US 2016/0238805 A1 · METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING HEAT DISSIPATION, SIGNAL INTEGRITY AND ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI) SHIELDING IN OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS MODULES

Abstract

An optical communications module is provided that has improved heat dissipation, signal integrity and/or EMI shielding solutions. The heat dissipation solution thermally decouples the light source driver circuitry from the light source such that heat generated by the light source driver circuitry does not increase the temperature of the light source to the point that its performance is degraded. The heat dissipation solution may also include convective heat transfer features for further improving heat dissipation. The EMI solution includes features that increase the number of contact points between the outer surface of the module housing and EMI fingers of a cage that receives the module. The signal integrity solution includes features that reduce inductive coupling to improve impedance matching between electrical interconnections, thereby improving signal integrity.

Claims34

Dependent claims

An optical communications module comprising:

upper and lower housing portions mechanically coupled with one another to provide a module housing;
a first lead frame fixedly positioned in the module housing;
at least a first light source driver circuit mounted on a first mounting surface of the first lead frame;
a second lead frame fixedly positioned in the module housing and spatially separated from the first lead frame, wherein a first air flow path flows across at least a portion of the first lead frame;
at least a first light source mounted on the second lead frame, wherein a second air flow path flows across at least a portion of the second lead frame, and wherein the first and second air flow paths are isolated from one another;
and
at least a first electrical interconnection electrically interconnecting the first light source driver circuit and the first light source, wherein the spatial separation of the first and second lead frames from one another and direct cooling of the first and second lead frames provided by the air flow paths provide a heat dissipation solution for the module.

4 more elements

An optical communications module comprising:

a module housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) fixedly positioned in the module housing;
an organic substrate mounted on an upper surface of the PCB and electrically interconnected with the PCB, the organic substrate having a plurality of electrical conductors therein and having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on an upper surface thereof, the electrical contact pads of the organic substrate being connected to the electrical conductors of the organic substrate;
at least a first integrated circuit (IC) mounted on the upper surface of the organic substrate and electrically interconnected with the organic substrate;
a lead frame fixedly positioned in the module housing;
at least a first light source driver circuit mounted on a first mounting surface of the lead frame;
at least a first light source mounted on a second mounting surface of the lead frame and electrically interconnected with the first light source driver circuit;
and
a plurality of electrically-conductive bonds, each bond having a first end that is connected to one of the electrical contact pads of the organic substrate and a second end that is connected to a respective electrical contact pad of the light source driver circuit.

6 more elements

An optical communications module comprising:

a module housing comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the second housing portion being made of a metallic material and having a first electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding structure formed therein, the first EMI structure comprising a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface of the second housing portion, each groove having first and second contact points on opposite sides thereof, the grooves having a width and position that are preselected to space the respective first and second contact points a predetermined distance apart such that when the module housing is lodged in an opening formed in a metal cage, each of a plurality of electromagnetic interference (EMI) fingers of the metal cage come into contact with a respective pair of the first and second contact points;
and
module components disposed in the module housing, one or more of the module components being operable to perform tasks associated with at least one of transmitting and receiving a data signal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and systems for improving heat dissipation, signal integrity and electromagnetic interference (emi) shielding in optical communications modules

Life of this patent

Methods and systems for improving heat dissipation, signal integrity and electromagnetic interference (emi) shielding in optical communications modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34