Passively aligned opto-electronic coupling assembly

An opto-electronic coupling assembly for optically coupling an array of light active areas defined by an active device with a plurality of elongated light guides such that each active area is aligned with an end face of one elongated light guide, said coupling assembly comprising:

• a) a light guide end housing defining a housing outline and adapted to support one end of each light guide member associated with each end face;
• b) an active device package including
• i) an arrangement for supporting said active device and for providing external electrical connections to the active device, and
• ii) an encapsulant material surrounding said active device and at least partially surrounding said support means, said encapsulant material being substantially optically transparent to the coupled light and said encapsulant material being molded in a predetermined configuration which cooperates with the housing outline of the light guide end housing in a way that passively places each light active area into substantial optical alignment with the end face of one light guide when the light guide end housing is assembled with the active device package.

In an opto-electronic coupling assembly for optically coupling a light active area of an active device with an end face at one end of an elongated light guide such that light is coupled between the end face of the light guide and the light active area of the active device, a method of providing for alignment of said end face with said light active area, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) supporting the end of said light guide including said end face in a light guide end housing which defines a housing outline;
• b) arranging the active device on a support member and providing for external electrical connections to the active device;
• and
• c) encapsulating said active device and at least partially encapsulating said support means with an encapsulant material which is substantially optically transparent to the coupled light, the encapsulant material being molded in a predetermined configuration which cooperates with the housing outline of the light guide end housing in a way that passively places the active device into substantial optical alignment with the end face of the light guide when the light guide end housing is assembled with the active device package.