Abstrict A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method including
the steps of preparing a silicon wafer having a plurality of embedded
optical waveguides, performing first-stage dicing of the silicon
wafer to form a cut groove by using a first resin diamond blade
having a thickness t1 and performing second-stage dicing of the
silicon wafer along the cut groove to polish an end face of each
optical waveguide by using a second resin diamond blade having a
thickness t2 greater than the thickness t1. The second resin diamond
blade includes diamond abrasive grains having a grain diameter of
2 .mu.m or less, and the relation between the thicknesses t1 and
t2 is set to t1+0.01 mm.ltoreq.t2.ltoreq.t1+0.05 mm.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method comprising
the steps of: performing first-stage dicing of a silicon wafer having
a silicon substrate and a plurality of optical waveguides formed
on said silicon substrate to form a cut groove by using a first
resin diamond blade having a thickness t1; and performing second-stage
dicing of said silicon wafer along said cut groove to polish an
end face of each of said optical waveguides by using a second resin
diamond blade having a thickness t2 greater than said thickness
t1; said second resin diamond blade including diamond abrasive grains
having a grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less; the relation between
said thickness t1 and said thickness t2 being set to t1+0.01 mm.ltoreq.t2.ltoreq.t1+0.05
mm.
2. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 1 wherein said second resin diamond blade further includes
cerium oxide abrasive grains having an average grain diameter of
0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %.
3. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 2 wherein: the total content of said diamond abrasive
grains and said cerium oxide abrasive grains with respect to the
volume of said second resin diamond blade is 20 to 40 vol %; and
the content of said cerium oxide abrasive grains with respect to
the total volume of said diamond abrasive grains and said cerium
oxide abrasive grains is 35 to 70 vol %.
4. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 2 wherein the rotational speed of said first and second
resin diamond blades is 10000 to 30000 rpm, and the depth of cut
per stroke is 0.02 to 1.5 mm.
5. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 4 wherein the feed speed of said silicon wafer is 0.1
to 1.5 mm/sec in cutting said optical waveguides and 0.1 to 5.0
mm/sec in cutting said silicon substrate.
6. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method comprising
the steps of: bonding a first silicon wafer having a plurality of
optical waveguides on a second silicon wafer; performing first-stage
dicing of said first and second silicon wafers to form a first cut
groove by using a first resin diamond blade having a thickness t1;
and performing second-stage dicing of said first and second silicon
wafers along said first cut groove to form a second cut groove shallower
than said first cut groove by using a second resin diamond blade
having a thickness t2 greater than said thickness t1; said second
resin diamond blade including diamond abrasive grains having a grain
diameter of 2 .mu.m or less.
7. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 6 wherein said second resin diamond blade further includes
cerium oxide abrasive grains having an average grain diameter of
0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %.
8. A silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to claim 7 wherein: the total content of said diamond abrasive
grains and said cerium oxide abrasive grains with respect to the
volume of said second resin diamond blade is 20 to 40 vol %; and
the content of said cerium oxide abrasive grains with respect to
the total volume of said diamond abrasive grains and said cerium
oxide abrasive grains is 35 to 70 vol %.
9. A resin diamond blade comprising: diamond abrasive grains having
a grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less; cerium oxide abrasive grains
having an average grain diameter of 0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m and a purity
of 35 to 95 wt %; a bonding resin for bonding said diamond abrasive
grains and said cerium oxide abrasive grains; the total content
of said diamond abrasive grains and said cerium oxide abrasive grains
with respect to the volume of said resin diamond blade being 20
to 40 vol %; and the content of said cerium oxide abrasive grains
with respect to the total volume of said diamond abrasive grains
and said cerium oxide abrasive grains being 35 to 70 vol %.
10. A resin diamond blade according to claim 9 wherein said cerium
oxide abrasive grains have an average grain diameter of about 3
.mu.m and a purity of about 60 wt %.
