Abstract: An electrical adapter is provided including a board having first and second planar surfaces, a male electrical socket coupled to the first planar surface of the printed circuit board and a female electrical socket coupled to the second planar surface of the printed circuit board. The board includes electrical connectors electrically coupling the male and female electrical sockets. The male electrical socket of the adapter is suitable for temporary connection to a female electrical interface of a first electrical device, and the female electrical socket is suitable for temporary connection to a male electrical interface of a second electrical device. The opposing socket is suitable for temporary connection to a printed circuit board. In one embodiment, the electrical device is an optoelectronic device.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly includes a transistor outline (TO) package that houses an optoelectronic device. The TO package and the optoelectronic device are coupled to a circuit interconnect. The circuit interconnect includes an insulator having a first side for transmitting a signal current between the optoelectronic device and a device external to the TO package, and a second side for transmitting a ground current between the TO package and the external device. For a predefined operating frequency range, the impedance of the circuit interconnect approximately matches the impedance of the signal leads of the TO package and also approximately matches the impedance of the device external to the TO package. The optoelectronic device may include a laser diode or a photo diode. In addition, the present invention is an optoelectronic transceiver including a transmitter optoelectronic assembly and a receiver optoelectronic assembly.

Abstract: A header assembly is provided that includes a base having a device side and a connector side. The header assembly further includes a platform attached to the base and positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the base. The device side of the base cooperates with a cap to define a hermetic chamber wherein one or more optoelectronic components, such as optical transmitters and optical receivers, are disposed. The platform includes an inside portion proximate the device side of the base and an outside portion proximate the connector side of the base, and the platform further includes at least one conductive pathway extending substantially through the platform so as to facilitate electrical communication between components disposed on the device side of the base, and circuits, devices and systems disposed on the connector side of the base.

Abstract: An electronic assembly tester for testing an electrical component of an optoelectronic device. The electrical component includes a transmit and receive port. The tester includes of a base, an arm, and a hinge. The arm includes a flex circuit and cables. The arm is rotated into a closed position to form a temporary electrical connection between the electrical component and the flex circuit. Other configurations for forming a temporary electrical connection between the test circuit and the electrical component are possible. The electrical component is evaluated by providing a data signal to the transmit portion of the electrical component and evaluating a return data signal obtained from the receive portion of the electrical component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for testing an optical subassembly of an optoelectronic device before attaching the electrical component. The method includes assembling a test circuit on a printed circuit board (“PCB”) and placing the PCB in the base portion of a clamping device. The optical subassembly is assembled and electrically connected to a flexible circuit. The clamping device is closed to form a temporary electrical connection between the flexible circuit and the test circuit. The flexible circuit is, in turn, connected to the optical subassembly. A data stream is transmitted through the optical subassembly and evaluated for compliance.

Abstract: A translation circuit for mediating between a fiber-optic controller chip and a host device. The translation circuit may be on a fiber-optic transponder. The controller chip includes a phase locked loop that outputs a short synchronization signal when a hunting frequency passes through a target data signal frequency while hunting for a data signal and outputs a synchronization signal when the phase locked loop is locked onto a data signal. The translation circuit distinguishes between the synchronization signals and generates a lock signal when the phase locked loop is locked onto a data signal, but does not when the hunting frequency passes through the target data signal frequency. The lock signal may be used by a host device into which the fiber-optic transponder has been in installed. Errors from misinterpreted signals can thus be mitigated.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for use at a reduced Vdd voltage. An integrated circuit is designed and implemented such that it is usable at a voltage less than an industry standard Vdd voltage. The integrated circuit may include a voltage filter that may either be implemented on the integrated circuit or external to the integrated circuit. The voltage filter receives an industry standard IC voltage and produces a filtered voltage that is that some value below the industry standard IC voltage. The voltage filter also removes noise from the industry standard IC voltage. The integrated circuit includes signal processing circuitry that is designed and implemented to improve signal quality and to operate at the filtered voltage.

Abstract: An electrical adapter is provided including a board having first and second planar surfaces, a male electrical socket coupled to the first planar surface of the printed circuit board and a female electrical socket coupled to the second planar surface of the printed circuit board. The board includes electrical connectors electrically coupling the male and female electrical sockets. The male electrical socket of the adapter is suitable for temporary connection to a female electrical interface of a first electrical device, and the female electrical socket is suitable for temporary connection to a male electrical interface of a second electrical device. The opposing socket is suitable for temporary connection to a printed circuit board. In one embodiment, the electrical device is an optoelectronic device.

Abstract: Optical transceivers have loopback and pass-through paths for diagnosing transceiver components and optical networks connected to the optical transceiver or for routing data out of the transceiver in a pass-through mode. The loopback paths are selectively configured so that a selected number of the components in the transceiver are included in the loopback path. Where more than one loopback path is present, a network administrator can select which components will be included in a particular test so that, depending on whether a signal is returned on the loopback path as intended, the network administrator can determine which components are operating correctly and which are faulty. The loopbacks can be configured to run on the electrical side of the transceiver from input port to output port or on the optical side from receiver to transmitter. The pass-through paths can be used to connect the transceiver to other devices.

