Maximizing Optical Alignment Precision by Choosing the Correct Positioning Architecture

Advancements in silicon photonics and micro-optic technologies are driving automated alignment tolerances down to nanometer levels. Misalignment between optical components in today’s photonic devices directly impacts the quality of light transmission, and only a few micrometers of misalignment can result in final device power losses of 50% or more (Figure 1). Photonic device manufacturers are rushing to develop new alignment techniques and hardware to keep up with spatial tolerance requirements between optical components. These spatial tolerances can be controlled during automated alignment processes by implementing the optimal positioning system architecture.

There are two types of architectures: serial kinematics and parallel kinematics. Both differ in spatial configuration, programming, and required hardware, and choosing the ideal architecture can be challenging. The guidelines that follow shed light on the architectures available and when to implement each.