Packaged optical device

• US 5,852,696 A
• Filed: 01/14/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Payne, Roger Alyn, Fiddyment, Philip John, Collins, John Vincent, Thurlow, Adrian Richard, Lealman, Ian Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Palmer, Phan T.H.
• Application Number:
  US08/765,644
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 385/88-94, 385/14, 385/31, 385/38, 385/49, 385/50, 372/36
• US Class Current: 385/88
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4225 by a direct measurement of the degree of coupling, e.g. the amount of light power coupled to the fibre or the opto-electronic element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/423 using guiding surfaces for the alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0207 Substrates having a special shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0231 Stems
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02326 Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure

Abstract

An optical device package includes an optical device held in optically coupled relationship with an optical fibre by a ceramic ferrule. The optical device is mounted on a heatsink, the heatsink being mounted on the ferrule. The optical device is accurately mounted in relation to the rim of the ferrule such that insertion of the optical fibre into the ferrule brings the optical fibre into optically coupled relationship with the optical device without the need for active alignment techniques. The optical device, in use, is encapsulated in silicon sealant to seal the device form the effects of humidity.

Claims

1. An optical device package comprising:

an optical device,

a first support member supporting the optical device,

a second support member having a bore and an optical fibre received in said bore,

the second support member carrying the first support member such that the optical device and the optical fibre are in optically coupled relationship, and

an encapsulant applied to the optical device to seal the optical device from the surrounding environment.

2. An optical device package as in claim 1 wherein the second support member is a ferrule.

3. An optical device package as in claim 1 wherein the second support member comprises a substrate having a micro-machined bore.

4. An optical device package comprising:

an optical device,

an optical fibre optically coupled to said optical device,

means to support the optical fibre and the optical device, and

an encapsulant material applied directly onto the optical device to seal the optical device from the surrounding environment.

5. An optical device package as in claim 4 wherein the encapsulant comprises a silicone sealant.

6. An optical device package as in claim 4 wherein the sealing compound is index-matching and forms a bond between a facet of the optical device and the end of the optical fibre.

7. An optical device package as in claim 4 wherein the optical fibre has a numerical aperture greater than 0.25.

8. An optical device package as in claim 4 wherein the optical device is a semiconductor laser having a waveguiding structure to provide an output which substantially matches the fundamental mode spot size of a single mode optical fibre.

9. An optical device package comprising:

a ferrule,

an optical fibre received in the bore for the ferrule,

a support member supported against the rim of the ferrule at one end thereof,

an optical device carried by said support member in optically coupled relationship with said optical fibre, and

an encapsulant material applied directly onto said optical device to seal the optical device from the surrounding environment.

10. A method of packaging an optical device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) mounting an optical fibre on or in an optical fibre supporting member;

b) positioning the optical device in optical alignment with the optical fibre and securing the device and the fibre in optically coupled relationship; and

c) applying an encapsulant material directly onto the device to form a substantially air-tight seal.

11. A packaged optical device comprising:

an optical device and optical fibre supported in an optically coupled relationship by at least one separately formed support member; and

an encapsulant material adhered directly around and to at least otherwise exposed portions of the optical device to seal it hermetically from ambient environmental conditions.

12. A packaged optical device as in claim 11 wherein said at least one separately formed support member comprises a ceramic ferrule into one end of which one end of said optical fiber is inserted and having said optical device mounted externally of the ferrule at its other end.

13. A packaged optical device as in claim 12 wherein said support structure further comprises a heat sink member also affixed externally to said other end of the ferrule.

14. A packaged optical device as in claim 11 wherein said at least one separately formed support member comprises a micro-machined silicon optical bench including a photolithographically formed abutment for positioning said optical device with respect to an etched V-shaped groove that carries the optical fiber.

15. A packaged optical device as in claim 14 including a mounting pad on said optical bench for affixing said optical device thereto after it has been abutted against said abutment.

16. A packaged optical device as in claim 11 further comprising:

a pair of PCB electrical contact pins electrically connected to said optical device and physically supported by said support member.

17. A packaged optical device as in claim 11 wherein said encapsulant comprises a solidified silicon gel sealant.

18. A method for making a packaged optical device, said method comprising:

positioning and affixing an optical device and optical fibre in an optically coupled relationship on a separately formed support member;

embedding otherwise exposed portions of the optical device within a directly adhered encapsulant material to seal it hermetically from ambient environmental conditions.

19. A method as in claim 18 wherein said separately formed support member comprises a ceramic ferrule into one end of which one end of said optical fiber is inserted and having said optical device mounted externally of the ferrule at its other end.

20. A method as in claim 19 further comprising affixing a heat sink member externally to said other end of the ferrule.

21. A method as in claim 18 including micro-machining said separately formed support member as a silicon optical bench including a photo-lithographically formed abutment for positioning said optical device with respect to an etched V-shaped groove that carries the optical fibre.

22. A method as in claim 21 including affixing said optical device to a mounting pad on the optical bench after it has been abutted against said abutment.

23. A method as in claim 18 further comprising:

electrically connecting a pair of PCB electrical contact pins to said optical device and physically affixing said pins for support by said support member.