Single-mode optical fiber array package for optoelectronic components

Claim 2

A package for an optoelectronic array device having an array of optoelectronic active elements enclosed in a housing and secured to a substrate carrier having a solderable surface within said housing, said active elements optically coupled to an array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers connecting said optoelectronic array device to an external device, comprising: a graded index lens, having a numerical aperture sufficient to access optically said active elements and having a curvature on one end closest to said optoelectronic array, secured to said substrate a fixed distance from said optoelectronic array of active elements to yield an appropriate magnification of the light beams emanating from said active elements; and said array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers extending from within said housing to the exterior of said housing through a port thereof, said optical fibers being positioned by active alignment and secured to said substrate such that the uptapered end of each of said optical fibers is optically coupled through said lens to a respective one of said active elements of said optoelectronic array and the opposite end of said optical fiber is outside said housing, and such that each optical fiber is spatially aligned at its uptapered end to a respective one of the magnified light beams.

Claim 3

The package of claim 1 wherein said graded index lens is secured to said substrate with a moderate melting point solder.

Claim 4

The package of claim 1 further comprising: a photodetector monitor array and shadow mask mounted on said substrate to prevent crosstalk between monitored outputs of said optoelectronic array and to maintain constant output power.

Claim 5

The package of claim 1 further comprising: a heatsink secured to said substrate carrier; and said optoelectronic array device is die-bonded to said heatsink.

Claim 6

The package of claim 1, further comprising: a thermoelectric cooler positioned under said substrate carrier within said housing to maintain a stabilized temperature for said optoelectronic array device.

Claim 7

The package of claim 1 wherein said optical fibers are secured to said substrate by a room temperature curing epoxy.

Claim 8

The package of claim 1 further comprising a support for said optical fibers, said support being positioned at the ports of said housing through which said optical fibers extend.

Claim 9

The package of claim 1 further comprising: a multi-fiber holder adapted to receive said uptapered optical fibers in fiber-receiving positions which are determined by the active element array-to-lens spacing, such that each of said uptapered optical fibers may be optically coupled to one correspondingly positioned active element through said lens; said optical fibers in said multi-fiber holder being actively aligned with said active elements by the alignment of its central optical fiber with the corresponding central active element; and said multi-fiber holder being secured in its aligned position with epoxy.

Claim 10

The package of claim 1 further comprising a cover for said housing.

Claim 11

The package of claim 1, wherein a ratio between the core sizes at the uptapered and downtapered ends of each optical fiber ranges from unit to ten.

Claim 12

A single-mode optical fiber array package providing precise, stable alignment of an array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers with a two-dimensional semiconductor surface array having a plurality of active elements within said package, said active elements being enclosed in a housing and secured to a substrate carrier having a solderable surface within said housing, comprising: a graded index lens, having a numerical aperture sufficient to access optically said active elements and having a curvature on one end closest to said array, secured to said substrate a fixed distance from said array of active elements to yield an appropriate magnification of the light beams emanating from said active elements; said array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers extending from within said housing to the exterior of said housing through a port thereof for connection of said surface array to a device external to said housing; a mandrel to position and support said uptapered optical fibers, said optical fibers being positioned by active alignment and secured to said mandrel such that the uptapered end of each of said optical fibers is optically coupled through said lens to a respective one of said active elements of said surface array and the opposite end of said optical fiber is outside said housing, and such that each optical fiber is spatially aligned at its uptapered end to a respective one of the magnified light beams; said mandrel being potted to said package in said aligned position of said optical fibers.

Claim 13

A single-mode optical fiber array package providing precise, stable alignment of an array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers with a two-dimensional semiconductor surface array having a plurality of active elements within said package, said active elements being enclosed in a housing and secured to a substrate carrier having a solderable surface within said housing, comprising: a graded index lens, having a numerical aperture sufficient to access optically said active elements and having a curvature on one end closest to said array, secured to said substrate a fixed distance from said array of active elements to yield an appropriate magnification of the light beams emanating from said active elements; said array of uptapered single-mode optical fibers extending from within said housing to the exterior of said housing through a port thereof for connection of said surface array to a device external to said housing; a mandrel to position and support said uptapered optical fibers, said optical fibers being positioned by active alignment and secured to said mandrel such that the uptapered end of each of said optical fibers is optically coupled through said lens to a respective one of said active elements of said surface array and the opposite end of said optical fiber is outside said housing, and such that each optical fiber is spatially aligned at its uptapered end to a respective one of the magnified light beams; said mandrel being potted to said package in said aligned position of said optical fibers.

Claim 14

The package of claim 11 wherein said graded index lens is secured to said substrate with a moderate melting point solder.

