Patent Publication Number: US-2022236500-A1

Title: Connector plug and active optical cable assembly using same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a connector plug and, more specifically, to a connector plug and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same, in which an optical fiber and an optical component can be aligned and assembled with an optical device by using an optical fiber alignment guide member and an optical component alignment guide groove which are formed on one surface of an optical device module, to thereby easily perform passive alignment of the optical device and the optical component. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     An optical engine is typically used to transmit data at high speed. The optical engine includes hardware units for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal, transmitting the optical signal, receiving the optical signal, and converting the optical signal back into an electrical signal. An electrical signal is converted to an optical signal when the electrical signal is used to be modulated in a light source device such as a laser unit. Light from a light source is coupled to a transmission medium such as an optical fiber. After passing through an optical network and reaching its destination through various optical transmission media, the light is coupled to a receiving device such as a detector. The detector generates an electrical signal based on the received optical signal for use by a digital processing circuit. 
     Optical communication systems are often used to transmit data in various systems, such as electrical telecommunication systems and data communication systems. The electrical telecommunication systems often involve the transmission of data over a wide geographical distance ranging from a few miles to thousands of miles. The data communication systems often involve the transmission of data through a data center. Such systems include the transmission of data over distances ranging from a few meters to hundreds of meters. A coupling component that is used to transmit an electrical signal as an optical signal and that transfers the optical signal to an optical transmission medium such as an optical cable is relatively expensive. Because of this cost, optical transmission systems are typically used as the backbone of a network that transmits large amounts of data over long distances. 
     Meanwhile, current computer platform architecture designs can encompass several different interfaces to connect one device to another. These interfaces provide input/output (I/O) to computing devices and peripheral devices, and can use a variety of protocols and standards to provide I/O. Different interfaces may use different hardware structures to provide interfaces. For example, current computer systems typically have multiple ports with corresponding connection interfaces, which are implemented by physical connectors and plugs at the ends of the cables connecting the devices. 
     A universal connector type may be provided with a universal serial bus (USB) subsystem having multiple associated USB plug interfaces, DisplayPort, High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Firewire (as defined in IEEE 1394), or other connector types. 
     In addition, for transmission of very large-capacity data at a very high speed between two separate devices such as a UHD television (TV) using a set-top box, an electrical and optical input/output interface connector is required. 
     Furthermore, when a large amount of data needs to be transmitted and received between a board and another board in a UHD television, a miniaturized and slimmed optical interface connector with a thickness of 1 mm is required. 
     That is, in order to achieve high-speed transmission while satisfying a thin form factor in a TV or the like, the size of an active optical cable (AOC) connector or the size of an optical engine embedded in the AOC should be as thin as one mm or less. However, since the conventional AOC is packaged on a printed circuit board (PCB) in a bonding or Chip On Board (COB) form, it is difficult to realize a thin thickness. 
     AOC, which meets these requirements, is now being offered at a high price, but since such a high price is dominated by additional active alignment costs due to the inaccurate alignment between PCBs, optical devices (photodiode (PD)/vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) devices), optical components (lenses or mirrors), or optical fibers, it requires a lot of costs to construct and assemble an accurate structure for passive alignment. 
     In addition, it is required to solve the performance degradation caused by wire-bonding of optical devices (PD/VCSEL) for high-speed interconnection of several tens giga to 100 giga or more. 
     Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2014-0059869 (Patent Document 1) discloses an input/output (I/O) device comprising: an I/O connector including both electric and optical I/O interfaces, wherein the optical I/O interface includes at least one optical lens; at least one optical fiber a first end of which is terminated at the I/O connector and optically coupled to the at least one optical lens; and a transceiver module that converts optical signals to electrical signals and includes at least one lens wherein a second end of the at least one optical fiber is terminated at the transceiver module and wherein the I/O connector and the transceiver module are not in contact with each other. 
     In the I/O device of Patent Document 1, since optical devices such as an optical engine and driving chips are assembled by using a printed circuit board, automation for achieving high accuracy and productivity is difficult, and miniaturization and slimness are difficult. 
     Generally, an optical communication module should include: a mechanical device capable of fixing an optical cable for transmitting an optical signal; an optical device for converting an optical signal transmitted via the optical cable into an electrical signal or converting an optical signal for transmission via the optical cable from an electrical signal; and an interface circuit for transmitting and receiving information with respect to the optical device. 
     In a conventional optical communication module, since an optical cable fixing member, an optical device, and interface circuit chips should be arranged while being spaced apart from each other on a circuit board through separate processes, an area occupying the circuit board is increased, and a manufacturing process is complicated. In addition, since the electrical signal provided by the optical element is provided to an optoelectronic circuit through a conductive strip formed on the circuit board, the electrical signal may be deteriorated. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention is devised to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector plug and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same, in which an optical fiber and an optical component can be aligned and assembled with an optical device by using an optical fiber alignment guide member and an optical component alignment guide groove which are formed on one surface of an optical device module, to thereby easily perform passive alignment of the optical device and the optical component. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector plug having a simple structure in which an assembly of an optical device module, an optical fiber, and an optical component may be coupled to a minimum number of components through an assembly process, and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a connector plug and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same, wherein, although individual optical components are used by integrally forming an optical fiber assembly channel having an open structure on one surface of an optical device module by using an optical fiber alignment guide member, and assembling an optical fiber, alignment between an optical device and an optical component and alignment between the optical component and the optical fiber can have a high accuracy without misalignment by using a passive alignment technique. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector plug and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same in which an optical fiber assembly channel having an open structure is integrally formed in an optical device module in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type to package an optical engine into a one-chip or a single device. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an active optical cable (AOC) assembly capable of transmitting and receiving a large amount of data at an ultra-high speed and implementing a miniaturized and slimmed structure with a thickness of one mm while being manufactured at low cost. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a connector plug and an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using the same, which solves a problem that an alignment accuracy is deteriorated when a chip is drifted out of an intended position in a molding process, in the case of using an optical device module in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type, and uses an edge emitting laser diode in which light is radiated in a lateral direction, not a vertical direction, in an optical device. 
     Technical Solution 
     A connector plug according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an optical device module having an optical engine that generates an optical signal or receives an optical signal; an optical fiber alignment guide member which is formed on one surface of the optical device module and has an optical fiber insertion channel so that an optical fiber is seated; and an optical component that is seated in an optical component alignment guide groove formed adjacent to the optical fiber alignment guide member on one surface of the optical device module, wherein the optical engine includes an optical device which is formed adjacent to the optical component on one surface of the optical device module, and which radiates an optical signal or receives an optical signal in the horizontal direction, and an optical integrated circuit (IC) installed in the optical device module and controlling the optical device. 
