3-D microsystem packaging for interconnecting electrical, optical and mechanical microdevices to the external world

This paper reports the realization of a pigtailed silicon platform with 8 WDM filters based on a new 3-D packaging technology. Four silicon pieces are released out of a silicon wafer by using ICP-RIE as a very accurate dicing tool. One edge of the piece containing the filters is patterned into pin-shapes to be vertically inserted into a mother board with electrical connections. A V-groove board for the optical fibers is mechanically aligned in the mother board. This technology enables precise assembly of active optical devices with ribbon fibers, electrical connections to 3-D micromechanical subsystems and reconfiguring the system in the module level.