An optical module

Abstract

The optical module provided by the present application includes a circuit board, an optical transmitting submodule, an optical receiving submodule, an optical fiber adapter, an optical circulator and a second optical path translation prism. The optical transmitting submodule includes a transmitting shell arranged on the circuit board and a laser arranged in the transmitting shell; the optical receiving submodule is arranged on the circuit board and is located outside the transmitting shell; the optical fiber adapter is connected to the transmitting shell; the optical circulator is arranged in the transmitting shell, and the optical signal emitted by the laser is injected into the optical fiber adapter through the optical circulator, and the external optical signal input by the optical fiber adapter is injected into the second optical path translation prism through the optical circulator; one end of the second optical path translation prism is arranged corresponding to the light outlet of the optical circulator, and the other end is located outside the transmitting shell, and the external optical signal is reflected and translated and then injected into the optical receiving submodule. The present application realizes single-fiber bidirectional transmission of optical transmitting and receiving signals in a narrow space through the optical fiber adapter, and optimizes the assembly process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of optical fiber communication technology, and in particular to an optical module. Background Art

[0002] With the development of new services and application models such as cloud computing, mobile Internet, and video, the development and progress of optical communication technology has become increasingly important. In optical communication technology, optical modules are tools for realizing the mutual conversion of optical and electrical signals, and are one of the key components in optical communication equipment. In addition, with the development of optical communication technology, the transmission rate of optical modules is constantly increasing.

[0003] As data centers continue to increase their demand for communication bandwidth, the speed requirements for optical modules are also getting higher and higher, especially in recent years, 400G and 400G optical modules have gradually been introduced to the market. With the increase in transmission rate, limited optical fiber resources have gradually become a bottleneck for expanding transmission bandwidth. Bidirectional transmission of a single fiber has become one of the effective ways to alleviate this bottleneck. However, as the size of optical modules is getting smaller and smaller, how to achieve the merging and separation of bidirectional transmission optical signals in the limited space of existing optical modules has become the key to achieving this goal. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiment of the present application provides an optical module to realize the merging and separation of bidirectional transmission optical signals in the limited space of the existing optical module, reasonably arrange the optical components, and optimize the assembly process.

[0005] The present application provides an optical module, comprising:

[0006] Circuit boards;

[0007] The optical transmission submodule is arranged on the circuit board, and comprises a transmission housing and a laser, wherein the transmission housing is arranged on the circuit board, and the laser is arranged inside the transmission housing; and is used for transmitting optical signals;

[0008] The optical receiving submodule is arranged on the circuit board and located outside the transmitting housing; and is used for receiving external optical signals;

[0009] An optical fiber adapter connected to the transmitting housing;

[0010] An optical circulator is arranged in the transmitting housing, and the transmitted optical signal is incident on the optical fiber adapter through the optical circulator; and the external optical signal input by the optical fiber adapter is incident on the second optical path translation prism through the optical circulator;

[0011] The second optical path translation prism has one end corresponding to the light outlet of the optical circulator and the other end located outside the transmitting shell, and is used for reflecting and translating the external optical signal and then injecting it into the optical receiving sub-module.

[0012] The optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a circuit board, an optical transmitting submodule, an optical receiving submodule, an optical fiber adapter, an optical circulator and a second optical path translation prism. The optical transmitting submodule is arranged on the circuit board, and includes a transmitting shell and a laser. The transmitting shell is arranged on the circuit board, and the laser is arranged in the transmitting shell for transmitting optical signals; the optical receiving submodule is arranged on the circuit board, and is located outside the transmitting shell for receiving external optical signals; the optical fiber adapter is connected to the transmitting shell, so that the optical fiber adapter is connected to the transmitting shell through a single optical fiber; the optical circulator is arranged in the transmitting shell, and the optical signal emitted by the laser is emitted into the optical fiber adapter through the optical circulator, so as to realize The light emission; and the external light signal is injected into the optical circulator through the optical fiber adapter, and the optical circulator transmits the external light signal to the second optical path translation prism, so that the light signal emitted by the laser is separated from the external light signal through the optical circulator, and the merging and separation of the bidirectional transmission light beams can be realized in a small space, and the light emission and reception signals can share a single optical fiber; one end of the second optical path translation prism is set corresponding to the light outlet of the optical circulator, and the other end is located outside the emission shell, which is used to reflect and translate the external light signal and then inject it into the light receiving submodule, so that the light from the optical circulator is translated to the light receiving submodule via the optical path translation prism to realize the reception of light. The present application can realize single-fiber bidirectional optical transmission of the emission light signal and the reception light signal through an optical fiber adapter, a single optical fiber, and an optical circulator, and can realize the optical path translation through the optical path translation prism to realize the reception of light. Therefore, by rationally arranging the optical components and optimizing the assembly process, the overall assembly of the module is greatly simplified, the production efficiency and maintenance efficiency are greatly improved, and it is more suitable for mass production. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required to be used in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings. In addition, the drawings described below can be regarded as schematic diagrams, and are not limitations on the actual size of the product involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the actual process of the method, the actual timing of the signal, etc.