11. A resin diamond blade according to claim 9 wherein: the total
content of said diamond abrasive grains and said cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the volume of said resin diamond blade is
about 25 vol %; and the content of said cerium oxide abrasive grains
with respect to the total volume of said diamond abrasive grains
and said cerium oxide abrasive grains is about 50 vol %.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a resin diamond blade and
a silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method using the
blade.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] An optical device using an optical waveguide is becoming
increasingly necessary with the evolution of optical communication,
and the development of optical components such as an optical brancher/coupler,
optical multiplexer/demultiplexer, optical modulator, optical switch,
and optical wavelength converter is accordingly becoming important.
Typical examples of the optical waveguide well known in the art
include an optical waveguide formed by diffusing Ti in a single-crystal
substrate of LiNbO.sub.3 an optical waveguide formed by depositing
SiO.sub.2 on a silicon substrate, and a polymer optical waveguide.
A light incidence end face and a light emergence end face of the
optical waveguide correspond to portions for optical coupling of
lightwaves propagating in the optical waveguide and lightwaves propagating
outside of the optical waveguide. Accordingly, the finished condition
of each end face has an important effect on optical loss in the
whole of the optical waveguide device.
[0005] Each end face of the optical waveguide is conventionally
formed by various techniques such as polishing, cleaving, and cutting.
The formation of the end face by polishing is superior both in surface
roughness of a finished surface and in generation rate of chipping,
and this technique is applied to a LiNbO.sub.3 optical waveguide
and a so-called silicon base optical waveguide formed by depositing
SiO.sub.2 on a silicon substrate. However, much time is required
for polishing, causing a reduction in throughput and an increase
in working cost. The formation of the end face by cleaving is applied
to a semiconductor optical waveguide of GaAs, for example, and this
technique has an advantage that the end face can be quickly obtained
with smoothness at a crystal lattice level. However, since this
technique is a method utilizing the anisotropy of crystal, the application
of this method is limited to a high-cleavage orientation of a high-cleavage
material, and this method cannot be applied to a low-cleavage material.
[0006] To the contrary, the formation of the end face by abrasive
cutting using a diamond blade or the like is applicable also to
a low-cleavage material. Moreover, this technique is superior in
throughput and working cost because the end face can be formed faster
than polishing. Accordingly, this abrasive cutting method has recently
been examined as a method for forming the end faces of various optical
waveguides. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-68913
discloses a technique of simultaneously performing dicing of a silicon
wafer and polishing of the end face of a silicon base optical waveguide
by using a resin bonded diamond blade for cutting the optical-waveguide.
According to this method described in the above publication, the
silicon wafer having the optical waveguide is mounted on a bonded
structure, and the resin bonded diamond blade is rotated at a high
speed (18000-35000 rpm) to cut the silicon wafer being fed at
an appropriate speed, thereby simultaneously performing dicing of
the silicon wafer and polishing of the end face of the optical waveguide.
[0007] The optical waveguide manufacturing method described in
the above publication has been followed by the present inventor.
As the result, it has been found that the smoothness of the end
face of the optical waveguide is insufficient and it cannot be put
to practical use unless additional polishing is performed. That
is, the end face of the optical waveguide must have a surface roughness
(smoothness) of .lambda./4 or less where .lambda. is the wavelength
of light for use, so as to sufficiently suppress optical loss in
the whole of the optical waveguide device. However, such a smooth
end face cannot be obtained by the method described in the above
publication, according to the test made by the present inventor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide
a silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method which can
form a satisfactory end face of each optical waveguide.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide
a resin diamond blade which can perform polishing of the end face
of each optical waveguide simultaneously with dicing of a silicon
wafer.
[0010] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method
comprising the steps of performing first-stage dicing of a silicon
wafer having a silicon substrate and a plurality of optical waveguides
formed on the silicon substrate to form a cut groove by using a
first resin diamond blade having a thickness t1; and performing
second-stage dicing of the silicon wafer along the cut groove to
polish an end face of each of the optical waveguides by using a
second resin diamond-blade having a thickness t2 greater than the
thickness t1. The second resin diamond blade includes diamond abrasive
grains having a grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less. The relation
between the thickness t1 and the thickness t2 is set to t1+0.01
mm.ltoreq.e t2.ltoreq.t1+0.05 mm.
