JP3241176B2 - Optical package - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical package for transmitting and receiving an optical signal and an electric signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a light emitting diode (LED),
Laser diode (LD), photodiode (P
D) When a photoelectric conversion element for transmitting and receiving an electric signal and an optical signal as represented by an optical integrated circuit chip (OEIC) is used, the photoelectric conversion element generates heat. Since the temperature rises and the characteristics of the photoelectric conversion element itself change greatly, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the package 11 has the cooling passage groove 12 or the cooling passage holes 13a and 13b on the bottom surface. Each of the substrates 14a, 14b, and 14c is integrally formed, and the fluid inlet / outlet pipe portion 1 connected to the cooling passage hole 13b.
5a and 15b, the fluid flows in and out, and the cooling passage grooves 12
6 through the cooling passages 13a and 13b (see JP-A-47-36973) or FIG.
As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, a cooling means 25 is provided on an upper surface of a waveguide substrate 24 formed by an optical fiber which is a transmitting / receiving means of an optical signal connected to a package 21 having an electronic element 22 and a light emitting or receiving element 23. According to a method (see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-182555), the inside of the optical package is cooled, and the change in the characteristics of the photoelectric conversion element due to the temperature change is suppressed as much as possible.

[0003]

However, the conventional FIG.
In the cooling method according to the above case, the outside of the package 11 is cooled, so that the cooling method inside the package 11 is very inefficient, and a device for circulating a fluid is required. There was a problem. In the cooling method in the case of FIG. 6, even if the cooling means 25 is provided on the upper surface of the waveguide substrate 24, since the optical fiber itself does not conduct heat transfer, the cooling method inside the package 21 is very efficient. There is a problem that the size is inevitably increased due to the provision of the cooling means 25.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an optical transmission device inside a package and a photoelectric conversion element connected to the optical transmission device. In an optical package for transmitting and receiving a signal and an electric signal, the optical package is formed of a film-shaped covering member and is filled with an insulating fluid.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the optical transmission means and the photoelectric conversion element are covered with an airtight film-like covering member in which the insulating fluid is sealed, so that the heat inside the optical package is reduced by the convection of the insulating fluid. It is released to the outside of the shape-like covering member.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show four embodiments of the present invention, in which the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein an optical fiber 1 and an electric circuit 2 are shown.
Is a case where optical signals and electric signals are transmitted and received by
The optical package is a light emitting element 3 such as an LD or LED for converting an optical signal into an electric signal or an electric signal into an optical signal.
a and a photoelectric conversion element 3 comprising a light receiving element 3b such as a PD, etc., and a relative positional relationship between the optical fiber 1, the electric circuit 2, and the photoelectric conversion element 3 for performing low-loss transmission and reception between the optical fiber 1 and the electric circuit 2. Holding member 4, optical fiber 1, electric circuit 2, photoelectric conversion element 3,
A film-shaped covering member 5 that covers the holding member 4 in an airtight state, and an insulating fluid 6 sealed inside the film-shaped covering member 5.

As described above, the optical signal and the electric signal are fixed by the holding member 4 so that transmission and reception are performed with low loss, and the optical fiber 1, the electric circuit 2, the photoelectric conversion element 3, and the holding member 4 are fixed.
Is covered with a film-shaped covering member 5 in an airtight state, and an insulating fluid 6 is sealed therein.
When the temperature rises inside the film-shaped covering member 5, the insulating fluid 6 convects and heat moves to the vicinity of the surface of the film-shaped covering member 5, and the outside of the film-shaped covering member 5 The heat is cooled due to the heat radiation effect due to the temperature difference from the above. The reason why the package is made of the film-shaped covering member 5 is to improve the efficiency of the heat radiation action due to the temperature difference from the outside. For example, a plastic sheet may be used.

Here, the holding member 4 can hold at least any one of the optical fiber 1, the electric circuit 2, and the photoelectric conversion element 3 so that transmission and reception of an optical signal and an electric signal can be performed with low loss. I just need. The film-shaped covering member 5 may be any material that can maintain an airtight state for a long time without being affected by the insulating fluid 6 to be sealed, has heat resistance, and blocks external light. It may be.
The insulating fluid 6 may be any fluid that has an insulating property and does not promote oxidation or deterioration of the internal elements, and may be, for example, an inert gas such as helium, Freon, or nitrogen gas. Further, when a material having a large latent heat, such as fluorine tetrachloride, is used as the insulating fluid 6, the heat radiation characteristics can be improved even for the photoelectric conversion element 3 having a large calorific value.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, when the vibrator 7 is placed on the inner surface or the outer surface of the film-shaped covering member 5, the film-shaped covering member 5 vibrates, so that the heat radiation effect is further enhanced. You can do so. The vibrator 7 may be any as long as it can vibrate the film-shaped covering member 5 as a whole.
A piezo element, a diaphragm type vibrator, a bimetal vibrator, an electrostatic actuator, or the like may be used.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, in which an integrated circuit board 8 connected to the electric circuit 2 is also installed inside the film-like covering member 5. By disposing the integrated circuit board 8 inside the film-shaped covering member 5 in this way, it becomes possible to make the optical integrated circuit board 8 more compact and less susceptible to external fluctuations. .

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.
Photoelectric conversion element 3 on the surface of an IC package 10 having
Is a case where an optical integrated circuit chip is installed. Here, the optical fiber 1 and the photoelectric conversion element 3 are connected to the IC package 1.
Before mounting on the IC package 10, a mark or the like is formed on a portion on the surface of the IC package 10 where the optical fiber 1 or the photoelectric conversion element 3 is mounted, or a concave portion or a convex portion is formed so as to be easily mounted at a fixed position. By doing so, it becomes possible to transmit and receive an optical signal and an electric signal with low loss even when the normal IC package 10 is used.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which only an electric signal is converted into an optical signal. A light emitting element 3a is provided between the optical fiber 1 and the electric circuit 2. Let me. In this way, by using only the minimum required photoelectric conversion element 3 according to the purpose, the amount of heat generated inside the covering member 5 is reduced, and the size can be further reduced.

[0013]

As described above, according to the optical package of the present invention, the package is constituted by the film-shaped covering member,
To provide an optical package having a small and efficient cooling method by enclosing an insulating fluid to facilitate heat radiation inside the optical package by convection of the insulating fluid because of a film-shaped covering member. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic perspective view and FIG. 1 (b) is a schematic sectional view taken along line XX.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional cooling means.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional cooling means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: optical fiber 2: electric circuit 3a: light emitting element 3b: light receiving element 3: photoelectric conversion element 4: holding member 5: film-shaped covering member 6: insulating fluid 7: vibrator 8: integrated circuit board 9: pin 10: IC package 11, 21: Package 12: Cooling groove 13a, 13b: Cooling hole 14a, 14b, 14c: Substrate 15a, 15b: Fluid inlet / outlet piping part 22: Electronic element 23: Light receiving element or light emitting element 24: Waveguide Substrate 25: Cooling means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical package for transmitting and receiving an optical signal and an electric signal, wherein an optical transmission means and a photoelectric conversion element connected to the optical transmission means are provided inside the package. It is composed of a member, an insulating fluid is sealed inside, and by the convection of the insulating fluid
The heat of the photoelectric conversion element is radiated.
A vibrator on the inner or outer surface of the film-shaped covering member;
Optical package characterized by placing the.