Optical transmitter with flip-chip mounted laser or integrated arrayed waveguide grating wavelenth division multiplexer

An optical communication system, comprising:

• a first planar substrate of a semiconductor material, located on a planar surface of a sub-mount and having a planar first edge, wherein said first substrate includes a plurality of lasers, each laser having an optical output at the first edge;
• a second planar substrate of a different second material, the second substrate being located on said planar surface of said sub-mount and having a planar second edge, wherein said second substrate includes a plurality of planar light guiding structures, each of said light-guiding structures having an end at the second edge, said second edge facing said first edge;
• and
• an alignment assembly located on said sub-mount, said alignment assembly including rigid standoff structures configured to fixedly vertically align said first and second edges above said sub-mount such that each optical output of one of said lasers is vertically aligned with the end of one of said light-guiding structures wherein said second substrate includes a cladding layer that has a first region located above light-guiding cores of a core layer of said light-guiding structures, and a second region located above support posts of said core layer.

A method of manufacturing an optical communication system, comprising:

• forming a vertical alignment assembly on a planar surface of a sub-mount, said alignment assembly including:
• rigid standoff structures, and one or more electrical circuit component, located on said planar surface;
• positioning a first planar substrate over said planar surface of said sub-mount, the first substrate having a planar first edge, said first substrate includes a plurality of lasers each having an optical output the first edge;
• and
• positioning a second substrate over said planar surface of said sub-mount, said second substrate including a plurality of planar light guiding structures and a planar second edge facing the first edge, each of said light-guiding structures having an end at the second edge,
• wherein said standoff structures are configured to support one of said first substrate and said second substrate such that said optical outputs each one of said lasers are rigidly vertically aligned with said ends of said light-guiding structures, and
• one or more electrical circuit components, including at least one insulated electrical line insulated by a first insulating layer that is adjacent to one side of the one electrical line and by a second insulating layer that is adjacent to an opposite side of the one electrical line, wherein the electrical line and the first and second insulating layers are located between said rigid standoff structures and said planar surface of said sub-mount, to fixedly vertically align said first edge above said sub-mount, are part of said rigid vertical alignment assembly.