Glass Core Electro-Optic Modulator for Co-Packaged Optical Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Long-haul telecommunication networks, data center optical interconnects, and microwave photonic systems face increased system costs and reduced stability due to standalone lasers separate from modulators, necessitating a more integrated and scalable solution.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid-integrated electro-optic modulator with a glass core substrate, incorporating optical and electrical signal paths, and a waveguide with a mirror or reflector, optically coupled to an electro-optic modulator, to facilitate co-packaged optics (CPO) integration of lasers, modulators, and other photonic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If lasers and modulators are integrated into a single package (CPO), then physical footprint is reduced and thermal management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges lasers, modulators, and photonic components into a single integrated package structure. The housing contains all these components arranged in a compact configuration, eliminating the need for separate standalone laser units and reducing overall physical footprint while maintaining functional independence of each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated package serves multiple functions simultaneously: it houses the laser source, contains the modulator, provides thermal management for all components, and enables optical signal transmission. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate systems needed while improving space utilization and thermal efficiency.
2Temperature
If lasers and modulators are integrated into a single package (CPO), then thermal management is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is integrated with the optical components housing. The same structure that contains the lasers and modulators also serves as the thermal management system, with heat sinks and thermal pathways built into the housing design. This eliminates the need for separate thermal management devices and simplifies the overall system while improving heat dissipation efficiency.
3Device complexity
If standalone lasers are used separate from modulators, then device complexity is reduced, but system cost increases and stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the laser and modulator into a single packaged unit with shared housing and thermal management, the patent improves stability through better thermal control and reduced alignment drift. The compact integration ensures consistent optical coupling between components while maintaining relatively simple individual component designs, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
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 integration reduces physical footprint, enhances performance by minimizing losses, and improves thermal management, providing a cost-effective and scalable solution for high-speed data transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a waveguide including a mirror or reflector mounted under the glass core substrate, wherein the waveguide and the mirror or reflector are optically coupled to the optical via hole
Data Source
AI summary
Various thin film modulator based hybrid-integrated electro-optic (EO) components compatible with 2.5D, 3D, and integrated laser 3D co-packaged optics integration technique. The hybrid-integrated electro-optic (EO) components use a glass core substrate to route optical signals and electrical signals between devices mounted directly or indirectly to the glass core substrate. The optical signal routing path within the glass core substrate may include one or more optical via holes, one or more mirror or reflectors, one or more lenses, high index waveguide, mode spot or field converters, and optical couplers including inverse tapered and tapered high index waveguides. The electrical signal routing paths within the glass core substrate may include a set of metal layers and a set of metallized via holes.