Optical connector and receptacle for co-packaged optics

A connector for connection to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) by expanded beam coupling, the connector comprising:

• a fiber array unit (FAU), the FAU comprising one or more grooves, each of the one or more grooves being configured to receive a fiber therein;
• an FAU micro lens array attached to the FAU;
• and
• at least one alignment feature configured to control an angular alignment of the FAU micro lens array relative to a PIC micro lens array,
• wherein the FAU micro lens array is configured to be offset from the PIC micro lens array of the PIC by a first distance,
• the at least one alignment feature being configured to assist in controlling an angular alignment of the being configured to receive a fiber therein;
• an FAU micro lens array attached to the FAU;
• and
• at least one alignment feature configured to control an angular alignment of the FAU micro lens array relative to a PIC micro lens array,
• wherein the FAU micro lens array is configured to be offset from the PIC micro lens array of the Pic by a first distance,
• the at least one alignment feature being configured to assist in controlling an angular alignment of the
• FAU micro-lens array relative to the PIC micro lens array, and
• wherein the FAU micro lens array and the PIC micro lens array have a gap, an angular offset, and a lateral offset between the FAU micro lens array and the PIC micro lens array.

A method for manufacturing an expanded beam coupling assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a fiber array unit (FAU) comprising a plurality of grooves;
• positioning a plurality of fibers within the FAU, with each fiber of the plurality of fibers being positioned at least partially within a respective groove of the plurality of grooves;
• positioning the FAU relative to a receptacle;
• positioning an FAU micro lens array on the receptacle relative to the FAU;
• positioning a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) micro lens array on the receptacle so that the PIC micro lens array is offset from the FAU micro lens array by a first distance;
• positioning a PIC relative to the receptacle so that the PIC is positioned proximate to the PIC micro. lens array;
• and
• positioning at least one alignment feature to control an angular alignment of the FAU micro lens array relative to the PIC micro lens array,
• wherein the FAU micro lens array and the PIC micro lens array have a gap, an angular offset, and a lateral offset between the FAU micro lens array and the PIC micro lens array.