Abstract: A heat dissipation system for an optical communications module is provided that includes a cold block on which the optoelectronic components and a lens assembly of an OSA of the module are mounted. The cold block has precisely-controlled mounting surface heights that precisely passively align the lens assembly in directions normal to mounting surfaces of the cold block. The cold block is made of a material of very high thermal conductivity, typically copper, so that heat generated by the optoelectronic components is dissipated into the cold block to maintain the optoelectronic components well below maximum allowable temperatures. In addition, an optical interface device of the OSA has a low-profile and an optical configuration that allows it to be used with a high optical fiber count.

Abstract: An optical communications module is equipped with a multi-piece, or split, OSA comprising an OSA receptacle that is separate from the OSA body and that remains spaced apart from the OSA body by wall of the metal module housing once the OSA has been installed in the metal module housing. The wall of the metal module housing has a hole formed in it that has a diameter that is generally equal to the size of the outer diameter of an optical stub of the OSA. The stub extends through the hole and has a proximal end that is secured to the OSA receptacle and a distal end that is secured to the OSA body. The corresponding EMI footprint is limited to being less than or equal to the diameter of the hole.

Abstract: A heat dissipation system for an optical communications module is provided that includes a cold block on which the optoelectronic components and a lens assembly of an OSA of the module are mounted. The cold block has precisely-controlled mounting surface heights that precisely passively align the lens assembly in directions normal to mounting surfaces of the cold block. The cold block is made of a material of very high thermal conductivity, typically copper, so that heat generated by the optoelectronic components is dissipated into the cold block to maintain the optoelectronic components well below maximum allowable temperatures. In addition, an optical interface device of the OSA has a low-profile and an optical configuration that allows it to be used with a high optical fiber count.

Abstract: A parallel optical communications module includes a top lens and a bottom lens that are spaced from one another to inhibit mechanical forces acting upon the top lens from being transferred to the bottom lens, which is optically aligned with an opto-electronic light source or light detector. The top lens has a reflector portion configured to redirect the optical signals between the bottom lens and one or more optical fibers.

Abstract: An optical communications module is provided with a moving pin latching/delatching system that includes an elongated pull tab that is easily accessible and a latch base having a proximal end that is mechanically coupled to a distal end of the pull tab. The latch base has a latch locking pin disposed on a distal end thereof for engaging a latch opening of a cage when the module is mated with the cage and the latch base is in the latched position. When a pull force of sufficient magnitude is exerted on the pull tab in a direction away from the cage parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pull tab, the latch base is moved from a latched position to a delatched position, which causes the pin to move from an extended position to a retracted position in which the pin is disengaged from the opening of the cage.

Abstract: A mounting block is provided that has a multi-level upper surface that is used to mount one or more IC chips and the printed circuit board (PCB) thereon at heights that allow the lengths of the bond wires interconnecting the chips with the PCB and/or with the other IC chips to be reduced. The distances between the levels of the multi-level surface are preselected based at least in part on the known height of the PCB and the known height of at least one of the IC chips such that when the chip and the PCB are mounted on the mounting block, the distance between the contact pads of the PCB and the contact pads of the IC chip is very small, thereby allowing the lengths of the bond wires to be kept very short.

Abstract: An optical transceiver module is provided with a delatching mechanism that allows module mounting density to be increased while also providing an ergonomic solution that allows the modules to be easily delatched and extracted from their cages. The delatching mechanism is configured to perform early disengagement of the module housing from the cage by delatching the module housing from the cage after the bail has been rotated to an angle that is less than 90°. Because delatching occurs when the bail has been rotated to a delatching angle that is less than 90°, the modules can be more densely stored with less space between modules that are mounted one above the other than with existing solutions.

Abstract: An optical assembly can be formed by providing a frame made of a plastic material on a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB), mounting at least one opto-electronic element on the surface of the PCB within the frame, and laser-welding a lens device onto the frame.

Abstract: An optical transceiver module is provided with a delatching mechanism that allows module mounting density to be increased while also providing an ergonomic solution that allows the modules to be easily delatched and extracted from their cages. The delatching mechanism is configured to perform early disengagement of the module housing from the cage by delatching the module housing from the cage after the bail has been rotated to an angle that is less than 90°. Because delatching occurs when the bail has been rotated to a delatching angle that is less than 90°, the modules can be more densely stored with less space between modules that are mounted one above the other than with existing solutions.

