Integrated optoelectronic coupling and connector
AssigneeOptobahn Corporation
InventorToshi K. Uchida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optoelectronic module has an optoelectronic receiver or transmitter supported in optical alignment with optical fibers on a common substrate assembly. The module is optically prealigned and can be mounted through a hole in an enclosure containing transmitter or receiver circuits to make a complete optoelectronic package. The module may be hermetically and electromagnetically sealed to the enclosure. In one form of the invention, the optical fibers terminate at a rear face of the module, and the module can be coupled to a conventional fiber optic connector.
Claims37
An optoelectronic package comprising:
- an enclosure having a plurality of walls including one wall having a mounting hole;
- an optoelectronic assembly having a plurality of substrate elements affixed to one another, an optical cable having one or more optical fibers terminating in fiber ends clamped between two or more of said substrate elements, and an optoelectronic device supported on one or more of said substrate elements in optically coupled relationship with said fiber ends, said substrate elements being supported on said wall through said hole such that said fiber ends and said optoelectronic device are supported interiorly to said enclosure and said cable extends, to the exterior of said enclosure, and said assembly is joined to said one wall for hermetically sealing said hole.
A hermetically sealed optoelectronic package comprising:
- an optoelectronic package housing having a plurality of walls including one wall and a mounting hole defined in said one wall;
- an optoelectronic assembly mounted in said hole, said assembly having a plurality of substrate elements, one or more optical fibers terminating in fiber ends clamped between two or more of said substrate elements defining a fiber holder, said optical fibers extending to an outer side of said holder relative to said one wall, an optoelectronic device supported to said fiber holder and optically coupled to said fiber ends on an inner side of said one wall, metallized surfaces on at least some of said substrates and electrically conductive seal means between said metallized surfaces and said one wall, whereby said optoelectronic assembly mounted in said hole provides a hermetical seal and electromagnetic shielding to said housing.
An optoelectronic module comprising a plurality of substrate elements, one or more optical fibers clamped between two or more of said substrate elements, said fibers having first fiber ends and second fiber ends, and an optoelectronic device supported to said substrates in optical coupling with said first fiber ends, said substrate elements defining a connector body having coupling means adapted to make retentive mechanical engagement with an optical fiber connector for releasably securing the optical fiber connector in optical alignment with said second fiber ends.
An optoelectronic package comprising:
- an enclosure having a plurality of walls including a wall having a mounting hole;
- an optoelectronic device in said enclosure;
- rigid substrate means extending through said mounting hole, one or more optical conductors supported on said substrate means through said mounting hole, said optical conductors each having an outer end exterior to said enclosure and an interior end supported on said substrate means in optical alignment with said optoelectronic device in said enclosure;
- and
- a hermetic seal between said substrate means and said a wall for hermetically sealing said mounting hole.
An optoelectronic package comprising:
- an enclosure having a plurality of walls including a wall having a mounting hole;
- an optoelectronic device in said enclosure;
- and
- one or more optical conductors extending through said mounting hole into said enclosure, said one or more optical conductors each having an outer end exterior to said enclosure and an interior end, rigid substrate means mounted to said a wall hermetically closing said mounting hole, said interior end of each said one or more optical conductors being supported on said substrate means in optical alignment with said optoelectronic device.
A method for making an optoelectronic package comprising:
- providing an enclosure having a plurality of walls including one wall having a mounting hole;
- assembling an optoelectronic module having a plurality of substrate elements affixed to one another, one or more optical fibers terminating in fiber ends clamped between two or more of said substrate elements, and an optoelectronic device supported on one or more of said substrate elements in optically coupled relationship with said fiber ends,
- optically aligning said optoelectronic device with said fiber ends;
- mounting said module in said hole such that said fiber ends and said optoelectronic device are supported interiorly to said enclosure and said optical fibers extend to the exterior of said enclosure.
A method for making an optoelectronic package comprising the steps of:
- providing an enclosure having a plurality of walls including a wall having a mounting hole;
- providing an optoelectronic device in said enclosure;
- supporting one or more optical conductors including an inner end of each said one or more optical conductors on a rigid substrate means;
- mounting said rigid substrate means in said mounting hole with said optical conductors extending through said mounting hole and said inner ends in optically coupled relationship with said optoelectronic device;
- and
- making a hermetic seal between said substrate means and said wall for hermetically sealing said mounting hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.