Optical engine and optical transmission equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an optical engine and optical transmission equipment, and relates to the technical field of optical communication. The optical engine comprises a circuit board, a semiconductor cooler and a laser assembly, the semiconductor cooler is arranged on the upper portion of the circuit board, the laser assembly comprises a ceramic gasket, a laser, a thermistor and a ceramic dielectric capacitor, the laser, the thermistor and the ceramic dielectric capacitor are all arranged on the ceramic gasket, and the ceramic gasket is connected with the semiconductor cooler in a surface-mounted mode. According to the optical engine provided by the embodiment of the invention, the thermistor for generating heat, the laser and the ceramic dielectric capacitor are all arranged on the ceramic gasket, and then the ceramic gasket is attached to the semiconductor cooler, so that compared with the mode that the ceramic gasket and the laser are independently arranged in parallel, the arrangement mode can effectively reduce space occupation in the width direction of a circuit board; therefore, the layout of the light engine is more compact and simpler. The light transmission equipment comprises the light engine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, and more specifically, to an optical engine and an optical transmission device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and high-performance computing, the demand for optoelectronic modules is also increasing. As an important component of optoelectronic modules, the optical engine can convert electrical signals into optical signals or vice versa, thereby realizing data transmission.

[0003] The light engine generates a lot of heat during operation, requiring heat dissipation for the heat-generating components to ensure normal operation. For example, a thermistor is placed separately on a ceramic pad, which is then placed on a semiconductor cooler. The ceramic pad is arranged in parallel with the laser array. This design causes the ceramic pad to occupy lateral space on the circuit board, resulting in a less compact layout and a more complex product design. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an optical engine and an optical transmission device that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as follows: Embodiments of the present invention provide a light engine comprising: Circuit board; A semiconductor cooler is located on the upper part of the circuit board; The laser assembly includes a ceramic pad, a laser, a thermistor, and a ceramic capacitor. The laser, thermistor, and ceramic capacitor are all arranged on the ceramic pad, which is mounted and connected to the semiconductor cooler.

[0006] Optionally, the semiconductor cooler is provided with a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad, which are arranged to extend along the width direction of the circuit board. The outer side of the semiconductor cooler is also provided with a circuit adapter pad, which includes a first adapter pad and a second adapter pad. One end of the first adapter pad is bonded to the lead wire of the first electrode pad, and the other end of the first adapter pad is bonded to the lead wire of the circuit board. One end of the second adapter pad is bonded to the lead wire of the second electrode pad, and the other end of the second adapter pad is bonded to the lead wire of the circuit board.

[0007] Optionally, both the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad are laid flat on the semiconductor cooler.

[0008] Optionally, the optical engine also includes a transmitting lens array located on the light output path of the laser and disposed on the semiconductor cooler.

[0009] Optionally, the optical engine also includes an isolator and a transmitting fiber array, with the isolator positioned between the transmitting lens array and the transmitting fiber array.

[0010] Optionally, the laser assembly, the transmitting lens array, the isolator, and the transmitting fiber array are arranged sequentially along the length of the circuit board.

[0011] Optionally, the light engine also includes a support component, which is fixed to the circuit board; The support is equipped with a mounting platform, on which both the isolator and the transmitting fiber array are mounted.

[0012] Optionally, the semiconductor cooler includes multiple semiconductor coolers, which are arranged along the width direction of the circuit board.

[0013] Optionally, the laser, thermistor, and ceramic capacitor are all mounted on the ceramic pad using a eutectic process.

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention also provide an optical transmission device, including the optical engine described above.

[0015] Beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention: The optical engine includes a circuit board, a thermoelectric cooler, and a laser assembly. The thermoelectric cooler is located on the upper part of the circuit board. The laser assembly includes a ceramic pad, a laser, a thermistor, and a ceramic capacitor. The laser, thermistor, and ceramic capacitor are all arranged on the ceramic pad, which is then mounted to the thermoelectric cooler. In this embodiment of the invention, the thermistor, laser, and ceramic capacitor are all arranged on the ceramic pad, and then the ceramic pad is mounted to the thermoelectric cooler. This arrangement effectively reduces the space occupied in the width direction of the circuit board compared to arranging the ceramic pad and laser separately, resulting in a more compact and simpler layout of the optical engine. It can be applied to high-speed optical modules, such as 1.6T and 3.2T.

