Cuboid TO Laser Package Thermal Coupling
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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 complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal management capability deteriorates 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 substantially flat outer surfaces that enable substantially planar contact with heat sink surfaces, dramatically improving thermal conduction capability while remaining manufacturable through standard molding processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the laser package by changing from a cylindrical/rounded shape to a cuboid shape with flat faces. This parameter change in surface geometry transforms the thermal contact interface from curved (poor contact) to flat (good contact), enabling effective thermal management without compromising manufacturing ease
2Volume of moving object
If the size of optical transceiver modules is reduced to provide smaller form factor, then the volume of the device is decreased, but thermal management capability deteriorates due to limited space for heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes thermal management in the miniaturized form factor by utilizing the surface area dimension. The cuboid package with flat surfaces maximizes the contact area dimension with heat sinks, enabling efficient heat dissipation pathways in compact devices where volume is constrained but surface contact area can be optimized
3Speed
If higher data rates are implemented in optical transceivers, then the transmission speed is increased, but heat generation increases which deteriorates thermal management and may damage components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by high-speed laser diodes into a manageable thermal flow by providing optimized thermal conduction pathways. The flat-surfaced cuboid package transforms the heat problem into a solved thermal management system where heat is efficiently conducted away, enabling high data rates without component damage
4Temperature
If conventional rounded TO can packages are used, then device complexity is kept simple, but thermal coupling with heat sinks deteriorates due to insufficient contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetric geometry by replacing the symmetric rounded TO can package with a cuboid package having flat surfaces. This asymmetric shape provides substantial planar contact area with heat sinks, dramatically improving thermal coupling efficiency while the overall structure remains relatively simple and manufacturable
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 facilitating heat transfer through increased surface area contact, preventing heat damage to components and maintaining performance across higher data rates and 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.