Transmitter optical subassembly with hermetically-sealed light engine and external arrayed waveguide grating

Abstract

In general, a TOSA consistent with the present disclosure includes a light driving circuit coupled to a hermetically-sealed light engine. The hermetically-sealed light engine includes a housing defined by a plurality of sidewalls. The housing defines a cavity that is hermetically-sealed to prevent introduction of contaminants that would otherwise reduce optical power. The hermetically-sealed light engine optically couples to an external arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), or other multiplexing device, by way of an optical receptacle. The optical receptacle can include a waveguide implemented external to the hermetically-sealed cavity and can include, for instance, an optical isolator, fiber stub, and fiber ferrule section. Thus, the external AWG and associated external optical coupling components advantageously allow for the hermetically-sealed light engine to have a cavity with dimensions relatively smaller than other approaches that dispose an AWG and associated components within a hermetically-sealed cavity.