AlN Monolithic Optical Package for Thermal Expansion Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical packaging technologies face challenges in achieving lower costs and better performance due to material mismatches, particularly in thermal expansion coefficients, which affect mechanical integrity and alignment in applications like optical laser systems and MEMS.
Innovation Solution
A monolithic optical package is constructed using aluminum nitride (AlN) for the base, sidewalls, and feed-through, ensuring a matched coefficient of thermal expansion across all components, enhancing thermal conductivity and reducing material costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional optical packages use multiple materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion, then material selection flexibility is improved, but mechanical integrity and alignment stability deteriorate under thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using aluminum nitride for all major structural components (base, sidewalls, and feed-through), ensuring uniform material properties throughout the package. This eliminates CTE mismatch between different materials, preventing mechanical integrity issues and alignment instability under thermal stress while maintaining design flexibility through the versatile properties of AlN
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional optical packages use multiple different materials, then design flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple previously separate material components (base material, sidewall material, feed-through material) into a single material system (aluminum nitride). This consolidation simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need to source, handle, and join multiple different materials, while maintaining design flexibility through the versatile functional properties of AlN
Solution Approach 2:
By using the same material (AlN) for all structural components, the patent eliminates the complexity of multi-material manufacturing processes, including material matching, joining techniques, and quality control across different material interfaces, while preserving design freedom
3Quantity of substance
If traditional optical packages use materials with mismatched CTE, then material availability and cost are improved, but shape deformation under heat increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses aluminum nitride uniformly across all structural components, ensuring identical thermal expansion characteristics throughout the package. This eliminates differential thermal expansion that causes shape deformation, while AlN's availability and established manufacturing processes maintain material accessibility
4Adaptability or versatility
If traditional optical packages use multiple materials, then functional properties are improved, but thermal conductivity and heat dissipation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aluminum nitride throughout all structural components, utilizing its inherently high thermal conductivity to create efficient thermal pathways from the optical component through the base and sidewalls to the heat sink. This uniform material approach eliminates thermal interface resistance and improves overall heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining functional versatility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of AlN in optical packages improves thermal conductivity, reduces material costs by 20%, and minimizes shape deformation under heat, leading to enhanced reliability and performance with improved heat dissipation and data transfer speeds.
Implementation Method 1
the base, the sidewalls, and the feed-through have a same coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) for AlN
Implementation Method 2
enhancing thermal conductivity and reducing material costs
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing monolithic optical packages. An embodiment optical package includes a base made of aluminum-nitride (AlN) that is configured to support an optical component, a plurality of sidewalls made of AlN that are coupled to the base, the sidewalls are configured to surround the optical component, and a feed-through made of AlN that is coupled to one of the sidewalls, wherein the feed-through is configured to feed a plurality of leads through the one sidewall to provide an electrical connection to the optical component, wherein the base, the sidewalls, and the feed-through have a same coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) for AlN. An embodiment method includes punching and printing AlN tapes to build a base, a plurality of sidewalls joined to the base, and a feed-through coupled to the sidewalls, and attaching a plurality of electrical leads into the feed-through.