Optical module

Abstract

The present application discloses an optical module. The optical module comprises a shell and a light source assembly. The shell comprises: a first cover body, a heat sink being provided outside the first cover body; and a second cover body, the first cover body and the second cover body covering each other, an accommodating cavity being formed between the first cover body and the second cover body, and the light source assembly being arranged in the accommodating cavity. The light source assembly comprises an optical output device and a light source circuit board; the optical output device is electrically connected to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is used for controlling the optical output device to output an optical signal; and the optical output device is fixed to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is directly fixed to the first cover body, so that the optical output device is fixed to a position of the inner side of the first cover body corresponding to the heat sink and is in thermally conductive connection with the first cover body. According to the present application, by designing the assembling mode of the light source assembly and the shell of the optical module, more accommodating space is vacated in the shell, so that more devices can be assembled in the optical module, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the optical output device can be improved.

Description

An optical module

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 29, 2023, with application number 202323231753.7 and invention name “A Type of Optical Module”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of optical communication equipment, and in particular to an optical module. Background Art

[0003] Optical modules are optical communication devices that perform optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical conversion. In recent years, the global cloud computing data center market has continued to expand, and the rollout of 5G telecommunications networks has accelerated demand for high-speed optical modules. We have launched a variety of product series and types, providing optimal optical module solutions for customers in cloud computing data centers, wireless access, and transmission.

[0004] Currently, coherent optical modules use wavelength-tunable light sources, which output single-mode optical signals with a narrow linewidth, enabling long-distance transmission. However, the large size of these wavelength-tunable light sources makes their layout design within the module difficult, and they also suffer from poor heat dissipation. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present application provides an optical module. By designing the assembly method of the light source component and the housing of the optical module, more accommodation space is freed up in the housing, which is conducive to assembling more devices in the optical module and can also improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the light output device.

[0006] The present application provides an optical module, comprising: a shell, comprising: a first cover body, with a heat sink arranged on the outside; and a second cover body, covering the first cover body, and having a receiving cavity between the first cover body and the second cover body; and a light source assembly, arranged in the receiving cavity; wherein the light source assembly includes a light output device and a light source circuit board, the light output device is electrically connected to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is used to control the light output device to output a light signal; the light output device is fixed to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is directly fixed to the first cover body, so that the light output device is fixed to a position on the inside of the first cover body corresponding to the heat sink, and is thermally connected to the first cover body.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the light output device is against the inner side of the first cover body and is directly thermally connected to the first cover body; alternatively, a thermally conductive flexible body is provided between the first cover body and the light output device, and the thermally conductive flexible body is in direct contact with the first cover body and the light output device respectively to thermally connect the first cover body and the light output device.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, the thermally conductive flexible body is thermally conductive mud, thermally conductive pad and / or thermally conductive glue.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, the light source assembly further includes: a support member connected to the light source circuit board and supporting the light output device on a side away from the heat sink.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, the optical module has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction that are perpendicular to each other, the first cover body and the second cover body are arranged overlappingly along the first direction, and the length of the optical module in the second direction is smaller than the length of the optical module in the third direction; wherein, the light output device is located on one side of the light source circuit board in the second direction, the light output device has a target surface facing the light source circuit board in the second direction, and the support member is arranged close to the target surface.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, the shell has an optical interface at one end in the third direction, and the optical interface is used to connect to the optical fiber outside the optical module; the optical output device includes: an airtight packaging box, which has a packaging cavity inside; and a tunable laser module, which is encapsulated in the packaging cavity, and the tunable laser module is used to generate an optical signal with tunable wavelength; and an output head, which is connected to the side of the airtight packaging box in the third direction away from the optical interface, and the output head is used to output the optical signal generated by the tunable laser module; wherein, in the third direction, the support member is arranged close to the output head.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, a tunable laser module includes: a semiconductor cooling element for controlling the temperature of a packaging cavity; a semiconductor gain chip; a collimating lens optically connected to the semiconductor gain chip; a tunable filter unit optically connected to the collimating lens; an isolator optically connected to the tunable filter unit; and a coupling lens optically connected to the isolator. The semiconductor gain chip, collimating lens, tunable filter unit, and isolator are mounted on the semiconductor cooling element.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, the support member includes: a connecting portion connected to the side of the light source circuit board facing away from the heat sink; and a supporting portion connected to the end of the connecting portion away from the light source circuit board, and the supporting portion supports the surface of the light output device facing away from the heat sink.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, the connecting portion includes a connecting column, and the supporting portion includes a supporting plate. One end of the connecting column is fixedly connected to the light source circuit board, and the other end is fixedly connected to the supporting plate. The supporting plate is supported on the surface of the light output device facing away from the heat sink.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present application, the light module has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction that are perpendicular to each other in pairs, the first cover body and the second cover body are arranged overlappingly along the first direction, and the length of the light module in the second direction is less than the length of the light module in the third direction; wherein, the accommodating cavity is divided into a first sub-cavity and a second sub-cavity that are interconnected along the third direction, and the first cover body is formed with a groove in the first direction toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity and / or the second cover body is formed with a groove in the first direction toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity, so that the maximum length of the first sub-cavity in the first direction is greater than the maximum length of the second sub-cavity in the first direction; the light source assembly is accommodated in the first sub-cavity.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present application, the light source assembly further includes: an electrical connector, through which the light output device is electrically connected to the light source circuit board, wherein the electrical connector is connected to a side of the light source circuit board facing away from the heat sink.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present application, the opposite ends of the shell respectively have an optical interface and an electrical interface; the optical interface is used to connect to the optical fiber outside the optical module; the optical module also includes a main circuit board electrically connected to the light source assembly, and one end of the main circuit board is electrically connected to the device outside the optical module through the electrical interface; wherein the light source assembly and the heat sink are arranged close to the optical interface.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present application, the light source circuit board is a rigid circuit board.

