JPH10186186A - Optical array module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical array module in which wirings can be properly performed even when the scale of the array is enlarged. SOLUTION: This module is constituted of a surface light emitting LD array 41, a substrate (carrier) 40 on which the surface light emitting LD array 41 is mounted, optical fibers 55 associated with the emitting of lights, a fiber fixing block 48 for fixing the optical fibers 55 and wiring substrates 51, 52. Then, the optical fibers 55 fixed to the optical fiber fixing block 48 and the surface light emitting LD array 41 are fixed by connecting intervals between metallic tubes 53 and LD electrodes 44 being on the surface light emitting surface 41 with means of connections by bumps 45 or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of an optical array module for optical transmission.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of laser device and its optical array module include: (1) "Iga: IEICE Transactions CI, Vo
l. J75-CI, No. 5, pp. 245-25
6,1992 "(2)" Iga, Koyama: Surface emitting laser (Ohm)
241-249 "(3)" Noguchi, Kawakami: IEICE Technical Report.
SSE94-199, 1995 ".

FIG. 5 shows an example of such a conventional surface emitting laser.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional laser array, and FIG.
It is a figure showing an example of an optical module. As shown in FIG.
The surface emitting laser is made of SiO_Two/ TiO_Two/ SiO_Two/
Au reflector 1 and SiO_Two/ TiO_TwoMultilayer 2
And the active region 3 (ActiveRegion)
The laser cavity is formed, and the laser light is
Are emitted perpendicularly. 10 is an AuZn electrode,
11 is p-Ga_0.9Al _0.1As layer, 12 is p-Ga
_0.7Al_0.3As layer, 13 is a p-GaAs layer, 14 is n
-GaAs layer, 15 is a p-GaAs layer, 16 is n-Ga
_0.7Al_0.3As layer, 17 is n-GaAs layer, 18 is n
-GaAs substrate, 19 is AuGe electrode, 20 is light output
is there.

As shown in FIG. 5, a laser array (LD array) has a structure in which a plurality of surface emitting lasers are arranged in an array, and each laser beam is emitted vertically downward with respect to the wafer surface. Since the surface emitting laser shown in FIG. 6 is an experimental product, the Au / Zn electrode 21 is formed on the entire surface of the wafer so as to connect the individual laser regions. However, in an actual device, the individual laser regions are individually driven. Need, separate and separate electrodes are required.

Incidentally, 22 is a p-GaAs layer, and 23 is an n-
GaAs layer, 24 is p-Ga _0.7 Al _0.3 As layer, 25
Is a p-GaAs active layer, 26 is n-Ga _0.7 Al _0.3 A
s layer, 27 is an n-GaAs substrate, 28 is Au / Si ₃ N
₄ reflector, 29 is a Au / Ge electrode. L shown in FIG.
In order to guide the light emitted from the D array to the optical fiber, it is necessary to optically connect the optical fiber to the LD array.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a method of mounting an optical fiber. Here, an example of mounting a liquid crystal space optical switch is shown, but the same applies to a method of mounting an optical fiber. Each optical fiber is fixed in the form of an optical fiber array at a position where it is optically coupled to a light emitting portion of each laser region of the LD array. In FIG. 7, an array (an output collimator array) in which light condensing means is connected to an optical fiber is used.
In the case of an optical connection between the array and the optical fiber, the light collecting function is not always necessary. This optical array module has an advantage that it can be reduced in size as compared with a module used for an individual LD.

In FIG. 7, 31 is an LC modulator array, 32 is a routing element, 33 is an input collimator array, and 34 is an output collimator array.

[0008]

However, the optical module having the above-mentioned conventional configuration has the following disadvantages. (1) In the conventional optical module, the electrodes connected to the individual laser regions of the array need to be wired on the wafer surface, and there is little problem when the size of the array is as small as about 5 × 5, but the size of the array is small. When it becomes large, it becomes difficult to route each wiring to the end of the element.