Claim 15

The package of claim 11 further comprising: a photodetector monitor array and shadow mask mounted on said substrate to prevent crosstalk between monitored outputs of said optoelectronic array and to maintain constant output power.

Claim 16

The package of claim 11 further comprising: a heatsink secured to said substrate carrier; and said surface array device is die-bonded to said heatsink.

Claim 17

The package of claim 11, further comprising: a thermoelectric cooler positioned under said substrate carrier within said housing to maintain a stabilized temperature for said surface array device.

Claim 18

The package of claim 11 further comprising: a support for said optical fibers, said support being positioned at the ports of said housing through which said optical fibers extend.

Claim 19

The package of claim 11 wherein said mandrel comprises: a multi-dimensional multi-fiber holder adapted to receive said uptapered optical fibers in fiber-receiving positions which are determined by the active element array-to-lens spacing, such that each of said uptapered optical fibers may be optically coupled to one correspondingly positioned active element on said two-dimensional surface array through said lens; said optical fibers in said multi-fiber holder being actively aligned with said active elements by the alignment of its central optical fiber with the corresponding central active element and subsequent rotation of said multi-fiber holder until one other optical fiber is aligned simultaneously, resulting in alignment of said array of optical fibers; and said mandrel is secured in its aligned position with epoxy.

Claim 20

The package of claim 11 further comprising a cover for said housing.

Claim 21

A single-mode optical fiber array package providing precise, stable alignment of an array of single-mode optical fibers with a packaged optoelectronic semiconductor array having a plurality of active elements mounted on a substrate within said package, comprising: a fixture adapted to receive said uptapered optical fibers and hold them in position; a graded index lens having a numerical aperture sufficiently large to optically access the active elements of said array; said graded index lens having a predetermined magnification factor being positioned centrally as a function of the precise location of said active elements and rigidly secured to said substrate a fixed distance from said optoelectronic array such that a central beam between said array of said active elements and said optical fibers passes through the center of said lens; said optical fibers being aligned with said active elements by optically coupling a central one of said uptapered single-mode optical fibers to the central light beam emanating from said optoelectronic array after said beam has been magnified by said lens; and said uptapered optical fibers being secured to said fixture such that after alignment each of said optical fibers is positioned to be coupled with a beam of known location and size emanating from said array of active elements.

Claim 22

A single-mode optical fiber array package providing precise, stable alignment of an array of single-mode optical fibers with a packaged optoelectronic semiconductor array having a plurality of active elements mounted on a substrate within said package, comprising: a fixture adapted to receive said uptapered optical fibers and hold them in position; a graded index lens having a numerical aperture sufficiently large to optically access the active elements of said array; said graded index lens having a predetermined magnification factor being positioned centrally as a function of the precise location of said active elements and rigidly secured to said substrate a fixed distance from said optoelectronic array such that a central beam between said array of said active elements and said optical fibers passes through the center of said lens; said optical fibers being aligned with said active elements by optically coupling a central one of said uptapered single-mode optical fibers to the central light beam emanating from said optoelectronic array after said beam has been magnified by said lens; and said uptapered optical fibers being secured to said fixture such that after alignment each of said optical fibers is positioned to be coupled with a beam of known location and size emanating from said array of active elements.

Claim 23

The package of claim 19, wherein a ratio between the core sizes at the uptapered and downtapered ends of each optical fiber ranges from unit to ten.

Claim 24

The package of claim 19 wherein said graded index lens has a magnification factor of ten.

Claim 25

The package of claim 19 wherein said graded index lens magnifies a light beam by a factor of ten and expands the separation of light beams emanating from said active elements by a factor of ten.

Claim 26

The package of claim 19 wherein said graded index lens has a numerical aperture of 0.6.

Claim 27

The method of claim 18 wherein the number of active elements on said optoelectronic array is less that or equal to five.

Claim 28

The package of claim 19 wherein said array is a two-dimensional surface array.

Claim 29

The package of claim 25 wherein the number of active elements on said surface array is less than or equal to seventeen.

Claim 30

The package of claim 25 wherein said fixture is a mandrel.

Claim 31

The package of claim 25 wherein said active elements are arranged in a circle having the numerical aperture of said graded index lens.

Claim 32

The package of claim 19 wherein the side of said lens facing said active elements has a curved face.

