Abstract: An external cavity laser apparatus includes a wavelength tuning element mounted to a carrier on the apparatus's platform. Thermal control of the platform sets an initial position of the carrier and tuning element, from which independent tuning of the element can be achieved for wavelength tuning. The carrier is formed of a liquid crystal polymer that thermally isolates the tuning element from this platform, for such independent thermo-optical tuning. The liquid crystal polymer may match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the carrier to that of the platform. The support further includes embedded electrodes, either within or on the outer surface of the carrier, which can couple from the tuning element to the controller, where in some examples such coupling is direct and without use of additional electrical traces or wire bonds.

Abstract: An external cavity laser apparatus includes a wavelength tuning element mounted to a carrier on the apparatus's platform. Thermal control of the platform sets an initial position of the carrier and tuning element, from which independent tuning of the element can be achieved for wavelength tuning. The carrier is formed of a liquid crystal polymer that thermally isolates the tuning element from this platform, for such independent thermo-optical tuning. The liquid crystal polymer may match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the carrier to that of the platform. The support further includes embedded electrodes, either within or on the outer surface of the carrier, which can couple from the tuning element to the controller, where in some examples such coupling is direct and without use of additional electrical traces or wire bonds.

Abstract: An external cavity laser apparatus includes a wavelength tuning element mounted to a carrier on the apparatus's platform. Thermal control of the platform sets an initial position of the carrier and tuning element, from which independent tuning of the element can be achieved for wavelength tuning. The carrier is formed of a liquid crystal polymer that thermally isolates the tuning element from this platform, for such independent thermo-optical tuning. The liquid crystal polymer may match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the carrier to that of the platform. The support further includes embedded electrodes, either within or on the outer surface of the carrier, which can couple from the tuning element to the controller, where in some examples such coupling is direct and without use of additional electrical traces or wire bonds.

Abstract: A thermally tuned filter comprising an optical tuning device and a pre-stressed membrane positioned on the optical tuning device. A tensile prestress of the pre-stressed membrane to increase a natural frequency of the thermally tuned filter.

Abstract: A thermally tuned filter having a pre-stressed membrane. The thermally tuned filter includes a handle layer, a dielectric layer positioned proximate to the handle layer, and a device layer positioned proximate to the handle layer. The device layer includes an optical device. A pre-stressed membrane is positioned proximate to the device layer; a tensile prestress of the pre-stressed membrane increases the natural frequency of the thermally tuned filter.

Abstract: A circuit package includes a substrate having an opening and a single unitary heat sink adapted to effectively dissipate heat is positioned in the opening to expose top and bottom surfaces which are respectively coplanar with top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. Selective plating includes applying first and second metal patterns to a substrate surface, creating a potential voltage difference between the first metal pattern and a metal source, and plating the first metal pattern by attracting a first metal type to the voltage potential of the first metal pattern. The voltage potential of the first metal pattern is less than the voltage potential of the metal source.

Abstract: A circuit package includes a base portion and a first metal pattern disposed on a substrate surface. Second and third metal patterns are disposed on another substrate surface, and electrically coupled to first and second vias. The third metal pattern forms a gap to electrically isolate it from the second metal pattern. A circuit package includes a substrate having an opening and a single heat sink positioned in the opening to expose top and bottom surfaces through top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. Selective plating includes applying first and second metal patterns to a substrate surface, creating a potential voltage difference between the first metal pattern and a metal source, and plating the first metal pattern by attracting a first metal type to the voltage potential of the first metal pattern. The voltage potential of the first metal pattern is less than the voltage potential of the metal source.

Abstract: A package for heating a micro-component is disclosed. The package comprises a platform having a resistive heating element integral with the platform. The package further includes a micro-component disposed on the platform.

Abstract: A thermally tuned filter comprising an optical tuning device and a pre-stressed membrane positioned on the optical tuning device. A tensile prestress of the pre-stressed membrane to increase a natural frequency of the thermally tuned filter.

Abstract: A device for attenuating cladding modes in a single mode optical fiber is disclosed. The device comprises two supports, each equipped with spaced apart corrugations. The optical fiber lies transversely across the corrugations and the two supports are clamped together to impart micro-bends to the optical fiber. The resulting micro-bends provide excellent cladding mode attenuation and the spacing of the corrugations and support members can be adjusted so that the core modes are not attenuated.

Abstract: A thermally tuned filter having a pre-stressed membrane. The thermally tuned filter includes a handle layer, a dielectric layer positioned proximate to the handle layer, and a device layer positioned proximate to the handle layer. The device layer includes an optical device. A pre-stressed membrane is positioned proximate to the device layer; a tensile prestress of the pre-stressed membrane increases the natural frequency of the thermally tuned filter.