     The connector plug further includes a wiring layer formed on one surface of the optical device module and having first and second vertical conductive path members to connect the optical integrated circuit (IC) and the optical device, wherein the optical fiber alignment guide member and the optical component alignment guide groove may be formed on an upper portion of the wiring layer. 
     The optical device includes a first connection pad formed on an upper surface thereof, which may be connected to the first vertical conductive path member by a bonding wire, and a second connection pad formed on a lower surface of the optical device, which may be directly connected to the second vertical conductive path member. In addition, the optical device may include first and second connection pads formed on lower surface thereof, which are directly connected to the first and second vertical conductive path members. 
     According to the connector plug of the present invention, the wiring layer further includes a wiring pattern for withdrawing an output terminal of the optical integrated circuit (IC) to the outside, wherein the wiring pattern may be connected to one of the optical component and an external connection terminal formed on the other surface of the optical device module. 
     The optical component may include an Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) for processing an optical signal generated from the optical device or changing an optical path, wherein the AWG may multiplex the light of different wavelengths generated by a plurality of optical devices when the optical signals are transmitted from the optical devices, and may demultiplex the optical signals when receiving the optical signals. 
     The AWG includes: a core made of a high refractive index material; and a cladding surrounding the core and made of a low refractive index material, wherein total internal reflection may be performed at the interface between the core and the cladding. 
     In addition, the connector plug of the present invention may further include a lens arranged between the optical device and the optical component to control a path of the optical signal generated from the optical device and focus the optical signal on the core of the optical component. 
     A connector plug, according to another embodiment of the present invention, comprises: an optical device which radiates an optical signal or receives an optical signal, in the horizontal direction; an optical integrated circuit (IC) for controlling the optical device; an optical device module on which the optical device and the optical integrated circuit are mounted; an optical fiber alignment guide member formed on one surface of the optical device module and having an optical fiber insertion channel on which an optical fiber is mounted; an optical component seated on an optical component alignment guide groove formed adjacent to the optical fiber alignment guide member on one surface of the optical device module; and a conductive path installed in the optical device module to electrically connect the optical integrated circuit (IC) and the optical device. 
     In addition, the optical component may include an Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) for processing an optical signal generated from the optical device or changing an optical path, wherein the AWG may multiplex the light of different wavelengths generated by a plurality of optical devices when the optical signals are transmitted from the optical devices, and may demultiplex the optical signals when receiving the optical signals. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     In general, an active optical cable (AOC) connector capable of high-speed transmission of tens giga to one hundred (100) giga or more is required to be a compact optical interface connector slimmed with a thickness of one (1) mm, and misalignment should not occur while using passive alignment between PCBs, optical devices (PDs/VCSELs), optical components (lenses or mirrors), and optical fibers to meet reasonable manufacturing costs. 
     In the present invention, in order to assemble an optical fiber and an optical component, a precise guide structure, which is integrally formed on one surface of a package, serves as an optical bench, and thus the assembly can have high accuracy without misalignment. 
     Further, in the present invention, an optical device and a driving chip are packaged without using a substrate in a Fan Out Wafer Level Package (FOWLP) manner using a semiconductor manufacturing process, so that an optical device module can be realized in ultra-compact size of 1/16 or so of the conventional art. 
     In addition, in the present invention, an optical fiber assembly channel having an open structure is integrally formed in an optical device module in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type, so that an optical engine can be packaged into a single chip or a single device. 
     In the present invention, an optical fiber assembly channel of a pick-and-place type package may have a structure capable of automating an optical fiber assembly. 
     In addition, the present invention can provide an active optical cable (AOC) assembly (such as an optical interface connector) capable of transmitting and receiving a large amount of data at a very high speed and being slimmed with a thickness of 1 mm. 
     In the present invention, a physically detachable coupling can be provided to a mating port of a terminal, and electrical I/O interfacing or optical interfacing can be performed through an interface provided at the mating port. 
     In addition, in the present invention, an external connection terminal made of a solder ball is provided and ultra-high-speed and high-capacity data transfer can be performed between a PCB and another PCB, between a chip and another chip, between a PCB and a chip, and between a PCB and a peripheral device. 
     A connector plug according to the present invention can be packaged in a form of a system-in-package (SiP), a system-on-chip (SoC), a system-on-board (SoB), and a package-on-package (PoP), as a transponder chip having both an electro-optic conversion function and a photo-electric conversion function. 
     In addition, in the present invention, an active optical cable (AOC) can implement an external connection terminal to meet the data transmission standard specification such as a mini display port, a standard display port, a mini universal serial bus (USB), a standard USB, a PCI Express (PCIe), IEEE 1394 Firewire, Thunderbolt, lightning, high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), QSEP, SFP, CFP, or the like. 
     The present invention solves a problem that an alignment accuracy is deteriorated when a chip is drifted out of an intended position in a molding process, in the case of using an optical device module in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type, and may use an edge emitting laser diode in which light is radiated in a lateral direction, not a vertical direction, in an optical device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an optical communication system constructed using an active optical cable (AOC) assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A through 2C  are a plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a side view, respectively, showing a connector plug in which an optical device, an optical component, and an optical fiber are mounted on one surface of an optical device module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical device, an optical component, an AWG, and an optical fiber are mounted on one surface of an optical device module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5A through 5C  are a plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a side view, respectively, illustrating a connector plug according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional view of a connector plug showing a modified example of a conductive path between an optical device and an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6B and 6C  are cross-sectional views of a connector plug showing a modified example of a conductive path having a heat dissipation function between an optical device and an optical device module according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a connector plug having a conductive path between an optical component and an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical waveguide is integrally formed on one surface of an optical device module according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of a connector plug for mounting an optical fiber without forming an optical fiber alignment guide member on one surface of an optical device module according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of a connector plug for mounting an optical fiber using an optical fiber mounting block on one surface of an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical device, a ball type optical component, and an optical fiber are mounted without AWG on one surface of an optical device module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 12A through 12H  are cross-sectional views of processes for illustrating a method of fabricating an optical device module of a connector plug according to the first embodiment of the present invention in an Fan Out Wafer Level package (FOWLP) method. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience. 
     Due to the price of devices that convert electrical signals to optical signals and vice versa, optical communication systems are typically used as backbones in networks. However, optical communication systems can provide various advantages in computer communications. Computer communications refers to communications ranging from a few centimeters to hundreds of centimeters. 
     The present invention provides systems applicable to computer communications as well as an optical communication system used for optical communication between a terminal and another terminal which are located at a long distance from each other. 
     The optical system may use a semiconductor package that connects an optical fiber to an optical engine. An optoelectronic device is a light emitting device or a light receiving device. An example of a light emitting device is a distributed feedback laser (DFB). An example of a light receiving device is a photodiode (PD). 