(2) When a multi-layer electrode is used for the wiring of the above (1), due to poor insulation separation between the electrodes, etc.
There is a disadvantage that the element yield is reduced. Further, the device manufacturing process becomes complicated, which has been an obstacle to cost reduction. (3) Since the electrode density increases as the array scale increases,
There is a drawback that high-frequency coupling between the electrodes occurs and high-frequency isolation becomes insufficient.

(4) When a multi-layer electrode is used to route wiring, high-frequency coupling between the multi-layered electrodes occurs, and the high-frequency isolation becomes insufficient. (5) Both when the electrode density is increased and when a multi-layer electrode is used, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to form a high-frequency line such as a strip line. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above problems and to provide an optical array module capable of appropriately performing wiring even when the size of the array becomes large.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides: [1] In an optical array module for optical transmission, a plurality of optical fibers and a conductive film formed on the surface of the optical fiber. Means, an optical element, and an arbitrary number of wiring boards are arranged at arbitrary positions on the optical element, the optical fiber and the optical element are optically coupled, and the conductive means and the electrode on the optical element surface are connected. Further, the conductive means is connected to a wiring board.

[2] In the optical array module according to the above [1], the conductive means is a metal body formed coaxially on the surface of the optical fiber. [3] In the optical array module according to the above [1],
The conductive means includes a first metal body formed on the surface of the optical fiber, an insulator coaxially formed on the first metal body, and a second metal coaxially formed on the insulator. A high-frequency line is formed by using a first metal body, an insulator and a second metal body.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are only schematically shown to the extent that the present invention can be understood,
Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example. Further, in the following description, a case where 16 optical fibers are used will be described, but the same applies to other numbers.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an optical array module showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical array module cut perpendicularly along the optical axis of an arbitrary optical fiber of FIG. . As shown in these figures, this optical array module comprises a surface emitting LD array 41, a substrate (carrier) 40 on which the surface emitting LD array 41 is mounted, and an optical fiber 55 and an optical fiber fixed for light emission. Optical fiber fixing block 48 and wiring boards 51 and 52 for this purpose.

The substrate 40 is a flat plate made of an appropriate material such as an insulator such as ceramic, a semiconductor, a metal, or a combination thereof. The surface emitting LD array 41 is a device having a known structure in which an arbitrary number of laser resonators 43 are arranged, and is fixed to an appropriate position on the substrate 40 by means such as soldering. The optical fiber 55 has a core portion from which a protection portion (jacket) is removed from a tip to a portion to be connected to a wiring board described later, and a vapor deposition, plating, or metal is attached to the surface of the optical fiber. For example, the metal tube 53 is formed by means such as a metal tube.

The optical fiber fixing block 48 has a hole through which an optical fiber 55 passes through a plate-like portion corresponding to the laser resonator 43 of the surface emitting LD array 41.
The optical fiber 55 is fixed at this portion. The material of the optical fiber fixing block 48 is preferably a material such as silicon (Si), ceramic or metal, but other materials do not matter. The optical fiber 55 fixed to the optical fiber fixing block 48 and the surface emitting LD array 41 are connected and fixed between the metal tube 53 and the LD electrode 44 on the surface emitting LD array 41 by means such as connection using bumps 45. It is fixed by the optical fiber fixing block 48 and the substrate spacer 47.

The wiring substrates 51 and 52 are plate-shaped, and have wiring electrodes 51A and 52A connected to the metal tube 53 on which the optical fiber 55 is formed and leading out the wiring to the wiring base end. The material of the wiring boards 51 and 52 is preferably a material such as ceramic, but other materials may be used.
The connection between the wiring boards 51 and 52 and the metal tube 53 is performed by means such as soldering.

With the above connection, the surface emitting LD array 41
Of the wiring board 51,
It is connected to the wiring electrodes 51A and 52A on the second electrode 52, so that a current can be supplied from the wiring electrodes 51A and 52A to the surface emitting LD array 41. Here, the number of wiring boards is set to an appropriate number so that the wirings on the wiring boards 51 and 52 do not contact each other.