[0014] Figure 1 is a connection relationship diagram of an optical communication system according to some embodiments;

[0015] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of an optical network terminal according to some embodiments;

[0016] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an optical module according to some embodiments;

[0017] Figure 4is an exploded view of an optical module according to some embodiments;

[0018] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the assembly of a circuit board, an optical transmitting submodule, an optical receiving submodule and an optical fiber adapter in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 6 A partial exploded schematic diagram of a circuit board, an optical transmitting submodule, an optical receiving submodule and an optical fiber adapter in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a circuit board in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of an optical transmission submodule in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a light emitting submodule in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application from another angle;

[0023] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a transmitting housing in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of another angle structure of an emitting housing in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Fig.12 An assembly cross-sectional view of a circuit board and a light emitting sub-module in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of an emission light path in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of another angle of an emission light path in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig.15 A schematic diagram of light splitting and light combining of an optical circulator in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Fig.16 A schematic diagram of assembling a transmitting housing and a light receiving sub-module in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Fig.17 A schematic diagram of a receiving optical path in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Fig.18A schematic diagram of a receiving light path in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application from another angle;

[0032] Fig.19 A schematic diagram of signal connection between an optical transmitting submodule and an optical receiving submodule in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Fig. 20 A cross-sectional view of signal connections of an optical transmission sub-module in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field belong to the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0035] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and other forms thereof, such as the third person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are to be interpreted as open, inclusive, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" and the like are intended to indicate that specific features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0036] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0037] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. For example, when describing some embodiments, the term "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. For another example, when describing some embodiments, the term "coupled" may be used to indicate that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, the term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0038] “At least one of A, B, and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B, or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B, and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B, and C.

[0039] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0040] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is meant to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0041] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of variation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0042] In optical communication technology, light is used to carry the information to be transmitted, and the optical signal carrying the information is transmitted to information processing equipment such as computers through information transmission equipment such as optical fibers or optical waveguides to complete the transmission of information. Since optical signals have passive transmission characteristics when transmitted through optical fibers or optical waveguides, low-cost and low-loss information transmission can be achieved. In addition, the signals transmitted by information transmission equipment such as optical fibers or optical waveguides are optical signals, while the signals that can be recognized and processed by information processing equipment such as computers are electrical signals. Therefore, in order to establish an information connection between information transmission equipment such as optical fibers or optical waveguides and information processing equipment such as computers, it is necessary to realize the mutual conversion between electrical signals and optical signals.

[0043] Optical modules realize the above-mentioned mutual conversion function between optical signals and electrical signals in the field of optical fiber communication technology. Optical modules include optical ports and electrical ports. The optical modules realize optical communication with information transmission equipment such as optical fibers or optical waveguides through the optical ports, and realize electrical connection with optical network terminals (for example, optical modems) through the electrical ports. The electrical connection is mainly used to realize power supply, I2C signal transmission, data signal transmission, and grounding. The optical network terminal transmits electrical signals to information processing equipment such as computers through network cables or wireless fidelity technology (Wi-Fi).

[0044] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a connection diagram of an optical communication system according to some embodiments. Figure 1 As shown, the optical communication system mainly includes a remote server 1000, a local information processing device 2000, an optical network terminal 100, an optical module 200, an optical fiber 101 and a network cable 103;

[0045] One end of the optical fiber 101 is connected to the remote server 1000, and the other end is connected to the optical network terminal 100 through the optical module 200. The optical fiber itself can support long-distance signal transmission, such as signal transmission of several kilometers (6 kilometers to 8 kilometers). On this basis, if a repeater is used, ultra-long-distance transmission can be achieved in theory. Therefore, in a common optical communication system, the distance between the remote server 1000 and the optical network terminal 100 can usually reach several kilometers, tens of kilometers or hundreds of kilometers.

[0046] One end of the network cable 103 is connected to the local information processing device 2000, and the other end is connected to the optical network terminal 100. The local information processing device 2000 can be any one or more of the following devices: a router, a switch, a computer, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a television, etc.

[0047] The physical distance between the remote server 1000 and the optical network terminal 100 is greater than the physical distance between the local information processing device 2000 and the optical network terminal 100. The connection between the local information processing device 2000 and the remote server 1000 is completed by the optical fiber 101 and the network cable 103; and the connection between the optical fiber 101 and the network cable 103 is completed by the optical module 200 and the optical network terminal 100.

[0048] The optical module 200 includes an optical port and an electrical port. The optical port is configured to be connected to the optical fiber 101, so that the optical module 200 establishes a bidirectional optical signal connection with the optical fiber 101; the electrical port is configured to be connected to the optical network terminal 100, so that the optical module 200 establishes a bidirectional electrical signal connection with the optical network terminal 100. The optical module 200 realizes the mutual conversion between optical signals and electrical signals, so that a connection is established between the optical fiber 101 and the optical network terminal 100. For example, the optical signal from the optical fiber 101 is converted into an electrical signal by the optical module 200 and then input into the optical network terminal 100, and the electrical signal from the optical network terminal 100 is converted into an optical signal by the optical module 200 and input into the optical fiber 101.

[0049] The optical network terminal 100 includes a housing that is roughly rectangular, and an optical module interface 102 and a network cable interface 104 arranged on the housing. The optical module interface 102 is configured to access the optical module 200, so that the optical network terminal 100 establishes a bidirectional electrical signal connection with the optical module 200; the network cable interface 104 is configured to access the network cable 103, so that the optical network terminal 100 establishes a bidirectional electrical signal connection with the network cable 103. The optical module 200 and the network cable 103 are connected through the optical network terminal 100. For example, the optical network terminal 100 transmits the electrical signal from the optical module 200 to the network cable 103, and transmits the signal from the network cable 103 to the optical module 200. Therefore, the optical network terminal 100, as the host computer of the optical module 200, can monitor the operation of the optical module 200. In addition to the optical network terminal 100, the host computer of the optical module 200 can also include an optical line terminal (Optical Line Terminal, OLT) and the like.

