Optical bench apparatus having integrated monitor photodetectors and method for monitoring optical power using same
First Claim
1. An optical bench apparatus comprising:
- a substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side is located opposite the first side;
an optical power monitor photodetector on the first side of the substrate;
a light transmitter configured to emit an optical output;
first group of electrical interconnect lines located on the substrate, wherein the first electrical interconnect lines are configured to connect to the light transmitter;
second group of electrical interconnect lines located on the substrate and configured to connect to the optical power monitor photodetector; and
a bonding site on the substrate configured to bond to the light transmitter, wherein the bonding site is located to optically align the light transmitter with the optical power monitor photodetector such that the optical output of the light transmitter impinges on the optical power monitor photodetector,wherein the optical power monitor photodetector is configured to receive the optical output emitted by the light transmitter and absorb a portion of the received optical output so that less than all of the optical output emitted by the light transmitter passes through the substrate.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical bench structure provides a platform for integrating optical transmitters, particularly Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), with monitor photodetectors. A substrate with photodetectors on the front side is aligned with flip-chip bonding bumps so the emission of the transmitters is aligned with the monitor photodetectors and passes through the monitor photodetectors with a portion of the transmitted light absorbed by the monitor photodetectors. The photodetectors have a thin absorption region so the percentage of light absorbed may be relatively small, providing sufficient photocurrent to monitor the transmitted power having a minimal effect on the transmitted power. Microlenses are integrated on the backside of the substrate focus, steer and/or collimate the emitted optical beams from the transmitters. The structure enables photodetectors to be integrated on the optical bench allowing the received optical power to be monitored. The receiver photodetectors are integrated on the optical bench alone and/or in combination with the transmitters.
56 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An optical bench apparatus comprising:
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a substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side is located opposite the first side; an optical power monitor photodetector on the first side of the substrate; a light transmitter configured to emit an optical output; first group of electrical interconnect lines located on the substrate, wherein the first electrical interconnect lines are configured to connect to the light transmitter; second group of electrical interconnect lines located on the substrate and configured to connect to the optical power monitor photodetector; and a bonding site on the substrate configured to bond to the light transmitter, wherein the bonding site is located to optically align the light transmitter with the optical power monitor photodetector such that the optical output of the light transmitter impinges on the optical power monitor photodetector, wherein the optical power monitor photodetector is configured to receive the optical output emitted by the light transmitter and absorb a portion of the received optical output so that less than all of the optical output emitted by the light transmitter passes through the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 31)
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12. An optical bench apparatus comprising:
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a light transmitter configured to emit an optical signal; a substrate configured to transmit at least part of the optical signal emitted by the light transmitter; an optical power monitor photodetector disposed on the substrate, wherein the optical power monitor photodetector is configured to receive the optical signal emitted by the light transmitter and absorb a portion of the received optical signal so that less than all of the optical signal emitted by the light transmitter passes through the substrate; and a receiver substrate including a photodetector electrically connected to the substrate to align the photodetector with the optical power monitor photodetector so that the photodetector and the optical power monitor detect the optical input transmitted through the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 32, 33, 34)
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23. A method of monitoring optical power in an optical link comprising:
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emitting, from a light transmitter integrated with an optical bench apparatus having a substrate, an optical output; and detecting, by an optical power monitor photodetector aligned with the light transmitter, the optical output of the light transmitter that impinges on the optical power monitor photodetector; absorbing, by the optical power monitor photodetector, a fraction of the detected optical output so that less than all of the optical output emitted by the light transmitter passes through the substrate; converting, by the optical power monitor photodetector, the absorbed fraction of the detected optical output into a monitor photocurrent; and monitoring the optical power of the emitted optical output based on the monitor photocurrent. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of manufacturing an optical bench apparatus, comprising:
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providing an optical bench apparatus having a substrate and an integrated optical power monitor photodetector; providing electrical interconnect lines on the substrate; integrating a photodetector with some of the electrical interconnect lines to the optical bench apparatus; connecting the optical power monitor photodetector with some other of the electrical interconnect lines to the optical bench apparatus; and aligning the photodetector with the optical power monitor photodetector such that an optical input is transmitted through the optical power-monitor photodetector and the photodetector, wherein the optical power monitor photodetector is integrated with the substrate to absorb a portion of the optical input so that less than all of the optical input passes through the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification