EP0398575A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing optical assemblies
Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1990-05-09
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-05-09
Abstract
Abstract A new method for fabricating optical assemblies (OAs), which achieves increased throughput and reduced unit cost by mass producing optical subassemblies (OSAs), is disclosed. In accordance with this method, at least two OSAs are simultaneously produced by initially forming at least two corresponding sets of electrically conductive regions on the surface of a substrate. At least two optoelectronic devices are mounted on the surface of the substrate, with each device in electrical contact with one of the two conductor sets. Afterward, the substrate is separated into at least two parts, with each part including one of the optoelectronic devices and one of the conductor sets, constituting an OSA. Each OSA is then incorporated into an OA.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Joseph Pimpinella
- 👤 John Maurice Segelken
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:10
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/50; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/13; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4219; G02B6/4228; G02B6/423; G02B6/4236; G02B6/4245; G02B6/4274; G02B6/36; G02B6/3628; G02B6/3632; G02B6/3636; G02B6/3644; G02B6/3648; G02B6/3652; G02B6/3684; G02B6/3692; G02B6/422; G02B6/4221; G02B6/4224; G02B6/424; G02B6/4243; G02B6/4283; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/85; H10H20/8506; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/851; H10W72/874; H10W72/884; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/731; H10W90/734; H10W90/751; H10W90/754; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of manufacturing at least two articles, comprising the steps of: a. providing a substrate having first and second surfaces; b. forming, on said second surface, at least first and second sets of electrically conductive regions, each of said sets including at least two electrical contacts and at least one electric conductor electrically connecting said two electrical contacts; c. dividing said substrate into at least first and second parts, each of said parts including one of said sets of conductive regions; and d. completing the manufacture of said articles, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said method further comprises the step of e. mounting, prior to c), at least first and second optoelectronic devices on the second surface of said substrate, so that each optoelectronic device is in electrical contact with one of said sets of conductive regions and is incorporated into one of said parts.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of manufacturing at least two articles, comprising the steps of: a. providing a substrate having first and second surfaces; b. forming, on said second surface, at least first and second sets of electrically conductive regions, each of said sets including at least two electrical contacts and at least one electric conductor electrically connecting said two electrical contacts; c. dividing said substrate into at least first and second parts, each of said parts including one of said sets of conductive regions; and d. completing the manufacture of said articles, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said method further comprises the step of e. mounting, prior to c), at least first and second optoelectronic devices on the second surface of said substrate, so that each optoelectronic device is in electrical contact with one of said sets of conductive regions and is incorporated into one of said parts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of Claim 1, further comprising, prior to (b), the step of forming an electrically insulating layer on said second surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein each of said articles is an optical assembly and wherein said completing step includes the step of incorporating each of said parts, bearing an optoelectronic device, into one of said optical assemblies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
the method of Claim 1, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of forming, in said first surface, at least first and second cavities extending from said first surface toward said second surface, and wherein said dividing step leads to each of said parts including one of said cavities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 4, wherein said completing step comprises inserting an end portion of a lightwave channel into one of said cavities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of Claim 1, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of forming, in said first surface, at least first and second grooves extending from said first surface toward said second surface, each of said grooves being capable of receiving at least an end portion of an optical fiber oriented substantially parallel to said first surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of Claim 6, wherein said completing step includes the step of inserting an end portion of an optical fiber into one of said grooves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 1, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of forming in said first surface or said second surface at least first and second etched alignment features.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 1, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of forming on said first surface or said second surface at least first and second metallized alignment features.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein said forming step includes the steps of: forming connecting conductors electrically connecting said first set of conductive regions to said second set of conductive regions such that a test circuit including said first and second sets of conductive regions is formed, and forming first and second electrical test contacts electrically connected to said test circuit whereby a voltage applied between said test contacts causes electric current to flow in said first and second optoelectronic devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of applying a voltage between said first and second test contacts such that electric current flows through said first and second optoelectronic devices, whereby said first and second optoelectronic devices are burned in and/or tested simultaneously.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of Claim 4, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of forming, in said second surface, at least first and second wells extending from said second surface toward said first surface, each of said wells overlying at least a portion of one of said cavities, and wherein (e) comprises mounting said first and second optoelectronic devices in said first and second wells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of Claim 12, wherein said well-forming step includes the step of extending said first and second wells to, respectively, said first and second cavities, whereby at least a portion of each of said wells is continuous with at least a portion of one of said cavities.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of Claim 13, further comprising, prior to (c), the step of mounting on said substrate at least first and second conductor blocks, each of said conductor blocks being in electrical contact with one of said optoelectronic devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of Claim 13, further comprising, subsequent to (c), the step of mounting on each of said parts a conductor block in electrical contact with one of said optoelectronic devices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of Claim 13, wherein said article is an optical assembly comprising a housing, and said completing step comprises the step of incorporating said part, and at least one electronic circuit in electrical contact with said part, into said housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.