Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical communication device includes preparing first and second pre-defined break lines in a carrier wafer. A first sub-mount is positioned near the first break line to accommodate an optical laser and a second sub-mount is positioned near the second break line to accommodate an optical modulator. The first sub-mount is secured to a thermally conductive and electrically nonconductive spacer which is secured to a thermo-electrical cooler that defines a gap between the first submount and the thermo-electrical cooler. A portion of the carrier wafer between the sub-mounts is removed.

Abstract: An arrangement for improving adhesive attachment of micro-components in an assembly utilizes a plurality of parallel-disposed slots formed in the top surface of the substrate used to support the micro-components. The slots are used to control the flow and “shape” of an adhesive “dot” so as to quickly and accurately attach a micro-component to the surface of a substrate. The slots are formed (preferably, etched) in the surface of the substrate in a manner that lends itself to reproducible accuracy from one substrate to another. Other slots (“channels”) may be formed in conjunction with the bonding slots so that extraneous adhesive material will flow into these channels and not spread into unwanted areas.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an optical communication device is disclosed. An optical sub-assembly and optical platform can form the optical communication device. Pre-defined break lines are placed on a carrier wafer. The wafer can accommodate a modulator sub-mount and a laser sub-mount. A tooling process is used to place the modulator sub-mount on an optical platform and the laser sub-mount adjacent to a thermo-electrical cooler. The laser sub-mount can be hermetically enclosed and aligned to communicate with the modulator sub-mount.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical communication device aligns an optical sub-assembly and an optical modulator on a carrier wafer. A first sub-mount supports the optical sub-assembly and a second sub-mount supports the optical modulator. Pre-defined break lines are placed on the carrier wafer to accommodate separation of the sub-assembly and the optical modulator. The first sub-mount connects the optical sub-assembly to a thermoelectric cooler by either an epoxy, a spacer layer, or both. The optical sub-assembly is aligned in the x/y/z directions relative to the second sub-mount in a position to match an optical height of the optical modulator in the z-direction, wherein the z-direction is a vertical direction relative to the carrier wafer.

Abstract: An silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based photonics platform is formed to including a venting structure for encapsulating the active and passive optical components formed on the SOI-based photonics platform. The venting structure is used to allow for the encapsulated components to “breathe” such that water vapor and gasses will pass through the package and not condensate on any of the encapsulated optical surfaces. The venting structure is configured to also to prevent dust, liquids and other particulate material from entering the package.

Abstract: An opto-electronic apparatus comprises a substrate for supporting a plurality of components forming an opto-electronic assembly and an optical component attached to the substrate with an adhesive material, such as a solder or epoxy. The optical component is formed to include a plurality of bond slots disposed in parallel across at least a portion of the bottom surface of the optical component, the plurality of bond slots providing a path for a liquid adhesive material and improving the ability to displace the liquid adhesive material as the component is pressed into the surface of the substrate during the attachment process.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing releasable attachment between a fiber connector and an opto-electronic assembly, the opto-electronic assembly utilizing an interposer substrate to support a plurality of opto-electronic components that generates optical output signals and receives optical input signals. An enclosure is used to cover the interposer substrate and includes a transparent region through which the optical output and input signals pass unimpeded. A magnetic connector component is attached to the lid and positioned to surround the transparent region, with a fiber connector for supporting one or more optical fibers magnetically attached to the connector component by virtue of a metallic component contained in the fiber connector. This arrangement provides releasable attachment of the fiber connector to the enclosure in a manner where the optical output and input signals align with the optical fibers in the connector.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an optical communication device is disclosed. An optical sub-assembly and optical platform can form the optical communication device. Pre-defined break lines are placed on a carrier wafer. The wafer can accommodate a modulator sub-mount and a laser sub-mount. A tooling process is used to place the modulator sub-mount on an optical platform and the laser sub-mount adjacent to a thermo-electrical cooler. The laser sub-mount can be hermetically enclosed and aligned to communicate with the modulator sub-mount.

Abstract: An arrangement for improving adhesive attachment of micro-components in an assembly utilizes a plurality of parallel-disposed slots formed in the top surface of the substrate used to support the micro-components. The slots are used to control the flow and “shape” of an adhesive “dot” so as to quickly and accurately attach a micro-component to the surface of a substrate. The slots are formed (preferably, etched) in the surface of the substrate in a manner that lends itself to reproducible accuracy from one substrate to another. Other slots (“channels”) may be formed in conjunction with the bonding slots so that extraneous adhesive material will flow into these channels and not spread into unwanted areas.

Abstract: An arrangement for improving adhesive attachment of micro-components in an assembly utilizes a plurality of parallel-disposed slots formed in the top surface of the substrate used to support the micro-components. The slots are used to control the flow and “shape” of an adhesive “dot” so as to quickly and accurately attach a micro-component to the surface of a substrate. The slots are formed (preferably, etched) in the surface of the substrate in a manner that lends itself to reproducible accuracy from one substrate to another. Other slots (“channels”) may be formed in conjunction with the bonding slots so that extraneous adhesive material will flow into these channels and not spread into unwanted areas.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing releasable attachment between a fiber connector and an opto-electronic assembly, the opto-electronic assembly utilizing an interposer substrate to support a plurality of opto-electronic components that generates optical output signals and receives optical input signals. An enclosure is used to cover the interposer substrate and includes a transparent region through which the optical output and input signals pass unimpeded. A magnetic connector component is attached to the lid and positioned to surround the transparent region, with a fiber connector for supporting one or more optical fibers magnetically attached to the connector component by virtue of a metallic component contained in the fiber connector. This arrangement provides releasable attachment of the fiber connector to the enclosure in a manner where the optical output and input signals align with the optical fibers in the connector.