[0019] The present application has the following beneficial effects: Different from the prior art, the present application provides an optical module. The optical module includes a housing and a light source assembly. The light output device of the light source assembly is fixed to a light source circuit board, which is directly fixed to the first cover of the housing. The light output device is fixed to a position corresponding to the heat sink on the inside of the first cover and is thermally connected to the first cover. That is, by changing the fixing structure and fixing position of the light source assembly, the present application eliminates the heat dissipation metal plate of the light source device in the prior art. The light source assembly is fixed to the first cover, so that the light output device is closer to the first cover so that heat is dissipated through the first cover and the heat sink thereon. This avoids the heat of the light output device being conducted to the heat sink through the heat dissipation metal plate and then dissipated. This not only improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the light output device, but also frees up more space within the housing to facilitate the assembly of more devices within the optical module. This helps to improve the performance of the optical module while ensuring that the size of the optical module meets the requirements of protocols such as MSAs (multi-source agreements). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0021] FIG1 is a schematic side view of a coherent optical module according to the prior art;

[0022] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of an optical module of the present application;

[0023] FIG3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical module shown in FIG2 ;

[0024] FIG4 is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention in which the light source assembly and the first cover are assembled;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a light source assembly of the present application;

[0026] FIG6 is a schematic top view of the light source assembly shown in FIG5 ;

[0027] FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a light output device of the present application.

[0028] Description of reference numerals:

[0029] 10 Optical module; 11 Housing; 111 Accommodating cavity; 1111 First sub-cavity; 1112 Second sub-cavity; 112 First shell; 113 Second shell; 114 First cover; 115 Second cover; 116 Optical interface; 117 Electrical interface; 118 Groove; 12 Main circuit board; 13 Pull ring; 131 Force-applying portion; 132 Slider; 14 Heat sink; 20 Light source assembly; 21 Light output device; 211 Hermetic package; 2111 Packaging cavity; 212 Output head; 213 Target surface; 214 Semiconductor refrigeration element; 215 Semiconductor gain chip; 2151 First cavity surface; 216 Collimating lens; 217 Tunable filter unit; 218 Isolator; 2181 Second cavity surface; 219 Coupling lens; 22 Light source circuit board; 23 Support member; 231 Supporting portion; 232 connecting portion; 24 electrical connector; 30 optical amplification component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific implementation methods described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present application, and are not used to limit the present application. In the present application, unless otherwise specified, the directional words used, such as "up", "down", "left", and "right", generally refer to the up, down, left, and right of the device in actual use or working state, specifically the drawing direction in the accompanying drawings.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, terms such as "connected," "connected," and "stacked" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they may refer to internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] The present application provides an optical module, which is described in detail below. It should be noted that the order in which the following embodiments are described does not limit the preferred order of the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the following embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in one embodiment, please refer to the relevant description of other embodiments.

