Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a stepped profile for substrates that support “on board” optical subassembly arrangements. The stepped profile enables mounting TOSA modules to the substrate in a recessed orientation to reduce the overall distance between terminals of the substrate and associated components of the TOSA, e.g., RF terminals of the substrate and an LDD of the TOSA. In an embodiment, the stepped profile further simplifies mounting and optical alignment of TOSA modules by providing at least one mechanical stop to engage surfaces of the TOSA modules and limit travel by the same along one or more axis.

Abstract: A temperature controlled multi-channel transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA), consistent with embodiments described herein, may be used in a multi-channel optical transceiver. The temperature controlled multi-channel TOSA generally includes an array of lasers to emit a plurality of different channel wavelengths. The lasers may be thermally tuned to the channel wavelengths by establishing a global temperature for the array of lasers such that the amount of heat communicated to each laser is substantially the same. The global temperature may be established, at least in part, by monitoring the shortest channel wavelength and/or a temperature of the lasers. The temperature of the lasers may then get increased via a shared heating device in thermal communication with the lasers until the shortest monitored wavelength substantially reaches the nominal shortest wavelength or the measured temperature substantially equals the global temperature.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a monitor photodiode (MPD) submount for use in optical transceivers that includes a body with a conductive trace pattern disposed on multiple surfaces of the same to allow for vertical mounting of an associated MPD and simplified electrical interconnection with TOSA circuitry without the necessity of electrical interconnection. The MPD submount includes a body defined by a plurality of sidewalls. At least one surface of the body provides a mounting surface for coupling to and supporting an MPD. The MPD submount further includes a conductive trace pattern that provides at least one conductive path that is disposed on the mounting surface and on at least one adjoining sidewall. The portion of the at least one conductive path disposed on the adjoining sidewall extends substantially transverse relative to the surface defining the transceiver/transmitter substrate when the MPD submount is coupled to the same.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a housing for use with optical transceivers or transmitters that includes integrated heatsinks with a graphene coating to increase thermal dissipation during operation. In more detail, an embodiment of the present disclosures includes a housing that defines at least first and second sidewalls and a cavity disposed therebetween. The first and/or second sidewalls can include integrated heatsinks to dissipate heat generated by optical components, e.g., laser diodes, laser diode drivers, within the cavity of the housing. The integrated heatsinks can include at least one layer of graphene disposed thereon to increase thermal performance, and in particular, to decrease thermal resistance of the heatsink and promote heat dissipation.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a lens clip that includes an optical lens slot to securely hold an optical lens at a predetermined position to mitigate effects of post-annealing shift. The lens clip includes a base that provides at least one substrate mating surface for mounting to a substrate, and at least first and second arms extending from the base. The first and second arms extend substantially parallel relative to each other and define at least a portion of an optical lens slot. The optical lens slot is configured to receive at least a portion of an optical lens and securely hold the optical lens at a predetermined position to ensure optical alignment of the optical lens, e.g., relative to an associated laser diode or other optical component, during fixation of the optical lens to the substrate using, for instance, UV-curing optical adhesives.