Claim 33

An improved package providing for the precise, secure alignment of multiple uptapered single-mode optical fibers to a single packaged optoelectronic array device having an array of at least two light-emitting sources, said package including a housing to enclose said light-emitting sources which convert electrical signals to optical signals, a substrate carrier having a solderable surface within said housing, said light-emitting sources being secured to said substrate, wherein the improvement comprises: a portion of said substrate being adapted to receive said array of optical fibers; a graded index lens having a numerical aperture sufficiently large to optically access the light-emitting sources of said optoelectronic array; said graded index lens being secured to said substrate of said package a fixed distance from said optoelectronic array such that the light beams from said light-emitting sources are magnified and the spacing between said beams is expanded; said optical fibers being actively aligned with said light-emitting sources by optically coupling the thick end of one uptapered single-mode optical fiber to each light beam emanating from said optoelectronic array after said beam has been magnified by said lens; and said optical fibers being secured to said fiber stage of said package after alignment.

Claim 34

An improved package providing for the precise, secure alignment of multiple uptapered single-mode optical fibers to a single packaged optoelectronic array device having an array of at least two light-emitting sources, said package including a housing to enclose said light-emitting sources which convert electrical signals to optical signals, a substrate carrier having a solderable surface within said housing, said light-emitting sources being secured to said substrate, wherein the improvement comprises: a portion of said substrate being adapted to receive said array of optical fibers; a graded index lens having a numerical aperture sufficiently large to optically access the light-emitting sources of said optoelectronic array; said graded index lens being secured to said substrate of said package a fixed distance from said optoelectronic array such that the light beams from said light-emitting sources are magnified and the spacing between said beams is expanded; said optical fibers being actively aligned with said light-emitting sources by optically coupling the thick end of one uptapered single-mode optical fiber to each light beam emanating from said optoelectronic array after said beam has been magnified by said lens; and said optical fibers being secured to said fiber stage of said package after alignment.

Claim 35

The improved package of claim 30, wherein a ratio between the core sizes at the uptapered and downtapered ends of each optical fiber ranges from unity to ten.

Claim 36

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said graded index lens has a magnification factor of ten.

Claim 37

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said graded index lens magnifies a light beam by a factor of ten and expands the separation of light beams emanating from said light-emitting sources by a factor of ten.

Claim 38

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said alignment further comprises: a fixture adapted to receive said array of uptapered optical fibers; said graded index lens having a predetermined magnification factor being positioned centrally and rigidly secured such that a central beam between said optoelectronic array and said optical fibers passes through the center of said lens; the position of said lens being determined by the precise location of said light-emitting sources on said optoelectronic array and the precise location of said magnified light beams from said activated light-emitting sources as magnified by said graded index lens; and said uptapered optical fibers being secured to said fixture such that each of said optical fibers is positioned to be coupled with a beam of known location and size emanating from said activated light-emitting sources.

Claim 39

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said graded index lens has a numerical aperture of 0.6.

Claim 40

The improved package of claim 30 wherein the number of light-emitting sources on said optoelectronic array is less than or equal to five.

Claim 41

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said optoelectronic array is a two-dimensional surface emitting array.

Claim 42

The improved package of claim 37 wherein the number of light-emitting sources on said array is less than or equal to seventeen.

Claim 43

The improved package of claim 37 wherein said fixture is a mandrel.

Claim 44

The improved package of claim 37 wherein said light-emitting sources are arranged in a circle having the numerical aperture of said graded index lens.

Claim 45

The improved package of claim 30 wherein the side of said lens facing said light-emitting sources has a curved face.

Claim 46

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said graded index lens is secured to said substrate with a moderate melting point solder.

Claim 47

The improved package of claim 30 further comprising: a photodetector monitor array and shadow mask mounted on said substrate to prevent crosstalk between monitored outputs of said optoelectronic array and to maintain constant output power.

Claim 48

The improved package of claim 30 further comprising: a heatsink secured to said substrate carrier; and said optoelectronic array device is die-bonded to said heatsink.

Claim 49

The improved package of claim 30, further comprising: a thermoelectric cooler positioned under said substrate carrier within said housing to maintain a stabilized temperature for said optoelectronic array device.

Claim 50

The improved package of claim 30 wherein said optical fibers are secured to said substrate by a room temperature curing epoxy.

Claim 51

The improved package of claim 30 further comprising a support for said optical fibers, said support being positioned at the ports of said housing through which said optical fibers extend.

Claim 52

The improved package of claim 30 further comprising: a multi-fiber holder adapted to receive said uptapered optical fibers in fiber-receiving positions which are determined by the optoelectronic array-to-lens spacing, such that each of said uptapered optical fibers may be optically coupled to one correspondingly positioned light-emitting source through said lens; said optical fibers in said multi-fiber holder being actively aligned with said light-emitting sources by the alignment of its central optical fiber with the corresponding central light-emitting source; and said multi-fiber holder being secured in its aligned position with epoxy.

Claim 53

The improved package of claim 30 further comprising a cover for said housing.