Transceiver assembly for use in fiber optics communications

• US 7,056,032 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stratos International Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Stratos International Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Chin, Jesse, Crews, Darren, Kim, Brian, Cheng, Hengju, Xu, Lee L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Assaf, Fayez G.
• Application Number:
  US09/954,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20030053762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 385/77, 385/78, 385/88, 385/87, 385/15, 385/92
• US Class Current: 385/88
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4261 Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4269 with heat sinks or radiation fins
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4281 the printed circuit boards being flexible in general H05K1/147
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4283 with electrical insulation means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence

Abstract

A transceiver assembly for use in fiber optic communications systems where multiple optical fibers are used in transmitting and receiving optical signals. The assembly is adapted for being mechanically and optically connected with a ferrule supporting a set of optical communications fibers. The transceiver assembly supports an optoelectronic device having a corresponding set of photoactive components which are operative for either converting photonic signals to electrical signals (in a receiver) or converting electrical signals to photonic signals (in a transmitter). The transceiver assembly includes a frame section having a carrier which is precisely fabricated for supporting the optoelectronic device and includes an alignment structure for cooperating with the optical ferrule to align the photoactive components with the fibers in the ferrule. The frame section is part of a larger carrier assembly including a multilayer circuit board which may include a microcontroller chip, an edge connector for electrically connecting with a computer or communications system and a flex circuit which provides communications lines linking the frame section, circuit board and edge connector.

Claims

1. A transceiver assembly for use in fiber optics communications, comprising:

a) a frame section including a carrier, said carrier having;

1) an alignment structure for use in aligning said carrier and any devices supported on said carrier to an optical ferrule supporting a plurality of optical communications fibers, and

2) an optoelectronic device comprising a set of photoactive components which is supported by and precisely mounted on the carrier with reference to said alignment structure;

b) a rigid printed circuit board; and

c) a flex circuit for carrying data and control signals which flexibly couples said rigid printed circuit board to said frame section.

2. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, further including:

d) an edge connector formed on one end of said rigid printed circuit board.

3. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said rigid printed circuit board includes flex circuit layer, a top rigid printed circuit board layer and a bottom rigid printed circuit board layer.

4. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said frame section includes a plurality of layers defining a well within which said carrier is mounted.

5. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said carrier further includes a window section and said optoelectronic device is mounted over said window section with said photoactive components positioned for exchanging photonic signals with the fibers in said ferrule through said window section.

6. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, further including:

a controller chip which is surface mounted on said rigid printed circuit board.

7. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said photoactive components comprise vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers.

8. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said photoactive components comprise positive-intrinsic-negative photodiodes.