Optical Integrated Device Signal Line Equalization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical router apparatuses face limitations in increasing capacity due to high inductance and variation in electric characteristics caused by wire connections, leading to cumbersome mounting and interference issues, especially as the number of channels increases.
Innovation Solution
The optical integrated device and module design features a semiconductor optical amplifier gate array with signal lines of equal length extending to opposite ends, reducing inductance and electric characteristic variation by using a wiring board with uniform wiring lengths and a lens array for optical coupling, thereby facilitating uniform and high-speed signal processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire bonding is used to connect electrodes to wiring board, then electrical connection is established, but inductance increases and electric characteristic variation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful wire bonding connections from the system by transitioning to a wireless configuration where signal lines are directly formed on the substrate, eliminating the source of inductance and electric characteristic variation while maintaining electrical connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire bonding system with an integrated circuit board trace system, substituting physical wire connections with conductive pathways formed directly on the substrate, thereby eliminating the harmful inductive effects of wire bonding
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple wires of different lengths are used for connecting SOA electrodes, then electrical connection is achieved, but variation in electric characteristics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates equipotential conditions by designing signal lines of equal length extending from each SOA electrode to the wiring board, ensuring that all electrical connections have identical path lengths and thus uniform electric characteristics, eliminating the variation caused by different wire lengths
3Reliability
If lens arrays are mounted close to SOA gate array device, then optical coupling is improved, but mounting complexity and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lens arrays with the SOA gate array device by mounting them on the same substrate in an integrated configuration, combining what were previously separate components into a unified structure, thereby reducing mounting complexity while maintaining optical coupling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent rearranges the spatial configuration by positioning lens arrays at locations opposite to input/output ports on the substrate, utilizing the two-dimensional plane of the substrate more effectively to reduce interference between optical and electrical components while maintaining optimal optical coupling
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 configuration suppresses inductance and electric characteristic variation, enabling efficient and high-speed optical and electrical signal processing, improving the performance of optical router apparatuses by reducing interference and enhancing optical coupling.
Implementation Method 1
an optical coupler for optically coupling signal lights propagated along the plural input optical waveguides to the single output optical waveguide
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers provided on the input optical waveguides, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
An optical integrated device includes a plurality of input optical waveguides connected respectively to a plurality of input ports provided on one end face of the optical integrated device, a single output optical waveguide connected to an output port, an optical coupler for optically coupling signal lights propagated along the plural input optical waveguides to the single output optical waveguide, and a semiconductor optical amplifier gate array formed from a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers provided on the input optical waveguides, respectively, and each having an electrode on the surface thereof. The optical integrated device further includes a plurality of signal lines formed on the surface of the optical integrated device in such a manner as to extend from the electrodes to an end face of the optical integrated device on which none of the input ports and the output port is provided.