     A driving circuit (i.e., a driving chip or optical IC) is used to operate according to an optical element. For example, a photodiode operates with a trans-impedance amplifier to amplify an electrical signal due to a collision of photons on the photodiode. When the optoelectronic device is a light emitting device, the drive circuit is used to drive the light emitting device. 
     In the present invention, a slim optical device module can be implemented by packaging an optical device and a driving chip by using a fan-out technology of withdrawing input/output (I/O) terminals thereby increasing I/O terminals, that is, a Fan Out Wafer Level Package (FOWLP) technology, when a driving circuit (such as a driving chip) operating according to an optoelectronic element is integrated without wire-bonding using a flip chip package technology together with the optoelectronic device, while devices are integrated without using a substrate. 
     In addition, various alignment techniques are used to align optoelectronic devices (such as optical devices) with optical fibers assembled in an embedded semiconductor package (optical device module). The optical device module undergoes a manufacturing process using a semiconductor process in units of wafers. Subsequently, an optical fiber alignment guide member and an optical component alignment guide for respectively mounting the optical fiber and the optical component are integrally formed on one surface of the optical device module. Then, the optical device and the optical component are fixed by pick-and-place, and an optical connector plug capable of fixing the optical fiber and the optical component by a dicing process individually separating the optical device and the optical component is obtained in a semiconductor package type. 
     Moreover, an optical component alignment guide member and an optical component alignment guide required for assembling an optical device and an optical component are integrally formed on an optical device module wafer. By assembling the optical device and the optical component, the alignment between the optical device and the optical component and the alignment between the optical component and the optical fiber can be made without misalignment even if an inexpensive passive alignment technology is used without using the active alignment. 
     In the following detailed description, an optical engine can refer to an optical device provided therein, and an optical fiber can refer to an optical fiber line in which a coating layer is removed from the optical fiber. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an optical communication system constructed using an active optical cable (AOC) assembly according to the present invention. 
     The optical communication system  1  enables optical communication by interconnecting first and second terminals  10  and  20  to have first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  at respective ends. An optical cable  300   a  having optical fibers therein is connected between the second connector plugs  100  and  200 . 
     Here, the first and second terminals  10  and  20  may each be one of a desktop or laptop computer, a notebook, an Ultrabook, a tablet, a netbook, or a number of computing devices not included therein. 
     In addition to computing devices, the first and second terminals  10  and  20  may include many other types of electronic devices. Other types of electronic devices may include, for example, smartphones, media devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), ultra mobile personal computers, multimedia devices, memory devices, cameras, voice recorders, I/O devices, a server, a set-top box, a printer, a scanner, a monitor, an entertainment control unit, a portable music player, a digital video recorder, a networking device, a game machine, and a gaming console. 
     The first and second terminals  10  and  20  are connected to each other through the optical communication system according to the present invention and first and second mating ports  12  and  22  which are physically coupled to the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  so as to be capable of performing interfacing are installed, in numbers of at least one, in housings  11  and  21  which are provided in the first and second terminals  10  and  20 , respectively. 
     The first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  may support communications via an optical interface. In addition, the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  may support communications via an electrical interface. 
     In some exemplary embodiments, the first terminal  10  may include a first server having a plurality of processors, and the second terminal  20  may include a second server having a plurality of processors. 
     In these embodiments, the first server may be interconnected with the second server by means of the connector plug  100  and the mating port  12 . In another embodiment, the first terminal  10  may include a set-top box, the second terminal  20  may include a television (TV), and vice versa. Also, the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  and the first and second mating ports  12  and  22  described herein may be one of a number of embodiments. 
     Also, the second terminal  20  may be a peripheral I/O device. 
     The first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  may be configured to engage with the first and second mating ports  12  and  22  of the first and second terminals  10  and  20 , respectively. 
     The first and second mating ports  12  and  22  may also have one or more optical interface components. In this case, the first mating port  12  may be coupled to an I/O device and may include processing and/or terminal components for transferring optical signals (or optical and electrical signals) between a processor  13  and the port  12 . The signal transfer may include generation and conversion to or reception of optical signals and conversion to electrical signals. 
     The processors  13  and  23  provided in the first and second terminals  10  and  20  may process electrical and/or optical I/O signals, and one or more of the processors  13  and  23  may be used. The processors  13  and  23  may be a microprocessor, a programmable logic device or array, a microcontroller, a signal processor, or a combination comprising some or all of these. 
     The first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  may include first and second optical engines  110  and  210  in the connector plugs and the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  may be referred to as active optical connectors or active optical receptacles and active optical plugs. 
     Generally, such an active optical connector can be configured to provide a physical connection interface to the mating connector and optical assembly. The optical assembly may also be referred to as a “sub-assembly.” The assembly may refer to a finished product or a completed system or subsystem of an article of manufacture, but the sub-assembly may generally be combined with other components or other subassemblies to complete the sub-assembly. However, subassemblies are not distinguished from “assemblies,” herein, and references to assemblies can be referred to as subassemblies. 
     The first and second optical engines  110  and  210  may include any devices configured to generate and/or receive and process an optical signal according to various tasks. 
     In an embodiment, the first and second optical engines  110  and  210  may include at least one of a laser diode for generating an optical signal, an optical integrated circuit (IC) for controlling the optical interfacing of the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200 , and a photodiode for receiving an optical signal. In some embodiments, the optical IC may be configured to control the laser diode and the photodiode, drive the laser diode, and/or amplify the optical signal from the photodiode. In particular, in the present invention, the laser diode includes an edge light emitting laser diode in which light is emitted in a lateral direction rather than a vertical direction. 
     In one embodiment, the first and second optical engines  110  and  210  may be configured to process optical signals according to one or more communication protocols or in correspondence thereto. In embodiments where the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  are configured to transmit optical and electrical signals, optical and electrical interfaces may be required to operate in accordance with the same protocol. 
     Depending on whether the first and second optical engines  110  and  210  process signals in accordance with the protocol of the electrical I/O interface, or process signals in accordance with another protocol or standard, the first and second optical engines  110  and  210  may be configured or programmed for the intended protocol in a particular connector, or various optical engines may be configured for the various protocols. 
     In one embodiment, a photodiode, or a component having a photodiode circuit, can be considered as a photonic terminal component because the photodiode converts an optical signal into an electrical signal. The laser diode may be configured to convert an electrical signal to an optical signal. The optical IC may be configured to drive the laser diode based on a signal to be optically transmitted by driving the laser diode to an appropriate voltage to generate an output for generating the optical signal. The optical IC may be configured to amplify the signal from the photodiode. The optical IC may be configured to receive, interpret, and process an electrical signal generated by the photodiode. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, an I/O complex (not shown) may be provided to transmit an optical signal (or an optical signal and an electrical signal) between processors  13  and  23  and mating ports  12  and  22 . The I/O complex can accommodate at least one I/O wiring which is constructed to control at least one I/O link which allows the processor  13  and  23  to communicate with the first and second terminals  10  and  20  via the first and second optical engines  110  and  210  of the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200 . The I/O wiring may be configured to provide the ability to transmit one or more types of data packets of a communication protocol. 
