US6146025A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser diode and substrate
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Co Inc
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Filing: 1998-08-03
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Granted: 2000-11-14
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Expires: 2018-08-03
Abstract
Abstract An improved laser diode is taught. A laser diode chip with an optical port for outputing an optical signal is mounted on a substrate. The substrate has a perimeter that extends beyond the area of the laser diode chip. The lens face of an optical fiber is aligned to receive the optical signal from the optical port. The optical fiber is secured at a pad location on the substrate with a solder ball. A portion of the substrate is mounted on a TEC leaving an overhang portion unsupported by the TEC. The overhang portion of the substrate forms a ledge portion of the substrate. A thermal insulating slot and a stress relief slot are micromachined through the substrate forming an "L" shaped slot defining a cantilever fiber support segment of the substrate. The fiber is mounted on the end of the fiber support segment with a solder ball.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry C. Abbink
- 👤 Arnold E. Goldman
- 👤 Agop Cherbettchian
- 👤 Raymond Scott Enochs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:15
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4219; G02B6/4236; G02B6/4238; G02B6/4266; G02B6/4268; G02B6/4269; G02B6/4271; G02B6/4273; H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/02; H01S5/022; H01S5/023; H01S5/0233; H01S5/0235; G02B6/422; G02B6/4225; G02B6/424; G02B6/4248; H01S5/0225; H01S5/02251; H01S5/02325; H01S5/024; H01S5/02407; H01S5/02415
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
An improved laser diode using a substrate with an insulating slot comprising: a laser diode chip responsive to a drive current for outputing optical power from an optical port on the laser diode chip, the laser diode chip having a heat sink surface with which to source heat resulting from internal power dissipation, a substrate having a substrate top surface on which the laser diode heat sink surface is mounted, the substrate receiving and conducting heat from the laser diode heat sink surface to a substrate bottom surface, the substrate top surface having a perimeter that encloses an area larger than the area occupied by the laser diode heat sink surface, an optical fiber having a first end, the first end being positioned to couple optical power from the optical port to a second end, a portion of the optical fiber near the first end being embedded in a solder ball on a pad at a pad location on the substrate; and an insulating slot machined into the substrate between the pad location and the optical port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
An improved laser diode using a substrate with an insulating slot comprising: a laser diode chip responsive to a drive current for outputing optical power from an optical port on the laser diode chip, the laser diode chip having a heat sink surface with which to source heat resulting from internal power dissipation, a substrate having a substrate top surface on which the laser diode heat sink surface is mounted, the substrate receiving and conducting heat from the laser diode heat sink surface to a substrate bottom surface, the substrate top surface having a perimeter that encloses an area larger than the area occupied by the laser diode heat sink surface, an optical fiber having a first end, the first end being positioned to couple optical power from the optical port to a second end, a portion of the optical fiber near the first end being embedded in a solder ball on a pad at a pad location on the substrate; and an insulating slot machined into the substrate between the pad location and the optical port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The improved laser diode of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink having a heat sink top surface for receiving heat, and a heat sink bottom surface, the heat sink top surface having a heat sink perimeter, a portion of the substrate bottom surface being mounted on the heat sink top surface, the substrate bottom surface having an overhang portion extending beyond the heat sink perimeter, the overhang portion having an overhang perimeter containing the pad location and the insulating slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
The improved laser diode of claim 1 further comprising: a heat sink having a heat sink top surface for receiving heat, the heat sink top surface having a perimeter, a portion of the substrate bottom surface being mounted on the heat sink top surface, the substrate bottom surface having an overhang portion extending beyond the perimeter of the heat sink top surface, the overhang portion having a perimeter containing the pad location and the insulating slot, and wherein the substrate bottom surface exclusive of the overhang portion is positioned on the heat sink top surface to position the laser diode heat sink surface in an opposing relation with a corresponding area on the heat sink top surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
The improved laser diode of claim 1 further comprising: a heat sink having a heat sink top surface for receiving heat, the heat sink top surface having a perimeter, a portion of the substrate bottom surface being mounted on the heat sink top surface, the substrate bottom surface having an overhang portion extending beyond the perimeter of the heat sink top surface, the overhang portion having a perimeter containing the pad location and the insulating slot, and wherein the substrate bottom surface is positioned on the heat sink top surface to position the laser diode heat sink surface in an opposing relation with a corresponding area on the heat sink top surface and wherein the substrate further comprises: a stress relief slot machined in the substrate extending from the insulating slot in a direction selected to reduce thermally induced stress in the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
221 words
An improved laser diode comprising: a laser diode chip, having an optical port for outputing an optical signal and at least one laser diode heat sink surface, a substrate having a top and bottom surface, the laser diode heat sink surface being mounted on the top surface, the substrate top surface having a perimeter that extends beyond the area of the laser diode heat sink surface; an optical fiber having a lens face, the optical fiber being secured at a pad location on the substrate top surface with a solder ball, the receiving lens face being positioned close to the optical port to receive optical power from the optical port, a heat sink having a top surface, the heat sink top surface having a perimeter, a portion of the substrate bottom surface being mounted on the heat sink top surface, an overhang portion of the substrate extending beyond the heat sink top surface perimeter, the overhang portion of the substrate forming a ledge portion of the substrate, a thermal insulating slot being formed in the substrate overhang portion between the pad location and the heat sink top surface perimeter, a stress relief slot being formed in the overhang portion of the substrate, the stress relief slot extending from the edge of the substrate to an end of the thermal insulating slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
