Packaged fiber optic modules

A module for a fiber optic communication system comprising:

• (a) an electronic assembly including at least an amplifier, said electronic assembly being mounted on a substantially flat plate and hermetically sealed within a window can housing having a transparent, optically flat window mounted to form a face opposite the plate and spaced therefrom;
• (b) means for applying a light signal to or receiving a light signal from said electronic assembly;
• (c) an electro-optic transducer disposed on said assembly within said window can housing;
• (d) a fiber optic bundle having an end disposed in the path of a light beam transmitted through said window;
• (e) a focusing lens disposed between said transducer and said one end of said fiber optic bundle, said lens being disposed directly adjacent said bundle, and having means for focusing light transmitted through said lens to said bundle independent of said assembly;
• (f) a collimating lens integrally packaged with the transducer in a standard pill package mounting said collimating lens adjacent said transducer, said collimating lens collimating light from said transducer to form a light beam;
• (g) a housing surrounding said electronic assembly, said lenses and said fiber optic bundle;
• (h) means including a lens can and retainer ring for mounting said focusing lens in said housing in a first preselected position;
• and
• (i) means for maintaining the distance between said focusing lens and said end of said fiber optic bundle so that said end of said fiber optic bundle is in the focal plane of said focusing lens.

A connector for coupling an optical fiber member, a focusing lens and a semiconductor device in preselected fixed spatial relationship comprising in combination:

• a bundle of optical fibers capable of transmitting light signals in either direction and terminating in a planar end generally orthogonal to the axis of the bundle, the bundle being combined with a ferrule and sleeve in a standard optical connector;
• an electro-optic transducer spaced from the end of the fiber bundle along a path of light signals transmitted by the fiber bundle and hermetically sealed within a window can housing having a transparent, optically flat window mounted to form a face opposite the plate and spaced therefrom;
• a focusing lens and a collimating lens positioned along said light path passing through the window between the transducer and the planar end of the fiber bundle, said collimating lens being integrally packaged with the transducer in a pill package mounting said lens adjacent the electro-optic transducer to collimate a light signal produced by the transducer into a collimated beam directed toward the focusing lens, the focusing lens being mounted in a standard lens can positioned adjacent the end of the fiber bundle such as to focus said collimated beam on the planar end of the bundle;
• and
• an opaque housing including means for mounting therein the window can housing, the lens can and the standard optical connector in fixed spatial relationship.