Optical module, optical module mounting method, optical module-mounted circuit substrate, optical module evaluation kit system, circuit substrate, and communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9817192-B2
Application number	US-201715451950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 5, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An optical module includes a housing including an internal space that has an opening in a substrate mounting surface, an element mounting surface that forms a portion of an inner surface of the internal space, and a waveguide introduction opening that is formed in a side surface intersecting the substrate mounting surface and is opened to the opening of the substrate mounting surface and communicated with the internal space, an optical element that is mounted on the element mounting surface, and an electronic element that is mounted on the element mounting surface and is connected to the optical element. When the substrate mounting surface is mounted on a circuit substrate, an optical waveguide that protrudes from a surface of the circuit substrate is introduced into the internal space through the waveguide introduction opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of protecting an optical module, comprising:
preparing an optical module including a lens element; and
attaching a protector to the optical module in a Manner that the protector covers a surface of the lens element, wherein
the optical module includes
a housing including an internal space that has an opening formed in a substrate mounting surface, and an element mounting surface that forms a portion of an inner surface of the internal space,
a waveguide introduction opening that is connected to the internal space,
an optical element that is mounted on the element mounting surface,
an electronic element that is mounted on the element mounting surface and is connected to the optical element,
the lens element that is arranged so as to correspond to the optical element, and
a holder that holds the lens element at the arrangement position, and

the protector is inserted through the waveguide introduction opening.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the optical module further includes
an attachment structure to attach the protector,

the attachment structure is a slit that is formed on the holder,
the protector includes a plate-shaped portion, and
in the attaching, a part of the plate-shaped portion is inserted into the slit.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein
the waveguide introduction opening is formed in a side surface intersecting the substrate mounting surface,
the protector includes the plate-shaped portion having one end which is to be inserted into the slit and a spring portion, having a U-shape when the spring portion together with the plate-shaped portion is viewed from a side surface of the protector, covers the waveguide introduction opening, and sandwiches the optical module in a thickness direction of the optical module.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
removing the protector from the optical module.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
mounting, after the attaching of the protector, the optical module, to which the protector is attached, on a circuit substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1 , farther comprising:
mounting, after the attaching of the protector, the optical module, to which the protector is attached, on a circuit substrate in a manner that the substrate mounting surface faces the circuit substrate,
attaching a height adjuster having a height adjustment portion to the optical module in a manner that a height of a lower end of the height adjustment portion at the waveguide introduction opening is substantially the same as or less than a height of the substrate mounting surface, and
filling a gap between the circuit substrate and the optical module to which the height adjuster is attached with an underfill material.

7. A method of protecting an optical module, comprising:
preparing an optical module including a lens element; and
attaching a protector to the optical module in a manner that the protector covers a surface of the lens element, wherein
the optical module includes
a circuit substrate,
a housing that covers the circuit substrate,
a light input/output portion formed on the circuit substrate, and
the lens element accommodated in the light input/output portion,

the housing includes guide portions formed at a leading end of the housing to guide an optical connector, which is to be connected to the light input/output portion, to the light input/output portion, and
the protector includes
a front protective portion having a plate shape,
an upper protective portion, which is a cover having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, extending from the front protective portion in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the front protective portion and having openings formed in a lower surface and a surface opposite to the front protective portion,
two fixing arms extending from the front protective portion along respective side surface of the upper protective portion,
a lower protective surface extending from the front protective portion along the opening formed in the lower surface of the upper protective portion, and
a substrate fitting portion extending from the lower protective portion and forming a step portion together with the lower protective portion.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein
the optical module includes guide portions, formed on the housing, as an attachment structure to attach the protector, and
in the attaching of the protector, the fixing arms are fitted to the guide portions.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
removing the protector from the optical module.

10. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
mounting, after the attaching of the protector, the optical module, to which the protector is attached, on the circuit substrate.

11. A method of protecting an optical module, comprising:
preparing an optical module including a lens element; and
attaching a protector to the optical module in a manner that the protector covers a surface of the lens element, wherein
the optical module includes
a circuit substrate,
a housing that covers the circuit substrate,
a light input/output portion formed on the circuit substrate, and
the lens element accommodated in the light input/output portion,

the housing includes guide portions formed at a leading end of the housing, the guide portions guiding an optical connector, which is to be connected to the light input/output portion, to the light input/output portion,
the optical module further includes a fixing member that detachably fixes the optical connector to the housing, and
the protector is a protective structure provided on the fixing member.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
removing the protector from the optical module.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
mounting, after the attaching of the protector, the optical module, to which the protector is attached, on the circuit substrate.

14. A method of protecting an optical module, comprising:
preparing an optical module including a lens element; and
attaching a protector to the optical module in a manner that the protector covers a surface of the lens element, wherein
the optical module includes
a circuit substrate,
a housing that covers the circuit substrate,
a light input/output portion formed On the circuit substrate, and
the lens element accommodated in the light input/output portion,

the housing includes guide portions formed at a leading end of the housing, the guide portions guiding an optical connector, which is to be connected to the light input/output portion, to the light input/output portion and
the protector is a protective structure provided on the optical connector.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
removing the protector from the optical module.

16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
mounting, after the attaching of the protector, the optical module, to which the protector is attached, on the circuit substrate.

Assignees

• Furukawa Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nekado Yoshinobu
• Ishikawa Yozo
• Nishimura Naoya
• Uemura Toshinori
• Nasu Hideyuki

Classifications

• G02B6/4292

  the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements · CPC title

• G02B6/4257

  having a supporting carrier or a mounting substrate or a mounting plate (G02B6/3648 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4244

  Mounting of the optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/423

  using guiding surfaces for the alignment · CPC title

• G02B6/4239

  Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material · CPC title