Optical transmit assembly including thermally isolated laser, temperature sensor, and temperature driver

• US 20060239313A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hosking, Lucy G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02415 by using a thermo-electric cooler [TEC], e.g. Peltier element
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02446 Cooling being separate from the laser chip cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0261 Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters H01S5/0265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06804 by monitoring an external parameter, e.g. temperature

Abstract

An optical transmit assembly in which a laser and temperature sensor are mounted on a first substrate without other heat generating components. Other heat generating components may be mounted on a second substrate that is separated from the first substrate by a thermally resistance mechanism. Accordingly, heat that is generated by other components is not as easily transferred to the laser and temperature sensor. This allows the temperature of the temperature sensor to more closely track the temperature of the laser, and allows for more efficient cooling of the laser.

Claims

1. An optical transmit assembly comprising:

heat generating circuitry;

a substrate;

a laser and temperature sensor structurally mounted on the substrate;

a temperature driver thermally coupled to the substrate; and

a thermal resistance mechanism providing thermal resistance between the heat generating circuitry and the combination of the substrate, the laser and the temperature sensor.

2. An optical transmit assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the substrate is a first substrate, the optical transmit assembly further comprising:

a second substrate, wherein the heat generating circuitry is mounted on the second substrate, and the thermal resistance mechanism further provides thermal resistance between the first and second substrates.

3. An optical transmit assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are structurally coupled together via a thermally insulating material.