Optical transceiver package with passive thermal management

A system comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• and
• an optical transceiver package mounted to the printed circuit board, wherein the optical transceiver package comprises:
• a photonics component mounted in the optical transceiver package, wherein the photonics component is configured to generate heat in an operational state;
• and
• a sealed thermal chamber configured to maintain the photonics component between a lower predetermined working temperature and a higher predetermined working temperature, wherein the sealed thermal chamber comprises a material that exhibits a first thermal conductivity below an lower predetermined threshold temperature and a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity above an upper predetermined threshold temperature, wherein the first thermal conductivity is sufficiently low to retain at least some heat generated by the photonics component within the optical transceiver package such that the heat generated maintains the temperature of the photonics component above the lower predetermined working temperature, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is sufficiently high to conduct at least some heat generated by the photonics component away from the optical transceiver package to maintain the temperature of the photonics component below the upper predetermined working temperature.

A method comprising:

• operating a photonics component mounted in an optical transceiver package, wherein the optical transceiver package comprises a sealed thermal chamber comprising a material, wherein the photonics component generates heat in an operational state;
• retaining the generated heat within the optical transceiver package to raise the photonics component above a lower predetermined working temperature when the material is below a lower predetermined threshold temperature, wherein the material exhibits a first thermal conductivity below the lower predetermined threshold temperature;
• and
• conducting the generated heat away from the optical transceiver package to lower the photonics component below an upper predetermined working temperature when the material is above an upper predetermined threshold temperature, wherein the material exhibits a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity above the lower predetermined threshold temperature, wherein the first thermal conductivity is sufficiently low to retain at least some heat generated by the photonics component within the optical transceiver package such that the heat generated maintains the temperature of the photonics component above the lower predetermined working temperature, and wherein the second thermal conductivity is sufficiently high to conduct at least some heat generated by the photonics component away from the optical transceiver package to maintain the temperature of the photonics component below the upper predetermined working temperature.