[0050] The remote server 1000 establishes a bidirectional signal transmission channel with the local information processing device 2000 through the optical fiber 101 , the optical module 200 , the optical network terminal 100 and the network cable 103 .

[0051] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of an optical network terminal according to some embodiments. In order to clearly show the connection relationship between the optical module 200 and the optical network terminal 100, Figure 2 Only the structure of the optical network terminal 100 related to the optical module 200 is shown. Figure 2 As shown, the optical network terminal 100 further includes a PCB circuit board 105 disposed in the housing, a cage 106 disposed on the surface of the PCB circuit board 105, and an electrical connector disposed inside the cage 106. The electrical connector is configured to access the electrical port of the optical module 200; the heat sink 107 has protrusions such as fins that increase the heat dissipation area.

[0052] The optical module 200 is inserted into the cage 106 of the optical network terminal 100, and the cage 106 fixes the optical module 200. The heat generated by the optical module 200 is transferred to the cage 106 and then diffused through the heat sink 107. After the optical module 200 is inserted into the cage 106, the electrical port of the optical module 200 is connected to the electrical connector inside the cage 106, so that the optical module 200 establishes a bidirectional electrical signal connection with the optical network terminal 100. In addition, the optical port of the optical module 200 is connected to the optical fiber 101, so that the optical module 200 establishes a bidirectional optical signal connection with the optical fiber 101.

[0053] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an optical module according to some embodiments, Figure 4 FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an optical module according to some embodiments. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the optical module 200 includes a housing, a circuit board 300 disposed in the housing, and an optical transceiver device;

[0054] The housing comprises an upper housing 201 and a lower housing 202 . The upper housing 201 covers the lower housing 202 to form the housing having two openings 204 and 205 . The outer contour of the housing is generally a square body.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lower shell 202 includes a bottom plate and two lower side plates located on both sides of the bottom plate and arranged perpendicularly to the bottom plate; the upper shell 201 includes a cover plate and two upper side plates located on both sides of the cover plate and arranged perpendicularly to the cover plate, and is combined with two side walls and the two side plates to achieve the upper shell 201 covering the lower shell 202.

[0056] The direction of the line connecting the two openings 204 and 205 may be consistent with the length direction of the optical module 200, or may be inconsistent with the length direction of the optical module 200. For example, the opening 204 is located at the end of the optical module 200 ( Figure 3 The opening 205 is also located at the end of the optical module 200 ( Figure 3 Alternatively, the opening 204 is located at the end of the optical module 200, and the opening 205 is located at the side of the optical module 200. The opening 204 is an electrical port, and the gold finger of the circuit board 300 extends from the electrical port 204 and is inserted into the host computer (such as the optical network terminal 100); the opening 205 is an optical port, which is configured to access the external optical fiber 101 so that the optical fiber 101 is connected to the optical transceiver device inside the optical module 200.

[0057] The upper housing 201 and the lower housing 202 are combined to facilitate installation of components such as the circuit board 300 and the optical transceiver component into the housing, and these components can be packaged and protected by the upper housing 201 and the lower housing 202. In addition, when assembling components such as the circuit board 300, it is convenient to deploy the positioning components, heat dissipation components, and electromagnetic shielding components of these components, which is conducive to the implementation of automated production.

[0058] In some embodiments, the upper shell 201 and the lower shell 202 are generally made of metal materials, which is conducive to electromagnetic shielding and heat dissipation.

[0059] In some embodiments, the optical module 200 further includes an unlocking component located on an outer wall of its housing, and the unlocking component is configured to achieve a fixed connection between the optical module 200 and the host computer, or to release the fixed connection between the optical module 200 and the host computer.

[0060] For example, the unlocking component is located on the outer wall of the two lower side plates of the lower housing 202, and includes a snap-fit ​​component that matches the cage of the host computer (for example, the cage 106 of the optical network terminal 100). When the optical module 200 is inserted into the cage of the host computer, the snap-fit ​​component of the unlocking component fixes the optical module 200 in the cage of the host computer; when the unlocking component is pulled, the snap-fit ​​component of the unlocking component moves accordingly, thereby changing the connection relationship between the snap-fit ​​component and the host computer, so as to release the snap-fit ​​relationship between the optical module 200 and the host computer, so that the optical module 200 can be pulled out of the cage of the host computer.

[0061] The circuit board 300 includes circuit traces, electronic components and chips, and the electronic components and chips are connected together according to the circuit design through the circuit traces to realize functions such as power supply, electrical signal transmission and grounding. The electronic components may include capacitors, resistors, transistors, and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET). The chips may include microcontroller units (MCU), transimpedance amplifiers (TIA), clock and data recovery chips (CDR), power management chips, and digital signal processing (DSP) chips.

[0062] The circuit board 300 is generally a rigid circuit board. Due to its relatively hard material, the rigid circuit board can also realize the load-bearing function. For example, the rigid circuit board can stably carry the chip; the rigid circuit board can also be inserted into the electrical connector in the upper computer cage.

