Layered coaxial transmitter optical subassemblies with support bridge therebetween

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9876576-B2
Application number	US-201615073360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Mar 17, 2016
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Layered coaxial transmitter optical subassemblies (TOSAs) with a support bridge therebetween may be used in an optical transmitter or transceiver for transmitting optical signals at multiple channel wavelengths. The coaxial TOSAs may include cuboid type TO laser packages having substantially flat outer surfaces that may be mounted on substantially flat outer surfaces on a transmitter or transceiver housing or on the support bridge. The support bridge supports and isolates one layer of the TOSAs mounted over another layer of the TOSAs such that the TOSAs may be stacked to fit within a small space without sacrificing optical coupling efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical transceiver module comprising:
a transceiver housing including a housing base;
a plurality of coaxial transmitter optical subassemblies (TOSAs) located in the transceiver housing for transmitting optical signals at different respective channel wavelengths, the plurality of coaxial TOSAs including at least first and second layers of coaxial TOSAs;
a support bridge extending from the base of the transceiver housing, wherein the first layer of coaxial TOSAs is mounted on the housing base of the transceiver housing on one side of the support bridge, and wherein the second layer of coaxial TOSAs is mounted on the support bridge on the other side of the support bridge, and wherein the support bridge is spaced from the first layer of coaxial TOSAs; and
at least one receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) located in the transceiver housing for receiving optical signals at different channel wavelengths.

2. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coaxial TOSAs comprises a cuboid type TO laser package including a laser package base and at least first and second side walls extending from opposite sides of the laser package base defining a compartment, the cuboid type TO laser package having a plurality of substantially flat outer surfaces, the cuboid type TO laser package having an optical coupling end and an electrical connecting end opposite the optical coupling end, wherein the cuboid type TO laser package is made of a thermally conductive material.

3. The optical transceiver module of claim 2 wherein at least one of the substantially flat surfaces of the cuboid type TO laser packages in the first layer of coaxial TOSAs is mounted and thermally coupled to a substantially flat surface of the housing base.

4. The optical transceiver module of claim 2 wherein at least one of the substantially flat outer surfaces is orthogonal to the electrical connecting end and the optical coupling end.

5. The optical transceiver module of claim 2 wherein the cuboid type TO laser package further includes an end wall extending from the base at the optical coupling end, the end wall including an aperture configured to allow laser light to pass through.

6. The optical transceiver module of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of coaxial TOSAs further comprises:
a laser submount mounted between the side walls in the compartment, the laser submount including conductive paths proximate the electrical connecting end for providing electrical connections;
a laser diode mounted on the laser submount and electrically connected to the conductive paths; and
optics mounted proximate the optical coupling end for optically coupling the laser through the aperture to an optical fiber.

7. The optical transceiver module of claim 6 wherein the optics include an isolator located inside the aperture and a lens aligned with the aperture.

8. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coaxial TOSAs comprises:
a TO laser package including a laser package base, the TO laser package having an optical coupling end and an electrical connecting end opposite the optical coupling end;
a laser submount mounted on the laser package base, the laser submount including conductive paths proximate the electrical connecting end for providing electrical connections;
a laser diode mounted on the laser submount and electrically connected to the conductive paths; and
optics mounted proximate the optical coupling end for optically coupling the laser to an optical fiber.

9. The optical transceiver module of claim 8 wherein the laser package base has a substantially flat outer surface.

10. The optical transceiver module of claim 8 wherein a long axis of the laser package base is less than 3.5 mm and a long axis of the first and second side walls is less than 2.5 mm.

11. The optical transceiver module of claim 8 wherein the optics include a lens.

12. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 further comprising a transmit connecting circuit electrically connected to the coaxial TOSAs and a receive connecting circuit electrically connected to the ROSA.

13. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 further comprising a multi-fiber push on (MPO) connector optically coupled to the coaxial TOSAs and the ROSA.

14. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 further comprising an optical multiplexer optically coupled to the coaxial TOSAs for multiplexing the transmitted optical signals into a transmitted multiplexed optical signal and an optical demultiplexer coupled to the ROSA for demultiplexing a received multiplexed optical signal into the received optical signals.

15. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 wherein the support bridge includes a support platform and legs extending from sides of the support platform.

16. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 wherein the support bridge is made of a conductive material.

17. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 wherein the coaxial TOSAs are mounted using an epoxy.

18. The optical transceiver module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coaxial TOSAs includes four coaxial TOSAs configured to transmit at four different channel wavelengths at transmission rates of at least about 10 Gbps per channel and transmission distances of 2 km to at least about 10 km.

19. An optical transmitter module comprising:
a transceiver housing including a housing base;
a plurality of coaxial transmitter optical subassemblies (TOSAs) located in the transceiver housing for transmitting optical signals at different channel wavelengths, the plurality of coaxial TOSAs including at least first and second layers of coaxial TOSAs; and
a support bridge extending from the base of the transceiver housing, wherein the first layer of coaxial TOSAs is mounted on the housing base of the transceiver housing on one side of the support bridge, and wherein the second layer of coaxial TOSAs is mounted on the support bridge on the other side of the support bridge, and wherein the support bridge is spaced from the first layer of coaxial TOSAs.

20. The optical transmitter module of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of coaxial TOSAs comprises a cuboid type TO laser package including a laser package base and at least first and second side walls extending from opposite sides of the laser package base defining a compartment, the cuboid type TO laser package having a plurality of substantially flat outer surfaces, the cuboid type TO laser package having an optical coupling end and an electrical connecting end opposite the optical coupling end, wherein the cuboid type TO laser package is made of a thermally conductive material.

Assignees

• Applied Optoelectronics Inc

Inventors

• Ho I-Lung
• Wang Chong
• Luo Jianhong
• Yeh Che-Shou

Classifications

• G02B6/4272

  with mounting substrates of high thermal conductivity · CPC title

• G02B6/4284

  of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors (latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627) · CPC title

• G02B6/4257

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

• H04B10/506

  Multiwavelength transmitters · CPC title

• G02B6/4245

  Mounting of the opto-electronic elements · CPC title