     Various communication protocols or standards may be used in embodiments of the present invention. The communications protocols meet the data transmission standard such as a mini display port, a standard display port, a mini universal serial bus (USB), a standard USB, a PCI Express (PCIe), an IEEE 1394 Firewire, a Thunderbolt, a lightning, and a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     Each different standard may have a different configuration or a pin arrangement (pin out) for an electrical contact assembly. In addition, the size, shape and configuration of the connector may be subject to a standard that includes tolerances for mating of the mating connectors. Thus, the layout of connectors for integrating optical I/O assemblies may differ in various standards. 
     Physically detachable coupling may be made between the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  and the mating ports  12  and  22  of the first and second terminals  10  and  20 , and electrical I/O interfacing or optical interfacing may be accomplished via an interface provided at the mating ports  12  and  22 . 
     In addition, in another embodiment described later, the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  are not physically detachably coupled with the mating ports  12  and  22 , but an external connection terminal made of a solder ball may be fixedly coupled to the main board including the processors  13  and  23 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the active optical cable (AOC) assembly of the present invention, in which the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  are connected to both ends of the optical cable  300   a , can be applied when the high-speed and large-capacity data transmission is needed by interconnecting each other, for example, between a PCB and another PCB, between a chip and another chip, between a chip and a PCB, between a board and a peripheral device, and between a terminal body and a peripheral I/O device. 
     In the optical communication system  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the optical communication is performed between the first and second terminals  10  and  20 , the first and second connector plugs  100  and  200  provided at respective ends can be configured in the same manner. Accordingly, the first connector plug  100 , that is, the active optical cable (AOC) assembly, to be coupled with the first terminal  100  will be described in detail below. 
       FIGS. 2A through 2C  are a plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a side view, respectively, showing a connector plug in which an optical device, an optical component, and an optical fiber are mounted on one surface of an optical device module according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A to 2C , a connector plug  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: an optical device module (package)  101  having an optical IC  140  for driving an optical device  130  therein; the optical device (light emission or light reception) provided on one surface of the optical device module  101 ; an optical component  500  installed on one surface of the optical device module  101  to process a signal generated from the optical device  130  or change an optical path; an optical fiber alignment guide member  400  which is installed on one surface of the optical device module  101  and has an optical fiber insertion channel on which a plurality of optical fibers  300  are mounted; and conductive path members  125   a ,  125   b , and  127  formed on one surface of the optical device module  101  to electrically connect an internal device and the optical device  130 . 
     The connector plug according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C  includes the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  which are integrally formed to align and mount the optical fiber  300  and the optical component  500 , respectively, on one surface of the optical device module  101 . 
     The optical device module  101  may include the active optical engine  110  configured to actively generate and/or receive and process optical signals. The optical engine  110  may include an optical device  130  for generating an optical signal or receiving an optical signal, and an optical IC  140  for controlling an optical interface by controlling the optical device  130 . 
     In this case, the optical device  130  is integrated on one surface of the optical device module  101  in a mounting manner, and the optical IC  140  is partially molded inside the optical device module  101 . 
     In addition, the optical device module  101  may further include a processor (not shown), an encoder and/or a decoder  135 , a passive device such as R, L, and C, or a power related IC chip, which are required for signal processing in addition to the optical IC  140  as necessary. 
     The optical device  130  may include, for example, a laser diode for generating an optical signal and/or a photodiode for receiving an optical signal. In another embodiment, the optical IC  140  may be configured to control the laser diode and the photodiode. 
     In this case, the optical device  130  may be integrated on one surface of the optical device module  101  in a mounting manner, and may use an edge emitting laser diode in which light is emitted in a lateral direction rather than a vertical direction. 
     Furthermore, the optical device  130  may use a distributed feedback (DFB) laser having a resonator having a wavelength selectivity by allowing the optical waveguide to have a periodic structure. The DFB laser has the same light emitting principle as a normal semiconductor laser, but an uneven portion is installed in the light emitting portion, in order to equally make the wavelength of the light. As a result, the speed of the light transmitted through the optical fiber is also equal, so that the signal waveform does not collapse. 
     In another embodiment, the optical IC  140  may be configured to drive the laser diode and amplify an optical signal from the photodiode. 
     The optical device module  101  does not use a substrate, but integrates various components, for example, the optical IC  140  and the like, in the form of a flip chip, for example, and is molded by using an epoxy mold compound (EMC) to form a mold body  111 . As a result, the mold body  111  serves to safely protect the optical engine  110 , which is packaged after being integrated, from impact. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12D , in the optical device module  101 , a conductive vertical via  150  that is used for electrical interconnection with the external connection terminal  160  arranged on an outer surface of the optical element module  101 , is arranged in the vertical direction with respect to the mold body  111 . 
     In addition, the optical device module  101  may further include various components constituting the optical engine  110 , for example, an optical IC  140 , a processor (not shown), an encoder and/or a decoder  135 , a passive element such as R, L, C, or the like, or a power-related IC chip. 
     On top of the optical device module  101  are formed the vertical conductive path members  125   a  and  125   b  protecting the optical IC  140  and the connection pads  131  and  141  of the internal devices such as a processor (not shown), an encoder, and/or a decoder  135  and electrically connecting the internal device  130  to the optical device  130  exposed to the outside, and a wiring layer  120  for protecting a conductive wiring pattern  123   a  for interconnection between the encoder and/or decoder  135  and the optical IC  140 , and a conductive wiring pattern  123   b  interconnecting the optical IC  140  with the conductive vertical via  150  to each other. 
     In this case, the optical device  130  according to the first embodiment uses a chip having a structure in which two connection pads including an anode and a cathode are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the optical device  130 , respectively, and light enters and exits from the side surfaces. That is, the direction in which the light of the optical device  130  enters and exits is set in a direction opposite to the optical component  500  and the optical fiber  300 . 
     In the case of the optical device  130  of the first embodiment in which two connection pads composed of an anode and a cathode are formed on an upper surface and a lower surface of the optical device  130 , respectively, a connection pad (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the optical device  130  is connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   a , by a bonding wire  127 , and a connection pad (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the optical device  130  is directly connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   b  by using a solder ball or the like. 