[0063] The circuit board 300 also includes a gold finger formed on the end surface thereof, and the gold finger is composed of a plurality of independent pins. The circuit board 300 is inserted into the cage 106, and the gold finger is connected to the electrical connector in the cage 106. The gold finger can be provided on the surface of only one side of the circuit board 300 (for example, Figure 4 The upper surface shown in the figure) can also be set on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board 300 to adapt to occasions where the number of pins is large. The gold finger is configured to establish an electrical connection with the host computer to achieve power supply, grounding, I2C signal transmission, data signal transmission, etc. Of course, flexible circuit boards are also used in some optical modules. Flexible circuit boards are generally used in conjunction with rigid circuit boards to supplement rigid circuit boards. .

[0064] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the circuit board, the optical transmitting submodule, the optical receiving submodule and the optical fiber adapter in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the optical transceiver device includes an optical transmitting submodule 400 and an optical receiving submodule 500, and the optical transmitting submodule 400 and the optical receiving submodule 500 are both arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board 300, and the optical transmitting submodule 400 and the optical receiving submodule 500 are connected to the optical fiber adapter 600 through the same optical fiber. That is, the optical signal emitted by the optical transmitting submodule 400 is transmitted through the optical fiber and the optical fiber adapter 600, thereby realizing the emission of light; the external optical signal is transmitted to the optical receiving submodule 500 through the optical fiber adapter 600 and the optical fiber, thereby realizing the reception of light. In this way, the optical transmitting signal and the optical receiving signal share a single optical fiber, thereby reducing the demand and occupation of optical fiber resources.

[0065] Figure 6 A partial exploded schematic diagram of a circuit board, an optical transmitting submodule, an optical receiving submodule and an optical fiber adapter in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the circuit board in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, a mounting hole 320 is provided on the circuit board 300, and the transmitting shell of the optical transmitting submodule 400 is embedded in the mounting hole 320, so that the laser component arranged in the transmitting shell is close to the upper surface (front) of the circuit board 300. After the optical transmitting submodule 400 is installed on the circuit board 300, the wiring surface of the laser component and the front of the circuit board 300 are located on the same plane, so that the connection wire between the front of the circuit board 300 and the laser component is the shortest, so as to ensure excellent high-frequency transmission performance.

[0066] A signal processing chip 310, an MCU, a power management chip, a TIA (Trans-impedance Amplifier), a high-speed PD (Photo Diode), etc. may be disposed on the front of the circuit board 300. The signal processing chip 310 is connected to the trans-impedance amplifier through a high-frequency signal line, wherein the signal processing chip 310 is used for processing high-frequency signals.

[0067] The circuit design on the front of the circuit board 300 is mainly to transmit the high-frequency signal transmitted from the gold finger end to the optical transmitter submodule 400 through the high-frequency signal line after being processed by the signal processing chip 310, so that the optical transmitter submodule 400 transmits the optical signal. At the same time, the optical receiver submodule 500 converts the received external optical signal into an electrical signal. The high-frequency signal received by the PD is amplified by the TIA, and then transmitted to the signal processing chip 310 for processing through the high-frequency signal line connecting the TIA and the signal processing chip 310, and then transmitted to the communication system through the gold finger.

[0068] The circuit design and device layout on the front side of the circuit board 300 are mainly to facilitate the installation, coupling and circuit connection of the optical components required for the transmission signal of the optical transmission submodule 400 and the reception signal of the optical reception submodule 500.

[0069] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light emitting submodule in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig. 9 This is another perspective structural diagram of the light emitting submodule in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 , Fig. 9 As shown, the optical transmission submodule 400 may include a transmission housing 410 and a laser 420, a collimating lens 430, an optical combiner 440, a first optical path translation prism 450, an optical circulator 460 and an optical fiber coupler 470 disposed in the transmission housing 410. The transmission housing 410 is embedded in the mounting hole 320 of the circuit board 300 facing the bottom surface of the lower housing 202. The laser 420, the collimating lens 430, the optical combiner 440, the first optical path translation prism 450, the optical circulator 460 and the optical fiber coupler 470 are disposed in the transmission housing 410. 60 and the optical fiber coupler 470 are both installed on the mounting surface of the transmitting shell 410, and the mounting height of the laser 420 and the collimating lens 430 is lower than the mounting height of the optical combiner 440 and the first optical path translation prism 450, and the mounting height of the optical combiner 440 and the first optical path translation prism 450 is lower than the mounting height of the optical circulator 460 and the optical fiber coupler 470, so that the wiring surface of the laser 420 and the collimating lens 430 is on the same plane as the front surface of the circuit board 300.

[0070] In some embodiments, the fiber coupler is composed of a coupling lens and a fiber flange, which can also be called a fiber collimator. The collimated light beam is focused onto the fiber flange through the coupling lens and then enters the optical fiber. Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the coupling lens and the fiber flange are pre-installed in a glass sleeve to ensure their concentricity. Based on the same principle, the coupling lens and the fiber flange can also be assembled by using separate components through active coupling.

[0071] The transmitting shell 410 includes a transmitting shell body 4110 and a protrusion 4120 disposed on the bottom surface of the transmitting shell body 4110. The protrusion 4120 extends from the bottom surface of the transmitting shell body 4110 toward the lower shell 202, and the width dimension of the protrusion 4120 in the front-to-back direction is smaller than the width dimension of the transmitting shell body 4110 in the front-to-back direction, and the length dimension of the protrusion 4120 in the left-to-right direction may be smaller than or equal to the length dimension of the transmitting shell body 4110 in the left-to-right direction. In this way, when the optical transmitting submodule 400 is mounted on the circuit board 300, the protrusion 4120 is embedded in the mounting hole 320 of the circuit board 300, so that the protrusion 4120 penetrates the circuit board 300; the bottom surface of the transmitting shell body 4110 contacts the front surface of the circuit board 300, so that the transmitting shell 410 is mounted on the front surface of the circuit board 300.

