US5675684A — Optical module having semiconductor elements fixe…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 98 words

An optical module comprising: an optical element mounting substrate in which a groove is formed, an optical fiber fixedly mounted in said groove, an optical semiconductor element fixedly mounted in said optical element mounting substrate, and a recess for fixing said optical semiconductor element in a position in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate in which an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of said optical fiber are coupled optically, two dimensional alignment of said optical semiconductor element being made by means of sides of said recess.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 98 words

An optical module comprising: an optical element mounting substrate in which a groove is formed, an optical fiber fixedly mounted in said groove, an optical semiconductor element fixedly mounted in said optical element mounting substrate, and a recess for fixing said optical semiconductor element in a position in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate in which an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of said optical fiber are coupled optically, two dimensional alignment of said optical semiconductor element being made by means of sides of said recess.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 62 words

An optical module comprising: a plurality of optical semiconductor elements fixedly mounted on an optical element mounting substrate, and recesses each formed in a position in which end surfaces of active layers of said plurality of optical semiconductor elements are optically coupled with each other, two dimensional, alignment of said optical semiconductor elements being made by means of sides of said recesses.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 62 words

An optical module comprising: a plurality of optical semiconductor elements fixedly mounted on an optical element mounting substrate, and recesses each formed in a position in which end surfaces of active layers of said plurality of optical semiconductor elements are optically coupled with each other, two dimensional, alignment of said optical semiconductor elements being made by means of sides of said recesses.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

An optical module according to claim 1, wherein spacing between the sides of said recess and respective side surfaces of said element is sufficient small to prevent two-dimensional position deviation of said element in said recess.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

An optical module according to claim 1 to 2, comprising an electrode pattern formed within said recess to fixedly join at least solder bump.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein when electrode patterns provided in said recess formed in said optical element mounting substrate and said optical semiconductor element are fixed by means of metal alloy member, a shape of said recess and a shape of the electrode pattern in said recess are matched within a range in which desired electrode patterns can be joined to each other.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the sides of said recess are inclined so that an area of an opening of said recess is made larger than an area of a bottom of said recess.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, further comprising: an electrode formed in a side of said recess and connected to an external electrode.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

An optical module according to claim 7, further comprising: antireflection film formed in the side of said recess.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

An optical module according to claims 7, wherein said optical element mounting substrate is made of semiconductor material and the side of said recess formed in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate is constituted of {111} surface.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a depth of said recess is 10 to 50 μm.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a length and a breadth of a bottom of said recess are larger than a length and a breadth of said optical semiconductor element, respectively, and are narrower than respective values obtained by adding 60 μm to the length and the breadth of said optical semiconductor.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said recess surrounds at least four corners of a bottom of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said recess surrounds at least four sides of a bottom of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said recess surrounds at least a set of opposite corners of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 36 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said recess surrounds at least corners at two ends of any one side of said optical semiconductor element and another side opposite to said one side.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

An optical module according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said optical semiconductor element includes one of a photodiode or a laser diode.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 126 words

An optical module comprising: an optical element mounting substrate having an optical waveguide formed therein; an optical semiconductor element fixedly mounted in said optical element mounting substrate, said element having a first electrode pattern; and an recess, having a second electrode pattern, formed in said mounting substrate, said recess limiting two-dimensional deviation between said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern when said optical semiconductor element is fixedly mounted on said optical element mounting substrate, and limiting two-dimensional deviation of said element so that said element is in a position in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate to assure that an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of said optical waveguide are coupled optically.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 126 words

An optical module comprising: an optical element mounting substrate having an optical waveguide formed therein; an optical semiconductor element fixedly mounted in said optical element mounting substrate, said element having a first electrode pattern; and an recess, having a second electrode pattern, formed in said mounting substrate, said recess limiting two-dimensional deviation between said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern when said optical semiconductor element is fixedly mounted on said optical element mounting substrate, and limiting two-dimensional deviation of said element so that said element is in a position in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate to assure that an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of said optical waveguide are coupled optically.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 69 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said optical semiconductor element is fixed to said optical element mounting substrate by a metal alloy member disposed between said first and second electrode patterns, and wherein a shape of said recess and a shape of said second electrode pattern are matched to lie within a range in which said first electrode pattern can be joined with said second electrode pattern.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 36 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein sides of said recess are inclined so that an area of an opening of said recess is made larger than an area of a bottom of said recess.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

An optical module according to claim 17, further comprising: an electrode formed in a side of said recess and connected to an external electrode.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

An optical module according to claim 20, further comprising: anti-reflection film formed in said side of said recess.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 39 words

An optical module according to claim 20, wherein said optical element mounting substrate is made of semiconductor material and said side of said recess formed in a surface of said optical element mounting substrate is constituted of {111} surface.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 22 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein a depth of said recess lies in a range between 10 and 50 microns.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 57 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein a length and a breadth of a bottom of said recess are larger than a length and a breadth, respectively, of said optical semiconductor element, and are narrower than respective values obtained by adding 60 microns to each of the length and the breadth of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said recess surrounds at least four corners of a bottom of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said recess surrounds at least four sides of a bottom of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said recess surrounds at least a set of opposite corners of said optical semiconductor element.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 39 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said recess surrounds at least corners at two ends of any one side of said optical semiconductor element and another side opposite to said one side of said semiconductor optical element.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 21 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said optical semiconductor element includes one of a photodiode and a laser diode.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 37 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein spacing between walls of said recess and respective side surfaces of said optical semiconductor element are sufficiently small to prevent two-dimensional position deviation of said element in said recess.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 24 words