Abstract: An optical communications module includes a module housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), a device mounting block, at least one opto-electronic device, at least one signal processing integrated circuit (IC), and a top lens device. The opto-electronic device is mounted on the device mounting block. An upper surface of the signal processing IC has a signal contact array in electrical contact with a corresponding signal pad array on the PCB lower surface. The top lens device has a fiber port configured to communicate optical signals with a fiber-optic cable at the forward end of the module housing, a device port configured to communicate the optical signals with the opto-electronic device, and a reflector portion configured to redirect the optical signals at a non-zero angle between the fiber port and the device port.

Abstract: In a method for making an optical communications module, elements in the optical signal path are aligned relative to a lens mounting frame. The frame is attached to the surface of a printed circuit board. The frame bears fiducial markings. An opto-electronic device is then aligned relative to the frame using the fiducial markings. One or more bottom lens devices are aligned relative to the lens mounting frame using the fiducial markings. Finally, a top lens device is attached to the lens mounting frame over the bottom lens devices.

Abstract: A mounting block is provided that has a multi-level upper surface that is used to mount one or more IC chips and the printed circuit board (PCB) thereon at heights that allow the lengths of the bond wires interconnecting the chips with the PCB and/or with the other IC chips to be reduced. The distances between the levels of the multi-level surface are preselected based at least in part on the known height of the PCB and the known height of at least one of the IC chips such that when the chip and the PCB are mounted on the mounting block, the distance between the contact pads of the PCB and the contact pads of the IC chip is very small, thereby allowing the lengths of the bond wires to be kept very short.

Abstract: A parallel optical communications module includes a top lens and a bottom lens that are spaced from one another to inhibit mechanical forces acting upon the top lens from being transferred to the bottom lens, which is optically aligned with an opto-electronic light source or light detector. The top lens has a reflector portion configured to redirect the optical signals between the bottom lens and one or more optical fibers.

Abstract: Heat dissipation resources are allocated in an optical communications module based on the sensitivity of electrical and optoelectronic components of the module to temperature. Components that have a higher sensitivity to temperature are allocated a greater proportion of available heat dissipation resources than components that have a lower sensitivity to temperature. In addition, heat dissipation resources that are allocated to components that have different sensitivities to temperature are thermally decoupled from one another.

Abstract: An optical assembly can be formed by providing a frame made of a plastic material on a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB), mounting at least one opto-electronic element on the surface of the PCB within the frame, and laser-welding a lens device onto the frame.

Abstract: An optical assembly can be formed by providing a frame made of a plastic material on a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB), mounting at least one opto-electronic element on the surface of the PCB within the frame, and laser-welding a lens device onto the frame.

Abstract: A heat dissipation solution is provided that is suitable for use in, but not limited to use in, CXP modules. The heat dissipation solution allows the performance of a CXP module to be significantly improved without having to increase the size of the heat dissipation device that is currently used with known CXP modules. The heat dissipation solution thermally decouples the heat dissipation path associated with the laser diodes from the heat dissipation path associated with other heat-generating components of the module, such as the laser diode driver IC and the receiver IC. Decoupling these heat dissipation paths allows the temperature of the laser diodes to be kept cooler as they are operated at higher speeds while allowing the temperatures of the other components to run hotter, if desired or necessary.

Abstract: A connector cover includes a body having a lower recessed portion configured to receive a portion of a reflecting connector of a type that retains the ends of optical fibers therein and has a reflector that redirects or turns the optical signals. The body has an upper housing portion that covers the reflector when the reflecting connector is received in the lower recessed portion of the body. The body also has a pair of arms extending from a forward end of the body. Each arm has a distal end with an arm distal end engagement. The arms are configured to engage a portion of an optical transceiver module.

Abstract: In an opto-electronic system having one or more optical transceiver modules and an enclosure, air is forced through the interior of the transceiver module to dissipate heat generated by the opto-electronic and electronic elements.

Abstract: A side-edge mountable parallel optical communications module and an optical communications system that incorporates one or more of the modules are provided. In the optical communications system, one or more of the side-edge mountable parallel optical communications modules are side-edge mounted in respective edge card connectors, which, in turn, are mounted on a surface of a motherboard PCB. Because the modules are relatively thin and because the spacing, or pitch, between the modules can be kept very small, the system can have a very high mounting density, and consequently, a very high bandwidth.