Double hermetic package for fiber optic cross connect

Abstract

The present invention provides a double fiber optic cross connect (OXC) package. The double package includes a substrate with a first surface and a second surface; a micromirror array coupled to the second surface of the substrate; a first cap optically coupled to the micromirror array; and a second cap optically coupled to the micromirror array. The first cap, along with a substrate populated with a micromirror array and a set of sidewalls, form a volume which is preferably hermetically sealed. This volume is further packaged by the second cap with another set of sidewalls. With the first cap, only a short distance is used in redirecting the light. This short distance is uniform for each micromirror in the switch. The major portion of the beam is thus available for scanning. With the second cap, the light beam is folded during the switching operation, resulting in a smaller switch package. By folding the light in the switch architecture, the size of the switch package is reduced. Using the substrate in combination with a modular approach to substrate population allows for a single substrate switch with a higher device yield and scalability. Integrated circuits may be placed on the same substrate as the micromirrors, and the complexity of the assembly process is reduced.