[0011] Preferably, the second resin diamond blade further includes-cerium
oxide abrasive grains having an average grain diameter of 0.1 to
5.0 .mu.m and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %. More preferably, the total
content of the diamond abrasive grains and the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the volume of the second resin diamond blade
is 20 to 40 vol %. Further the content of the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the total volume of the diamond abrasive
grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains is 35 to 70 vol %. Further,
the rotational speed of the first and second resin diamond blades
is 10000 to 30000 rpm, and the depth of cut per stroke is 0.02
to 1.5 mm. More preferably, the feed speed of the silicon wafer
is 0.1 to 1.5 mm/sec in cutting the optical waveguides and 0.1 to
5.0 mm/sec in cutting the silicon substrate.
[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing
method comprising the steps of bonding a first silicon wafer having
a plurality of optical waveguides on a second silicon wafer; performing
first-stage dicing of the first and second silicon wafers to form
a first cut groove by using a first resin diamond blade having a
thickness t1; and performing second-stage dicing of the first and
second-silicon wafers along the first cut groove to form a second
cut groove shallower than the first cut groove by using a second
resin diamond blade having a thickness t2 greater than the thickness
t1. The second resin diamond blade includes diamond abrasive grains
having a grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less.
[0013] Preferably, the second resin diamond blade further includes
cerium oxide abrasive grains having an average grain diameter of
0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %.
[0014] In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a resin diamond blade comprising diamond abrasive
grains having a grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less; cerium oxide
abrasive grains having an average grain diameter of 0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m
and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %; and a bonding resin for bonding the
diamond abrasive grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains. The
total content of the diamond abrasive grains and the cerium oxide
abrasive grains with respect to the volume of the resin diamond
blade is 20 to 40 vol %; the content of the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the total volume of the diamond abrasive
grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains being 35 to 70 vol %.
[0015] Preferably, the cerium oxide abrasive grains have an average
grain diameter of about 3 .mu.m and a purity of about 60 wt %. Further,
the total content of the diamond abrasive grains and the cerium
oxide abrasive grains with respect to the volume of the resin diamond
blade is about 25 vol %. The content of the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the total volume of the diamond abrasive
grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains is about 50 vol %.
[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of
the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become
more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood
from a study of the following description and appended claims with
reference to the attached drawings showing some preferred embodiments
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a dicing device usable in
the optical waveguide manufacturing method according to the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a double-cut dicing device;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a dicing method for a
silicon base optical waveguide work;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the silicon base optical
waveguide work shown in FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 5A is a sectional view illustrating first-stage dicing;
and
[0022] FIG. 5B is a sectional view illustrating second-stage dicing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a schematic view of
a dicing device usable in the optical waveguide manufacturing method
according to the present invention. The dicing device has a spindle
4 on which a resin diamond blade 2 is mounted. The resin diamond
blade 2 is rotated at a speed of about 10000 to 30000 rpm in a
direction of arrow R by the rotation of the spindle 4. In a specific
example, the resin diamond blade 2 is rotated at a speed of about
15000 rpm. Reference numeral 6 denotes a silicon wafer having a
plurality of embedded optical waveguides. During dicing of the silicon
wafer 6 by the resin diamond blade 2 a cutting water 14 is sprayed
from a front nozzle 8 and a pair of opposite side nozzles 10 and
12 onto the blade 2.
[0024] The cutting water 14 is preferably provided by pure water.
However, normal water may be used as the cutting water 14. By spraying
the cutting water 14 onto the resin diamond blade 2 chips generated
by the dicing of the silicon wafer 6 are washed away by the cutting
water 14 and loading of the resin diamond blade 2 is also prevented.
The resin diamond blade 2 is detachably mounted on the spindle 4
so that various blades having different abrasive grain sizes are
selectively used according to applications. For example, a blade
having diamond abrasive grains with a grain size of #1000 (grain
diameter of 8 to 20 .mu.m) or a blade having diamond abrasive grains
with a grain size of #6000 (grain diameter of 2 .mu.m or less) may
be used.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a double-cut dicing device.
