Fiber-less Photonic Package with Alignment Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photonic packages are costly and have slow manufacturing processes due to the need for hermetically sealed assemblies with optical fiber bonding, making them unsuitable for high-volume mass market applications.
Innovation Solution
A photonic package system with integrated optical alignment pins and micro optics that eliminates the need for physical optical fiber connections, using a substrate with pins for alignment and a micro optical lens to expand the beam-width, allowing for a 'fiber-less' design with silicone or soft polymer encapsulation and compatible with surface mount assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hermetically sealed assembly with optical fiber bonding is used, then optical connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the optical fiber from the package structure, eliminating the need for hermetic sealing and fiber bonding processes. The external optical fiber connects directly to the photonic device through alignment pins without being enclosed in a hermetic assembly, thus reducing package complexity while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment pins are pre-integrated into the substrate during substrate fabrication, establishing precise alignment features before the photonic device is mounted. This preliminary integration of alignment structures eliminates the need for complex post-assembly fiber alignment and bonding procedures.
2Reliability
If hermetically sealed assembly with optical fiber bonding is used, then optical connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the optical fiber from the hermetic assembly process, the patent eliminates time-consuming fiber alignment and bonding operations. The simplified structure allows for faster assembly while maintaining reliable optical connections through the alignment pin mechanism.
3Reliability
If hermetically sealed assembly with optical fiber bonding is used, then optical connection reliability is improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates expensive hermetic sealing materials and optical fiber bonding materials by removing the optical fiber from the package structure. The alignment pins provide sufficient alignment accuracy without requiring costly hermetic enclosures or bonding adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment pins are integrated directly into the substrate as simple structural features rather than using expensive hermetic sealing components. This substitution of simple, inexpensive alignment structures for complex hermetic assemblies significantly reduces material costs.
4Ease of manufacture
If alignment structures are integrated on substrate, then manufacturing cost decreases, but alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment pins are pre-fabricated as integral features of the substrate during substrate manufacturing, establishing precise alignment references before device assembly. This preliminary creation of alignment structures ensures high precision without requiring complex post-assembly alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical fiber alignment and bonding systems with simple alignment pin structures. The alignment pins provide mechanical reference features that guide the photonic device into precise alignment without requiring sophisticated alignment mechanisms.
5Manufacturing precision
If micro optical lens is used to expand beam-width, then alignment tolerance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A micro optical lens is introduced as an intermediary component between the photonic device and the external optical fiber. The lens expands the optical beam width, creating a larger coupling aperture that relaxes alignment tolerance requirements. This simple optical element provides the mediation needed to achieve robust alignment without complex mechanical systems.
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 reduces material costs and manufacturing time by enabling relaxed alignment tolerances and hermetic encapsulation, facilitating high-volume, low-cost production of photonic packages suitable for mass market applications.
Implementation Method 1
an optical device configured to receive an optical signal and aligned with respect to the two pins... the optical device comprises at least one micro optical lens connected to the photonic device and configured with the function of expanding an optical beam-width
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a photonic package system comprising at least two optical alignment pins integrated on a package substrate. A key feature of this invention is the addition of alignment structures within the package. When combined with the use of micro optics it enables a ‘fiber-less’ photonic package system that requires no physical connection between and optical fiber and the photonic package system.