[0033] Coherent optical modules packaged in the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable-Double Density (QSFP-DD) format utilize a silicon photonics modulation scheme, and their output power is limited by silicon photonics technology. For 100G transmission, the output power of traditional coherent optical modules can only reach approximately -6.5dBm. For 400G transmission, the output power of traditional coherent optical modules can only reach approximately -9dBm. Furthermore, to maintain an output power between -6.5dBm and -9dBm, traditional coherent optical modules sacrifice a certain degree of OSNR (Optical Signal Noise Ratio) performance. These factors limit the application of traditional coherent optical modules in point-to-point transmission scenarios without relays.

[0034] Coherent optical modules can increase output power by integrating erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs), achieving output powers of up to +5dBm. In IP-over-DWDM and point-to-point transmission scenarios, coherent optical modules with integrated EDFAs can optimize network architectures and reduce deployment costs. Furthermore, coherent optical modules with integrated EDFAs are compatible with emerging ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer) line systems, playing a significant role in metropolitan and regional ROADM networks.

[0035] However, the length and width dimensions of a traditional EDFA package are 35mm*20mm. The MSA protocol specifies the length and width dimensions of a traditional QSFP-DD coherent optical module as 127.86mm*18.35mm. This shows that the width of an EDFA is greater than that of a coherent optical module, making it impossible to package an EDFA in a QSFP-DD coherent optical module or a smaller coherent optical module. Furthermore, the four dimensions (A1, A2, A3, and A4) of a coherent optical module, as shown in Figure 1, as well as the total length of the optical module, including the pull tab, must meet the MSA protocol requirements. Therefore, how to package an EDFA in a coherent optical module while ensuring that the coherent optical module's dimensions meet the MSA protocol requirements is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0036] In view of this, the present invention provides an optical module that not only has a high output power but also has a size that meets the protocol requirements. Detailed description is provided below.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the optical module of the present application. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the optical module shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the light source assembly and the first cover body of the present application in an assembled state.

[0038] In one embodiment, the optical module 10 includes a housing 11, which serves as the base carrier of the optical module 10 and is used to encapsulate and protect the remaining components of the optical module 10. Specifically, the housing 11 defines a chamber 111 within the housing for accommodating the remaining components of the optical module 10. The housing 11 further includes a first cover 114 and a second cover 115. The optical module 10 has a first direction (indicated by arrow Z in FIG. 3 , and similarly hereinafter), a second direction (indicated by arrow X in FIG. 2 , and similarly hereinafter), and a third direction (indicated by arrow Y in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , and similarly hereinafter). The first cover 114 and the second cover 115 overlap along the first direction to form the chamber 111, i.e., the chamber 111 is located between the first cover 114 and the second cover 115. The length of the optical module 10 in the second direction is shorter than the length of the optical module 10 in the third direction. The first direction is the height of the optical module 10, the second direction is the width of the optical module 10, and the third direction is the length of the optical module 10.

[0039] The optical module 10 also includes a light source assembly 20, a main circuit board 12, and an optical amplifier assembly 30. The light source assembly 20, the main circuit board 12, and the optical amplifier assembly 30 are all housed in the housing 111. The optical amplifier assembly 30 is optically connected to the light source assembly 20, and both the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 are electrically connected to the main circuit board 12. The optical amplifier assembly 30 is used to amplify the optical signal output by the light source assembly 20, thereby achieving a high output power for the optical module 10 of this embodiment. The output power of the optical module 10 of this embodiment can reach +5dBm.

[0040] In one embodiment, the main circuit board 12 integrates signal and power circuits. The main circuit board 12 connects the electronic components in the optical module 10 according to the circuit design through circuit routing, thereby implementing electrical functions such as power supply, electrical signal transmission, and grounding. The housing 11 has an optical interface 116 and an electrical interface 117 at opposite ends in the third direction. The optical interface 116 is used for optical connection to an optical fiber external to the optical module 10. One end of the main circuit board 12 is electrically connected to a device external to the optical module 10 via the electrical interface 117. A gold finger is designed on one end of the main circuit board 12 for connecting to the electrical connector of the optical cage on the customer's device via the electrical interface 117. The main circuit board 12 also integrates an electronic chip (not shown) for controlling and / or processing electrical signals, such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor).

