Method and apparatus for implementing optical modules in high temperatures

• US 9,468,085 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zephyr Photonics
• Original Assignee: Zephyr Photonics
• Inventors: Louderback, Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAMLING, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US14/135,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20140185312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 362/580
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/54 using thermoelectric means, e.g. Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/24 solid or gel at the normal operating temperature of the device H01L23/3135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/645 the elements being electrically controlled, e.g. Peltier elements
• 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: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10219 Thermoelectric component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

An optical module apparatus and method operates at high temperatures. The apparatus has a first printed circuit board with optoelectronics and electronics located on a thermoelectric cooler. The thermoelectric cooler is located on a second printed circuit board that also has electronics that control the thermoelectric cooler separately mounted thereon. The optical module operates at substantially higher temperatures by placing the optoelectronics and the electronics, not including the thermoelectric cooler controller, on the thermoelectric cooler. The electronics controlling the thermoelectric cooler only require relatively simple, low-speed electronics that are implemented in integrated circuit technologies. The integrated circuit electronics may operate at very high temperatures (200° C. or higher) thereby making control of the thermoelectric cooler with uncooled electronics possible.

Claims

1. An optical module apparatus comprising:

optoelectronics including one or more semiconductor light sources and one or more photodetectors, the optoelectronic being located on a first printed circuit board;

electronics interfacing with the one or more semiconductor light sources and the one or more photodetectors located on the first printed circuit board;

one or more optical fibers optically coupled to the one or more semiconductor light sources and the one or more photodetectors, the one or more optical fibers being configured to receive light from the one or more semiconductor light sources and to transmit light to the one or more photodetectors;

a thermoelectric cooler located on a second printed circuit board and sandwiched between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board, the thermoelectric cooler being configured to receive the first printed circuit board, the thermoelectric cooler being configured to cool at least the optoelectronics located on the first printed circuit board; and

a thermoelectric cooler controller located on the second printed circuit board, the thermoelectric cooler controller being configured to control the thermoelectric cooler,

wherein the thermoelectric cooler controller is spaced apart from the thermoelectric cooler.

2. The optical module apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature monitor located apart from the thermoelectric cooler, the temperature monitor being electrically connected to the thermoelectric cooler controller, wherein the temperature monitor is configured to monitor a temperature of the optical module apparatus and input into to the thermoelectric cooler controller an input associated with the temperature of the optical module apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more semiconductor light source comprise a light emitting diode (LED), a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), a Fabry-Perot laser, or a distributed feedback (DFB) laser.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more photodetectors comprise a p-i-n photodetector, an avalanche photodetector, or a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the temperature monitor comprises a thermistor or a thermocouple.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical fibers includes a single mode fiber or a multimode fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical module apparatus is configured to operate at an ambient temperature above 100°

C.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric cooler controller is configured to operate at or above an ambient temperature of the optical module apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is configured to maintain a temperature lower than an ambient temperature on the first printed circuit board.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is configured to maintain the lower than ambient temperature on the first printed circuit board to improve functionality or reliability of the optical module apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

an optical transceiver, an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, or an optical interrogator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical module apparatus is configured to transmit digital data or analog data.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical module apparatus is configured to implement data interconnects for control systems or for clock signal distribution.

14. The optical module apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

optics located on the first circuit board and arranged to optically couple the semiconductor light sources to the optical fibers and optically couple the optical fibers to the photodetectors.

15. The optical module apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is in thermal contact with the first printed circuit board so as to cool at least the optoelectronics located on the first printed circuit board.

16. An optical module apparatus comprising:

a thermoelectric cooler located on a first circuit board;

a semiconductor light source and a photodetector located on a second circuit board distinct from the first circuit board, the second circuit board being located on the thermoelectric cooler, the thermoelectric cooler being sandwiched between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, the thermoelectric cooler being configured to cool at least the semiconductor light source and the photodetector located on the second circuit board;

one or more optical fibers optically coupled to the semiconductor light source, the one or more optical fibers being configured to receive light from the semiconductor light source; and

a thermoelectric cooler controller mounted to the first circuit board, the thermoelectric cooler controller being configured to control the thermoelectric cooler located on the first circuit board.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

electronics located on the second circuit board, the electronics being configured to interface with the semiconductor light source and the photodetector;

wherein the one or more optical fibers are optically coupled to the semiconductor light source and the photodetector.

18. The optical module apparatus of claim 16, comprising:

optics located on the second circuit board and arranged to optically couple the semiconductor light source to the optical fiber and optically couple the optical fiber to the photodetector.

19. A method of implementing an optical module, the method comprising:

mounting a thermoelectric cooler on a first circuit board;

mounting a semiconductor light source and a photodetector on a second circuit board separate from the first circuit board;

mounting the second circuit board on the thermoelectric cooler so that the thermoelectric cooler is sandwiched between the first circuit board and the second circuit board;

mounting a thermoelectric cooler controller on the first circuit board;

optically coupling the semiconductor light source to the photodetector; and

connecting an optical fiber to the semiconductor light source.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

optically coupling using optics on the second circuit board the semiconductor light source to the optical fiber and optically coupling the optical fiber to the photodetector.

21. A method of implementing operating an optical module, the method comprising:

cooling, using a thermoelectric cooler located on a first circuit board, components on a second circuit board, the second circuit board being located on the thermoelectric cooler, the second circuit board being separate from the first circuit board so that the thermoelectric cooler is sandwiched between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the components on the second circuit board include an optoelectronic component, an electronic component, and one or more optical fibers optically coupled to the optoelectronic component; and

controlling, using a thermoelectric cooler controller located on the first circuit board and separate from the thermoelectric cooler, the cooling of the components using the thermoelectric cooler.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

monitoring, using a temperature monitoring device located on the first circuit board, an ambient temperature of the optical module; and

inputting the ambient temperature to the thermoelectric cooler controller.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first circuit board is in contact with the thermoelectric cooler and operates as a heat sink to cool at least the optoelectronics located on the first printed circuit board.