Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Claes Blom

Christian Vieider

Olov Larsson

Nivardo Davila Albornoz

The present invention relates to a TO-can type encapsulating element for enclosing, either hermetically or non-hermetically, optical-electrical chips with integrated optical element interfaces, detachable fibres and leadframes. The TO-can/encapsulating element enables the optical fibre () to be readily positioned relative to the chip () with the aid of a fix-able can-flange (), and eliminates the risk of crack formation by virtue of the component leads of said TO-can having been provided with and connected to a leadframe ().

TO-can having a leadframe

The present invention relates to a method of patterning metallic building elements, and also to a metallic building element, where the measuring accuracy achieved can lie in the sub-micrometer range. Starting from a silicon master or original that can be etched to sub-micrometer precision and then plated with a metal, such as nickel (), on the silicon surface, there can be produced a nickel shim where precision and surface fineness can lie in the sub-micrometer range. Subsequent to removal of the silicon master, a photo-sensitive material () can be used in liquid form or in film form to create mould cavities () that reach down to the nickel shim. These cavities can then be metal-plated to provide a building element () of higher precision in three dimensions.

Metallic building element for optoelectronics

A method of patterning metallic building elements, and also to a metallic building element, where the measuring accuracy achieved can lie in the sub-micrometer range is disclored. Starting from a silicon master or original that can be etched to sub-micrometer precision and then plated with a metal, such as nickel, on the silicon surface, there can be produced a nickel shim where precision and surface fineness can lie in the sub-micrometer range. Subsequent to removal of the silicon master, a photo-sensitive material can be used in liquid form or in film form to create mould cavities that reach down to the nickel shim. These cavities can then be metal-plated to provide a building element of higher precision in three dimensions.

When finely aligning an optical fiber, attached in groove of a carrier, with a surface area of an optical element such as a laser, the plate-shaped carrier is plastically deformed by having suitable tools displace or act on the carrier at the end of the fiber, within a deformation region. For facilitating the plastic deformation, slots are made around the deformation region, so that a weakened area is obtained quite at the end surface of the fiber. The fine alignment can be made either for correcting the position of erroneously mounted optical building elements or for a fine alignment of building elements, which have been mounted without necessarily trying to achieve a very high accuracy. The alignment procedure can be executed while simultaneously measuring the efficiency of the interface, by activating the laser to emit light into the optical fiber. This light can be detected by a light detector, so that the deformation process can be made in order to obtain maximum output power at the end of the fiber. The material of the carrier can be a metal having a high degree of purity, for example copper plate of a small thickness. The fine alignment procedure as described provides advantages both in economy and in the degree of accuracy in the alignment operation, so that little attenuation is obtained in the interface between the building elements in the finished product. The carrier may be molded together with the building elements into a capsule in order to obtain an optical component suited to be mounted on a circuit board.

Alignment of optical building elements

The present invention relates to optical fiber connectors, for bringing optical fibers into contact with each other. In order to simplify manufacture and handling of the optical fiber connectors, for optical fiber cables for example, an optical fiber connector containing precision components has been developed which can be manufactured in large volumes, using inexpensive injection-molded parts of low weight, low physical size and which a can therefore have a low price per connector. Each connector consists of an outer cylindircal portion joined to a tapered portion constituting a breakage protector for a surrounded optical fiber where the cylindrical portion is arranged to be able to surround the optical fiber ferrule with a flange, a spring and a protecting sleeve.

Optical fiber connector

An optoelectric capsule has a recess at one of its short sides. In the recess a ferrule projects, which contains an optical fiber, which is in contact with an optoelement inside the capsule. The ferrule can come in contact with a similar ferrule, which is elastically arranged in the house of a connector. An alignment of the ferrules with each other is obtained by means of a slotted, elastic tube. The house of the connector has at its front-side a flange, which can engage in the recess of the capsule when rotating the house. A locking action after rotating the flange 90.degree. in the recess is obtained by the method that the inner surfaces in the recess, that retains the flange, have a convex shape whereas the rear surface of the flange has a corresponding concave shape. The connector can in that way be easily attached to the capsule and detached therefrom. Thereby a capsule is obtained having a simple optical connection not using any integrated pigtail, which could cause problems when handling and mounting the capsule on a circuit board.

Optical capsule having a connector

The present invention relates to optical connectors and concerns a connector (1) for connecting at least one optical fibre (2) in a so-called integrated optical interface, wherein a ferrule fiber end, in order to contact a second ferrule fiber end, is pressed towards said second end and is retained in this position. Because the first ferrule (11), creating the optical interface, is placed just outside a wall in an opto-electrical component (3), and the second ferrule (6), of a same kind of or similar ferrule, is placed inside the connector (1), it is possible to mutually align two optical fibers in a cost efficient way. In order to retain the contact between the fiber ends in a contact position, the connector (1) comprises two hook members (12), the hooked ends (13) of which can be hooked into grooves (14) provided in the component (3). To release the connector from the component, only a slight pressure needs to be applied to the hook elements, whereby the hooked ends of the hook elements are released from the grooves, and the connector can be separated from the component.

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Skänninge, Sweden

Claes Blom