Abstract: A header assembly including a base and a platform extending through the base and substantially perpendicular thereto. The platform includes conductive pathways that connect electrical components on either side of the base, and the conductive pathways cooperate to form a connector at the first end of the platform. A laser is mounted on top of a thermoelectric cooler that is directly joined to the second end of the platform. The laser and thermoelectric cooler are enclosed in a hermetic chamber cooperatively defined by the base, the platform, and a cap that is joined to the base. A photodiode optically coupled with the laser and a thermistor thermally coupled with the laser cooperate with the thermoelectric cooler and a control circuit to facilitate control of the performance of the laser.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic devices, and particularly to a submount, pedestal, and bond wire assembly for a transistor outline package. A bottom surface of the submount is connected to a top surface of the pedestal. Each bond wire in a bond wire set is connected to a position on the top surface of the submount, and to a position on the signal line. The signal line is positioned a first distance from the position on the top surface of the submount and a second distance from the pedestal. The submount is sized such that a portion of the bottom and the top surface of the submount extends beyond the top surface of the pedestal such that the first distance is less than the second distance.

Abstract: A controller for controlling the reverse-bias voltage of an avalanche photodiode in a transceiver or receiver. The controller includes memory for storing information related to the avalanche photodiode, and analog to digital conversion circuitry for receiving an analog signal corresponding to the temperature of the avalanche photodiode, converting the received analog signal into a digital value, and storing the digital value in a predefined location within the memory. Control circuitry in the controller controls the operation of the avalanche photodiode in accordance with the digital value corresponding to the temperature of the avalanche photodiode and a temperature lookup table stored in the memory. A serial interface is provided to enable a host device to read from and write to locations within the memory.

Abstract: An optical signal receiver has an increased dynamic range for detecting optical signals whose intensity varies over a wide range. In one embodiment, the optical signal receiver includes a circuit operable to provide a reverse bias voltage and an avalanche photo-diode (APD) coupled to the circuit to receive the reverse bias voltage. The circuit is operable to lower the reverse bias voltage in response to an increase in power of the received optical signals. Since the current gain of the APD is a function of the reverse bias voltage, the circuit indirectly lowers the current gain of the APD in response to the increase in power of the received optical signals. As a result, the optical signal receiver can be used to detect optical signals whose intensity varies over a broad range.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly includes a circuit board having a set of signal traces, where one or more of the signal traces has a junction point that integrates a pad of a circuit element. Exemplary circuit elements include a resistor, capacitor, and an inductor. The junction point has a first width and a first thickness, and the one or more signal traces have a second width and a second thickness. The dimensions of the junction point and the dimensions of the one or more signal traces are configured such that the first width and the second width are substantially similar, and that the first thickness and the second thickness are substantially similar. In one embodiment, the first width is no greater than 125% of the second width.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly includes an optoelectronic device, housed in a transistor outline (TO) package having a base and a signal lead traversing an aperture in the base, and a circuit interconnect coupled to the optoelectronic device and TO package. The circuit interconnect substantially comprises an insulator, and includes a data signal trace, a resistor, and a conductor. The data signal trace, on a first side of the insulator, transmits data signal current between the optoelectronic device and an external device. The resistor, also on the first side, transmits the data signal current between the optoelectronic device and the data signal trace. The resistor is electrically and mechanically connected to the signal lead and to data signal trace. The conductor, on a second side of the insulator, transmits a ground current between the TO package and the external device, and forms a current path substantially parallel to the data signal trace.

Abstract: An improved transistor header assembly incorporating a rectangular platform perpendicularly bisecting the base of the transistor header. The ceramic platform provides the ability to house multiple electrical components and/or devices on either side of the base. The platform has a higher thermal conductivity than the base of a standard header. In addition, the platform increases the electrical input/output density of the header by increasing the number of potential electrical connections between the two sides of the base.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly includes a transistor outline (TO) package that houses an optoelectronic device. The TO package and the optoelectronic device are coupled to a circuit interconnect. The circuit interconnect includes an insulator having a first side for transmitting a signal current between the optoelectronic device and a device external to the TO package, and a second side for transmitting a ground current between the TO package and the external device. For a predefined operating frequency range, the impedance of the circuit interconnect approximately matches the impedance of the signal leads of the TO package and also approximately matches the impedance of the device external to the TO package. The optoelectronic device may include a laser diode or a photo diode. In addition, the present invention is an optoelectronic transceiver including a transmitter optoelectronic assembly and a receiver optoelectronic assembly.

Abstract: A dual stage optical modulator is disclosed that uses optical predistortion to achieve a high degree of linearity and also provides signals having substantially no residual phase modulation, or chirp. The modulator allows fiber optic transmission over fibers having a zero dispersion wavelength that is significantly different from the operating wavelength of the source laser without a chirp-induced dispersion penalty. In one embodiment of the modulator, an input Y-junction splits an optical input signal into a first interferometer, also referred to as a phase/intensity modulator, having first and second interferometer arms and an electrode structure for modulating the split signal. The electrode structure includes a pair of ground electrodes and a modulating electrode for receiving a first RF modulating voltage and associated DC bias.