Patent attributes
A photonic integrated chip having low insertion loss and facilitating alignment of the optical fiber with an optical device, preferably a waveguide or optical detector. The photonic integrated chip includes an optical fiber having a substantially spherical lens attached to one end. The device includes an etched via that receives the spherical lens attached to the optical fiber. An optical device is aligned with the via opposite the spherical lens such that light transmitted through the spherical lens is transmitted to the optical device. An anti-reflection coating is preferably applied on the end of the optical device abutting the via and the surface of the spherical lens to reduce scattering and insertion loss during transmission of data from the spherical lens to the optical device. Index matching fluid is alternatively disposed between the spherical lens and the via for this same purpose.
