Alignment structure and method for copackaged optical connector

A method for aligning a fiber array unit (FAU) connector with a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising:

• attaching a frame to a package structure of a PIC chip to provide support surfaces in a floating state, one of the support surfaces being configured to be bonded by epoxy to a pair of shelve each with an alignment feature respectively associated two lenses of the PIC chip;
• placing a pair of aligners onto the frame, each aligner comprising a front section and a bottom section respectively joined with two side sections spaced apart by a first distance to provide a semi-confined open space configured to receive one of the pair of shelve as the front section positioned on a top surface of the PIC chip, one of the support surfaces of the frame being configured to be bonded by epoxy to the bottom section of each aligner;
• loading a pair of bodies of two FAU connectors respectively onto the pair of shelve in the semi-confined open spaces of the pair of aligners, each body being provided with a small amount of rotational freedom horizontally in the corresponding semi-confined open space and translational freedom along a direction in parallel with the two side sections;
• adjusting each body of FAU connector to an alignment position on the corresponding shelf via the alignment feature to achieve optical alignment between a lens of the FAU connector and one of the two lenses of the PIC chip;
• curing the epoxy between each shelf and the corresponding one of the support surfaces to secure the shelf with the body of the FAU connector at the alignment position;
• and
• curing the epoxy between each aligner and the corresponding one of the support surfaces of the frame to fix a position for the aligner to ensure a no-contact clearance between the body of the FAU connector and the aligner.