Abstract: An opto-electronic apparatus comprises a substrate for supporting a plurality of components forming an opto-electronic assembly and an optical component attached to the substrate with an adhesive material, such as a solder or epoxy. The optical component is formed to include a plurality of bond slots disposed in parallel across at least a portion of the bottom surface of the optical component, the plurality of bond slots providing a path for a liquid adhesive material and improving the ability to displace the liquid adhesive material as the component is pressed into the surface of the substrate during the attachment process.

Abstract: An silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based photonics platform is formed to including a venting structure for encapsulating the active and passive optical components formed on the SOI-based photonics platform. The venting structure is used to allow for the encapsulated components to “breathe” such that water vapor and gasses will pass through the package and not condensate on any of the encapsulated optical surfaces. The venting structure is configured to also to prevent dust, liquids and other particulate material from entering the package.

Abstract: An arrangement for improving adhesive attachment of micro-components in an assembly utilizes a plurality of parallel-disposed slots formed in the top surface of the substrate used to support the micro-components. The slots are used to control the flow and “shape” of an adhesive “dot” so as to quickly and accurately attach a micro-component to the surface of a substrate. The slots are formed (preferably, etched) in the surface of the substrate in a manner that lends itself to reproducible accuracy from one substrate to another. Other slots (“channels”) may be formed in conjunction with the bonding slots so that extraneous adhesive material will flow into these channels and not spread into unwanted areas.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing optical coupling into and out of a relatively thin silicon waveguide formed in the SOI layer of an SOI structure includes a lensing element and a defined reference surface within the SOI structure for providing optical coupling in an efficient manner. The input to the waveguide may come from an optical fiber or an optical transmitting device (laser). A similar coupling arrangement may be used between a thin silicon waveguide and an output fiber (either single mode fiber or multimode fiber).

Abstract: An arrangement for providing passive alignment between an optical fiber and the “tip” of a nanotaper coupling waveguide (the nanotaper formed within the SOI layer of an SOI-based optoelectronic arrangement). The arrangement includes a separate fiber carrier support element, including a longitudinal V-groove for supporting the fiber and an alignment feature formed parallel thereto. The SOI structure is formed to include an associated alignment slot, so that as the fiber carrier is positioned over and attached to the SOI structure, the alignment feature and alignment slot will mate together and provide passive alignment of the optical fiber to the nanotaper waveguide tip.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing optical coupling into and out of a relatively thin silicon waveguide formed in the SOI layer of an SOI structure includes a lensing element and a defined reference surface within the SOI structure for providing optical coupling in an efficient manner. The input to the waveguide may come from an optical fiber or an optical transmitting device (laser). A similar coupling arrangement may be used between a thin silicon waveguide and an output fiber (either single mode fiber or multimode fiber).

Abstract: An arrangement for providing passive alignment between an optical fiber and the “tip” of a nanotaper coupling waveguide (the nanotaper formed within the SOI layer of an SO-based optoelectronic arrangement). The arrangement includes a separate fiber carrier support element, including a longitudinal V-groove for supporting the fiber and an alignment feature formed parallel thereto. The SOI structure is formed to include an associated alignment slot, so that as the fiber carrier is positioned over and attached to the SOI structure, the alignment feature and alignment slot will mate together and provide passive alignment of the optical fiber to the nanotaper waveguide tip.

Abstract: A vertical stack of integrated circuits includes at least one CMOS electronic integrated circuit (IC), an SOI-based opto-electronic integrated circuit structure, and an optical input/output coupling element. A plurality of metalized vias may be formed through the thickness of the stack so that electrical connections can be made between each integrated circuit. Various types of optical input/output coupling can be used, such as prism coupling, gratings, inverse tapers, and the like. By separating the optical and electrical functions onto separate ICs, the functionalities of each may be modified without requiring a re-design of the remaining system. By virtue of using SOI-based opto-electronics with the CMOS electronic ICs, a portion of the SOI structure may be exposed to provide access to the waveguiding SOI layer for optical coupling purposes.

Abstract: An SOI-based optical interconnection arrangement is provided that significantly reduces the size, complexity and power consumption requires of conventional high density electrical interconnections. In particular, a group of optical modulators and wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers are used in association with traditional electrical signal paths to “concentrate” a large number of the electrical-pinouts onto one optical waveguide (e.g., fiber). By utilizing a number of such SOI-based signal concentration structures, an optical backplane can be formed that couples all of these concentration structures through one optical substrate and then onto a separate number of output/receiving boards. Additionally, optical gain material may be embedded within the backplane element to further enhance the optical signal quality.