Mounting apparatus for optical fibers and lasers
AssigneeGTE Laboratories Incorporated
InventorsPeter E. Norris, Robert J. Regan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for supporting a group of optical fibers in proper alignment with associated laser devices and rear-facet photodetectors. The photodetectors and grooves for supporting the optical fibers are fabricated in a carrier member of device quality silicon. An array of a row of laser devices is moved laterally along a slot in the carrier member transverse to the grooves so as to align each laser device with a groove and with a photodetector. One or more carrier members may be mounted on a supporting structure adapted to receive them.
Claims15
Apparatus for mounting an array of laser devices in alignment with an array of optical fibers comprising:
- a carrier member of semiconductor material;
- a slot in said carrier member;
- an integral laser structure comprising an array of semiconductor laser devices;
- said carrier member being adapted to receive said laser structure in said slot;
- a plurality of grooves in said carrier member, each groove being adapted to receive an optical fiber and to position the optical fiber with an end thereof in light-receiving relationship adjacent to one of said laser devices;
- and
- a plurality of light detecting devices in said carrier member adjacent to said slot, each of said light detecting devices being aligned with a different one of said grooves with one of said laser devices being interposed between a light detecting device and the groove which is aligned therewith.
Supporting structure including apparatus for mounting an array of laser devices in alignment with an array of optical fibers, said supporting structure comprising
- a carrier member of semiconductor material;
- a slot in said carrier member;
- an integral laser structure comprising an array of semiconductor laser devices;
- said carrier member being adapted to receive said laser structure in said slot;
- a plurality of grooves in said carrier member, each groove being adapted to receive an optical fiber and to position the optical fiber with an end thereof in light-receiving relationship adjacent to one of said laser devices;
- a plurality of light detecting devices in said carrier member adjacent to said slot, each of said light detecting devices being aligned with a different one of said grooves with one of said laser devices being interposed between a light detecting device and the groove which is aligned therewith;
- and
- a supporting member adapted to receive and position said carrier member;
- said supporting member having means for supporting and positioning an assemblage of circuitry elements closely adjacent to said slot of the carrier member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.