Enclosure for optical integrated circuit

An assembled circuit package comprising:

• a housing having a base member and a cap member,
• said base member having a bottom wall, side walls, and a first latch post, said side walls extending from said bottom wall, said first latch post formed of resilient material and having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first latching surface arranged between said proximal end and said distal end, said proximal end affixed to said bottom wall, and;
• said cap member having a top wall, side walls, and a second latch post, said side walls extending from said top wall, said second latch post formed of resilient material and having a proximal end, a distal end, a second latching surface arranged between said proximal end of said second latch post and said distal end of said second latch post, and an area of failure located between said proximal end of said second latch post and said distal end of said second latch post, said proximal end of said second latch post affixed to said cap member, said cap member being matable with said base member to form, in a mated configuration, a cavity therebetween, and;
• an optical integrated circuit disposed between said base member and said cap member within said cavity,
• said latching surfaces being arranged such that as said cap member and said base member are urged toward said mated configuration, said latching surfaces engage each other in an interlocking relationship and retain said cap member and said base member in said mated configuration,
• said second latch post being configured such that, as said cap member and said base member are urged apart from said mated configuration, said second latch post structurally fails at said area of failure such that said latching surfaces disengage from each other and said cap member is removable from said base member.

A method for reworking an optical integrated circuit housed within an enclosure, comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a base member and a cap member, the cap member being matable with the base member to form, in a mated configuration, a cavity therebetween, the base member having a first resilient post extending therefrom, the first resilient post having a first latching surface formed thereon, the cap member having a second resilient post extending therefrom, the second resilient post having a second latching surface formed thereon;
• housing an optical integrated circuit within the cavity;
• securing the base member and the cap member in the mating configuration by engaging the first and second latching surfaces with each other;
• separating the cap member from the base member by causing structural failure of the second resilient post, and;
• providing a replacement cap member and securing the replacement cap member to the base member in the mating configuration.