The alignment between the surface emitting LD array 41 and the optical fiber 55 is performed by causing an arbitrary laser region of the surface emitting LD array 41 to emit light and adjusting the position so that the emission becomes maximum after propagation through the optical fiber. Alignment mark 46
This is performed by a method of performing positioning between the optical fiber 55 and the optical fiber fixing block 48 to which the optical fiber 55 is fixed. In that case, the latter method has an advantage that the alignment can be adjusted without emitting the laser light.

With such a configuration, according to the first embodiment, the following effects can be expected. (1) In order to pull out wiring electrodes from the surface of a wiring board (wafer) and to perform wiring electrodes on a plurality of wiring boards,
When the size of the D array is large, it is possible to solve the problem that it is difficult to route individual wiring to the end of the wiring board.

(2) In the conventional example, the defect that the element yield is lowered due to poor insulation separation between the electrodes and the like which occurs when the multilayer wiring is used for the wiring of the above (1), and the element manufacturing process is complicated. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages that hinder the cost reduction. Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an optical array module showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the optical array module cut perpendicularly along the optical axis of an arbitrary optical fiber of FIG. is there. This optical array module includes a surface emitting LD array 61 and a substrate 60 on which the surface emitting LD array 61 is mounted.
The optical fiber 76 relating to the light emission, the optical fiber fixing block 68 for fixing the optical fiber, and the wiring board 71,
72. Substrate 60 and surface emitting LD array 6
1 is the same as in the first embodiment.

The optical fiber 76 comprises a core portion from which a protective portion (jacket) is removed from the tip to a portion connected to wiring boards 71 and 72 described later, and the optical fiber 76 is wrapped around the surface of the portion. There is a metal tube (high-frequency line) 73. Further, an insulating tube 74 and a metal tube (GND) 75 are provided so as to surround the metal tube (high-frequency line) 73.

This metal tube (high-frequency line and GN
D) The coaxial cable-shaped high-frequency line is formed by the 73 and 75 and the insulating tube 74, the inner metal tube (high-frequency line) 73 becomes a high-frequency line, and the outer metal tube (GND) 75 becomes a ground (GND). . The metal tubes (high-frequency lines and GND) 73 and 75 are formed on the surface of the optical fiber 76 by means of vapor deposition, plating, or attaching metal. The insulator is formed by means such as vapor deposition, application, or attachment.

The optical fiber fixing block 68 is formed by a plate-like portion so that the laser resonator section 63 of the LD array 61 can be formed.
There is a hole through which the optical fiber 76 passes through at a portion corresponding to, and a metal tube (GND) 75 is fixed at this portion. Between the metal tube (high-frequency line) 73 and the LD electrode 64 of the LD array 61 and the metal tube (GND) 75
And the common electrode 62 are connected and fixed by means such as connection using bumps 65.

The wiring boards 71 and 72 are flat and connected to a metal tube (high-frequency line) 73.
Strip line 71 for drawing wiring to the ends of 1, 72
A, 72A and other high-frequency lines are formed on the surface, and GND patterns 71B, 7
2B is formed. The metal tube (GND) 75 is a GND pattern 71 on the back surface of the wiring boards 71 and 72.
B, 72B. The material of the wiring boards 71 and 72 is preferably a material such as ceramic, but other materials may be used. The wiring electrodes 71A, 72A and the metal tube 73,
The connection between 75 is performed by means such as soldering.

With the above connection, the electrodes 62 and 64 of the LD array 61 are connected to the metal tubes (high-frequency line and GND) 7.
3 and 75 and the insulating tube 74 are connected to the wiring electrodes (strip lines) 71A and 72A of the wiring boards 71 and 72 via coaxial cable-shaped high-frequency lines. 72A
Therefore, the LD array 61 can be driven at a high frequency. Here, the number of wiring boards is set to an appropriate number so that the strip lines 71A and 72A on the wiring boards 71 and 72 do not contact with each other and have a sufficient interval to ensure high-frequency isolation. In addition, 66 is an alignment mark.