[0072] The laser beam emitted by the laser 420 is converted into a collimated beam via the collimating lens 430. The collimated beam is reflected by the first optical path translation prism 450 to the optical circulator 460 installed at a higher height. The emission beam emitted by the laser 420 is linearly polarized light. After the emission beam enters the optical circulator 460, the optical path of the emission beam in the optical circulator 460 remains linearly transmitted, and the path remains unchanged, so that the emission beam directly passes through the optical circulator 460 and enters the optical fiber coupler 470. The emission beam is coupled to the optical fiber adapter 600 via the optical fiber coupler 470 to realize the emission of the optical signal.

[0073] For optical modules with high transmission rates, such as 400G optical modules, in order to achieve the transmission rate of the 400G optical modules, it is necessary to integrate 4 optical transmitters and 4 optical receivers. Therefore, the optical transmission submodule 400 includes 4 optical transmitters to achieve the transmission of 4 optical transmission light beams; the optical reception submodule 500 includes 4 optical receivers to achieve the reception of 4 reception light beams.

[0074] Based on this, four lasers 420, four collimating lenses 430, an optical combiner 440, a first optical path translation prism 450, an optical circulator 460 and an optical fiber coupler 470 are arranged on the mounting surface of the transmitting shell 410, the bottom surface of the transmitting shell 410 faces the lower shell 202, the mounting surface of the transmitting shell 410 faces the upper shell 201, and the four lasers 420, four collimating lenses 430, an optical combiner 440, a first optical path translation prism 450, an optical circulator 460 and an optical fiber coupler 470 are arranged. 60 and the optical fiber coupler 470 are both mounted on the mounting surface of the transmitting shell body 4110, and the lasers 420 and the collimating lenses 430 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. Each laser 420 emits one laser beam, and each collimating lens 430 converts one laser beam into a collimated beam. The four collimated beams are respectively emitted to the optical combiner 440, and the four collimated beams are combined in the optical combiner 440 to output one composite beam, and the composite beam is emitted to the first optical path translation prism 450.

[0075] In some embodiments, the optical circulator 460 includes an optical input port, an optical output port, and an optical input and output port, the optical input and output port face the optical fiber adapter 600 , the optical input port and the optical output port are located on the same side, and the optical input port and the optical output port face away from the optical fiber adapter 600 .

[0076] The input surface of the first optical path translation prism 450 is arranged corresponding to the output surface of the optical combiner 440, and the output surface of the first optical path translation prism 450 is arranged corresponding to the light inlet of the optical circulator 460. The composite light beam is reflected by the first optical path translation prism 450 to change the transmission direction and position of the composite light beam, so that the composite light beam is emitted into the optical circulator 460 through the optical path translation of the first optical path translation prism 450, and the composite light beam directly passes through the optical circulator 460 and is emitted to the optical fiber coupler 470 via the optical inlet and outlet, and the composite light beam is coupled to the optical fiber via the optical fiber coupler 470, thereby realizing the synthesis of multiple transmitted light beams into one composite light beam for emission.

[0077] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transmitting housing in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.11 This is another perspective structural diagram of the emitting housing in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.10 , Fig.11As shown, a first mounting groove 4130, a second mounting groove 4140 and a third mounting groove 4150 are provided on the side of the transmitting shell body 4110 facing the upper shell body 201, the first mounting groove 4130 is close to the optical fiber adapter 600, the third mounting groove 4150 is far away from the optical fiber adapter 600, the second mounting groove 4140 is located between the first mounting groove 4130 and the third mounting groove 4150, and the mounting surface (bottom surface) of the first mounting groove 4130 is higher than the mounting surface (bottom surface) of the second mounting groove 4140, and the mounting surface (bottom surface) of the second mounting groove 4140 is higher than the mounting surface (bottom surface) of the third mounting groove 4150, so that step surfaces of different heights are formed in the transmitting shell body 4110.

[0078] Fig.12 This is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of the circuit board and the light emitting sub-module in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.12 As shown, the mounting surface of the third mounting groove 4150 is recessed in the front of the circuit board 300, and the laser 420 and the collimating lens 430 are both arranged on the mounting surface of the third mounting groove 4150; the mounting surface of the second mounting groove 4140 may be slightly recessed in the front of the circuit board 300, and the optical combiner 440 and the first optical path translation prism 450 are both arranged on the mounting surface of the second mounting groove 4140; the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130 is higher than the front of the circuit board 300, and the optical circulator 460 is arranged on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130.

[0079] In some embodiments, the light emission submodule 400 further includes a semiconductor refrigerator 480 and a laser substrate 490. The semiconductor refrigerator 480 is disposed on the mounting surface of the third mounting groove 4150, the laser substrate 490 is disposed on the cooling surface of the semiconductor refrigerator 480, and the laser 420 is disposed on the top surface of the laser substrate 490. The mounting surface of the laser 420 is raised by the semiconductor refrigerator 480 and the laser substrate 490, so that the wire bonding surface of the laser 420 is located on the same plane as the front surface of the circuit board 300. The collimating lens 430 is disposed on the cooling surface of the semiconductor refrigerator 480, and the collimating lens 430 is located in the light emitting direction of the laser 420, and is used to convert the laser beam emitted by the laser 420 into a collimated beam.