[0016] The optical transmission device includes an optical engine, which has all the functions of an optical engine. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light engine provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the laser assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the circuit adapter pad provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor cooler provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Icons: 100-Circuit board; 200-Support component; 201-Dispensing boss; 202-Placement stage; 300-Semiconductor cooler; 301-First electrode pad; 302-Second electrode pad; 400-Laser assembly; 401-Ceramic pad; 402-Laser; 403-Ceramic capacitor; 404-Thermistor; 500-Transmitting lens array; 600-Circuit adapter pad; 601-First adapter pad; 602-Second adapter pad; 603-Insulating block; 700-Isolator; 800-Transmitting fiber optic array. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0022] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed, they are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] The terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase “comprising one…” does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0026] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the aforementioned method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, because according to this application, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. The steps in the methods of this application embodiments can be adjusted, combined, or deleted according to actual needs.

[0028] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0029] As described in the background section, the optical engine, as a crucial component in the photoelectric conversion of an optoelectronic module (also known as an "optical module"), can convert electrical signals into optical signals or vice versa, thereby enabling data transmission. The optical engine contains many heat-generating components, such as thermistors, lasers, and capacitors. To ensure the normal operation of the optical engine, these heat-generating components need to be cooled and kept within a suitable temperature range.

[0030] Currently, common heat dissipation methods for these heat-generating components include thermoelectric cooling. For example, a thermistor is placed separately on a ceramic pad and then mounted on the surface of the thermoelectric cooler, with the ceramic pad arranged in parallel with the laser array. However, arranging the ceramic pad and the laser array in parallel occupies lateral space on the circuit board, making the product design layout more complex. In addition, the electrical connection between the thermoelectric cooler and the circuit board needs to be achieved through two pads or electrode posts. These pads or electrode posts are usually placed in a position parallel to the laser array, occupying lateral space on the circuit board. This requires the traces to bypass the pads or electrode posts, increasing the trace length and further complicating the product layout.

[0031] In view of the above reasons, an embodiment of the present invention provides an optical engine and an optical transmission device, which can solve the above problems, and will be described in detail below.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 1 The optical engine includes a circuit board 100, a thermoelectric cooler 300, and a laser assembly 400. The thermoelectric cooler 300 is disposed on the upper part of the circuit board 100. The laser assembly 400 includes a ceramic pad 401, a laser 402, a thermistor 404, and a ceramic capacitor 403. The laser 402, the thermistor 404, and the ceramic capacitor 403 are all arranged on the ceramic pad 401, and the ceramic pad 401 is mounted to the thermoelectric cooler 300. In this embodiment of the optical engine, the heat-generating thermistor 404, laser 402, and ceramic capacitor 403 are all arranged on the ceramic pad 401, and then the ceramic pad 401 is mounted to the thermoelectric cooler 300. Compared with the method of arranging the ceramic pad 401 and laser 402 in parallel, the layout of this embodiment can effectively reduce the space occupied in the width direction of the circuit board 100, thereby making the layout of the optical engine more compact and reducing the difficulty of product layout design.

[0033] refer to Figure 2The laser assembly 400 includes a ceramic pad 401, a laser 402, a ceramic capacitor 403, and a thermistor 404. The laser 402, ceramic capacitor 403, and thermistor 404 are all mounted to the ceramic pad 401 using a eutectic bonding process. This allows the heat generated by the laser 402, ceramic capacitor 403, and thermistor 404 to be transferred to the ceramic pad 401, and then dissipated through heat exchange between the ceramic pad 401 and the semiconductor cooler 300. The laser 402, ceramic capacitor 403, and thermistor 404 are spaced apart. The laser 402 is arranged along the length of the circuit board 100, ensuring that the light emission direction is along the length of the circuit board 100. The ceramic capacitor 403 and thermistor 404 can be located on the side of the laser 402. The laser 402 emits a light signal; the ceramic capacitor 403 filters out noise and stabilizes the voltage; and the thermistor 404 detects and controls the temperature to prevent overheating damage to the components. The laser 402, ceramic capacitor 403 and thermistor 404 can all be electrically connected to the circuit board 100 by wire bonding.

[0034] Each optical engine may contain multiple laser components 400, which together form a laser emission array. For example, this embodiment shows eight laser components 400, which are spaced apart along the width of the circuit board 100. All eight laser components 400 can be fixed to the thermoelectric cooler 300 by adhesive. Of course, thermally conductive adhesive can be used between the laser components 400 and the thermoelectric cooler 300.