The double-cut dicing device includes a first dicing unit 18 having
a first resin diamond blade 2 and a second dicing unit 26 having
a second resin diamond blade 22. Reference numeral 24 denotes a
spindle in the second dicing unit 26. The first resin diamond blade
2 is used for first-stage-dicing, and the second resin diamond blade
22 is used for second-stage dicing. The first resin diamond blade
2 has relatively coarse diamond abrasive grains, and the second
resin diamond blade 22 has relatively fine diamond abrasive grains.
The silicon wafer 6 to be diced is set on a table 16 by suction,
for example. The table 16 is movable in X and Y directions orthogonal
to each other. The first and second resin diamond blades 2 and 22
are movable in a vertical direction (Z direction).
[0026] FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a dicing method for a
silicon base optical waveguide work (silicon wafer having optical
waveguides) 6 and FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the silicon
base optical waveguide work 6 shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG.
4 the silicon base optical waveguide work 6 is bonded by a wax
to a lower silicon wafer 38 for dicing, and the lower silicon wafer
38 is bonded by a wax to a glass plate 40 for suction. Referring
back to FIG. 3 the silicon wafer 6 is formed with a plurality of
embedded optical waveguides 28 arrayed in one direction. The silicon
wafer 6 is a 6-inch wafer, for example. Each optical waveguide 28
has a width of 5 to 10 mm, for example. The silicon wafer 6 is diced
in the Y direction along three cutting lines 30 perpendicular to
the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguides 28 and in the
X direction along 5 to 15 cutting lines 32 parallel to the longitudinal
direction of the optical waveguides 28 thereby cutting and separating
the optical waveguides 28.
[0027] Referring again to FIG. 4 the silicon wafer 6 has a thickness
of 1.04 mm. The silicon wafer 6 includes a silicon substrate 34
and the optical waveguides 28 of SiO.sub.2 formed on the silicon
substrate 34. Each optical waveguide 28 has a thickness of 0.04
mm. The lower silicon wafer 38 has a thickness of 1.00 mm, and the
glass plate 40 has a thickness of 5.00 mm. Reference numeral 42
denotes a dicing stop position. According to the dicing method of
the present invention, the silicon wafer 6 having the optical waveguides
28 is fully cut across its thickness, and the lower silicon wafer
38 is partially cut to such a depth as shown by the dicing stop
position 42.
[0028] The resin diamond blade according to the present invention
and the silicon base optical waveguide manufacturing method using
this blade according to the present invention will now be described
in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B. The first resin
diamond blade 2 shown in FIG. 5A is a known blade, which is configured
by bonding diamond abrasive grains having a grain size of #1000
(grain diameter of 8 to 20 .mu.m) with phenolic resin, for example.
The first resin diamond blade 2 has an outer diameter of 76.2 mm
and a thickness of 200 .mu.m. The first resin diamond blade 2 is
used for the first-stage dicing.
[0029] The second resin diamond blade 22 shown in FIG. 5B is a
novel blade having the following configuration. The second resin-diamond
blade 22 has an outer diameter of 76.2 mm and a thickness of 220
.mu.m. In embodying the optical waveguide manufacturing method according
to the present invention, the relation between the thickness t1
of the first resin diamond blade 2 and the thickness t2 of the second
resin diamond blade 22 is especially important. This relation will
be hereinafter described in detail.
[0030] The second resin diamond blade 22 has such a structure that
diamond abrasive grains and cerium oxide abrasive grains adhere
to a bonding resin as a resin bond. Thermosetting phenolic resin
(e.g., manufactured by Sumitomo Durez Co., Ltd., solid content of
70%), polyimide resin, etc. may be adopted as the bonding resin.
The diamond abrasive grains of the blade 22 preferably have a grain
diameter of 2 .mu.m or less, that is, finer than a grain size of
#6000. If the grain diameter of the diamond abrasive grains is greater
than 2 .mu.m, a sufficient polishing performance cannot be exhibited.