[0080] In some embodiments, a through hole 4170 is provided at one end of the launch shell body 4110 facing the optical fiber adapter 600 . The through hole 4170 is communicated with the first mounting groove 4130 . The optical fiber coupler 470 is fixed to the launch shell body 4110 through the through hole 4170 .

[0081] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the transmission light path in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application, Fig.14 This is another angle diagram of the emission light path in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.13 , Fig.14 As shown, the laser 420 is installed on the mounting surface of the third mounting groove 4150 through the laser substrate 490 and the semiconductor cooler 480, the collimating lens 430 is installed on the mounting surface of the third mounting groove 4150 through the semiconductor cooler 480, the optical combiner 440 and the first optical path translation prism 450 are arranged on the mounting surface of the second mounting groove 4140, and the optical circulator 460 is arranged on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130. Then, the four lasers 420 emit four laser beams, and the four laser beams are converted into four collimated beams through the four collimating lenses 430. After the four collimated light beams are emitted to the optical combiner 440, the four collimated light beams are combined into one composite light beam by the optical combiner 440. After the composite light beam is emitted to the first optical path translation prism 450, the first optical path translation prism 450 reflects the composite light beam parallel to the mounting surface of the second mounting groove 4140 to the composite light beam parallel to the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130. The reflected composite light beam directly passes through the optical circulator 460 to the fiber coupler 470, is coupled to the internal optical fiber by the fiber coupler 470, and is emitted through the internal optical fiber and the optical fiber adapter 600.

[0082] The optical transmission submodule 400 uses an optical circulator 460 and necessary beam shifting prisms to shift the transmission light beam to a suitable height or position for light combining operations. At the same time, the height of the laser's wiring surface is made the same as the front side of the circuit board 300 during assembly, thereby minimizing the connection between the two and ensuring excellent high-frequency transmission performance.

[0083] Fig.15 Schematic diagram of light splitting and light combining of an optical circulator in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application. Fig.15 As shown, the optical circulator 460 includes a first polarizer 4610, a Faraday rotator 4620, a half-wave plate 4630 and a second polarizer 4640. The first polarizer 4610 is arranged corresponding to the output end of the first optical path translation prism 450. The first polarizer 4610, the Faraday rotator 4620, the half-wave plate 4630 and the second polarizer 4640 are arranged in sequence along the light emission direction. The composite light beam emitted by the first optical path translation prism 450 is transmitted from bottom to top, and the bidirectional arrow in the optical path indicates the polarization direction of the light, which is parallel to the paper surface here.

[0084] The polarizer is used to polarize and split the light beam. Linear polarized light passes directly through the polarizer without being split. After the non-polarized light enters the polarizer, it will be split into two polarization directions of light on the coating surface of the polarizer. The Faraday rotator 4620 changes the polarization direction of light under the action of the magnetic field, so that the polarization direction of the light passing through it rotates clockwise in the direction of light propagation, and rotates counterclockwise when passing in the reverse direction. The half-wave plate rotates the light clockwise when passing in the forward or reverse direction.

[0085] Since the composite light beam emitted by the first optical path translation prism 450 is linearly polarized light, during the transmission from bottom to top, the composite light beam will not be split after entering the first polarizer 4610, and the composite light beam directly passes through the first polarizer 4610, and then enters the Faraday rotator 4620 and the half-wave plate 4630 in sequence, and its polarization direction does not change, the optical path maintains linear transmission, and the path remains unchanged, so that the composite light beam emitted by the first optical path translation prism 450 directly passes through the optical circulator 460 and enters the optical fiber coupler 470.

[0086] In some embodiments, the optical transmitting submodule 400 and the optical receiving submodule 500 share a single optical fiber, that is, the optical transmitting submodule 400 and the optical receiving submodule 500 share the same optical fiber adapter 600, internal optical fiber, optical fiber coupler 470 and optical circulator 460. The laser beam emitted by the laser 420 is sequentially coupled to the internal optical fiber via the collimating lens 430, the optical combiner 440, the first optical path translation prism 450, the optical circulator 460 and the optical fiber coupler 470, and is emitted via the optical fiber adapter 600. The external optical signal is transmitted to the optical receiving submodule 500 via the optical fiber adapter 600, the internal optical fiber and the optical circulator 460 in sequence.

[0087] After the external light signal is injected into the optical circulator 460, the received light beam is non-polarized light, including one polarized light of the double-headed arrow and another polarized light of the circle. The double-headed arrow indicates that the polarization direction of this part of the light is parallel to the paper surface, and the circle indicates that the polarization direction of this part of the light is perpendicular to the paper surface. The direction of the received light beam is transmitted from top to bottom. The light beam will be divided into two polarization directions of light on the coating surface of the polarizer and transmitted separately. Finally, it will be combined into a beam of light at a position shifted to the left by a certain distance and continue to be transmitted downward. In this way, the purpose of separating the received light beam from the transmitted light beam is achieved through the optical circulator 460.

[0088] After the received light beam is incident on the second polarizer 4640, the received light beam is divided into polarized light of a double-headed arrow and circular polarized light on the coating surface of the second polarizer 4640. The polarized light of the double-headed arrow passes through the second polarizer 4640, and then the polarized light of the double-headed arrow enters the half-wave plate 4630 and the Faraday rotator 4620 in sequence. After passing through the half-wave plate 4630 and the Faraday rotator 4620, the polarized light of the double-headed arrow is converted into circular polarized light. The circular polarized light emitted by the Faraday rotator 4620 enters the first polarizer 4610, and the converted circular polarized light is reflected at a certain angle at the first polarizer 4610, and the emission direction is perpendicular to the emission direction of the polarized light of the double-headed arrow.