[0041] In one embodiment of the present application, the components of the optical amplifier assembly 30 are connected via optical fibers, and the encapsulating housing for the optical amplifier assembly 30 is omitted. Instead, the components of the optical amplifier assembly 30 are directly arranged within the housing 11 of the optical module 10. In this embodiment, the main circuit board 12, the light source assembly 20, and the components of the optical amplifier assembly 30 are stacked within the housing 11. As a result, through the rational arrangement of the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30, this embodiment creates a compact stacked structure, improving the utilization of the internal space of the optical module 10. This ensures that the size of the optical module 10 meets the MSA protocol requirements while accommodating the added optical amplifier assembly 30, thereby achieving high output power for the optical module 10.

[0042] In one embodiment, a heat sink 14 is provided on the exterior of the housing 11 to dissipate heat from the optical module 10. In this embodiment, the housing 11 is divided along a third direction into a first housing portion 112 and a second housing portion 113. The first and second housing portions 112 and 113 are interconnected. An electrical interface 117 is provided at the end of the second housing portion 113 for interfacing with an interface of an external device. An optical interface 116 is provided at the end of the first housing portion 112. The heat sink 14 is provided on the exterior of the first cover 114 of the first housing portion 112, that is, the heat sink 14 is provided outside the first cover 114, located at the position of the first housing portion 112. The accommodating chamber 111 is divided along the third direction into a first sub-cavity 1111 and a second sub-cavity 1112. The first and second sub-cavities 1111 and 1112 are interconnected. The first sub-cavity 1111 is located in the first housing portion 112, and the second sub-cavity 1112 is located in the second housing portion 113. In this embodiment, considering the large space provided by the first housing 112 and the presence of the heat sink 14, the maximum length H1 of the first sub-cavity 1111 in the first direction is configured to be greater than the maximum length H2 of the second sub-cavity 1112 in the first direction. This ensures that the first sub-cavity 1111 in the first housing 112 has sufficient space to accommodate the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30. Therefore, accommodating the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 in the first sub-cavity 1111 facilitates their simultaneous placement within the optical module 10. Furthermore, in this embodiment, arranging the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 in the first housing 112 places them close to the heat sink 14, particularly near the first cover 114. This facilitates heat dissipation from the first cover 114 and the heat sink 14 thereon, thereby improving heat dissipation for the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30.

[0043] Furthermore, a groove 118 is formed on the inner wall of the first shell portion 112 in the first direction. That is, the first cover 114 and / or the second cover 115 are formed with grooves 118 in the first direction toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity 1111 and / or toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity 1111 in the first direction. The grooves 118 are recessed in the first direction away from the first sub-cavity 1111, thereby making the maximum length H1 of the first sub-cavity 1111 in the first direction greater than the maximum length H2 of the second sub-cavity 1112 in the first direction. FIG3 exemplarily shows that the grooves 118 are formed on the lower surface of the first cover 114 and the upper surface of the second cover 115 in the first direction.

[0044] It should be noted that the second shell portion 113 is used to cooperate with the interface of the external device. The length (i.e., thickness) of the second shell portion 113 in the first direction is restricted by the standard, and the first shell portion 112 does not need to be inserted into the interface of the external device. Therefore, the length of the first shell portion 112 in the first direction can be greater than the length of the second shell portion 113 in the first direction, so that the inner wall of the first shell portion 112 in the first direction can form a groove 118.

[0045] In one embodiment, the heat sink 14 includes a plurality of heat dissipation columns distributed in an array, so as to increase the heat dissipation area of ​​the optical module 10 through the plurality of heat dissipation columns, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the optical module 10. Of course, in other embodiments of the present application, the heat sink 14 may also include heat dissipation structures such as heat dissipation fins, which is not limited here.

[0046] Please refer to Figures 4, 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the light source assembly of the present application, and Figure 6 is a schematic top structural diagram of the light source assembly shown in Figure 5. The light source assembly 20 of the embodiment of the present application is described below.