An optical module according to claim 17, wherein said first electrode pattern is coupled to said second electrode pattern by at least solder bumps.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 32 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein sides of said recesses are inclined so that areas of openings of said recesses are made larger than areas of bottoms of said recesses.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 35 words

An optical module according to claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of electrodes formed in sides of respective ones of said recesses, said plurality of electrodes being connected, respectively, to a plurality of external electrodes.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 23 words

An optical module according to claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of anti-reflection films formed in sides of respective ones of said recesses.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 31 words

An optical module according to claim 34, wherein said optical element mounting substrate is made of a semiconductor material and the sides of said recesses are constituted of a {111} surface.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 22 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein depths of said recesses lie in a range of between 10 to 50 microns.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 60 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein a length and a breadth of bottoms of each of said recesses are larger than a length and a breadth of respective ones of said optical semiconductor elements, and are narrower than respective values obtained by adding 60 microns to the length and the breadth of each of said optical semiconductor elements.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 25 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein said recesses surround at least four corners of bottoms of respective ones of said optical semiconductor elements.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 25 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein said recesses surround at least four sides of bottoms of respective ones of said optical semiconductor elements.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 26 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein said recesses surround at least a set of opposite corners of respective ones of said optical semiconductor elements.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 47 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein said recesses surround at least corners at two ends of any one side of respective ones of each of said optical semiconductor elements and another side opposite to said one side of respective ones of said optical semiconductor elements.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 21 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein said optical semiconductor elements include one of a photodiode and a laser diode.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 66 words

An optical module according to claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of electrode patterns formed, respectively, within said recesses; and a plurality of electrode patterns formed, respectively, on each of said optical semiconductor elements, said plurality of electrode patterns on each of said optical semiconductor elements being fixedly joined to respective ones of said plurality of electrode patterns within said recesses by means of solder bumps.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 79 words

An optical module according to claim 2, wherein electrode patterns are provided in each of said recesses formed in said optical element mounting substrate and on each of said optical semiconductor elements, and wherein a shape of said recesses and a shape of the electrode patterns in said recesses are matched to lie within a range that permits said electrode patterns of said recesses and said optical semiconductor elements to be joined, respectively, by means of metal alloy members.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 123 words

A method for fabricating an optical module, comprising the steps of: etching a recess in a surface of said optical element mounting platform, said recess having lateral dimensions larger than lateral dimensions of an optical semiconductor element; forming an electrode pattern at a bottom surface of said recess; placing solder bumps on an electrode pattern formed on a bottom surface of said optical semiconductor element; and placing said optical semiconductor element with said solder bumps into said recess so that the electrode pattern of said optical semiconductor element is fixed to the electrode pattern in said bottom surface of said recess by means of said solder bumps, walls of said recess limiting two-dimensional deviation between coupling of said first and second electrode patterns.

Claim 49

Independent Claim 123 words

A method for fabricating an optical module, comprising the steps of: etching a recess in a surface of said optical element mounting platform, said recess having lateral dimensions larger than lateral dimensions of an optical semiconductor element; forming an electrode pattern at a bottom surface of said recess; placing solder bumps on an electrode pattern formed on a bottom surface of said optical semiconductor element; and placing said optical semiconductor element with said solder bumps into said recess so that the electrode pattern of said optical semiconductor element is fixed to the electrode pattern in said bottom surface of said recess by means of said solder bumps, walls of said recess limiting two-dimensional deviation between coupling of said first and second electrode patterns.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 80 words

The method recited in claim 45, further comprising the steps of: etching a groove in a surface of an optical element mounting platform, said groove being in communication with said recess, the walls of said recess limiting two-dimensional deviation of said element so that said element is in a position to assure that an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of an optical waveguide disposed in said groove are optically coupled.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method recited in claim 45, wherein the walls of said recess are formed at an oblique angle with respect to the bottom surface of said recess.

Claim 52

Independent Claim 128 words

A method for fabricating an optical module, comprising the steps of: etching a groove in a surface of an optical element mounting platform; etching a recess in a surface of said optical element mounting platform, said recess being in communication with said groove and having lateral dimensions larger than lateral dimensions of an optical semiconductor element; and fixing said optical semiconductor element to a bottom surface of said recess by means of solder bumps, walls of said recess preventing two-dimensional deviation of said optical semiconductor element so that said optical semiconductor element resides in a position in said recess so that an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of an optical waveguide disposed in said groove are optically coupled.

Claim 53

Independent Claim 128 words

A method for fabricating an optical module, comprising the steps of: etching a groove in a surface of an optical element mounting platform; etching a recess in a surface of said optical element mounting platform, said recess being in communication with said groove and having lateral dimensions larger than lateral dimensions of an optical semiconductor element; and fixing said optical semiconductor element to a bottom surface of said recess by means of solder bumps, walls of said recess preventing two-dimensional deviation of said optical semiconductor element so that said optical semiconductor element resides in a position in said recess so that an end surface of an active layer of said optical semiconductor element and an end surface of an optical waveguide disposed in said groove are optically coupled.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-10-06	2001-04-07	2001-10-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-10-06	2005-04-07	2005-10-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-10-06	2009-04-07	2009-10-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical module having semiconductor elements fixedly mounted thereon with improved accuracy

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