The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 19, 2001
Koichiro Tonehira, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yokohama, JP;
Kenji Yoshimoto, Yokohama, JP;
Michihide Sasada, Yokohama, JP;
Tetsuya Aoki, Yokohama, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
To provide economical high-speed optical communications through an optical module a silicon substrate with a ball lens and semiconductor luminescence element mounted thereon, and a laser driver IC are provided. A silicon subassembly includes a silicon substrate with a pyramidal cavity etched into the substrate near its edge. A ball lens is precision-mounted in the pyramidal cavity by bonding it at multiple points. This provides a high-strength connection and a small, inexpensive silicon substrate. Also provided on the silicon substrate is a semiconductor luminescence element and a slit on the opposite side of the ball lens. The slit enables collimated light emitted from the ball lens to be optically coupled without being blocked or reflected by the substrate. The semiconductor luminescence element and its laser driver IC are placed in close proximity to each other, and ribbon wires are kept short (approximately 300 &mgr;m) to reduce signal line impedance mismatch for high-speed transmission.