[0047] In one embodiment, the light source assembly 20 includes a light output device 21 and a light source circuit board 22, with the light output device 21 electrically connected to the light source circuit board 22. The light source circuit board 22 is a rigid circuit board that integrates a logic control circuit for controlling the light output device 21 to output optical signals. The light source circuit board 22 can be electrically connected to the main circuit board 12 via a flexible circuit board or a plug-in electrical connector. In the example described above where the heat sink 14 is disposed on top of the first cover 114, the light output device 21 is fixed to the light source circuit board 22, which is directly fixed to the first cover 114. This allows the light output device 21 to be fixed to a position on the inside of the first cover 114 corresponding to the heat sink 14 and to be thermally connected to the first cover 114. That is, this embodiment eliminates the heat dissipation metal plate of the light source device in the prior art by changing the fixing structure and fixing position of the light source assembly 20, and fixes the light source assembly 20 to the first cover body 114, so that the light output device 21 is closer to the first cover body 114 so that heat is dissipated through the first cover body 114 and the heat sink 14 thereon, avoiding the heat of the light output device 21 being transferred to the heat sink 14 through the heat dissipation metal plate and then dissipated. This not only improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the light output device 21, but also reduces the volume of the light source assembly 20, freeing up more accommodation space in the shell 11, so as to facilitate the assembly of more devices in the optical module 10, and thus helps to improve the performance of the optical module 10 while ensuring that the size of the optical module 10 meets the protocol requirements.

[0048] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the light source circuit board 22 is directly fixed to the first cover body 114, which should be understood as the light source circuit board 22 is not fixed to the first cover body 114 through a heat dissipation metal plate, but the light source circuit board 22 itself is directly fixed to the first cover body 114 through fasteners such as screws or gluing. The light source assembly 20 can be an ITLA (Integrable Tunable Laser Assembly), etc., which is not limited here. In addition, the light source assembly 20 is arranged close to the optical interface 116. In this way, this embodiment can improve the utilization rate of the internal space of the optical module 10 by reasonably designing the layout position of the light source assembly 20 inside the shell 11, and further ensure that the size of the optical module 10 meets the protocol requirements.

[0049] Furthermore, the light output device 21 abuts against the inner side of the first cover 114 and is directly thermally connected to the first cover 114. Alternatively, the light source assembly 20 further includes a thermally conductive flexible body (not shown). The thermally conductive flexible body is disposed between the first cover 114 and the light output device 21, and is in direct contact with both the first cover 114 and the light output device 21, thereby thermally connecting the first cover 114 and the light output device 21. The thermally conductive flexible body is preferably a thermally conductive adhesive, a thermally conductive pad, or a thermally conductive paste. The thermally conductive flexible body is disposed between the light output device 21 and the first cover 114 and can fill the gap between the light output device 21 and the first cover 114. On the one hand, the thermally conductive flexible body reduces the thermal resistance of heat conduction between the light output device 21 and the first cover 114, improving the thermal conductivity between the two, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the light output device 21. In the prior art, heat generated by the light output device 21 is first conducted through the heat dissipation metal plate and then through the thermally conductive flexible body to the heat sink 14. This inevitably lengthens the heat conduction path, resulting in reduced heat dissipation efficiency of the light output device 21. On the other hand, the thermally conductive flexible body can compensate for assembly errors between the light source assembly 20 and the first cover 114, reducing the assembly precision requirements between the two.

[0050] Please also refer to FIG. 7 , which is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a light output device of the present application.

[0051] In one embodiment, the optical output device 21 includes an airtight packaging box 211, which has an encapsulation cavity 2111 therein. The optical output device 21 also includes a tunable laser module, which is encapsulated in the encapsulation cavity 2111. The tunable laser module is used to generate an optical signal with a tunable wavelength. In this embodiment, the tunable laser module uses a semiconductor gain chip in conjunction with a tunable external cavity to generate a wavelength-tunable laser with a narrow linewidth. The optical output device 21 also includes an output head 212, which is connected to the side of the airtight packaging box 211 in the third direction away from the optical interface 116. The output head 212 is used to output the optical signal generated by the tunable laser module. In this embodiment, the bottom of the airtight packaging box 211 used to support the tunable laser module is relatively close to the first cover 114. The heat generated by the tunable laser module is conducted to the first cover 114 through the bottom of the airtight packaging box 211 and then dissipated from the heat sink 14 outside the first cover 114.

