Ceramic optical sub-assembly for opto-electronic module utilizing LTCC ( low-temperature co-fired ceramic ) technology

An optoelectronic module comprising:

• a ceramic block having a front surface and a bottom surface, the ceramic block being formed using one of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC), the ceramic block including,
• a device attachment area formed on the front surface;
• photonic devices formed on the device attachment area;
• solder pads formed on the bottom surface of the ceramic block;
• electrical contact lines that pass internally through the ceramic block,
• the electrical contact lines including,
• contact pads formed on the front surface of the ceramic block;
• signal connections that pass through internal portions of the ceramic block to electrically connect the contact pads to associated solder pads;
• wire bonds for electrically connecting the contact pads with the photonic devices;
• grounds that are electrically connected to selected solder pads;
• ground connections that pass through internal portions of the ceramic block to electrically connect the device attachment area to the grounds;
• and
• a semiconductor chip sub assembly (CSA) having a top surface that has exposed up-linking contacts, wherein the ceramic block is placed onto the top surface of the CSA such that the solder pads formed on the bottom surface of the ceramic block are placed in electrical communication with the up-linking contacts of the CSA.

An optoelectronic module comprising:

• a ceramic block having a front surface and a bottom surface, the ceramic block including a plurality of ceramic layers, the block being formed using one of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) techniques and high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) techniques, the block having:
• the front surface having a device attachment area and contact pads formed thereon;
• photonic devices formed on the device attachment area;
• the bottom surface having solder pads formed thereon;
• at least one internal electric contact plane having at least one electric contact line formed thereon such that the at least one electric contact line passes internally through the ceramic block, the at least one electric contact line being in electrical communication with the contact pads and associated solder pads;
• wire bonds for electrically connecting the contact pads with the photonic devices;
• at least one internal ground plane having at least one ground contact line formed thereon such that the at least one ground contact line passes internally through the ceramic block, the at least one ground contact line being in electrical communication with selected solder pads;
• and
• a semiconductor chip sub assembly (CSA) having a top surface that has exposed up-linking contacts, wherein the ceramic block is placed onto the top surface of the CSA such that the solder pads formed on the bottom surface of the ceramic block are placed in electrical communication with the up-linking contacts of the CSA.

An optical sub-assembly (OSA) suitable for optical interconnection with optical fibers and electrical interconnection with a chip sub-assembly (CSA), the OSA comprising:

• a ceramic block having a first surface and a second surface, the ceramic block being formed using one of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC);
• at least one photonic device formed on the first surface of the ceramic block;
• a plurality of electrical contacts suitable for electrical communication with a chip sub-assembly, the plurality of electrical contacts formed on the second surface of the ceramic block;
• and
• a plurality of electrical connections that pass internally through the ceramic block so that the photonic devices on the first face of the block are electrically connected with the plurality of electrical contacts on the second face of the block.