In other words, if diamond abrasive grains having a grain diameter
of greater than 2 .mu.m are used, a surface roughness of .lambda./4
or less required for the end face of the optical waveguide cannot
be achieved, where .lambda. is the wavelength of light propagating
in the optical waveguide.
[0031] Preferably, the cerium oxide abrasive grains have an average
grain diameter of 0.1 to 5.0 .mu.m and a purity of 35 to 95 wt %.
If the average grain diameter of the cerium oxide abrasive grains
is less than 0.1 .mu.m, the polishing rate becomes extremely low.
Conversely, if the average grain diameter is greater than 5.0 .mu.m,
scratches due to the coarse grains are generated on the end face
of the optical waveguide, causing an increase in the surface roughness.
There are various purities of products for cerium oxide. If the
content of cerium oxide in the cerium oxide abrasive grains is less
than 35 wt %, the polishing performance of cerium oxide cannot be
sufficiently exhibited because of a larger content of impurities,
so that the polishing rate becomes extremely low. Conversely, if
the content of cerium oxide in the cerium oxide abrasive grains
is greater than 95 wt %, the polishing rate similarly becomes low.
Moreover, an added cost of purification is required, causing an
increase in unit price of the cerium oxide abrasive grains to result
in an increase in polishing cost. In a specific example, the cerium
oxide abrasive grains have an average grain diameter of about 3
.mu.m and a purity of about 60 wt %.
[0032] Preferably, the total content of the diamond abrasive grains
and the cerium oxide abrasive grains with respect to the volume
of the blade 22 is 20 to 40 vol %. In a specific example, the total
content of the diamond abrasive grains and the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the volume of the blade 22 is set to about
25 vol %. Furthermore, the content of the cerium oxide abrasive
grains with respect to the total volume of the diamond abrasive
grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains is preferably set to
35 to 70 vol %. In a specific example, the ratio of the diamond
abrasive grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains is set to about
1:1 by volume.
[0033] The second resin diamond blade 22 is manufactured in the
following manner. The diamond abrasive grains, the cerium oxide
abrasive grains, the phenolic resin powder (manufactured by Sumitomo
Durez Co., Ltd., solid content of 70%), and additives (minute amounts
of Cu, Ni, and Al) are mixed together with stirring. The contents
of the diamond abrasive grains and the cerium oxide abrasive grains
are equal to each other by vol %. The mixture thus prepared is charged
into a given die, and pressed to be solidified. The molding thus
obtained is next heat-treated at about 150.degree. C. for three
hours for hardening.
[0034] There will now be described in detail the two-stage dicing
method according to the present invention using the first resin
diamond blade 2 and the second resin diamond blade 22. As shown
in FIG. 5A, the first-stage dicing of the silicon wafer 6 is performed
by using the first resin diamond blade 2 having a thickness of 200
.mu.m. The rotational speed of the first resin diamond blade 2 is
set to 10000 to 30000 rpm. In a specific example, the speed is
set to 15000 rpm. The depth of cut by the first resin diamond blade
2 per stroke is set to 0.02 to 1.5 mm. In this case, the depth is
set to 0.05 mm.
[0035] While the silicon wafer 6 is fed in the X direction or the
Y direction during dicing, the feed speed of the silicon wafer 6
is set to 0.1 to 1.5 mm/sec, preferably, in cutting the optical
waveguides 28 and 0.1 to 5.0 mm/sec, preferably, in cutting the
silicon substrate 34 and the lower silicon wafer 38. In a specific
example, the feed speed of the silicon wafer 6 is set to 0.2 mm/sec
in cutting the optical waveguides 28 and 2.0 mm/sec in cutting the
silicon substrate 34 and the lower silicon wafer 38.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 5A, the optical waveguides 28 of SiO.sub.2
as a principal component are formed on the silicon substrate 34
by CVD. Each optical waveguide 28 includes an under cladding 44
a core 46 and an over cladding 48. Each of the under cladding 44
and the over cladding 48 is doped with B and P, and the core 46
is doped with Ge and P. In the first-stage dicing shown in FIG.