[0052] The tunable laser module includes a semiconductor cooler 214, which is used to control the temperature of the packaging cavity 2111. The tunable laser module also includes a semiconductor gain chip 215, a collimating lens 216, a tunable filter unit 217, and an isolator 218. The semiconductor gain chip 215, the collimating lens 216, the tunable filter unit 217, and the isolator 218 are mounted on the semiconductor cooler 214. The semiconductor gain chip 215 is used to output excitation light containing multiple wavelengths. The collimating lens 216 is optically connected to the semiconductor gain chip 215 and is used to collimate the light beam emitted by the semiconductor gain chip 215. The tunable filter unit 217 is optically connected to the collimating lens 216. In this embodiment, the tunable filter unit 217 filters the light beam emitted by the semiconductor gain chip 215 based on the Vernier effect, allowing only light of specific wavelengths to pass through. Isolator 218 is optically connected to tunable filter unit 217 and is used to isolate return light that may be reflected from the rear optical end facet, preventing it from returning to the resonant cavity and affecting laser stability. In this embodiment, the end face of semiconductor gain chip 215 facing away from collimating lens 216 is first cavity facet 2151, and the sidewall of isolator 218 facing away from output head 212 is second cavity facet 2181. First cavity facet 2151 and second cavity facet 2181 form a laser resonant cavity. The optical distance between first cavity facet 2151 and second cavity facet 2181 is the cavity length. Light emitted by semiconductor gain chip 215 resonates between these two cavity faces. Only light with a wavelength and cavity length that meet the resonant conditions can form laser output. Tunable filter unit 217 filters these laser beams, selecting only laser beams with specific wavelengths to pass through. Light with this specific wavelength can then resonate between first cavity facet 2151 and second cavity facet 2181 to form laser output, ultimately producing a narrow-linewidth laser beam with a single central wavelength. The tunable laser module further includes a coupling lens 219 , which is optically connected to the isolator 218 and is used to couple the output laser light into the optical fiber of the output head 212 so as to output the laser light from the output head 212 .

[0053] In one embodiment, the light source assembly 20 further includes a support member 23, which is connected to the light source circuit board 22 and supports the light output device 21 on a side facing away from the heat sink 14, thereby cooperating with the light source circuit board 22 to reliably secure the light output device 21 to the inside of the first cover 144. In this embodiment, the support member 23 includes a connecting portion 232 and a supporting portion 231. The connecting portion 232 is connected to the side of the light source circuit board 22 facing away from the heat sink 14, and the supporting portion 231 is connected to the end of the connecting portion 232 away from the light source circuit board 22. The supporting portion 231 supports the surface of the light output device 21 facing away from the heat sink 14. When the light source assembly 20 is secured to the first cover 114, the support member 23 cooperates with the first cover 114 to clamp the light output device 21 between the support member 23 and the first cover 114, thereby stably securing the light output device 21 to the inside of the first cover 114. The connecting portion 232 includes a connecting column, and the supporting portion 231 includes a supporting plate. One end of the connecting column is fixedly connected to the light source circuit board 22, and the other end is fixedly connected to the supporting plate. The supporting plate supports the surface of the light output device 21 away from the heat sink 14.

[0054] In this embodiment, the support member 23 is only provided on one side of the light output device 21, and cooperates with the light source circuit board 22 and the first cover body 114 to fix the light output device 21. Compared with the prior art, a clamping plate is omitted, the structure is simple, and the space occupied is small, which frees up more space in the housing 11 of the optical module 10, which is conducive to the packaging of other components in the optical module 10.

[0055] In one embodiment, the light output device 21 is located on one side of the light source circuit board 22 in the second direction. The light output device 21 has a target surface 213 facing the light source circuit board 22 in the second direction. The support member 23 is disposed proximate to the target surface 213, specifically, the support portion 231 of the support member 23 is disposed proximate to the target surface 213. Because the light detector 36 of the optical amplifying assembly 30 is disposed on the side of the light output device 21 facing away from the heat sink 14, in this embodiment, the support member 23 is disposed on the inner side of the light output device 21 in the second direction, while the light detector 36 of the optical amplifying assembly 30 is closer to the outer side of the light output device 21. This allows the support member 23 to avoid the light detector 36, making the stacking structure of the electronic components within the optical module 10 more compact, facilitating a reduction in the size of the optical module 10 in the first direction, and thereby ensuring that the size of the optical module 10 meets the protocol requirements.