[0089] The circular polarized light is reflected at a certain angle at the second polarizer 4640, and its emitting direction is different from that of the double-headed polarized light. The reflected circular polarized light is reflected again at a certain angle at the second polarizer 4640, and its emitting direction is parallel to that of the double-headed polarized light. The circular polarized light after reflection enters the half-wave plate 4630 and the Faraday rotator 4620 in turn, and the circular polarized light is converted into double-headed polarized light. The converted double-headed polarized light emitted by the Faraday rotator 4620 enters the first polarizer 4610, and is combined with the converted circular polarized light after reflection at the first polarizer 4610. The combined received light beam enters the optical receiving sub-module 500.

[0090] Fig.16 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the transmitting housing and the light receiving submodule in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.16 As shown, the optical receiving submodule 500 includes a second optical path translation prism 510, an optical splitter 520, a coupling lens group 530, a reflecting prism 540 and a detector 550. The input end of the second optical path translation prism 510 is arranged correspondingly to the light outlet of the optical circulator 460, and the output end of the second optical path translation prism 510 is arranged correspondingly to the input end of the optical splitter 520. In this way, the receiving light beam emitted by the optical circulator 460 is emitted to the optical splitter 520 after optical path translation by the second optical path translation prism 510.

[0091] The light receiving submodule 500 is arranged outside the transmitting shell 410, and an opening 4160 is arranged on the side wall of the transmitting shell body 4110 close to the light receiving submodule 500, and the opening 4160 passes through the side wall of one side of the transmitting shell body 4110, and the opening 4160 is communicated with the first mounting groove 4130, and one end of the second optical path translation prism 510 passes through the opening 4160 and is fixed on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130, so that the light outlet of the optical circulator 460 is arranged corresponding to the input end of the second optical path translation prism 510; the other end of the second optical path translation prism 510 is located outside the transmitting shell 410, and the other end of the second optical path translation prism 510 is arranged corresponding to the input end of the optical splitter 520, so that the receiving light beam with optical path translation through the second optical path translation prism 510 is incident on the optical splitter 520.

[0092] In some embodiments, the installation height of the optical circulator 460, the installation height of the second optical path translation prism 510 and the installation height of the optical splitter 520 can be the same, so that the second optical path translation prism 510 is horizontally fixed on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove 4130, so that the received light beam is horizontally translated from the optical circulator 460 to the optical splitter 520.

[0093] Fig.17 A schematic diagram of a receiving optical path in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application, Fig.18This is another angle diagram of the receiving light path in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.17 , Fig.18 As shown, the received light beam is emitted into the optical circulator 460 through the light entrance and exit ports, and the received light beam passes through the second polarizer 4640, the half-wave plate 4630, the Faraday rotator 4620 and the first polarizer 4610 in sequence, so as to separate the received light beam from the transmitted light beam, so that the received light beam is emitted to the second optical path translation prism 510 through the optical circulator 460, and the received light beam is reflected and translated in the second optical path translation prism 510, so that the reflected received light beam can be emitted into the optical splitter 520.

[0094] The optical receiving submodule 500 separates the bidirectionally transmitted transmitting light beam and receiving light beam by using the optical circulator 460 and the second optical path translation prism 510 and translates the receiving light beam to a suitable position so as to inject the receiving light beam into the optical splitter 520 for light splitting operation.

[0095] In some embodiments, the optical receiving submodule 500 also includes a support plate 560 and a transimpedance amplifier 570. The support plate 560 is disposed on the front side of the circuit board 300. The optical splitter 520 and the coupling lens group 530 are both disposed on the support plate 560 to raise the installation height of the optical splitter 520 and the coupling lens group 530.

[0096] The coupling lens group 530 includes four coupling lenses, each coupling lens is set corresponding to the output light beam of the optical splitter 520, so that the optical splitter 520 demultiplexes one reflected receiving light beam into four light beams, and the four light beams are respectively emitted into the corresponding lenses in the coupling lens group 530 to convert the light beams into convergent light beams. The four convergent light beams are emitted to the reflecting prism 540, and each convergent light beam is reflected at the reflecting prism 540, and the reflected convergent light beams are perpendicular to the circuit board 300.

[0097] The detector 550 is disposed on the front side of the circuit board 300 , and the detector 550 is located directly below the reflective prism 540 , so that after the convergent light beam is reflected by the reflective prism 540 , the reflected light beam directly enters the detector 550 , and the light signal is converted into an electrical signal by the detector 550 .

[0098] The transimpedance amplifier 570 is disposed on the front side of the circuit board 300 . The electrical signal converted by the detector 550 is transmitted to the transimpedance amplifier 570 , and the electrical signal is amplified by the transimpedance amplifier 570 .

[0099] Fig.19 A schematic diagram of signal connection between an optical transmitting submodule and an optical receiving submodule in an optical module provided in an embodiment of the present application, Fig. 20 This is a cross-sectional view of the signal connection of the optical transmission submodule in the optical module provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.19 , Fig. 20 As shown, a pad may be provided on the side of the signal processing chip 310 facing the circuit board 300, and a corresponding pad and solder ball are provided on the front of the circuit board 300, and the signal processing chip 310 is soldered to the circuit board 300 via the pad and solder ball. A high-frequency signal line is provided on the front of the circuit board 300, one end of which is connected to the signal processing chip 310 signal, and the other end of the high-frequency signal line is close to the edge of the mounting hole 320.