5A, the total depth of cut is set to 1.4 mm from the surface of
each optical waveguide 28. Accordingly, the silicon wafer 6 is fully
cut across its thickness of 1.04 mm, and the lower silicon wafer
38 is partially cut to its mid position of the thickness. The grain
size of the diamond abrasive grains of the first resin diamond blade
2 is #1000 (grain diameter of 8 to 20 .mu.m).
[0037] After the first-stage dicing is finished, the second-stage
dicing shown in FIG. 5B is performed by using the second resin diamond
blade 22 and applying it to a cut groove 50 formed in the first-stage
dicing. The second resin diamond blade 22 has a thickness of 220
.mu.m. The rotational speed of the second resin diamond blade 22
is set to 10000 to 30000 rpm. In this case, the speed is set to
15000 rpm.
[0038] The depth of cut by the second resin diamond blade 22 per
stroke is set to 0.02 to 1.5 mm. In a specific example, the depth
is set to 0.05 mm. The feed speed of the silicon wafer 6 is set
to 0.1 to 1.5 mm/sec, preferably, in cutting the optical waveguides
28 and 0.1 to 5.0 mm/sec, preferably, in cutting the silicon substrate
34 and the lower silicon wafer 38. In a specific example, the feed
speed of the silicon wafer 6 is set to 0.2 mm/sec in cutting the
optical waveguides 28 and 2.0 mm/sec in cutting the silicon substrate
34 and the lower silicon wafer 38. Both in the first-stage dicing
and in the second-stage dicing, the cutting water 14 is sprayed
at a rate of 1 liter/min from the front nozzle 8 and the side nozzles
10 and 12 onto the first and second resin diamond blades 2 and 22
as shown in FIG. 1. By spraying the cutting water, chips of the
silicon wafers 6 and 38 during dicing are washed away and loading
of the resin diamond blades 2 and 22 is prevented.
[0039] In the second-stage dicing shown in FIG. 5B, the total depth
of cut is set to 1.2 mm, which is smaller than the total depth of
cut in the first-stage dicing. By stopping the second-stage dicing
at such a shallower cut position than that in the first-stage dicing,
the chips of the silicon wafers 6 and 38 during the second-stage
dicing can be sufficiently washed away by the cutting water. By
the above-mentioned two-stage dicing, the end face of each optical
waveguide 28 can be polished to a sufficient smoothness, i.e., a
surface roughness of .lambda./4 or less. In particular, since the
second resin diamond blade 22 includes a predetermined amount of
cerium oxide abrasive grains, the smoothness of the end face of
each optical waveguide 28 is considered to be improved. It is considered
that chemical etching by the cerium oxide abrasive grains contributes
to this improvement in smoothness. After the second-stage dicing
is finished, the wax bonding the silicon wafer 6 to the lower silicon
wafer 38 is melted to separate the silicon wafer 6 from the lower
silicon wafer 38. Thus, a plurality of optical waveguide devices
each having a sufficient smoothness at each end face can be manufactured.
[0040] The relation between the thickness t1 of the first resin
diamond blade 2 and the thickness t2 of the second resin diamond
blade 22 for obtaining a sufficient smoothness of the end face of
each optical waveguide was examined by a test. The test results
are shown in Table 1.
1 TABLE 1 t1 (mm) t2 (mm) t2 - t1 (mm) Evaluation 0.157 0.233 0.076
Poor 0.185 0.230 0.045 Good 0.205 0.227 0.022 Good 0.209 0.225 0.016
Good 0.210 0.218 0.008 Poor
[0041] As understood from the results shown in Table 1 the relation
of t1+0.01 mm.ltoreq.t2.ltoreq.t1+0.05 mm must be satisfied to obtain
a sufficient smoothness of the end face of each optical waveguide.
[0042] The present invention is not limited to the details of the
above described preferred embodiments. The scope of the invention
is defined by the appended claims and all changes and modifications
as fall within the equivalence of the scope of the claims are therefore
to be embraced by the invention. |