     In the case of the optical device  130  according to the first embodiment, two connection pads composed of an anode and a cathode are formed on an upper surface and a lower surface of the optical device  130 , respectively, but are not limited thereto, for example, both of two connection pads composed of an anode and a cathode may be formed on the lower surface of the optical device  130 . Embodiments thereof will be described later. 
     The wiring layer  120  is provided with a conductive wiring pattern  123   a  for interconnecting the connection pads  131  and  141  arranged on the lower surfaces of the encoder and/or decoder  135  and the optical IC  140 , and a conductive wiring pattern  123   b  interconnecting the optical IC  140  and the conductive vertical via  150  in which the conductive wiring pattern  123   a  and the conductive wiring pattern  123   b  are buried in the wiring layer  120 . As a result, packaging can be achieved without wire-bonding. 
     The wiring layer  120  is made of the same material as a dielectric layer or a passivation layer, for example, polyimide, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), benzocyclobutene (BCB), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), acrylic, or other polymer-based insulating materials. In addition, the wiring layer  120  may be made of a transparent material as necessary. 
     The optical component  500  is installed in an optical component alignment guide groove  600  formed on one surface of the optical device module  101  to process an optical signal generated from the optical device  130  or to change an optical path, and may be implemented as an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) which performs an optical multiplexer (MUX) or demultiplexer (DEMUX) function. 
     The arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) transmits optical signals in both directions, acts as an optical multiplexer (MUX) when the optical device  130  transmits optical signals, and functions as a demultiplexer (DEMUX) when the optical device  130  receives optical signals. 
     In addition, the optical component  500  may be implemented as a modulator including Mach Zehnder, Ring, Thermal, etc. 
     To this end, the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) may be formed by patterning cores  510   a - 510   d  formed of a high refractive index polymer between lower and upper cladding layers  420 , in correspondence to the optical devices  130   a - 130   d.    
     In addition, the optical component  500  may include an optical attenuator or the like. 
     When the optical device  130  includes four channels using four edge light emitting lasers, the optical component  500 , that is, an AWG, is formed in four channels having four cores  510   a  to  510   d  corresponding thereto, and the four optical signals passing through the AWG are multiplexed to be transmitted through one optical fiber  300 . 
     The light beams having different wavelengths from the four optical devices  130  are optically multiplexed in the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) to be synthesized as one. 
     An optical fiber alignment guide member  400  is installed on one surface of the optical device module  101  and has an optical fiber insertion channel  410  through which the optical fiber  300  is mounted. 
     The optical fiber alignment guide member  400  serves as an alignment guide pattern for matching the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  and the core  520  of the optical component  500 . 
     The optical fiber alignment guide member  400  may be formed in wafer units on the surface of the optical device module  101  by photolithography using a polymer material. 
     The optical fiber  300  has a cladding  311  formed on the outer circumference of the core  310 , and the optical component  500 , that is, the AWG, includes a plurality of cores  510 - 510   d  and a cladding  520  surrounding the cores. When the core  510  has a structure of using a high refractive index material, and the cladding  520  has a structure in which a low refractive index material is arranged therein, total internal reflection is performed at the interface between the core  510  and the cladding  520 , so that light travels through the core  510 . 
     Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the optical device module  101  according to the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 12A to 12H . 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 12A , various chip-shaped components to be integrated into the optical device module  101  are attached to a predetermined position of a molding tape  30  in a flip chip process using the molding tape  30  having an adhesive layer (or a release tape)  32  formed on one surface of a molding frame  31 . 
     In this case, the molding tape  30  may be formed in a wafer shape so that the manufacturing process can be performed in a wafer level, as shown in  FIG. 12G . 
     Various components to be integrated in the optical device module  101  are the encoder and/or decoder  135 , the optical IC  140 , and a via PCB  153  required to form the conductive vertical via  150 , and are mounted in a pick-and-place manner. In this case, the processor may include a processor, a passive element such as R, L, C, etc. required for signal processing, or a power-related IC chip as necessary. The component to be mounted determines the mounting direction so that the connection pads of the chip are in contact with the molding tape  30 . 
     The via PCB  153  may form a through hole by penetrating a PCB with a laser or by using a patterning process and an etching process on the PCB, and fill the through hole with a conductive metal to thereby form the conductive vertical via  150 . The conductive metal may be formed of a metal such as gold, silver, or copper, but is not limited thereto and may be a conductive metal. In addition, the method of forming the conductive vertical via  150  in the through hole may include filling the through hole with the conductive metal by sputtering, evaporation, or plating, and then planarizing the surface of a substrate, in addition to the method of filling the conductive metal powder. 
     Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 12B , a molding layer  33  is formed on the molding tape  30  with, for example, an epoxy mold compound (EMC), and the surface is planarized after curing. Subsequently, the upper surface of the cured mold is subjected to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) treatment to expose the upper end of the conductive vertical via  150 , and then the cured mold and the molding frame  31  are separated to obtain the slim mold body  111  illustrated in  FIG. 12C . 
     Subsequently, the wiring layer  120  for inverting the obtained mold body  111 , protecting the connection pads  131  and  141  of the exposed encoder and/or decoder  135  and the optical IC  140 , and electrically connecting the connection pads  131  and  141  with each other is formed as shown in  FIG. 12D . 
     First, an insulating layer for protecting the connection pads  131  and  141  of the exposed encoder and/or decoder  135  and the optical IC  140  is first formed, and then contact windows for the connection pads  131  and  141  are formed. Subsequently, a conductive metal layer is formed and patterned to form a first wiring pattern  123   a  interconnecting the connection pads  131  and  141  and a second wiring pattern  123   b  interconnecting the optical IC  140  and the conductive vertical via  150 . 
     The first and second wiring patterns  123   a  and  123   b  are formed by forming a conductive metal layer by a method such as sputtering or evaporation using a conductive metal such as gold, silver, copper, or aluminum. 
     Thereafter, an insulating layer covering the first and second wiring patterns  123   a  and  123   b  is formed. 
     The insulation layer is made of polyimide, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), benzocyclobutene (BCB), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ), acrylic, or other polymer-based insulating materials. 
     Thereafter, in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 12E , the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  are simultaneously formed or independently formed on the wiring layer  120 . 
     When the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  are simultaneously formed, a lower cladding layer is formed on the surface of the wiring layer  120  by using a polymer of a low refractive index, and a core layer is formed by using a polymer of a high refractive index, and a plurality of core patterns are formed at intervals by patterning the lower cladding layer and the core layer. 
     Subsequently, an upper cladding layer is formed by applying a polymer having a low refractive index to cover the upper portion of the wiring layer  120  while surrounding the plurality of core patterns. Accordingly, an AWG, that is, an optical component  500 , in which a plurality of cores  510   a - 519   d  are buried, is integrally formed between the lower cladding layer and the upper cladding layer  420 . 