Abstract: A package for heating a micro-component is disclosed. The package comprises a platform having a resistive heating element integral with the platform. The package further includes a micro-component disposed on the platform.

Abstract: A circuit package includes a base portion and a first metal pattern disposed on a substrate surface. Second and third metal patterns are disposed on another substrate surface, and electrically coupled to first and second vias. The third metal pattern forms a gap to electrically isolate it from the second metal pattern. A circuit package includes a substrate having an opening and a single heat sink positioned in the opening to expose top and bottom surfaces through top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. Selective plating includes applying first and second metal patterns to a substrate surface, creating a potential voltage difference between the first metal pattern and a metal source, and plating the first metal pattern by attracting a first metal type to the voltage potential of the first metal pattern. The voltage potential of the first metal pattern is less than the voltage potential of the metal source.

Abstract: A hermetically sealable package may be formed from a top portion and a bottom portion mated along a seam at or near a plane of an optical fiber. A completed pill assembly may be positioned directly into the enclosure base without requiring the fiber to be threaded through the feed through or “snout”. The top potion may then be mated with the bottom portion to form the package. A glass solder ring may be placed coaxial with the fiber in the feed through. The seam may be sealed by laser welding and the glass solder ring reflowed by laser heating, for example, with a same laser as used to weld the seam or by resistive or induction heating. In some embodiments a coupling tube around the fiber and snout or the snout itself may have holes to allow solder sealing within the snout and filling the remaining area with epoxy. Since the package is initially split in two pieces, module assembly may be facilitated without threading.

Abstract: A low profile ringframe used in electro-optical module packaging is disclosed. The ringframe can be mounted so as to be set back from, be flush with, or be extending exteriorly over the outer end wall of the ceramic substrate, and may also be formed so as to help physically separate the ringframe-to-subtrate solder joint from the ringframe-to-laser weld seam. The ringframe, along the side where it is sealed to the adjacent substrate, can be notched with one or more cutout areas to allow a space for wicking of reflowed solder to prevent a built-up solder fillet from forming exteriorly of the ringframe.

Abstract: Modern optoelectronic components have very tight coupling tolerances. Small misalignments of a strong lens that occur during the alignment and bonding process seriously degrade optical coupling. A weak lens is actively mounted using a flexure to correct misalignments of the strong lens. Since the weak lens does not exert as much steering force on a beam for a similar movement as the strong lens, misalignments that may occur during weak lens positioning and bonding do not appreciably degrade coupling.

Abstract: A device for attenuating cladding modes in a single mode optical fiber is disclosed. The device comprises two supports, each equipped with spaced apart corrugations. The optical fiber lies transversely across the corrugations and the two supports are clamped together to impart micro-bends to the optical fiber. The resulting micro-bends provide excellent cladding mode attenuation and the spacing of the corrugations and support members can be adjusted so that the core modes are not attenuated.

Abstract: Modern optoelectronic components have very tight coupling tolerances. Small misalignments of a strong lens that occur during the alignment and bonding process seriously degrade optical coupling. A weak lens is actively mounted using a flexure to correct misalignments of the strong lens. Since the weak lens does not exert as much steering force on a beam for a similar movement as the strong lens, misalignments that may occur during weak lens positioning and bonding do not appreciably degrade coupling.

Abstract: Optoelectronic packages with one or more feed-throughs having a cutout allow optical fibers that have been coupled to a component (e.g., an optical component, an electrical component, a structural component) to be fed through more easily than a package having feed-throughs without a cutout. In one embodiment, the cut in the feed-through is on the opposite side of the initial direction of the threading. That is, if the fiber is to come from above the feed-through, the cut is placed on the bottom of the feed-through. The placement of the cut on the feed-through allows a fiber previously attached to a component to be fed through without excessive curvature of the fiber.

Abstract: A low profile ringframe used in electro-optical module packaging, for being hermetically sealed, e.g., by a solder joint, to a metalized ceramic substrate base, and to which a deep cover is later hermetically sealed, e.g., by a laser weld, the ringframe's side walls being of sufficiently low height to permit computer-aided viewing from the side, as well as top, of the critical optical fiber end-to-laser diode alignment. The ringframe can be mounted so as to be set back from, be flush with, or be extending exteriorly over the outer end wall of the ceramic substrate, and may also be formed so as to help physically separate the ringframe-to-substrate solder joint from the ringframe-to-laser weld seam. The ringframe, along the side where it is sealed to the adjacent substrate, can be notched with one or more cutout areas to allow a space for wicking of reflowed solder to prevent a built-up solder fillet from forming exteriorly of the ringframe.