Cuboid TO Laser Package Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional TO can laser packages fail to provide effective thermal management due to their rounded surfaces, which hinder heat conduction, posing challenges for high-data-rate optical transceivers with small form factors, as heat generated by laser diodes can damage components and affect laser wavelengths.
Innovation Solution
The use of a cuboid-type TO laser package made from thermally conductive materials with flat outer surfaces for improved thermal coupling, allowing for better heat dissipation and stacking within a compact design, while maintaining electrical and optical connections in a coaxial configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional TO can laser packages with rounded surfaces are used, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but thermal management is poor due to insufficient heat conduction contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the symmetric rounded TO can package shape to an asymmetric cuboid shape with flat surfaces. This asymmetric geometry provides superior flat contact areas for thermal coupling with heat sinks and mounting surfaces, dramatically improving heat conduction while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing processes for laser packages.
2Volume of moving object
If optical transceiver modules are designed with small form factor for higher speeds, then the device size is reduced and cost is lowered, but thermal management becomes inadequate due to heat generation in compact space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking multiple cuboid laser packages vertically within the transceiver module. The flat top and bottom surfaces of each cuboid package enable efficient thermal coupling in the vertical direction, allowing heat to be conducted away effectively in compact form factors where horizontal space is limited.
3Speed
If laser diodes operate at high data rates, then transmission speed is improved, but heat generation increases which can damage components and affect laser wavelengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by high-speed laser diodes into a manageable thermal conduction problem. The cuboid package geometry with flat surfaces is specifically designed to maximize thermal contact area, transforming the heat problem into an efficient heat transfer pathway that conducts away the necessary thermal energy without damaging components or destabilizing laser wavelengths.
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
This solution enhances thermal management and reduces the size of optical transceivers by enabling efficient heat transfer through flat surfaces, preventing heat damage to components and maintaining high data transmission rates across longer distances.
Implementation Method 1
The cuboid type TO laser package is made of a thermally conductive material and has substantially flat outer surfaces that may be thermally coupled to substantially flat outer surfaces on a transceiver housing and/or on other cuboid type TO laser packages
Data Source
AI summary
A coaxial transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) including a cuboid type TO laser package may be used in an optical transceiver for transmitting an optical signal at a channel wavelength. The cuboid type TO laser package is made of a thermally conductive material and has substantially flat outer surfaces that may be thermally coupled to substantially flat outer surfaces on a transceiver housing and/or on other cuboid type TO laser packages. An optical transceiver may include multiple coaxial TOSAs with the cuboid type TO laser packages stacked in the transceiver housing. The cuboid type TO laser package may thus provide improved thermal characteristics and a reduced size within the optical transceiver.