     Thereafter, when the lower and upper cladding layers  420  applied to form the optical component  500  are patterned as shown in  FIG. 2A , the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  having the optical fiber insertion channel  410  with the optical fiber  300  assembled in response to the optical component  500  are obtained as shown in  FIG. 12F . 
     Subsequently, when the optical component  500  is mounted on the optical component alignment guide groove  600  on the wiring layer  120 , the wiring layer  120  is etched to form the optical component alignment guide groove  600  between the optical devices  130   a - 130   d  and the optical fiber alignment guide member  400 . In this case, it is possible to form optical device alignment guide grooves  132 - 132   d  required to mount the optical devices  130   a  to  130   d.    
     After forming a window exposed to the outside through the insulating layer from the connection pad  141  of the optical IC  140  to connect the optical IC  140  and the optical device  130 , the first and second vertical conductive path members  125   a  and  125   b  are formed as shown in  FIG. 12G . 
     In this case, a solder ball or the like required for connection with a connection pad (not illustrated) formed on the lower surface of the optical device  130  may be formed on the surface of the second vertical conductive path member  125   b  in advance. 
     Subsequently, a conductive metal is deposited on the upper portion of the exposed conductive vertical via  150  to form a metal layer, and then patterned to form a plurality of conductive strips satisfying one of the data transmission standards to thus form an external connection terminal  160 . 
     The external connection terminal  160  may be variously modified according to the data transmission standard, or may be formed in the form of solder balls or metal bumps. 
     In the above embodiment, a method of integrating the via PCB  153  into the optical device module  101  by a flip chip process in order to form the conductive vertical via  150  is provided, but it is also possible to form a conductive vertical via  150  after manufacturing the mold body  111 . 
     The optical device module  101  according to an embodiment of the present invention may be packaged in a slim form by packaging the optical IC  140  without using a substrate in a Fan Out Wafer Level Package (FOWLP) manner using a semiconductor manufacturing process. 
     The connector plug  100  of the present invention is manufactured through a manufacturing process for forming a system-in-package (SIP) type wafer  102  using a semiconductor process on a wafer-by-wafer basis, as shown in  FIG. 12D , for subsequently forming the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  for mounting the optical fiber  300 , and the optical device alignment guide grooves  132  (that is,  132   a - 132   d ) and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  which are necessary for respectively mounting the optical devices  130  (that is,  130   a - 130   d ), and the optical component  500  as shown in  FIG. 12G , and for forming the vertical conductive path members  125   a  and  125   b  required to connect the optical IC  140  and the optical devices  130   a  to  130   d.    
     Subsequently, when the optical devices (light emitting or light receiving)  130  are mounted into the optical element alignment guide grooves  132  (that is,  132   a - 132   d ) using a solder ball or the like, are connected by the bonding wires  127  between the vertical conductive path member  125   a  and the connection pads (not illustrated) formed on the upper surfaces of the optical devices  130 , and the optical component  500  is mounted into the optical component alignment guide groove  600 , to thereby obtain the form of a wafer as shown in  FIG. 12H . 
     Subsequently, an optical engine package, that is, an optical connector plug  100 , which can fix a plurality of the optical fibers  300  by a dicing process of sawing and separately separating the wafer  102 , is manufactured in a semiconductor package type. 
     An open optical fiber insertion channel  410  to which the optical fiber  300  is assembled as shown in  FIG. 2A  is formed on one surface of the optical connector plug  100  obtained as described above. 
     The connector plug  100  according to the first embodiment of the present invention uses an edge light emitting laser diode, which is integrated on one surface of the optical device module  101  as the optical device  130  and emits light in a lateral direction. In the connector plug  100 , the optical devices (light emitting or light receiving)  130  and an optical component  500  for processing an optical signal or changing an optical path are installed into the optical device alignment guide grooves  132  (that is,  132   a - 132   d ) and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  formed on one surface of the optical device module (package)  101  having the optical IC  140  for driving the optical devices  130 , and The optical fiber  300  is seated on the optical fiber insertion channel  410  formed in the optical fiber alignment guide member  400 . As a result, passive alignment of the core lines with respect to the optical devices (light emitting or light receiving)  130 , the optical component  500 , and the optical fiber  300  may be easily performed. 
     Moreover, the connector plug  100  of the present invention has high productivity by integrally forming the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  required for assembly of the optical fiber  300 , and the optical device alignment guide grooves  132  (that is,  132   a - 32   d ) and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  required for assembly/alignment of the optical devices (light emitting or light receiving)  130  and the optical component  500 , at a wafer level. 
     In addition, the optical device module  101  according to an embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured in a slim form of a thickness of 300 μm by packaging the optical IC  140  and the like without using a substrate in a Fan Out Wafer Level Package (FOWLP) manner using a semiconductor manufacturing process. An assembly of the optical component  500  for the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  and the optical component alignment guide groove  600  formed on one surface of the optical device module  101  may be implemented to a thickness of 150 μm. As a result, the overall thickness of the connector plug  100  may be slimly implemented to be less than 0.5 mm. 
     In the present invention, the assembly of the optical device module  101 , the optical fiber  300 , and the optical component  500  has a simple structure capable of being coupled through an assembly process of a minimum number of constructional parts. 
     In the present invention, although the individual optical component  500  is used by integrally forming the optical fiber assembly channel  410  having an open structure on one surface of the optical device module  101  using the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  and then assembling the optical fiber  300  with the optical fiber assembly channel  410 , the alignment between the optical device  130  and the optical component  500  and the alignment between the optical component  500  and the optical fiber  300  may have high accuracy without misalignment by using a passive alignment technique. 
     As a result, the connector plug of the present invention includes the optical fiber assembly channel  410  having an open structure integrally formed in the optical device module  101  in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type, and thus the optical engines can be packaged into one chip or a single device, and large amounts of data can be transmitted and received at high speed, and can be manufactured at low cost while implementing a small yet slim structure with a thickness of one (1) mm thick. 
     In the first embodiment of the present invention, the optical device  130 , which is composed of four edge light emitting laser diodes, four cores  510 , that is,  510   a - 510   d  of an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), and the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  are assembled to the optical device module  101 . However, The present invention may be applied to a quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP), a quad small form-factor pluggable plus (QSFP+), a quad small form-factor pluggable 2B (QSFP2B), and the like as the number of channels is increased. 
     In a first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , the optical device  130 , the four cores  510 , that is,  510   a  to  510   d  of the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), and the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  are formed on a lower side of the optical device module  101 . Accordingly, the depth of the optical fiber assembly channel  410  is deeply set so that the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  is located below the optical fiber assembly channel  410  formed in the optical fiber alignment guide member  400 . 
