
Compact Multiaxis Piezo Systems for Nanopositioning and Fast Fiber Alignment
In a demonstration setup by Physik Instrumente (PI), a waveguide integrated in the wafer is simulated by a single-mode fiber. Fibers with lenses are coupled at the fiber ends via precision PI piezo-based XYZ stages. The positioning systems have a fast scanning velocity and are able to perform alignment in several degrees of freedom – simultaneously at the input and output.
The travel ranges along the X, Y and Z axis are 25 mm for initial alignment of the fibers and 100 µm for the position-controlled scan. The modular PI motion controller platform used with these piezo based XYZ stages has been adapted for this task and can control six motorised and six piezo actuator axes simultaneously.
