Optoelectronic interface and method of making

Claim 2

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings of the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion encapsulating the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a distance between the surface and the working portion of the photonic device for directing light between the photonic device and the surface of the molded optical portion.

Claim 3

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 wherein the photonic device is an optical transmitter.

Claim 4

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 2 wherein the optical transmitter is an VCSEL.

Claim 5

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 2 wherein the optical transmitter is an LED.

Claim 6

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 wherein the photonic device is an optical receiver.

Claim 7

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 5 wherein the optical receiver is an photo diode.

Claim 8

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 6 wherein the photo diode is a p-i-n photo diode.

Claim 9

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interconnect substrate further includes an integrated circuit operably connected the electrical tracings.

Claim 10

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an the alignment apparatus positioned in molded optical portion is a cavity.

Claim 11

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion is a opening.

Claim 12

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an optical connector including an optical fiber and an alignment apparatus, the optical connector fixing and positioning the optical fiber in relation to the alignment apparatus of the optical connector such that mating of the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion and the alignment apparatus of the optical connector aligning the optical fiber to the working portion of the photonic device.

Claim 13

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 1 wherein the photonic device is formed as an array of photonic devices.

Claim 14

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a plurality of external leads, wherein one of the external leads is electrically and mechanically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion mounted on the interconnect substrate, wherein the working portion operably coupled to the at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a distance, the distance being defined by the surface of the molded optical portion and the working portion of the photonic device, thereby directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure through the molded optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 15

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a plurality of external leads, wherein one of the external leads is electrically and mechanically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion mounted on the interconnect substrate, wherein the working portion operably coupled to the at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a distance, the distance being defined by the surface of the molded optical portion and the working portion of the photonic device, thereby directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure through the molded optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 16

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the photonic device is formed as an array of photonic devices.

Claim 17

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising an optical connector including an optical fiber bundle and an alignment apparatus, the optical connector fixing and positioning the optical fiber bundle in relation to the alignment apparatus of the optical connector such that mating of the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion and the alignment apparatus of the optical connector aligns each individual optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle to the working portion of the molded optical portion.

Claim 18

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an optical connector having an optical fiber with a core region and a cladding region, the core region and the cladding region have refractive indexes respectively; an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracing disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings of the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion having a refractive index that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a height between the working portion of the photonic device and a surface of the molded optical portion, the height is determined by the following mathematical inequality: ##EQU3## where h is equal to the height between the surface and the working portion, where d is equal to a width of the working portion, where x is equal to one half of a desired spot size, and where Θ 2c is determined by the following mathematical inequality: ##EQU4## where n 3 , n 2 , and n 4 are refractive indexes of the core region, the cladding region, and the molded optical portion, respectively, thereby determining Θ 2c .

Claim 19

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an optical connector having an optical fiber with a core region and a cladding region, the core region and the cladding region have refractive indexes respectively; an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracing disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrical tracings of the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion having a refractive index that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a height between the working portion of the photonic device and a surface of the molded optical portion, the height is determined by the following mathematical inequality: ##EQU3## where h is equal to the height between the surface and the working portion, where d is equal to a width of the working portion, where x is equal to one half of a desired spot size, and where Θ 2c is determined by the following mathematical inequality: ##EQU4## where n 3 , n 2 , and n 4 are refractive indexes of the core region, the cladding region, and the molded optical portion, respectively, thereby determining Θ 2c .

Claim 22

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to an electrical tracing of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion encapsulating the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port molded therein, the light port including a lens device molded in the surface of the light port for directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure, and the molded optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 23

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to an electrical tracing of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion encapsulating the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port molded therein, the light port including a lens device molded in the surface of the light port for directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure, and the molded optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 24

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the photonic device is an optical transmitter.

Claim 25

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 19 wherein the optical transmitter is an VCSEL.

Claim 26

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 19 wherein the optical transmitter is an LED.

Claim 27

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the photonic device is an optical receiver.

Claim 28

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 22 wherein the optical receiver is a photodiode.

Claim 29

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein the photo diode is a p-i-n photo diode.

Claim 30

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the lens is a diffractive optical element.

Claim 31

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 25 wherein the diffractive optical element is a Fresnel lens.

Claim 32

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 25 wherein the diffract ire optical element is a holographic lens.

Claim 33

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion is a cavity.

Claim 34

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion is a protrusion.

Claim 35

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 18 further comprising an optical connector including an optical fiber and an alignment apparatus, the optical connector fixing and positioning the optical fiber in relation to the alignment apparatus of the optical connector such that mating of the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion and the alignment apparatus of the optical connector aligns the optical fiber to the lens device molded in the molded optical portion.

Claim 36

An optoelectronic innerface as claimed in claim 18 wherein the photonic device is formed as an array of photonic devices.

Claim 37

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 31 further comprising an optical connector including an optical fiber bundle and an alignment apparatus, the optical connector fixing and positioning the optical fiber bundle in relation to the alignment apparatus of the optical connector such that mating of the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion and the alignment apparatus of the optical connector aligns each individual optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle to the light port molded in the molded optical portion.

Claim 38

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a plurality of external leads, wherein one of the plurality of external leads is electrically and mechanically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion mounted on the interconnect substrate, wherein the working portion operably coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port molded therein, the light port includes a lens device molded into the surface or the light port to direct light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure and the optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 39

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a plurality of external leads, wherein one of the plurality of external leads is electrically and mechanically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion mounted on the interconnect substrate, wherein the working portion operably coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion that encapsulates the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port molded therein, the light port includes a lens device molded into the surface or the light port to direct light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure and the optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 40

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device as claimed in claim 33 wherein the photonic device is formed as an array of photonic devices.

Claim 41

An optoelectronic package for coupling an optical fiber to a photonic device as claimed in claim 34 further comprising an optical connector including an optical fiber bundle and an alignment apparatus, the optical connector fixing and positioning the optical fiber bundle in relation to the alignment apparatus of the optical connector such that mating of the alignment apparatus of the molded optical portion and the alignment apparatus of the optical connector aligns each individual optical fiber of the optical fiber bundle to the light port molded in the molded optical portion.

Claim 42

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion encapsulating the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port affixed thereon for directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure, and the optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 43

An optoelectronic interface comprising: an interconnect substrate having a surface with a plurality of electrical tracings disposed on the surface of the interconnect substrate; a photonic device having a working portion, the photonic device including a contact electrically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings on the interconnect substrate; and a molded optical portion encapsulating the photonic device, the molded optical portion forming a surface having a light port affixed thereon for directing light between the photonic device and an external light communicating structure, and the optical portion having an alignment apparatus molded therein.

Claim 44

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 36 wherein the light port is a hologram.

Claim 45

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 36 wherein the light port is an optical lens.

Claim 46

An optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 36 wherein the light port is diffraction optical element.

Claim 49

A method for making an optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 40 wherein the step of mounting the photonic device having a working portion and a contact electrically coupled to one of the plurality of electrical tracings is achieved with a conductive bump.

Claim 50

A method for making an optoelectronic interface as claimed in claim 41 wherein the mounting of the photonic device to one of the plurality of electrical tracings is achieved by making the conductive bump from a material selected from a group comprising gold, silver, solder, and conductive epoxy.