     In a connector plug according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the optical device  130 , the four cores  510 , that is,  510   a  to  510   d  of the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), and the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  are formed on an upper side of the optical device module  101 . Accordingly, there is a difference in that the depth of the optical fiber assembly channel  410  is shallowly set so that the core  310  of the optical fiber  300  is located above the optical fiber assembly channel  410  formed in the optical fiber alignment guide member  400 . Since the remaining portion is the same as that as the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical device, an optical component, an AWG, and an optical fiber are mounted on one surface of an optical device module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 5A through 5C  are a plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a side view, respectively, showing a connector plug in which an optical device, an optical component, and an optical fiber are mounted on one surface of an optical device module according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     A connector plug according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes: an optical device module (package)  101  having an optical IC  140  for driving an optical device  130  therein; the optical device (light emission or light reception) provided on one surface of the optical device module  101 ; an optical component  500  installed on one surface of the optical device module  101  to process a signal generated from the optical device  130  or change an optical path; an optical fiber alignment guide member  400  which is installed on one surface of the optical device module  101  and has an optical fiber insertion channel through which a plurality of optical fibers  300  are mounted; and conductive path members  125   a ,  125   b , and  127  formed on one surface of the optical device module  101  to electrically connect an internal device and the optical device  130 . 
     The connector plug according to the second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that an AWG is used as the optical component  500 , and a ball-shaped lens  250  is inserted between the optical device (light emitting or light receiving)  130  and the optical component  500 , but the remaining portion of the former are the same as that of the latter. 
     The ball-shaped lens  250  may be formed simultaneously with the formation of the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  on the surface of the optical device module (package)  101  using a photolithography method. 
     The ball-shaped lens  250  may be formed in the form of a convex lens or a concave lens to prevent the laser generated from the light emitting optical light device  130  from being dispersed and focus the laser to the cores  510 , that is,  510   a - 510   d  of the optical component  500 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , when ball-shaped lenses  250   a  to  250   d  are formed in four recesses  210   a  to  210   d  formed between the four optical devices  130   a  to  130   d  and the four cores  510 , that is,  510   a  to  510   d  of the AWG, optical lines L may be easily aligned between four optical devices  130   a - 130   d , four lenses  250   a - 250   d , and four inlet-side cores  510 , that is,  510   a - 510   d  of the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). In addition, the optical component  500 , that is, the outlet-side core of the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), may be easily passively aligned with the core  310  of the optical fiber  300 . 
     Since the remaining portion of the second embodiment is the same as that as the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates a connector plug showing a modified example of a conductive path between an optical device and an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the first embodiment, the bonding wire  127  is connected between the vertical conductive path member  125   a  and the connection pad (not shown) formed on an upper surface of the optical device  130  to connect the optical IC  140  and the optical device  130 , and the connection pad (not shown) formed on a lower surface of the optical device  130  is directly connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   b  using a solder ball or the like. 
     The connector plug according to a modified example shown in  FIG. 6A  uses a package chip in which two connection pads made of an anode and a cathode are formed on a lower surface of the optical device  130 . 
     Solder balls or the like are respectively formed in advance on the first and second vertical conductive path members  125   a  and  125   b  so that the two connection pads arranged on the lower surface of the optical device  130  are directly connected to the first and second vertical conductive path members  125   a  and  125   b . Using this, the optical device  130  is mounted on the optical device module (package)  101 . 
     Since the remaining portion of the modified example is the same as that as the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIGS. 6B and 6C  are cross-sectional views of a connector plug showing a modified example of a conductive path having a heat dissipation function between an optical device and an optical device module according to the present invention. 
     In the first embodiment, the bonding wire  127  is connected between the vertical conductive path member  125   a  and the connection pad (not shown) formed on an upper surface of the optical device  130  to connect the optical IC  140  and the optical device  130 , and the connection pad (not shown) formed on a lower surface of the optical device  130  is directly connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   b  using a solder ball or the like. 
     In the connector plug illustrated in  FIG. 6B  according to a modified example, the bonding wire  127  is connected between the vertical conductive path member  125   a  and the connection pad (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the optical device  130 , and instead of connecting the connection pad (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the optical device  130  to the optical IC  140  through the vertical conductive path member  125   b , the connection pad is processed to be exposed to the other side of the optical device module (package)  101  through first and second layer heat dissipation vertical vias  151  and  153 . 
     The first layer heat dissipation vertical via  151  is integrally formed when the optical device module (package)  101  is formed, and the second layer heat dissipation vertical via  153  is formed on the first layer heat dissipation vertical via  151  before the optical device  130  is mounted after the wiring layer  120  has been formed. 
     The first and second layer heat dissipation vertical vias  151  and  153  may be formed in a manner similar to that of the conductive vertical via  150 , and may be implemented in such a manner that a metal having excellent conductivity and thermal conductivity is plated through a through hole or a conductive powder is filled in the through hole. 
     Since the first and second layer heat dissipation vertical vias  151  and  153  are formed through the optical device module (package)  101 , the heat generated from the optical device  130  can be easily emitted to the outside. 
     The connector plug shown in  FIG. 6C  according to a modified example is a type in which the optical IC  140  is not embedded in the optical device module (package)  101 , the connection pad (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the optical device  130  is connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   a , by a bonding wire  127 , the vertical conductive path member  125   a  is connected to the external connection terminal  160  through the conductive vertical via  150 , and the connection pad (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the optical device  130  is processed to be exposed to the other side of the optical device module (package)  101  through the first and second layer heat dissipation vertical vias  151  and  153 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6B and 6C , the connector plug showing a modified example of the illustrated conductive path has a heat dissipation function through the first and second layer heat dissipation vertical vias  151  and  153 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a connector plug having a modified example of a conductive path between an optical component and an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the first embodiment, the bonding wire  127  is connected between the vertical conductive path member  125   a  and the connection pad (not shown) formed on an upper surface of the optical device  130  to connect the optical IC  140  and the optical device  130 , and the connection pad (not shown) formed on a lower surface of the optical device  130  is directly connected to the vertical conductive path member  125   b  using a solder ball or the like. 
     The connector plug shown in  FIG. 7  shows a modified example having a conductive path between the optical component  500  and the optical device module  101  by using a wiring pattern  123   a  extending inside the wiring layer  120  from the vertical conductive path member  125   b  connected to the optical device  130 . 
     When the optical component  500  is an active optical device, a plurality of connection pads (not shown) may be provided on a lower surface thereof, and electrical connection may be made between the connection pad and the wiring pattern  123   a  through the vertical conductive path members  129   a  and  129   b.    