[0035] Optionally, the ceramic pad 401 in this embodiment can also be replaced with a shaped metal PIN or a flexible circuit board to achieve conductive connection between the electrode pads of the semiconductor cooler 300 and the circuit board 100.

[0036] Optionally, the ceramic capacitor 403 in this embodiment can be a multilayer chip ceramic capacitor 403, so as to be mounted on the ceramic pad 401.

[0037] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The optical engine also includes a transmitting lens array 500, which consists of multiple lenses arranged side-by-side along the width of the circuit board 100. The transmitting lens array 500 is located in the light output path of the laser 402, with each lens corresponding to one laser 402. For example, in this embodiment, the transmitting lens array 500 has eight lenses, each corresponding to one of the eight lasers 402, used to focus the light signal emitted by the lasers 402. The transmitting lens array 500 is disposed within the semiconductor cooler 300 for heat dissipation and cooling.

[0038] An isolator 700 and a transmitting fiber array 800 are disposed on the other side of the transmitting lens array 500. The isolator 700 is positioned between the transmitting lens array 500 and the transmitting fiber array 800. The isolator 700 is used to prevent the reflection of the optical signal gathered by the transmitting lens array 500, and the transmitting fiber array 800 is used to receive the optical signal converged by the transmitting lens array 500 and the isolator 700. The isolator 700 can be a multi-channel isolator, for example, a four-channel, eight-channel, or sixteen-channel isolator. The transmitting fiber array 800 consists of two or more fiber optic modules. In this embodiment, the laser 402, the transmitting lens array 500, the isolator 700, and the transmitting fiber array 800 are arranged sequentially along the length of the circuit board 100, which reduces the space occupied in the width direction of the circuit board 100 and makes the overall optical engine layout more compact.

[0039] refer to Figure 3 and combined Figure 1 The optical engine in this embodiment also includes a support member 200, which is a metal part and can be integrally die-cast. The support member 200 is fixed to the circuit board 100. Specifically, the support member 200 has a dispensing boss 201 on its periphery. Adhesive is applied to the dispensing boss 201 to bond the support member 200 to the side surface of the circuit board 100, thereby fixing the support member 200 to the circuit board 100. The support member 200 is also provided with a mounting platform 202, on which the isolator 700 and the transmitting fiber array 800 are mounted to fix them to the support member 200. At the same time, the circuit board 100 has a groove, through which the mounting platform 202 on the support member 200 can be exposed on the other side surface of the circuit board 100, thereby facilitating the arrangement of the isolator 700 and the transmitting fiber array 800 on the light output path of the laser 402.

[0040] The support component 200 also has a circuit adapter pad 600, through which the thermoelectric cooler 300 is electrically connected to the circuit board 100. For details, please refer to... Figure 4The circuit adapter pad 600 is disposed on the outside of the semiconductor cooler 300. The circuit adapter pad 600 includes a first adapter pad 601, a second adapter pad 602 and an insulating block 603. The first adapter pad 601 and the second adapter pad 602 are disposed at intervals on the insulating block 603. The insulating block 603 is attached and fixed to the support member 200. The semiconductor cooler 300 is provided with a first electrode pad 301 and a second electrode pad 302. The first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 extend along the width direction of the circuit board 100 and are spaced apart. One end of the first adapter pad 601 is bonded to the lead of the first electrode pad 301, and the other end of the first adapter pad 601 is bonded to the lead of the circuit board 100. One end of the second adapter pad 602 is bonded to the lead of the second electrode pad 302, and the other end of the second adapter pad 602 is bonded to the lead of the circuit board 100, thereby realizing the conductive connection between the semiconductor cooler 300 and the circuit board 100, which facilitates the supply of electrical energy to the semiconductor cooler 300.

[0041] The first electrode pad 301 can be connected to the positive electrode of the circuit board 100, and the second electrode pad 302 can be connected to the negative electrode of the circuit board 100. Alternatively, the first electrode pad 301 can be connected to the negative electrode of the circuit board 100, and the second electrode pad 302 can be connected to the positive electrode of the circuit board 100. The materials of the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 can be various, such as a silver-copper alloy plated with gold. The materials used for the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 are not limited here.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 of the semiconductor cooler 300 are arranged along the width direction of the circuit board 100 to uniformly dissipate heat and cool down the laser assembly 400 and the emitting lens array 500 mounted on the semiconductor cooler 300, while shortening the distance to the circuit adapter pad 600.

