Mold for a V-groove fiber array base block and fabrication method thereof

Abstract

A V-groove mold fabrication method is disclosed. The method for fabricating a V-groove mold includes the following steps: (a) providing a matrix substrate having a plurality of V-grooves, and then forming a metal layer on said matrix substrate; immersing said matrix substrate having said metal layer thereon with an electroforming metal ion solution and forming a father mold by an electroforming process; and separating said father mold from said matrix substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for fabricating a mold for a fiber array base block comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a matrix substrate having a plurality of V-grooves, and then forming a metal layer on said matrix substrate;    (b) immersing said matrix substrate having said metal layer thereon with an electroforming metal ion solution and forming a father mold by an electroforming process; and    (c) separating said father mold from said matrix substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (d) forming a passive layer on said father mold;    (e) forming a mother mold on said passive layer by an electroforming process in an electroforming metal ion solution; and    (f) separating said mother mold from said father mold.    
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 (g) forming a passive layer on said mother mold;    (h) forming a son mold on said passive layer by an electroforming process in an electroforming metal ion solution; and    (i) separating said son mold from said mother mold;    wherein said son mold is taken as a father mold for mass-production.    
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material of said metal layer is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, silver, gold, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said metal of said mold formed by said electroforming process is selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel-containing alloys, silver, copper, gold, chromium, and aluminum.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said metal of said mold formed by said electroforming process is selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel-containing alloys, silver, copper, gold, chromium, and aluminum.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said metal of said mold formed by said electroforming process is selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel-containing alloys, silver, copper, gold, chromium, and aluminum.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said nickel-containing alloys comprise nickel-iron alloy, nickel-cobalt alloy, nickel-tungsten alloy, nickel-manganese alloy, Ni—SiC, or Ni—Fe—TiO 2  alloy.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said nickel-containing alloys comprise nickel-iron alloy, nickel-cobalt alloy, nickel-tungsten alloy, nickel-manganese alloy, Ni—SiC, or Ni—Fe—TiO 2  alloy.  
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said nickel-containing alloys comprise nickel-iron alloy, nickel-cobalt alloy, nickel-tungsten alloy, nickel-manganese alloy, Ni—SiC, or Ni—Fe—TiO 2  alloy.  
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said electroforming metal ion solution used for electroforming in step (b) is a solution of Ni(NH 2 SO 3 ) 4H 2 O or NiSO 4 .  
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said passive layer is formed by exposing said surface of said father mold to plasma, a K 2 Cr 2 O 7  solution or a basic solution.  
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said basic solution is Na 2 CO 3  or NaOH.  
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said father mold or son mold is applied for injection molding fiber array base blocks.  
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said father mold or son mold is applied for press molding fiber array base blocks.  
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said metal layer ranges from 0.04 μm to 0.2 μm.  
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said passive layer is a metal oxide layer.  
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein sputtering or evaporation forms said metal layer.  
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising step (c 1 ) etching said metal layer remaining on said father mold using H 2 O 2  and NH 4 OH after step (c).