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical waveguide is integrally formed on one surface of an optical device module according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     The optical component  500 , that is, an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), may include a pre-manufactured component assembled to the optical device module  101  or may be integrally formed in the optical device module  101  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     When the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  is formed, as described above, a lower cladding layer is formed on the surface of the wiring layer  120  by using a polymer of a low refractive index, and a core layer is formed by using a polymer of a high refractive index, and a plurality of core patterns are formed at intervals by patterning the lower cladding layer and the core layer. 
     Subsequently, an upper cladding layer is formed by applying a polymer having a low refractive index to cover the upper portion of the wiring layer  120  while surrounding the plurality of core patterns. Accordingly, an AWG, that is, an optical component  500 , in which a plurality of cores  510   a - 519   d  are buried, may be integrally formed between the lower cladding layer and the upper cladding layer  420 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of a connector plug for mounting an optical fiber without forming an optical fiber alignment guide member on one surface of an optical device module according to the present invention. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the optical fiber alignment guide member  400  is formed to mount the optical fiber  300 . However, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the optical fiber  300  may be mounted on the wiring layer  120  without forming the optical fiber alignment guide member  400 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of a connector plug for mounting an optical fiber using an optical fiber mounting block on one surface of an optical device module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The connector plug according to the present invention can be easily mounted using an optical fiber accommodation block  320  having an optical fiber receiving groove  321  having formed therein when the optical fiber  300  is mounted on one side of the optical device module  101 . 
     That is, when the optical fiber  300  is inserted into the optical fiber receiving groove  321  of the optical fiber mounting block  320 , and the optical fiber mounting block  320  is mounted on one surface of the optical device module  101 , the optical fiber  300  can be easily mounted. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connector plug in which an optical device, a ball type optical component, and an optical fiber are mounted without AWG on one surface of an optical device module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     The connector plug according to the fourth embodiment includes an optical device  130 , a ball type lens  250 , an optical component  500  (i.e., AWG), and an optical fiber  300  which are mounted on the optical device module  101 . 
     In the connector plug according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the optical device  130 , the ball type lens  250 , and the optical fiber  300  may be mounted on one surface of the optical device module  101  without the AWG. 
     Further, an isolator may be installed between the ball type lens  250  and the optical fiber  300  to prevent the laser emitted from the optical device  130  from being reflected and fed back as needed. 
     In the above description of the embodiment, the first connector plug connected to one end of the optical cable  300   a  has been described, but a second connector plug connected to the other end of the optical cable  300   a  may also have the same configuration. However, when the optical element of the optical engine included in the first connector plug uses a laser diode that generates an optical signal, the optical element of the optical engine included in the second connector plug uses a photodiode that receives an optical signal. In this matter, there is a difference between the first connector plug and the second first connector plug. 
     The connector plug according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an external connection terminal  160  in the form of a plurality of conductive strips, solder balls, or metal bumps that meet one of the data transmission standards so as to interconnect a terminal with another terminal while forming an active optical cable (AOC). 
     In addition, the external connection terminal  160  of the connector plug may be variously modified in addition to the data transmission standard. 
     When the external connection terminal  160  is formed of a plurality of conductive strips, the connector plug  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the case where the connector plug  100  is physically attached to and detached from the mating port  12  of the terminal  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The case where the external connection terminal  160  is formed in the form of solder balls or metal bumps may be applied to: a board-to-board interconnection between a board (PCB) and another board (PCB), a chip-to-chip interconnection between a chip and another chip, a board-to-chip interconnection between a board and a chip, or an on-board interconnection between a terminal main board and a peripheral I/O device, in one terminal. 
     In this case, the connector plug  100  is soldered and fixedly coupled to the conductive electrode pads formed on the board using solder balls or metal bumps as one chip instead of physically detachable coupling to the mating port  12 . 
     As described above, the omission of physical mating port-connector plug coupling results in on-board interconnection without going through electrical I/O interfacing or optical interfacing. 
     As a result, when on-board interconnections are made, the signal path is reduced to a minimum, to thereby reduce signal degradation and jitter, improve signal integrity, reduce data errors caused by parasitic current components in the signal path, and to reduce the overall board development effort, resulting in lower engineering costs. 
     The connector plug of the present invention may be connected on a board through an on-board interconnection. 
     An on-board interconnection structure in which a connector plug is mounted directly on a board is the case that an external connection terminal  160  of a connector plug  100  made of solder balls or metal bumps is fixedly coupled to a conductive electrode pad formed on a board  41  constituting, for example, a field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), a DSP, a controller, or the like. 
     That is, after matching the external connection terminal  160  made of solder balls or metal bumps with the conductive electrode pad formed on a board, the interconnection between the connector plug  100  and the board is made through a reflow process. In this case, the electrode pad of the board coupled to the solder ball of the external connection terminal  160  may be formed of, for example, a ball grid array (BGA), a quad flat non-leaded package (QFN), or the like. 
     The board may be, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB) used to configure an FPGA, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), or the like and a plurality of integrated circuit (IC) chips and electronic components may be mounted on the board. 
     FPGAs are generally applied in functional systems in a variety of fields, including digital signal processors (DSPs), early ASICs, software-defined radios, voice recognition, and machine learning systems. One or two connector plugs  100  may be directly coupled to the board, and may serve to directly connect these the functional systems to other functional boards (systems) or terminals through the optical cable  300   a , respectively. 
     Furthermore, a connector plug  100  or active optical cable (AOC) assembly having an external connection terminal  160  made of solder balls or metal bumps is transponder chip having both an electro-optical conversion function and an opto-electric conversion function. Integrated circuit (IC) chips having a plurality of different functions are integrated into a single package in a system-in-package (SiP) form, various functions are embedded in a single chip, including the connector plug  100  in the form of a system on chip (SOC), or the package may be made in the form of a system on board (SoB) or a package on package (PoP). 
     An integrated circuit (IC) chip or functional device that may be packaged together in the form of SiP, SoC, SoB or PoP may include: for example, as a processor having a signal processing function, an integrated circuit chip of a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), a digital signal processor (DSP), and an image signal processor (ISP), automotive electronic control units (ECUs) that require a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) for various multifunction processing, and integrated circuit chips (IC chips) such as autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI). 
     The present invention solves a problem that an alignment accuracy is deteriorated when a chip is drifted out of an intended position in a molding process, in the case of using an optical device module in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) type, and may use an edge emitting laser diode in which light is radiated in a lateral direction, not a vertical direction, in an optical device. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, by way of illustration and example only, it is clearly understood that the present invention is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the protective scope of the invention without departing off the spirit of the present invention. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention may configure an active optical cable (AOC) assembly using a connector plug capable of easily performing even passive alignment of optical components, and may be applied to an active optical cable (AOC) to be used for large-capacity data transmission between a board and another board, and between an UHDTV-class TV and a peripheral device at a high speed of several tens of giga to 100 giga.