Hybrid optical transmitter and/or receiver structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9876575-B2
Application number	US-201514699907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2015
Priority date	Apr 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A device may include a substrate. The device may include a carrier mounted to the substrate. The device may include a transmitter photonic integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the carrier. The transmitter PIC may include a plurality of lasers that generate an optical signal when a voltage or current is applied to one of the plurality of lasers. The device may include a first microelectromechanical structure (MEMS) mounted to the substrate. The first MEMS may include a first set of lenses. The device may include a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) mounted to the substrate. The PLC may be optically coupled to the plurality of lasers by the first set of lenses of the first MEMS. The device may include a second MEMS, mounted to the substrate, that may include a second set of lenses, which may be configured to optically couple the PLC to an optical fiber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a lens; and
a frame, the lens being attached to a first portion of the frame,
the frame having a first branch extending from the first portion in a first direction, such that upon actuation of the first branch the lens is rotated along a first axis of rotation,

the frame having a second branch extending from the first portion in a second direction that is opposite from the first direction, such that upon actuation of the second branch the lens rotates along a second axis of rotation;
the frame having an actuator arm extending from the first portion in a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, such that upon actuation of the actuator arm the lens is rotated along a third axis of rotation; and
the frame having a second portion, the second portion being a protrusion extending from the first portion in a fourth direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and opposite the third direction.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate on which the first branch is mounted.

3. The device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first photonic integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the substrate; and
a first planar lightwave circuit (PLC) attached to the substrate,
the lens being oriented or positioned to optically couple
the first PIC to the first PLC.

4. The device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the substrate;
a free-space optics device (FSO) mounted on the substrate; and
the lens attached to the lens attachment portion,
the lens being oriented or positioned to optically couple at least one of:
the PIC to the FSO, or
the FSO to an optical fiber.

Assignees

• Infinera Corp

Inventors

• Butrie Timothy
• Reffle Michael
• Han Xiaofeng
• Ziari Mehrdad
• Lal Vikrant
• Evans Peter W
• Kish Jr Fred A
• Pavinski Donald J
• Tang Jie
• Coult David

Classifications

• G02B6/3598

  Switching means directly located between an optoelectronic element and waveguides, including direct displacement of either the element or the waveguide, e.g. optical pulse generation (based on changing the optical properties of the medium G02F1/00; optical pulse generation in optical transmitters H04B10/508; optical pulse generation by controlling laser operation H01S3/00) · CPC title

• H04B10/40 Primary

  Transceivers · CPC title

• G02B6/4215

  the intermediate optical elements being wavelength selective optical elements, e.g. variable wavelength optical modules or wavelength lockers (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/366

  the additional structures allowing for adjustment or alignment in all dimensions, i.e. 3D microoptics arrangements, e.g. free space optics on the microbench, microhinges or spring latches, with associated microactuating elements for fine adjustment or alignment · CPC title

• H04B10/503

  Laser transmitters · CPC title