[0043] refer to Figure 5 Both the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 are laid flat on the semiconductor cooler 300. The flattening of the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 can avoid blocking the light signals emitted by the laser 402 and the emitting lens array 500. At the same time, the arrangement of the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 between the emitting lens array 500 and the isolator 700 can avoid occupying the space in the width direction of the circuit board 100. Thus, the traces of the laser component 400 do not need to go around the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302, shortening the trace length and simplifying the overall structural layout, thereby making it possible to make the optical engine compact and integrated.

[0044] The structural form of the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302 is not limited. They can be arranged in a U-shape as in this embodiment, or in a straight shape or other arrangements.

[0045] The thermoelectric cooler 300 can include multiple units or a single unit. When there is only one thermoelectric cooler 300, a circuit transition pad 600 can be provided. When there are two or more thermoelectric coolers 300, the two or more thermoelectric coolers 300 can be arranged at intervals along the width direction of the circuit board 100, and two or more circuit transition pads 600 are provided on the support member 200 so that each thermoelectric cooler 300 can be connected to the corresponding circuit transition pad 600.

[0046] It is worth mentioning that the wire bonding connection described in this embodiment can be a gold wire bonding connection, a silver wire bonding connection, or a other metal wire bonding connection, and there is no limitation on this.

[0047] The optical engine of this invention reduces the space occupied in the width direction of the circuit board 100 by arranging the heat-generating laser 402, ceramic capacitor 403 and thermistor 404 on the ceramic pad 401. At the same time, the electrode pads of the semiconductor cooler 300 (including the first electrode pad 301 and the second electrode pad 302) are arranged between the transmitting lens array 500 and the isolator 700 to avoid occupying space between the laser component array 400, further reducing the space occupied in the width direction of the circuit board 100, and shortening the trace length of the laser component 400. This helps to simplify the layout of the overall structure, reduce the difficulty of trace design, make the optical engine more compact and simplify the overall layout, and can be applied to high-speed optical modules, such as 1.6T, 3.2T, etc.

[0048] Embodiments of the present invention also provide an optical transmission device including the optical engine described above. The specific type of optical transmission device is not limited, and any device that uses the optical engine described above is included in the optical transmission device and has all the functions of the optical engine.

[0049] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A light engine characterized by, include: Circuit board (100); A semiconductor cooler (300) is disposed on the upper part of the circuit board (100); A laser assembly (400) includes a ceramic pad (401), a laser (402), a thermistor (404), and a ceramic capacitor (403). The laser (402), the thermistor (404), and the ceramic capacitor (403) are all arranged on the ceramic pad (401). The ceramic pad (401) is mounted to the semiconductor cooler (300).

2. The light engine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor cooler (300) is provided with a first electrode pad (301) and a second electrode pad (302), which are arranged to extend along the width direction of the circuit board (100); The semiconductor cooler (300) is further provided with a circuit adapter pad (600) on its outer side. The circuit adapter pad (600) includes a first adapter pad (601) and a second adapter pad (602). One end of the first adapter pad (601) is wire-bonded to the lead of the first electrode pad (301), and the other end of the first adapter pad (601) is wire-bonded to the lead of the circuit board (100). One end of the second adapter pad (602) is wire-bonded to the lead of the second electrode pad (302), and the other end of the second adapter pad (602) is wire-bonded to the lead of the circuit board (100).

3. The light engine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first electrode pad (301) and the second electrode pad (302) are both laid flat on the semiconductor cooler (300).

4. The light engine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical engine also includes a emitting lens array (500) located on the light output path of the laser (402) and disposed on the semiconductor cooler (300).

5. The light engine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The optical engine also includes an isolator (700) and a transmitting fiber array (800), wherein the isolator (700) is disposed between the transmitting lens array (500) and the transmitting fiber array (800).

6. The light engine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The laser assembly (400), the transmitting lens array (500), the isolator (700), and the transmitting fiber array (800) are arranged sequentially along the length of the circuit board (100).

7. The light engine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The light engine also includes a support member (200) which is fixed to the circuit board (100); The support member (200) is provided with a patch stage (202), and the isolator (700) and the transmitting fiber array (800) are both mounted on the patch stage (202).

8. The light engine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor cooler (300) includes a plurality of semiconductor coolers (300) arranged along the width direction of the circuit board (100).

9. The light engine according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The laser (402), the thermistor (404) and the ceramic capacitor (403) are all mounted on the ceramic pad (401) by a eutectic process.

10. An optical transmission device, characterized in that, Includes the light engine as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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