Connectorized optical chip assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851521-B2
Application number	US-201514793114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A connectorized optical chip assembly connectable to an external optical fiber having a fiber connector is provided. The connectorized optical chip assembly includes a substrate, an optical chip having an on-chip optical waveguide and a connectorized interface. The connectorized interface includes an optical coupling element mounted in optical alignment with the on-chip optical waveguide. The connectorized interface includes a chip connector engaging the optical coupling element and configured for mating with the fiber connector of the external optical fiber, so as to provide an optical coupling of light between the optical coupling element and the external optical fiber. The connectorized optical chip assembly also includes a mechanical support structure supporting the connectorized interface onto the substrate. Preferably, the components of the connectorized optical assembly are made of materials heat resistant to temperatures used to melt solder in surface mount processes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connectorized optical chip assembly connectable to an external optical fiber having a fiber connector, comprising:
a substrate;
an optical chip extending over the substrate and having an on-chip optical waveguide; and
a connectorized interface, comprising:
an optical coupling element mounted in optical alignment with the on-chip optical waveguide;
a chip connector engaging the optical coupling element and configured for mating with the fiber connector of the external optical fiber so as to provide an optical coupling of light between the optical coupling element and the external optical fiber; and
a mechanical support structure supporting the connectorized interface onto the substrate,
wherein the chip connector comprises:
a chip connector housing; and
a guiding sleeve mounted in the chip connector housing, the guiding sleeve having a proximal end engaging the optical coupling element and a distal end opened and sized to receive an extremity of the fiber connector,

wherein the guiding sleeve is longitudinally constrained and rotatably free-floating within the chip connector housing.

2. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connectorized interface is configured to enable a side coupling of light from the optical fiber into the on-chip optical waveguide.

3. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connectorized interface is configured to enable a surface coupling of light from the optical fiber into the on-chip optical waveguide.

4. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the on-chip optical waveguide is one of a slab waveguide, a strip waveguide, a ridge waveguide and a rib waveguide.

5. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the optical coupling element comprises a mode field adapter.

6. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the optical coupling element comprises a chip ferule and at least one optical fiber segment mounted inside the chip ferule.

7. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the optical fiber segment is coating-less or has a heat-resistant coating.

8. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one optical fiber segment comprises:
a proximal optical fiber segment having a high numerical aperture selected for light coupling with the on-chip optical waveguide; and
a distal optical fiber segment having a low numerical aperture selected for light coupling with the external optical fiber, the proximal and distal optical fiber segments being joined by a splice extending within the chip ferule.

9. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the optical coupling element comprises a chip lens positioned in optical alignment with the on-chip optical waveguide.

10. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the chip lens comprises one of an aspherical lens and a graded-index lens.

11. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the optical coupling element comprises a lens holder affixed to the optical chip, the chip lens being mounted in the lens holder.

12. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding sleeve defines a C-shaped cylindrical component having a nominal diameter slightly smaller than a diameter of the optical coupling element and made of a resilient material.

13. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical support structure comprises a main block affixed to the substrate and traversed by a passage, the passage receiving the chip connector housing therethrough.

14. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the main block is made of metal, ceramic or heat-resistant molded plastic.

15. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the optical chip, the connectorized interface and the mechanical support structure are entirely made of materials heat resistant to at least a temperature used to melt solder in surface mount processes.

16. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 15 , wherein said temperature is 183 degrees Celsius for lead containing solder and 220 degrees Celsius for solder without lead.

17. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the optical chip defines a Silicon on Insulator structure.

18. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical chip comprises a plurality of parallel on-chip optical waveguides, and
the optical coupling element comprises a chip ferrule and a plurality of optical fiber segments mounted in parallel inside the chip ferrule, each optical fiber segment being optically coupled with a respective one of the on-chip optical waveguides.

19. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical chip comprises a plurality of parallel on-chip optical waveguides, and
the optical coupling element comprises a V-groove array comprising a support plate having a plurality of parallel V-grooves provided therein and a plurality of optical fiber segments mounted inside said V-grooves, each optical fiber segment being optically coupled with a respective one of the on-chip optical waveguides.

20. A connectorized optical chip assembly connectable to an external optical fiber having a fiber connector, comprising:
a substrate;
an optical chip having an on-chip optical waveguide; and
a connectorized interface, comprising:
an optical coupling element in optical alignment with the on-chip optical waveguide, the optical coupling element comprising a chip ferule and at least one optical fiber segment mounted inside the chip ferule;
a chip connector engaging the chip ferule and configured for mating with the fiber connector of the external optical fiber so as to provide an optical coupling of light between the at least one optical fiber segment and the external optical fiber; and
a mechanical support structure supporting the connectorized interface onto the substrate,
wherein the chip connector comprises:
a chip connector housing; and
a guiding sleeve mounted in the chip connector housing, the guiding sleeve having a proximal end engaging the chip ferule and a distal end opened and sized to receive an extremity of the fiber connector,

wherein the guiding sleeve is longitudinally constrained and rotatably free-floating within the chip connector housing.

21. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one optical fiber segment is coating-less or has a heat-resistant coating.

22. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the at least one optical fiber segment comprises:
a proximal optical fiber segment having a high numerical aperture selected for light coupling with the on-chip optical waveguide; and
a distal optical fiber segment having a low numerical aperture selected for light coupling with the external optical fiber, the proximal and distal optical fiber segments being joined by a splice extending within the chip ferule.

23. The connectorized optical chip assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the ferule and the optical fiber segment, have a proximate endface affixed to the optical chip.

24. The connectorized optic

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Pelletier Francois
• Latrasse Christine
• Picard Marie-Josée
• Poulin Michel
• Painchaud Yves

Classifications

• G02B6/421

  the intermediate optical component consisting of a short length of fibre, e.g. fibre stub · CPC title

• G02B6/4292 Primary

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

• G02B6/4204

  the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208) · CPC title

• G02B6/428

  containing printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• G02B6/3839

  for a plurality of light guides · CPC title