With such a configuration, according to the second embodiment, the following effects can be further expected. (1) Since the wiring electrodes are pulled out from the wafer surface and are performed by the wiring electrodes (strip lines) on a plurality of wiring boards, high-frequency coupling between the electrodes due to an increase in electrode density when the isolation scale is increased in the conventional example. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantage that the high frequency isolation is deteriorated.

(2) It is possible to eliminate the drawbacks of high-frequency coupling between multi-layered electrodes when a conventional multi-layer electrode is used, and the deterioration of high-frequency isolation caused by the high-frequency coupling. (3) Both in the case where the electrode density of the conventional example is increased and in the case where a multilayer electrode is used, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantage that it is difficult to form a high-frequency line such as a strip line.

In the above description, a structure without a lens system has been described, but the same applies to a case where a lens is used or a structure in which an optical fiber has a lens function. The same applies to the case of an optical modulation element, an optical switch element, and the like and a composite element thereof in addition to the LD. In the above embodiment, the LD array is described. However, a PD array may be provided to receive light from an optical fiber.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and they are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical array module capable of appropriately performing wiring even if the size of the array becomes large.

Therefore, it is possible to provide an optical array module capable of appropriately performing wiring even if the size of the array is increased. (2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the wiring electrodes are pulled out from the wafer surface and are formed by the wiring electrodes (strip lines) on the plurality of wiring boards, the electrode density in the conventional example when the isolation scale is increased. , The high-frequency coupling between the electrodes due to the increase in the frequency and the high-frequency isolation due to the high-frequency coupling can be reliably performed.

Therefore, since the wiring electrodes are pulled out from the wafer surface and are formed by the wiring electrodes (strip lines) on the plurality of wiring boards, the high frequency characteristics between the electrodes due to the increase in the electrode density when the isolation scale is increased in the conventional example. Coupling and the resulting high frequency isolation can be reliably performed. (3) According to the third aspect of the invention, when a multilayer electrode is used, high-frequency coupling between the multilayered electrodes and high-frequency isolation by the high-frequency coupling can be reliably performed.

Therefore, when a multi-layer electrode is used, high-frequency coupling between the multi-layered electrodes and high-frequency isolation due to the high-frequency coupling can be reliably performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an optical array module showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical array module cut perpendicularly along the optical axis of any optical fiber of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an optical array module showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the optical array module taken along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of an arbitrary optical fiber of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional surface emitting laser.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional laser array.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional optical module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 40, 60 Substrate (carrier) 41, 61 Surface-emitting LD array 43, 63 Laser resonator 44, 64 LD electrode 45, 65 Bump 46, 66 Alignment mark 47 Substrate spacer 48, 68 Optical fiber fixing block 51, 52, 71, 72 Wiring board 51A, 52A Wiring electrode 53 Metal tube 55, 76 Optical fiber 62 Common electrode 71A, 72A Strip line (wiring electrode) 71B, 72B GND pattern 73 Metal tube (high frequency line) 74 Insulating tube 75 Metal tube (GND) )

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical array module for optical transmission, comprising: (a) a plurality of optical fibers; (b) conductive means formed on a surface of the optical fiber; (c) an optical element;
(D) an arbitrary number of wiring boards are arranged at arbitrary positions on the optical element, the optical fiber and the optical element are optically coupled, and the conductive means and the electrode on the optical element surface are connected; An optical array module, wherein the conductive means is connected to a wiring board. 2. The optical array module according to claim 1, wherein said conductive means is a metal body formed coaxially on a surface of said optical fiber. 3. The optical array module according to claim 1, wherein said conductive means includes a first metal member formed on a surface of said optical fiber, an insulator formed coaxially on said first metal member, and said first metal member. An optical array module comprising: a second metal body formed coaxially on an insulator; and a high-frequency line formed from the first metal body, the insulator, and the second metal body.