Abstract: In general, a TOSA consistent with the present disclosure includes a light driving circuit coupled to a hermetically-sealed light engine. The hermetically-sealed light engine includes a housing defined by a plurality of sidewalls. The housing defines a cavity that is hermetically-sealed to prevent introduction of contaminants that would otherwise reduce optical power. The hermetically-sealed light engine optically couples to an external arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), or other multiplexing device, by way of an optical receptacle. The optical receptacle can include a waveguide implemented external to the hermetically-sealed cavity and can include, for instance, an optical isolator, fiber stub, and fiber ferrule section. Thus, the external AWG and associated external optical coupling components advantageously allow for the hermetically-sealed light engine to have a cavity with dimensions relatively smaller than other approaches that dispose an AWG and associated components within a hermetically-sealed cavity.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a holder element, also generally referred to herein as a welding element, configured to couple an optical coupling receptacle to a substrate and provide an integrated optical arrangement to redirect light received from the optical coupling receptacle along a receive light path to an output light path that is offset from the receive light path.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an optical transceiver that includes a multi-channel on-board ROSA arrangement that includes an optical demultiplexer, e.g., an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and an array of photodiodes disposed on a same substrate. The array of photodiodes may be optically aligned with an output port of the optical demultiplexer and be configured to detect channel wavelengths and output a proportional electrical signal to an amplification circuit, e.g., a transimpedance amplifier. Each of the photodiodes can include an integrated lens configured to increase the alignment tolerance between the demultiplexer and the light sensitive region such that relatively imprecise bonding techniques, e.g., die bonding, may be utilized while still maintaining nominal optical power.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a multi-channel TOSA arrangement with a housing that utilizes a feedthrough device with at least one integrated mounting surface to reduce the overall dimensions of the housing. The housing includes a plurality of sidewalls that define a hermetically-sealed cavity therebetween. The feedthrough device includes a first end disposed in the hermetically-sealed cavity of the housing and a second end extending from the cavity away from the housing. The feedthrough device provides the at least one integrated mounting surface proximate the first end within the hermetically-sealed cavity. At least a first laser diode driver (LDD) chip mounts to the at least one integrated mounting surface of the feedthrough device. A plurality of laser arrangements are also disposed in the hermetically-sealed cavity proximate the first LDD chip and mount to, for instance, a LD submount supported by a thermoelectric cooler.

Abstract: In general the present disclosure is directed to a temperature control device, e.g., a TEC, that includes a top plate with at least first and second contact pads to allow for a soldering process to attach optical components to the first contact pad without causing one or more layers of the second contact pad to reflow and solidify with an uneven mounting surface. Thus, optical components such as a focus lens can be mounted to the second contact pad via, for instance, thermal epoxy. This avoids the necessity of a submount to protect the focus lens from the relatively high heat introduced during a soldering process as well as maintain the flatness of the second contact pad within tolerance so that the mounted focus lens optically aligns by virtue of its physical location/orientation with other associated optical components coupled to the first contact pad, e.g., a laser diode.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a multi-channel TOSA arrangement with a housing that utilizes a feedthrough device with at least one integrated mounting surface to reduce the overall dimensions of the housing. The housing includes a plurality of sidewalls that define a hermetically-sealed cavity therebetween. The feedthrough device includes a first end disposed in the hermetically-sealed cavity of the housing and a second end extending from the cavity away from the housing. The feedthrough device provides the at least one integrated mounting surface proximate the first end within the hermetically-sealed cavity. At least a first laser diode driver (LDD) chip mounts to the at least one integrated mounting surface of the feedthrough device. A plurality of laser arrangements are also disposed in the hermetically-sealed cavity proximate the first LDD chip and mount to, for instance, a LD submount supported by a thermoelectric cooler.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an on-board ROSA arrangement where a fiber receptacle element, optical components such as optical de-multiplexer (e.g., an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG)), turning mirror, photodiodes and light receiving chip are mounted to a common substrate. The fiber receptacle element includes a body that defines a slot to at least partially receive an end of the substrate and mount thereto. The body of the fiber receptacle further includes an aperture that extends through the body to receive an optical fiber and/or associated connector and align the same with ROSA components mounted on a surface of the substrate. The fiber receptacle body may be solid, e.g., formed from a single, monolithic piece of material, and may be manufactured from metal, plastic or other suitably rigid material.

Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to an optical turning mirror for receiving channel wavelengths along a first optical path and reflecting the same towards a fiber or photodetector (PD) without the necessity of disposing a highly reflective layer to increase reflectivity. In more detail, the optical turning mirror includes a substantially transparent body, e.g., capable of passing at least 80% of incident wavelengths, that defines an input region with integrated focus lens(es) for receiving channel wavelengths along a first optical path and a reflective surface disposed opposite the input region to direct/launch received channel wavelengths along a second optical path towards an output interface having an angled light-transmissive surface, with the second optical path extending substantially transverse relative to the first optical path.

Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) module for use in an optical transceiver or transmitter that includes a magnetically-shielded optical isolator to minimize or otherwise reduce magnetization of TOSA components. An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a TOSA housing with magnetic shielding at least partially surrounding an optical isolator, with the magnetic shielding reflecting associated magnetic energy away from components, such as a metal TOSA housing or components disposed therein, that could become magnetized and adversely impact the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field associated with the optical isolator.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a TO can laser package that includes an off-center focus lens integrated into a lens cap to compensate displacement of an associated laser diode. The TO can laser package includes a TO header with a mounting structure for directly electrically coupling an associated laser diode to electrical leads/pins without the use of an intermediate interconnect. The mounting structure displaces the laser diode such that an emission surface, and more particularly, an origin thereof, is displaced/offset relative to a center of the TO header. The integrated lens cap includes a focus lens with an optical center that is offset from a center of the TO header at a distance that is substantially equal to the displacement of the laser diode. Thus, the displacement of the laser diode is compensated for by the off-center focus lens to minimize or otherwise reduce optical misalignment.

Abstract: This present disclosure is generally directed to an optical isolator array with a magnetic base that allows for mounting and alignment of N number of optical isolators modules within an optical subassembly module. In an embodiment, the magnetic base provides at least one mounting surface for coupling to N number of optical isolators, with N being equal to an optical channel count for the optical subassembly (e.g., 4-channels, 8-channels, and so on). The magnetic base includes an overall width that allows for a desired number of optical isolators to get mounted thereon. Each optical isolator can be uniformly disposed along the same axis on the magnetic base and at a distance D from adjacent optical isolators. An adhesive such as ultraviolet-curing (UV-curing) optical adhesives may be used to secure each optical isolator at a predefined position and increase overall structural integrity.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to a multi-channel TOSA with vertically-mounted MPDs to reduce TOSA housing dimensions and improve RF driving signal quality. In more detail, a TOSA housing consistent with the present disclosure includes at least one vertical MPD mounting surface that extends substantially transverse relative to a LD mounting surface, with the result being that a MPD coupled to the vertical MPD mounting surface gets positioned above an associated LD coupled to the LD mounting surface. The vertically-mounted MPD thus makes regions adjacent an LD that would otherwise be utilized to mount an MPD available for patterning of conductive RF traces to provide an RF driving signal to the LD. The conductive RF traces may therefore extend below the vertically-mounted MPD to a location that is proximate the LD to allow for relatively short wire bonds therebetween.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to an optical transceiver module that includes a mounting section for aligning and coupling to associated TOSA modules. In particular, an embodiment of the present disclosure includes TOSA and ROSA components disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The PCBA includes a plurality of grooves at a optical coupling end to provide a TOSA mounting section. Each of the grooves provides at least one mating surface to receive and couple to an associated TOSA module. Opposite the optical coupling end, the PCBA includes an electric coupling section for coupling to, for example, a transmit (RX) circuit that provides one or more electrical signals to drive TOSA modules coupled to the TOSA mounting section.

Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) that includes a top plate or bottom plate being formed of a high thermal conductivity material, and the other of the top plate and bottom plate being formed of a low thermal conductivity material, with the high thermal conductivity material having a thermal conductivity at least twice, and preferably five times, that of the thermal conductivity of the low thermal conductivity material. This disparity in thermal conductivity between the top plate and bottom plate materials may be referred to herein as asymmetric thermal performance.

Abstract: A multi-channel transceiver, consistent with the present disclosure, includes a multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) device configured to be shared by, and support operations of, a multi-channel transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) and multi-channel receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) within a single transceiver housing. The shared MUX/DEMUX device may be referred to herein as simply a shared AWG for ease of description and not for purposes of limitation. The shared AWG receives optical signals from a plurality of TOSA modules at different channel wavelengths via a plurality of mux input ports, and then combines the optical signals into a multiplexed optical signal, with the multiplexed optical signal being output via a mux output port. In addition, the shared AWG receives an optical signal having different channel wavelengths at a demux input port and separates channel wavelengths to be output via a plurality of demux output ports.