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US5977567A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optoelectronic assembly and method of making the same

Assignee: Intel Corp
•
Filing: 1998-01-06
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Granted: 1999-11-02
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Expires: 2018-01-06
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Abstract

Abstract An optoelectronic assembly having an insulating substrate with a planar surface and a metal layer bonded to the planar surface such that selected regions of the substrate are exposed and a step is produced between the substrate and a top surface of the metal layer. An active optical device is mounted on the metal layer and a passive optical device is aligned with the active device using the step as a fiduciary for positioning the former. The metal layer provides an electrical path to the active device. The thickness of the metal layer is selected such that the heat generated by the active device is dissipated, the substrate does not interfere with the propagation of light along the first optical axis, and such that the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the metal layer is constrained by the substrate. The optoelectronic assembly is also suitable for mounting active devices provided with submounts or without.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Marc Verdiell

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 21:38
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4219; G02B6/4228; G02B6/423; G02B6/4266; G02B6/4268; G02B6/4272; G02B6/4273; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4207; G02B6/4208; G02B6/4236; G02B6/4244; G02B6/4245; G02B6/4267; G02B6/4274

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 159 words
An optoelectronic assembly comprising: a) an active optical device having a first optical axis; b) an insulating substrate with a planar surface; c) a metal layer bonded to said planar surface such that selected regions of said insulating substrate are exposed and a step is produced between said insulating substrate and a top surface of said metal layer, said active optical device being mounted on said metal layer such that said first optical axis is parallel to said insulating substrate, said metal layer further providing an electrical path to said active optical device and having a predetermined thickness such that: i) heat generated by said active optical device is dissipated; ii) said insulating substrate does not interfere with the propagation of light along said first optical axis; and iii) the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of said metal layer is constrained by said insulating substrate such that said metal layer inherits the in-plane CTE of said insulating substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 159 words
An optoelectronic assembly comprising: a) an active optical device having a first optical axis; b) an insulating substrate with a planar surface; c) a metal layer bonded to said planar surface such that selected regions of said insulating substrate are exposed and a step is produced between said insulating substrate and a top surface of said metal layer, said active optical device being mounted on said metal layer such that said first optical axis is parallel to said insulating substrate, said metal layer further providing an electrical path to said active optical device and having a predetermined thickness such that: i) heat generated by said active optical device is dissipated; ii) said insulating substrate does not interfere with the propagation of light along said first optical axis; and iii) the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of said metal layer is constrained by said insulating substrate such that said metal layer inherits the in-plane CTE of said insulating substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein said active optical device is selected from the group consisting of diode lasers, optical amplifiers, optical modulators, optical switches, optical fibers, and light detectors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first passive optical element having a second optical axis and being positioned in one of said selected regions such that said second optical axis is aligned with said first optical axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 3 wherein said passive optical element is selected from the group consisting of optical fibers, lenses, filters, diffraction gratings, beam splitters, isolators, and mirrors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 3 wherein said passive optical element is positioned on said insulating substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 5 wherein said passive optical element has a flat bottom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 3 wherein said metal layer is patterned such that said step is a fiduciary for aligning said passive optical element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 7 wherein said passive optical element has a flat side wall fitting against said fiduciary.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein said metal layer is patterned as an electrical circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 9 further comprising electrical components mounted on said metal layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein said predetermined thickness ranges between 50 μm and 1,000 μm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 36 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein said metal layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, copper-tungsten, copper alloys, copper composites, copper plated materials, copper clad materials and copper laminates.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 wherein said insulating substrate is a ceramic chosen from the group consisting of alumina, BeO and AlN.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bottom metal layer bonded to said insulating substrate opposite said planar surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 17 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 14 wherein said bottom metal layer is patterned as an electrical circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 11 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 14 further comprising a cooling means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 25 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 16 wherein said bottom metal layer is patterned and covered with a cover to provide channels for a liquid coolant.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 133 words
An optoelectronic assembly comprising: a) an active optical device with an edge; b) an insulating substrate with a planar surface and with an edge; c) a metal layer with an edge: wherein said metal layer is bonded to said planar surface such that said metal layer edge is flush with said insulating substrate edge, and said active optical device edge is flush with said metal layer edge, said metal layer further providing an electrical path to said active optical device and having a predetermined thickness such that: 1) heat generated by said active optical device is dissipated; 2) said insulating substrate does not interfere with the propagation of light along said first optical axis; and 3) the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of said metal layer is constrained by said insulating substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 133 words
An optoelectronic assembly comprising: a) an active optical device with an edge; b) an insulating substrate with a planar surface and with an edge; c) a metal layer with an edge: wherein said metal layer is bonded to said planar surface such that said metal layer edge is flush with said insulating substrate edge, and said active optical device edge is flush with said metal layer edge, said metal layer further providing an electrical path to said active optical device and having a predetermined thickness such that: 1) heat generated by said active optical device is dissipated; 2) said insulating substrate does not interfere with the propagation of light along said first optical axis; and 3) the in-plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of said metal layer is constrained by said insulating substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 31 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 18 wherein said active optical device is selected from the group consisting of diode lasers, optical amplifiers, optical modulators, optical switches, optical fibers, and light detectors.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 17 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 18 wherein said predetermined thickness ranges between 50 μm and 1,000 μm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 36 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 18 wherein said metal layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, copper-tungsten, copper alloys, copper composites, copper plated materials, copper clad materials and copper laminates.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 23 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 18 wherein said insulating substrate is selected from ceramics from the group consisting of alumina, BeO and AlN.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
The optoelectronic assembly of claim 18 further comprising a bottom metal layer bonded to said insulating substrate opposite said planar surface.

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3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-11-01 2003-05-03 2003-11-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-11-01 2007-05-03 2007-11-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
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