Passively aligned bi-directional optoelectronic transceiver module assembly

An assembly (10) for terminating an optical fiber (12) which transmits information bi-directionally, transmission of information in a first direction within the fiber being effected by light at a first wavelength and transmission of information in the second direction within the fiber being effected by light at a second wavelength, the assembly comprising:

• a monocrystalline material support member (14) having a major planar surface (16);
• a planar monocrystalline material base member (28) secured to said support member major planar surface, said base member being formed with a through aperture (30,32), said aperture having an opening remote from said support member major planar surface;
• structure secured to said support member major planar surface within said aperture of said base member, said structure having a wall (40) oblique to said support member major planar surface;
• a first reflective layer (50) disposed on said wall (40) of said structure;
• a light source (24) mounted to said support member major planar surface within said aperture of said base member, said light source being selectively controllable to generate a light beam at said first wavelength directed to said first reflective layer so that said source light beam is reflected by said first reflective layer to exit the remote opening of said aperture;
• a light detector (26) mounted to said support member major planar surface within said aperture of said base member, said light detector having a light sensitive surface area (52) exposed to a received light beam entering the remote opening of said aperture, said light detector being responsive to light at said second wavelength impinging on said light sensitive surface area for providing a predetermined electrical signal;
• a planar monocrystalline material lid (54) secured to said base member over said aperture, said lid being transparent to light at said first and second wavelengths;
• a monocrystalline material cover member (56) having a major planar surface (58) secured to said lid, said cover member having a cavity (60, 62) in its major planar surface capable of receiving an end portion of said optical fiber (12), said cavity having an end face (64) formed by a crystallographic plane of the monocrystalline material which is oblique to said cover member major planar surface;
• a second reflective layer (66) disposed on said cover member cavity end face (64);
• and
• a diffractor (68) secured to said lid in the vicinity of said cover member cavity;
• wherein said diffractor and said first and second reflective layers are so arranged that:
• (a) light at said second wavelength exiting said fiber (12) is reflected by said second reflective layer (66), passes through said diffractor (68) and is directed through said lid (54) to said light sensitive surface area (52) of said light detector (26);
• and
• (b) light at said first wavelength generated by said light source (24) is reflected by said first reflective layer (50), passes through said lid (54) and said diffractor (68), is directed to said second reflective layer and is reflected by said second reflective layer along a path so that it enters said optical fiber (12).

A Passively Aligned Bi-directional Optoelectronic Module, comprising:

• a. A support member having a top surface and a bottom surface, said support member having disposed on said top surface a light source and a light detector as well as a base member having a top surface and a bottom surface, said base member having at least one aperture selectively etched from said top surface to said bottom surface, said apertures having sidewalls at well defined angles, at least one of said sidewalls of said at least one aperture having a reflecting surface disposed thereon;
• and
• b. A optically transparent lid having a top surface and a bottom surface, said lid disposed on said top surface of said base member, said lid having disposed on said top surface of said lid a diffractor for wavelength separation and a cover member, said cover member having a selectively v-shaped groove having a first end and a second, said second end terminating into a selectively etched cavity, said cavity having an endface, said endface having a reflective surface disposed thereon, and said v-shaped groove having an optical fiber disposed therein, whereby light transmitted to and from said optical fiber is reflected from said endface of said cavity, is diffracted by said diffractor, is transmitted through said lid, is impingent on said reflective surface of said at least one wall of said sidewalls of said at least one aperture having a reflective surface disposed thereon to said detector and from said light source.