Optical transceiver

• US 20030223756A1
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Guenter, James K., Tatum, Jimmy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/806 Arrangements for feeding power
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

An optical transceiver for detecting an incoming light beam and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along a common optical axis is provided. Such an optical transceiver provides a compact optical transceiver that is suitable for a wide variety of applications.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device for detecting an incoming light beam along a light beam axis and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along the light beam axis, the optoelectronic device comprising:

an optical detector positioned along the light beam axis for receiving the incoming light beam and for detecting a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths; and

an optical transmitter positioned along the light beam axis for transmitting the outgoing light beam, wherein the outgoing light beam includes a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths.

2. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a controller in electrical communication with the optical detector and/or the optical transmitter.

3. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1 wherein the optical detector includes one or more absorbing layers that at least partially absorb light of the first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths and at least partially passes light of the second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths.

4. An optoelectronic device according to claim 2 wherein the optical detector and the optical transmitter are situated on a first substrate and the controller is situated on a second substrate.

5. An optoelectronic device according to claim 4 wherein the optical detector and/or the optical transmitter include one or more pads, and the controller includes one or more pads.

6. An optoelectronic device according to claim 5 wherein selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are electrically connected to select pads of the controller.

7. An optoelectronic device according to claim 6 wherein selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are solder bump bonded to select pads of the controller.

8. An optoelectronic device according to claim 6 wherein selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are wire bonded to select pads of the controller.

9. An optoelectronic device according to claim 4 wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are situated substantially parallel to one another.

10. An optoelectronic device according to claim 4 wherein the second substrate is transparent or substantially transparent to the first and second wavelengths and/or range of wavelengths.

11. An optoelectronic device according to claim 10 wherein the second substrate is positioned along the light beam axis such that the incoming light beam and/or the outgoing light beam must pass through the second substrate.

12. An optoelectronic device according to claim 11 wherein the second substrate includes a silicon-on-sapphire substrate, and the controller includes a control circuit in the silicon layer of the silicon-on-sapphire substrate.

13. An optoelectronic device according to claim 12 wherein the incoming light beam and/or the outgoing light beam must pass through at least part of the control circuit.

14. An optoelectronic device according to claim 12 wherein the incoming light beam and/or the outgoing light beam do not pass through the control circuit.

15. An optoelectronic device according to claim 14 wherein silicon layer is removed or substantially removed from a region of the silicon-on-sapphire substrate that corresponds to a region that the incoming light beam and/or the outgoing light beam pass through.

16. An optoelectronic device according to claim 11 wherein second substrate is GaP.

17. An optoelectronic device according to claim 2 wherein controller includes one or more sensors.

18. An optoelectronic device according to claim 2 wherein controller is electrically connected to one or more sensors.

19. An optoelectronic device according to claim 2 wherein controller includes one or more capacitors for storing charge produced by the optical detector.

20. An optoelectronic device according to claim 19 wherein the controller is at least partially powered by the charge stored in the one or more capacitors.

21. An optoelectronic device according to claim 2 wherein the second substrate includes an optical element.

22. An optoelectronic device according to claim 21 wherein the optical element is a refractive optical element.

23. An optoelectronic device according to claim 21 wherein the optical element is a diffractive optical element.

24. An optoelectronic device for detecting an incoming light beam along a light beam axis and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along the light beam axis, the optoelectronic device comprising:

a substrate positioned along the light beam axis;

an optical detector positioned along the light beam axis and adjacent the substrate for receiving the incoming light beam and for detecting a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths;

an optical transmitter positioned along the light beam axis and adjacent the substrate for transmitting the outgoing light beam, wherein the outgoing light beam includes a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths;

a control circuit positioned adjacent the substrate;

wherein the substrate, the optical detector, the optical transmitter and the control circuit are monolithically formed.

25. An optoelectronic device according to claim 24 wherein the control circuit is positioned between the substrate and the optical detector and optical transmitter.

26. An optoelectronic device according to claim 24 wherein the optical detector and optical transmitter are positioned between the substrate and the control circuit.

27. An optoelectronic device according to claim 24 further comprising a sensor.

28. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

29. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

30. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a PH sensor.

31. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a humidity sensor.

32. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a chemical sensor.

33. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is an electromagnetic field sensor.

34. An optoelectronic device according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is exposed to the environment to be sensed.

35. An optoelectronic device for detecting an incoming light beam along a light beam axis and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along the light beam axis, the optoelectronic device comprising:

an optical detector positioned along the light beam axis for receiving the incoming light beam and for detecting a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths;

an optical transmitter positioned along the light beam axis for transmitting the outgoing light beam, wherein the outgoing light beam includes a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths;

a substrate having a group IV semiconductor layer and a transparent layer that is transparent or substantially transparent to the first and second wavelengths and/or range of wavelengths, the group IV semiconductor layer being removed in a region;

a control circuit formed in the group IV semiconductor layer; and

the optical detector and the optical transmitter positioned adjacent the region where the group IV semiconductor layer has been removed.

36. An optoelectronic device according to claim 35 wherein the substrate, the optical detector, the optical transmitter and the control circuit are monolithically formed.

37. A method for forming an optoelectronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

forming an optical detector that receives a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths, and an optical transmitter that transmits a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths on a substrate, the optical detector and/or optical transmitter having one or more pads;

forming a control circuit on a second substrate, the control circuit having one or more pads;

securing the first substrate relative to the second substrate with selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter in electrical communication with selected pads of the control circuit.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are positioned to align with the selected pads of the control circuit.

39. A method according to claim 37 wherein the selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are solder bump bonded to the selected pads of the control circuit.

40. A method according to claim 37 wherein the selected pads of the optical detector and/or optical transmitter are wire bonded to the selected pads of the control circuit.