Abstract: Known semiconductor wafer process technologies are used to manufacture an optical MUX/DeMUX with very precise dimensional control. The manufacturing process eliminates the need to polish optical surfaces of the MUX/DeMUX, which reduces the overall manufacturing costs and the amount of time that is required to manufacture the MUX/DeMUX.

Abstract: An optical demultiplexing device includes an optics body, a minor, optical filters, and opto-electronic detectors. The optics body has a fiber port configured to receive an end of an optical fiber, a reflective surface aligned with the fiber port, a substantially planar filter mounting surface, and a substantially planar mirror mounting surface. The filter mounting surface and the minor mounting surface are parallel to one another and formed on the same side of the optics body as each other. The minor is mounted on the minor mounting surface, and the filters are mounted on the filter mounting surface. Each filter is transparent to a different wavelength and is interposed in an optical path between one of the opto-electronic detectors and the reflector.

Abstract: An opto-electronic system includes a system substrate, a lens, a bridging device, and an opto-electronic chip mounted in a cavity in the system substrate. The bridging device, which can be another chip, a lens block, or an interposer, is mounted in flip-chip orientation to the opto-electronic chip and provides electrical interconnection with signal conductors of the system substrate.

Abstract: A opto-electronic device includes a semiconductor device and a non-imaging optical concentrator on a surface of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has a substrate and a photodetector formed on a surface of the substrate. The non-imaging optical concentrator has a peripheral surface extending around a central region of the active area of the photodetector. The non-imaging optical concentrator redirects at least a portion of incoming light into the active area.

Abstract: A plurality of flip-chips, each having a plurality of optoelectronic elements formed therein, are flip-chip mounted on a top surface of a substrate that is comprised of a material that is transparent to the operating wavelength of the light produced by optoelectronic elements of the flip-chips. The combination of flip-chips comprises an array of precisely-aligned optoelectronic elements. When the substrate comprising the array of optoelectronic elements is mounted on a PCB, electrical contact pads disposed on the bottom and/or top surface of the substrate are in contact with the respective electrical contact pads disposed on the top surface of the PCB to electrically interconnect the PCB with the flip-chips. Mating features on the substrate that have been precisely positioned by semiconductor fabrication steps are disposed for mating with respective mating features of a multi-optical fiber ferrule device that have been precisely formed in the ferrule device at precise locations.

Abstract: An adapter is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard for electrical communications and an optical coupling configuration for optical communications. The adapter is configured as an interface for at least two modular connector assemblies to enable the modular connector assemblies to communicate with each other either optically or electrically, depending on whether the plugs of the assemblies are configured to have optical or electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: A modular connector assembly is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard and an optical coupling configuration that provides the assembly with optical communications capabilities. In addition, the modular connector assembly is configured to have backwards compatibility with existing 8P8C jacks and plugs that implement the RJ-45 wiring standard. Consequently, the modular connector assembly may be used to communicate optical data signals at higher data rates (e.g., 10 Gb/s and higher) or to communicate electrical data signals at lower data rates (e.g., 1 Gb/s).

Abstract: A thin hybrid plug, a thin hybrid receptacle that mates with the thin hybrid plug, and a thin hybrid connector assembly comprising the thin hybrid receptacle mated with the thin hybrid plug are provided. A method for configuring a thin hybrid plug so that an optical surface of the plug is disposed for easy cleaning is also provided. An optics system of the hybrid plug has an optical surface that is substantially flush with an end face of a molded plug body of the hybrid plug to allow the optical surface to be easily wiped clean. In addition, the electrical contacts system and the optics system of the hybrid plug are arranged to enable the optical surface of the optics system to be easily wiped with a cleaning device, such as a cotton-tipped swab, for example. An optics system of the hybrid receptacle has an optical surface that is also disposed to be easily wiped with a cleaning device, such as a cotton-tipped swab, for example.

Abstract: An opto-electronic system includes a system substrate, a lens, a bridging device, and an opto-electronic chip mounted in a cavity in the system substrate. The bridging device, which can be another chip, a lens block, or an interposer, is mounted in flip-chip orientation to the opto-electronic chip and provides electrical interconnection with signal conductors of the system substrate.

Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links. A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together. The first and second connectors can further be electrically mateable to provide both optical and electrical signal communication links.

Abstract: A modular connector assembly is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard and an optical coupling configuration that provides the assembly with optical communications capabilities. In addition, the modular connector assembly is configured to have backwards compatibility with existing 8P8C jacks and plugs that implement the RJ-45 wiring standard. Consequently, the modular connector assembly may be used to communicate optical data signals at higher data rates (e.g., 10 Gb/s and higher) or to communicate electrical data signals at lower data rates (e.g., 1 Gb/s).

Abstract: A modular connector assembly is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard and an optical coupling configuration that provides the assembly with optical communications capabilities. In addition, the modular connector assembly is configured to have backwards compatibility with existing 8P8C jacks and plugs that implement the RJ-45 wiring standard. Consequently, the modular connector assembly may be used to communicate optical data signals at higher data rates (e.g., 10 Gb/s and higher) or to communicate electrical data signals at lower data rates (e.g., 1 Gb/s).

Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links. A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together. The first and second connectors can further be electrically mateable to provide both optical and electrical signal communication links.

Abstract: A hybrid RJ-45 plug is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration and an optical coupling configuration. The electrical coupling configuration is an 8P8C electrical wiring configuration that complies with the RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. The optical coupling configuration includes an optics system that provides the plug with optical communications capabilities. The hybrid RJ-45 plug is backwards compatible with an existing RJ-45 jack that implements an RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. However, the hybrid RJ-45 plug is also configured to mate with an optical jack that has only optical communications capabilities and to mate with a hybrid RJ-45 jack that has both optical and electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module connector system is mountable on a system substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a variety of configurations or orientations and includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding enclosure, a connector assembly, and a socket. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a connector printed circuit board, a substantially planar contact holder, electrical contact fingers mounted on the contact holder, and an opto-electronic module. When the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket are mounted on the system substrate, a user can readily insert the connector assembly into the EMI-shielding enclosure and plug it into the socket. A user can likewise readily remove the connector assembly from the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket for maintenance, cleaning, repair or other purposes.

Abstract: A USB connector is provided that has an OE module and high-speed electrical connections integrated therein. The OE module includes an optical module, at least one laser diode, at least one photodiode, an optical transceiver IC, and a PCB. The optical module, the laser diode, the photodiode, and the IC are mounted on a surface of the PCB. The OE module is secured within the USB connector. The PCB includes conductive traces and electrical contact pads. The conductive traces electrically connect the IC with the contact pads. The contact pads are electrically connected via through holes formed in the PCB to the high-speed electrical connections, which, in turn, are electrically connected to conductive traces of a motherboard or a computer.

Abstract: An electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical converter plug device includes a plug-shaped housing assembly, electrical contact fingers, a substantially planar circuit substrate, an optics block, and one or more opto-electronic conversion devices mounted on the circuit substrate. The opto-electronic signal conversion device has a device optical axis oriented normal to the circuit substrate and electrically coupled to the contact fingers. The optics block has a device optical port aligned with the device optical axis. The optics block has a fiber optical port oriented perpendicularly to the device optical axis. The optics block includes an optical reflector interposed in an optical path between the device optical port and the fiber optical port for redirecting an optical signal at an angle of substantially 90 degrees between a device optical port and a corresponding fiber optical port. An optical fiber can be coupled to the fiber optical port.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module connector system is mountable on a system substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a variety of configurations or orientations and includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding enclosure, a connector assembly, and a socket. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a connector printed circuit board, a substantially planar contact holder, electrical contact fingers mounted on the contact holder, and an opto-electronic module. When the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket are mounted on the system substrate, a user can readily insert the connector assembly into the EMI-shielding enclosure and plug it into the socket. A user can likewise readily remove the connector assembly from the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket for maintenance, cleaning, repair or other purposes.

Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together.

Abstract: An opto-electronic communication module includes a module body and a circuit board having an edge with conductive castellations extending between opposing surfaces of the circuit board. At least one opto-electronic communication device, such as an opto-electronic light source or an opto-electronic light receiver, is mounted on a surface of the circuit board in an orientation in which its optical signal communication axis is normal to the surface of the circuit board and aligned with an optical signal communication port of the module body.