[0100] From the side profile of the optical module circuit board assembly, it can be seen that the laser substrate 490 and the front of the circuit board 300 are in the same plane. The high-frequency signal line of the circuit board 300 can be connected to the high-frequency signal line of the laser substrate 490 by gold wire. The laser 420 is connected to the laser substrate 490 by wire bonding, and the integrity of the high-frequency signal is ensured. In this way, the high-frequency signal transmitted from the gold finger end is processed by the signal processing chip 310, and then transmitted to the laser substrate 490 via the high-frequency signal line and wire bonding, and then transmitted to the laser 420 by wire bonding, so as to drive the laser 420 to emit a laser beam, thereby realizing light emission.

[0101] The transimpedance amplifier 570 of the optical receiving submodule 500 is connected to the signal processing chip 310 through a high-frequency signal line arranged on the front of the circuit board 300. In this way, the high-frequency signal received by the detector 550 is amplified by the transimpedance amplifier 570, and then transmitted to the signal processing chip 310 for processing via the high-frequency signal line connecting the transimpedance amplifier 570 and the signal processing chip 310, and then transmitted to the communication system via the gold finger, thereby realizing the reception of light.

[0102] This application is applied to the structural design of high-speed optical communication modules, including innovative considerations in optics, structure, high-frequency signal transmission and heat dissipation. Through unique optical and structural design, and by using a compact and miniaturized free-space optical circulator, the merging and separation of bidirectional optical transmission is realized in the narrow space of QSFP-DD, thereby further realizing the sharing of a single optical fiber for optical transmission and reception signals, thereby reducing the demand and occupation of optical fiber resources. By rationally arranging optical components and optimizing the assembly process, the overall assembly of the module is greatly simplified, the production efficiency and maintenance efficiency are greatly improved, and it is more suitable for mass production.

[0103] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be thought of by any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical module, characterized in that: include: Circuit boards; The optical transmission submodule is arranged on the circuit board, and comprises a transmission housing and a laser, wherein the transmission housing is arranged on the circuit board, and the laser is arranged inside the transmission housing; and is used for transmitting optical signals; The optical receiving submodule is arranged on the circuit board and located outside the transmitting housing; and is used for receiving external optical signals; An optical fiber adapter connected to the transmitting housing; An optical circulator is arranged in the transmitting housing, and the transmitted optical signal is incident on the optical fiber adapter through the optical circulator; and the external optical signal input by the optical fiber adapter is incident on the second optical path translation prism through the optical circulator; The external optical signal is unpolarized light; The optical signal emitted by the optical emission submodule is linearly polarized light; The optical circulator comprises a first polarizer, a Faraday rotator, a half-wave plate and a second polarizer arranged in sequence along the light emission direction, and the optical signal directly passes through the first polarizer, the Faraday rotator, the half-wave plate and the second polarizer in sequence; The external optical signal is polarized and split at the coating surface of the second polarizer, and the split beams pass through the half-wave plate and the Faraday rotator respectively for beam conversion, and the converted split beams are polarized and combined at the first polarizer; The second optical path translation prism has one end corresponding to the light outlet of the optical circulator and the other end located outside the transmitting shell, and is used for reflecting and translating the external optical signal and then injecting it into the optical receiving sub-module.

2. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: An opening is provided on one side of the emitting shell, one end of the second optical path translation prism passes through the opening and is fixed in the emitting shell, and the other end is located outside the emitting shell.

3. The optical module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmitting housing is provided with a first mounting groove, a second mounting groove and a third mounting groove, the mounting surface of the first mounting groove is higher than the mounting surface of the second mounting groove, the mounting surface of the second mounting groove is higher than the mounting surface of the third mounting groove, and the mounting surface of the third mounting groove is recessed in the front side of the circuit board; The laser is arranged on the mounting surface of the third mounting groove, and the optical circulator is arranged on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove.

4. The optical module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second optical path translation prism is fixed on the mounting surface of the first mounting groove through the opening.

5. The optical module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The optical emission submodule also includes a first optical path translation prism, which is arranged on the mounting surface of the second mounting groove; the optical signal emitted by the laser is optically translated through the first optical path translation prism, and the translated optical signal is emitted into the optical circulator.

6. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A protrusion is arranged on the side of the transmitting shell facing the circuit board, a mounting hole is arranged on the circuit board, and the protrusion is embedded in the mounting hole.

7. The optical module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The width dimension of the protrusion in the front-to-back direction is smaller than the width dimension of the launching shell in the front-to-back direction, and the length dimension of the protrusion in the left-to-right direction is smaller than or equal to the length dimension of the launching shell in the left-to-right direction.

8. The optical module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The optical emission submodule includes multiple lasers and an optical combiner, and the optical combiner is arranged on the mounting surface of the second mounting groove; the multiple optical signals emitted by the multiple lasers are combined into a composite light beam through the optical combiner, and the composite light beam is emitted into the optical circulator through the first optical path translation prism.

9. The optical module according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a fiber optic coupler. A through hole is provided at one end of the emitting housing facing the fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic coupler is inserted into the through hole. The through hole is communicated with the first mounting groove.

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