[0056] Furthermore, in the third direction, the support member 23 is disposed proximate to the output head 212 of the light output device 21. Specifically, the support portion 231 of the support member 23 is disposed proximate to the output head 212. In this embodiment, the support member 23 is not only disposed on the inner side of the light output device 21 in the second direction, but also proximate to the output head 212 of the light output device 21 in the third direction. This allows the support member 23 to avoid the coiled fiber of the optical amplifier assembly 30. This reduces the size of the stacked structure formed by the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 in the first direction, making the stacked structure of the electronic components within the optical module 10 more compact, thereby ensuring that the size of the optical module 10 meets the protocol requirements.

[0057] In one embodiment, the light source assembly 20 further includes an electrical connector 24, through which the light output device 21 is electrically connected to the light source circuit board 22 and secured to the light source circuit board 22. The electrical connector 24 is connected to the side of the light source circuit board 22 facing away from the heat sink 14. Compared to a case where the electrical connector 24 is connected to the side of the light source circuit board 22 facing the heat sink 14, the light source circuit board 22 in this embodiment is closer to the first cover 114, freeing up more space beneath the light source circuit board 22 to accommodate more components. This also reduces the dimensions of the stacked structure formed by the light source assembly 20, the optical amplifier assembly 30, and the main circuit board 12 in the first direction, making the stacked structure of electronic components within the optical module 10 more compact and thereby ensuring that the dimensions of the optical module 10 meet the protocol requirements. Furthermore, since the dimensions of the stacked structure formed by the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 are reduced in the first direction, sufficient space is reserved for the heat dissipation fins or heat dissipation teeth of the heat sink 14, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the optical module 10.

[0058] Please continue to refer to Figure 2. In one embodiment, to accommodate the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30 within the optical module 10, the length of the housing 11 of the optical module 10, including the heat sink 14, is lengthened while ensuring that the overall length of the optical module 10 remains unchanged and meets the specific dimensions required by the protocol standard. Therefore, in this embodiment, the length L1 of the housing 11 in the third direction ranges from 96.5 mm to 106.5 mm, for example, 96.5 mm, 96.12 mm, 97.35 mm, 98.16 mm, 99.68 mm, 101.66 mm, 102.41 mm, 103.72 mm, 104.69 mm, 106.5 mm, etc. This provides sufficient space for the accommodating cavity 111 within the housing 11, allowing the length of the main circuit board 12 in the third direction to be appropriately lengthened to accommodate the light source assembly 20 and the optical amplifier assembly 30, thereby ensuring that the optical module 10 has a higher output power.

[0059] In one embodiment, the optical module 10 further includes a pull ring 13 connected to the housing 11. The pull ring 13 is used to release the lock between the optical module 10 and the optical cage. Specifically, when the optical module 10 is inserted into the optical cage, the pull ring 13 is pulled externally to release the lock between the optical module 10 and the optical cage, thereby allowing the optical module 10 to be removed from the optical cage. Specifically, the pull ring 13 includes a force-applying portion 131 and at least two sliding arms 132. The force-applying portion 131 is connected to the housing 11 via the sliding arms 132. External force applied to the force-applying portion 131 moves the pull ring 13 to release the lock between the optical module 10 and the optical cage. The force-applying portion 131 is spaced apart from the housing 11 in the third direction, and a user applies force to the force-applying portion 131 through the gap between the force-applying portion 131 and the housing 11.

[0060] Considering the increased length of the housing 11 of the optical module 10, and to ensure that the overall length of the optical module 10 and the length L2 of the gap between the force-applying portion 131 on the pull ring 13 and the housing 11 meet the requirements, this embodiment reduces the length L3 of the force-applying portion 131 in the third direction. Specifically, the length L3 of the force-applying portion 131 in the third direction ranges from 3 mm to 6 mm, for example, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, etc. This provides a sufficiently large gap between the force-applying portion 131 and the housing 11 to facilitate pluggable connection between an external optical fiber and the optical interface 116 of the optical module 10. Furthermore, the length L3 of the force-applying portion 131 in the third direction of this embodiment is not excessively small, ensuring that the force-applying portion 131 has sufficient structural strength and sufficient space for marking.

[0061] The optical module provided in this application is introduced in detail above. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core idea of ​​this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the ideas of this application, there may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting this application.