221 words
An improved laser diode comprising: a laser diode chip, having an optical port for outputing an optical signal and at least one laser diode heat sink surface, a substrate having a top and bottom surface, the laser diode heat sink surface being mounted on the top surface, the substrate top surface having a perimeter that extends beyond the area of the laser diode heat sink surface; an optical fiber having a lens face, the optical fiber being secured at a pad location on the substrate top surface with a solder ball, the receiving lens face being positioned close to the optical port to receive optical power from the optical port, a heat sink having a top surface, the heat sink top surface having a perimeter, a portion of the substrate bottom surface being mounted on the heat sink top surface, an overhang portion of the substrate extending beyond the heat sink top surface perimeter, the overhang portion of the substrate forming a ledge portion of the substrate, a thermal insulating slot being formed in the substrate overhang portion between the pad location and the heat sink top surface perimeter, a stress relief slot being formed in the overhang portion of the substrate, the stress relief slot extending from the edge of the substrate to an end of the thermal insulating slot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The improved laser diode of claim 5 wherein the heat sink is a TEC.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The improved laser diode of claim 5 wherein the heat sink is a TEC and the laser diode heat sink surface is in opposing relation to the heat sink top surface at all points on the laser diode heat sink surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
The improved laser diode of claim 5 wherein the heat sink is a TEC and the laser diode heat sink surface is in opposing relation to the heat sink top surface at all points on the laser diode heat sink surface, and wherein the laser diode heat sink surface is metallurgical bonded to the substrate top surface and the substrate bottom surface is metallurgical bonded to the heat sink top surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
The improved laser diode of claim 5 wherein the heat sink is a TEC and the laser diode heat sink surface is in opposing relation to the heat sink top surface at all points on the laser diode heat sink surface, and wherein: the thermal insulating slot is formed as a slot passing through the substrate and on a line orthogonal to a path from the pad location to the optical port.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
114 words
The improved laser diode of claim 5 wherein the heat sink is a TEC and the laser diode heat sink surface is in opposing relation to the heat sink top surface at all points on the laser diode heat sink surface, and wherein: the thermal insulating slot is formed as a slot passing through the substrate and on a line orthogonal to a path from the pad location to the optical port and the stress relief slot is formed as a slot passing through the substrate and passing from an edge of the substrate, parallel to a path from the pad location to the optical port, to an end of the thermal insulating slot.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
An laser diode comprising: a substrate having a top and bottom surface and an "L" shaped slot, the "L" shaped slot having a stress relief slot and a thermal insulating slot, the stress relief slot beginning at an edge of the substrate and terminating at the beginning of the insulating slot, the "L" shaped slot defining a border around a canteleverd fiber support segment, a pad for receiving a solder preform is positioned on the surface of the fiber support segment, an optical component having an optical port, the optical component being mounted on the substrate, an optical fiber having a lens face, the optical fiber being aligned to optically couple the lens face to the optical port, the optical fiber being mounted on the substrate by being embedded in the solder from the solder preform.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
An laser diode comprising: a substrate having a top and bottom surface and an "L" shaped slot, the "L" shaped slot having a stress relief slot and a thermal insulating slot, the stress relief slot beginning at an edge of the substrate and terminating at the beginning of the insulating slot, the "L" shaped slot defining a border around a canteleverd fiber support segment, a pad for receiving a solder preform is positioned on the surface of the fiber support segment, an optical component having an optical port, the optical component being mounted on the substrate, an optical fiber having a lens face, the optical fiber being aligned to optically couple the lens face to the optical port, the optical fiber being mounted on the substrate by being embedded in the solder from the solder preform.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improved optical component of claim 11 wherein the optical component is a laser diode chip and the optical port transmits light to the lens face of the optical fiber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The improved optical component of claim 11 wherein the optical component is semiconductor chip responsive to light received at its optical port from the lens face of the fiber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
88 words
The improved optical component of claim 11 wherein the optical component is a laser diode chip and the optical port transmits light to the lens face of the optical fiber, the optical coupling being improved by the steps of scanning the position of the lens face in a window close to the optical port to map the optical power received at numerous locations in the window, melting the solder and positioning the optical fiber in the melted solder to a mapped location expected to produce greatest optical power.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The improved optical component of claim 14 further comprising the steps of measuring the power received by the optical fiber, determining if the retained power is inadequate, remelting the solder and concurrently moving the position of the optical fiber to a corrected location for improved coupling.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5412748A
Cited
US5719979A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-14 | 2004-05-15 | 2004-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-14 | 2008-05-15 | 2008-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-14 | 2012-05-15 | 2012-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |