Abstract: A protective socket is provided for use with a parallel optical transceiver module. When the parallel optical transceiver module is seated within a receptacle of the protective socket, the side walls and bottom that define the receptacle of the protective socket protect the internal components of the parallel optical transceiver module from dirt, dust, gases, and other airborne matter.

Abstract: A three-terminal VCSEL is provided that has a reduced fall time that allows the VCSEL to be operated at higher speeds. Methods of operating the three-terminal VCSEL are also provided. The VCSEL can be operated at higher speeds without decreasing the optical output of the VCSEL when it is in the logical HIGH state.

Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links. A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together. The first and second connectors can further be electrically mateable to provide both optical and electrical signal communication links.

Abstract: A parallel optical transceiver module is provided that uses a folded flex circuit arrangement that reduces the footprint of the transceiver module while also providing the module with improved heat dissipation characteristics. In addition, the manner in which components are mounted on the flex circuit facilitates assembly of the module, reducing the overall cost of the module while improving manufacturing yield.

Abstract: A three-terminal VCSEL is provided that has a reduced fall time that allows the VCSEL to be operated at higher speeds. Methods of operating the three-terminal VCSEL are also provided. The VCSEL can be operated at higher speeds without decreasing the optical output of the VCSEL when it is in the logical HIGH state.

Abstract: A photonic semiconductor device and method are provided that ensure that the surface of the device upon completion of the SAG process is planar, or at least substantially planar, such that performance of the subsequent processes is facilitated, thereby enabling higher manufacturing yield to be achieved. A photonic semiconductor device and method are also provided that ensure that the isolation region of the device will have high resistance and low capacitance, without requiring the placement of a thick dielectric material beneath each of the contact pads. Eliminating the need to place thick dielectric materials underneath the contact pads eliminates the risk that the contact pads will peel away from the assembly.

Abstract: An FFE/DFE equalizer is provided that uses unclocked FIR filters. At least one of the unclocked FIR filters has tunable delay cells that can be tuned to adjust their respective time delay time periods. Because the FIR filters of the FFE/DFE equalizer are unclocked, the complexity and die area associated with clocking circuits are avoided, thereby enabling costs to be reduced. Because the delay cells of at least one of the FIR filters are tunable to enable their respective time delay periods to be adjusted, very good equalizer performance is achieved without having to use clocked circuits. In addition, because clocked circuits are not used in the FIR filters, the need for clocking circuits to control the timing of clocked circuits is obviated, which leads to a reduction in the amount of power consumed by the FFE/DFE equalizer.

Abstract: A floating heat sink device is provided that attaches to a cage in a floating configuration that enables the heat sink device to move, or “float”, as the parallel optical communications device secured to the cage moves relative to the cage. Because the heat sink device floats with movement of the parallel optical communications device, at least one surface of the parallel optical communications device maintains continuous contact with at least one surface of the heat sink device at all times. Ensuring that these surfaces are maintained in continuous contact at all times ensures that heat produced by the parallel optical communications device will be transferred into and absorbed by the floating heat sink device.

Abstract: A hybrid RJ-45 plug is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration and an optical coupling configuration. The electrical coupling configuration is an 8P8C electrical wiring configuration that complies with the RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. The optical coupling configuration includes an optics system that provides the plug with optical communications capabilities. The hybrid RJ-45 plug is backwards compatible with an existing RJ-45 jack that implements an RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. However, the hybrid RJ-45 plug is also configured to mate with an optical jack that has only optical communications capabilities and to mate with a hybrid RJ-45 jack that has both optical and electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided that has a VCSEL and a protection diode integrated therein and that has an additional intrinsic layer. The inclusion of the additional intrinsic layer increases the width of the depletion region of the protection diode, which reduces the amount of capacitance that is introduced by the protection diode. Reducing the amount of capacitance that is introduced by the protection diode allows the VCSEL to operate at higher speeds.

Abstract: An opto-electronic communication module includes a housing, an electro-optical assembly, and a retainer that helps maintain alignment of an optical port. The electro-optical assembly includes a circuit substrate, an opto-electronic communication device mounted on the circuit substrate, and an optics module having an optical connection portion extending into the opening of the housing to define the optical port. The retainer can be, for example, a clip that contacts the housing and fits over the optical connection portion of the optics module to maintain the optical connection portion in alignment with the opening of the housing.

Abstract: A parallel optical transceiver module is provided that has a heat dissipation system that dissipates large amounts of heat, while also protecting the laser diodes, ICs and other components of the module from particulates, such as dust, for example, and from mechanical handling forces. The heat dissipation system is configured to be secured to the optical subassembly (OSA) of the module such that when the OSA is secured to the upper surface of the leadframe of the module, the OSA and the heat dissipation system cooperate to encapsulate at least the laser diodes and laser diode driver IC in a way that protects these components from dust and other particulates and from external mechanical forces. The heat dissipation system of the module is disposed for coupling with an external heat dissipation system, e.g., with a heat dissipation system that is provided by the customer.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module connector system is mountable on a system substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a variety of configurations or orientations and includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding enclosure, a connector assembly, and a socket. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a connector printed circuit board, a substantially planar contact holder, electrical contact fingers mounted on the contact holder, and an opto-electronic module. When the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket are mounted on the system substrate, a user can readily insert the connector assembly into the EMI-shielding enclosure and plug it into the socket. A user can likewise readily remove the connector assembly from the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket for maintenance, cleaning, repair or other purposes.

Abstract: A 2-to-1 POF optical coupler, a bi-directional link that employs the coupler, and methods for performing 2-to-1 optical coupling are provided, wherein the 2-to-1 POF optical coupler is configured to provide a carefully-selected amount of cross-sectional overlap at the interface between the end face of a main POF or POF pigtail and the end face of the coupler. The amount of overlap is selected to ensure that optical coupling losses are reduced and optical efficiency is increased in both directions in a bi-directional optical communications links. Consequently, signal integrity is improved, limitations on link length are relaxed, and overall link performance is improved while, at the same time, overall link costs are reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in an optical receiver are provided for monitoring the received optical power in the optical receiver over wide range of optical power levels with high accuracy. An adjustable resistor circuit of the apparatus has a first resistor and one or more second resistors that may be switched into and out of parallel with the first resistor to vary the resistance of the adjustable resistor circuit. A controller of the optical receiver controls the switching of the one or more second resistors into and out of parallel with the first resistor. Varying the resistance of the adjustable resistor circuit in this manner causes the value of the analog voltage signal representing the received optical power to be varied prior to being input to the ADC of the controller. In this way, the amplitude of the analog voltage signal is reduced when it is at the high end of the received power range so as not to exceed the input range of the ADC of the controller IC.

Abstract: Optical receivers and a method for providing a diagnostic measurement of optical modulation amplitude at other than a signal output of an optical receiver are invented and disclosed. The method includes the steps of applying a representation of an output of an optical detector to a circuit that determines a difference between a first signal level and a second signal level that is different from the first signal level and buffering the difference between the first signal level and the second signal level received from the circuit. The optical receivers include an optical detector, a transimpedance amplifier that applies automatic gain control, a circuit that determines a difference between two signal values and a limiting post amplifier. The receivers provide a diagnostic measure that can be compared to certain thresholds relating to known bit error rates or applied in a calculation to generate an absolute optical modulation amplitude value.

Abstract: An optical fiber sensor has a measurement path and a reference path. Both paths each consist of two optical fibers and are fed with modulated light. The fibers of the reference path have a predefined difference in length, whereas the fibers of the measurement path are the same length. All fibers are at approximately the same temperature. An evaluation circuit determines the phase differences in each case between the fibers of the measurement path and of the reference path. A measurement value calculated from the phase differences is then output.

Abstract: An opto-electronic communication module includes a housing, a circuit substrate, and an opto-electronic communication device, such as a laser, mounted on the circuit substrate. A protrusion that is unitarily formed in the housing extends through the circuit substrate to provide a thermal path to promote dissipation of heat emitted by the opto-electronic communication device.

Abstract: A protective coating encapsulates bond pads disposed on a substrate of an optical communications module and extends in between the bond pads. The protective coating has characteristics that (1) increase the dielectric resistances between adjacent bond pads on the substrate, (2) protect the bond pads from moisture in the environment, and (3) prevents, or at least reduces, ion migration between adjacent bond pads. In this way, the protective coating prevents, or at least reduces, corrosion growth that can lead to impedance degradation and electrical shorts between adjacent bond pads.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for using an automatic BW adjustment circuit to automatically adjust the bandwidth of an electronic amplifier based on the amplitude of a signal that is output from a variable gain amplifier or of one or more variable gain stages that follow the amplifier. By automatically adjusting the bandwidth of the electronic amplifier based on the amplitude of the signal, bandwidth enhancement can be provided while also preventing, or at least reducing, peaking of the frequency response of the electronic amplifier.