Claims

1. An optical module, characterized in that: include: The housing comprises: A first cover body, with a heat sink disposed outside; and A second cover body, covering the first cover body, and a receiving cavity is defined between the first cover body and the second cover body; and A light source assembly is disposed in the accommodating cavity; Wherein, the light source assembly includes a light output device and a light source circuit board, the light output device is electrically connected to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is used to control the light output device to output a light signal; The light output device is fixed to the light source circuit board, and the light source circuit board is directly fixed to the first cover body, so that the light output device is fixed to a position inside the first cover body corresponding to the heat sink and is thermally connected to the first cover body.

2. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light output device abuts against the inner side of the first cover body and is directly connected to the first cover body through thermal conduction; or, A thermally conductive flexible body is disposed between the first cover and the light output device, and the thermally conductive flexible body is in direct contact with the first cover and the light output device respectively, so as to thermally connect the first cover and the light output device.

3. The optical module according to claim 2, characterized in that: A thermally conductive flexible body is disposed between the first cover and the light output device, and the thermally conductive flexible body is a thermally conductive mud, a thermally conductive pad and / or a thermally conductive glue.

4. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light source assembly further comprises: A support member is connected to the light source circuit board and supports the light output device at a side away from the heat sink.

5. The optical module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The optical module has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction which are perpendicular to each other in pairs, the first cover body and the second cover body are overlapped and arranged along the first direction, and the length of the optical module in the second direction is shorter than the length of the optical module in the third direction; The light output device is located at one side of the light source circuit board in the second direction, the light output device has a target surface facing the light source circuit board in the second direction, and the support member is arranged close to the target surface.

6. The optical module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The housing has an optical interface at one end in the third direction, and the optical interface is used for optical connection with an optical fiber outside the optical module; The light output device comprises: An airtight packaging box having a packaging cavity inside; A tunable laser module is packaged in the packaging cavity, and the tunable laser module is used to generate an optical signal with tunable wavelength; and An output head connected to a side of the hermetic packaging box in the third direction away from the optical interface, the output head being used to output the optical signal generated by the tunable laser module; Wherein, in the third direction, the support member is arranged close to the output head.

7. The optical module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The tunable laser module comprises: A semiconductor refrigeration element, used for controlling the temperature of the packaging cavity; Semiconductor gain chip; a collimating lens, optically connected to the semiconductor gain chip; a tunable filter unit, optically connected to the collimating lens; an isolator, optically connected to the tunable filter unit; and A coupling lens, optically connected to the isolator; Wherein, the semiconductor gain chip, the collimating lens, the tunable filter unit and the isolator are arranged on the semiconductor refrigeration component.

8. The optical module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support member comprises: a connecting portion connected to a side of the light source circuit board facing away from the heat sink; and A supporting portion is connected to an end of the connecting portion away from the light source circuit board, and the supporting portion is supported on a surface of the light output device away from the heat sink.

9. The optical module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The connecting portion includes a connecting column, and the supporting portion includes a supporting plate. One end of the connecting column is fixedly connected to the light source circuit board, and the other end is fixedly connected to the supporting plate. The supporting plate is supported on a surface of the light output device away from the heat sink.

10. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The optical module has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction which are perpendicular to each other in pairs, the first cover body and the second cover body are overlapped and arranged along the first direction, and the length of the optical module in the second direction is shorter than the length of the optical module in the third direction; In which, the accommodating cavity is divided into a first sub-cavity and a second sub-cavity that are interconnected along the third direction, and the first cover body is formed with a groove in the first direction toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity and / or the second cover body is formed with a groove in the first direction toward the inner wall of the first sub-cavity, so that the maximum length of the first sub-cavity in the first direction is greater than the maximum length of the second sub-cavity in the first direction; the light source assembly is accommodated in the first sub-cavity.

11. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light source assembly further comprises: An electrical connector, through which the light output device is electrically connected to the light source circuit board, wherein the electrical connector is connected to a side of the light source circuit board away from the heat sink.

12. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The two opposite ends of the housing are respectively provided with an optical interface and an electrical interface; the optical interface is used to be optically connected to the optical fiber outside the optical module; the optical module also includes a main circuit board electrically connected to the light source assembly, and one end of the main circuit board is electrically connected to the device outside the optical module through the electrical interface; Wherein, the light source assembly and the heat sink are arranged close to the optical interface.

13. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light source circuit board is a hard circuit board.

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