Patent ID: 12248173

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments describe the features and advantages of the present disclosure in detail, but do not limit the scope of the present disclosure in any point of view. According to the description, claims, and drawings, a person ordinarily skilled in the art can easily understand the technical content of the present disclosure and implement it accordingly.

The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the relevant drawings. In the figures, the same reference numbers refer to the same or similar components or method flows.

It must be understood that the words “including”, “comprising” and the like used in this specification are used to indicate the existence of specific technical features, values, method steps, work processes, elements and/or components. However, it does not exclude that more technical features, values, method steps, work processes, elements, components, or any combination of the above can be added.

It must be understood that when an element is described as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to another element, and intermediate elements therebetween may be present. In contrast, when an element is described as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there is no intervening element therebetween.

Please refer toFIG.1toFIG.5, whereinFIG.1is a combination diagram of an optical module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is an exploded view of an embodiment of the optical module ofFIG.1,FIG.3is a partial perspective view of the optical module ofFIG.2,FIG.4is a sectional view of the optical module ofFIG.1taken along the line AA, andFIG.5is a block diagram of a circuit structure of an embodiment of the optical module ofFIG.1. As shown inFIG.1toFIG.5, the optical module1comprises a lower housing11, an upper housing12, a circuit board13, a first metal base14, a second metal base15, a silicon photonic chip16, a light emission module17, an electronic chip18, a heat-dissipating metal block19, receiving-end fibers21, transmitting-end fibers22, a connector23, a fiber head24and a laser driving chip25, wherein the light emission module17comprises a laser chip171and an optical path assembly172.

In this embodiment, the lower housing11and the upper housing12can be made of metal material, which is beneficial to realize electromagnetic shielding and heat dissipation. There are two light emission modules17, four receiving-end fibers21, and four transmitting-end fibers22, and one laser driving chip25can drive the laser chips171included in each of the two light emission modules17at the same time. However, this embodiment is not intended to limit the present disclosure. The number of the receiving-end fibers21and the transmitting-end fibers22can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the laser driving chip25can also drive the laser chip171included in the light emission module17in a one-to-one manner.

In this embodiment, the upper housing12covers the lower housing11; the first metal base14is disposed on the side S1of the upper housing12facing the lower housing11; and the second metal base15is disposed on the side S2of the lower housing11facing the upper housing12. The circuit board13is disposed on the second metal base15, and the circuit board13is provided with a hollow region131, so that part of the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131. In addition, one end of the circuit board13protruding from the inside of the optical module1is an electrical interface132, such as a gold finger, which is electrically connected to a host computer (not drawn) such as an optical network unit and an optical line terminal, and is configured to transmit the electrical signal. The two light emission modules17are dispersedly disposed on the first metal base14and the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131. The laser chip171included in each of the two light emission modules17is electrically connected to the laser driving chip25disposed on the circuit board13, and the laser driving chip25provide driving current to the laser chip171included in each of the two light emission modules17, so that the laser chips171included in the two light emission modules17respectively emit the third optical signal and the optical path assembly172guides the third optical signals to the silicon photonic chip16. The third optical signals provided by the two light emission modules17can be optical signals of the same wavelength or different wavelengths, and the type of the silicon photonic chip16can be selected according to whether the third optical signals provided by the two light emission modules17respectively are optical signals of the same wavelength. For example, when the third optical signals provided by the two light emission modules17are optical signals of different wavelengths, the silicon photonic chip with a demultiplexer and/or a multiplexer can be selected to facilitate the processing and transmission of subsequent optical signals. The type of the actual silicon photonic chip16can be selected according to actual needs.

In this embodiment, the silicon photonic chip16is disposed on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131and is electrically connected to the circuit board13. The silicon photonic chip16is configured to modulate the third optical signal output from the light emission module17based on the electrical signal from the electronic chip18, and then transmit the modulated third optical signal (i.e., the first optical signal) to the information processing equipment such as routers, switches, and electronic computers (not drawn) through the four transmitting-end fibers22, the fiber head24and the connector23in sequence; and receive the second optical signal from the information processing device through the connector23, the fiber head24and the four receiving-end fibers21in sequence, and then convert the second optical signal into an electrical signal and transmit the electrical signal to the electronic chip18. The electronic chip18is disposed on the circuit board13, and is configured to transmit the electrical signal from the silicon photonic chip16to the host computer, and transmit the electrical signal from the host computer to the silicon photonic chip16. In addition, in order to reduce the loss of electrical signal transmission between the silicon photonic chip16and the electronic chip18, the silicon photonic chip16disposed on the second metal base15and the electronic chip18disposed on the circuit board13are located in the same plane. The heat-dissipating metal block19is disposed on the electronic chip18and is in contact with the upper housing12to transfer the heat energy generated by the electronic chip18to the upper housing12for heat dissipation.

It should be noted that, in order to reduce the wire length between the silicon photonic chip16and the circuit board13, the installation height of the silicon photonic chip16can be adjusted through the second metal base15, so that the silicon photonic chip16and the circuit board13can be located at the same height as possible. In addition, there are two light emission modules17inFIG.1toFIG.4, and the first metal base14inFIG.1toFIG.4is a U-shaped housing with the opening at one end for the laser driving chip25providing the driving current to the laser chip171of the light emission modules17, and the opening at the other end for transmitting the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the silicon photonic chip16, and covers part of the light emission module17, so that it is difficult to describe the positions of the laser chips171and the optical path assemblies172included in the two light emission modules17and the optical path of the third optical signals through the drawings inFIG.1toFIG.4. In the following description ofFIG.5toFIG.8, the positions of the laser chip171and the optical path assembly172included in the single light emission module17and the optical path of the third optical signal are used as examples for description. Those skilled in the art can derive and apply this to the embodiment in which the light module1comprises a plurality of light emission modules17.

Please refer toFIG.6, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a first embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. As shown inFIG.6, the laser chip171is disposed on the first metal base14for emitting a third optical signal as shown by the thick arrow on the figure; and the components of the optical path assembly172are distributed on the first metal base14and the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131, and the optical path assembly172is configured to guide the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the silicon photonic chip16. The optical path assembly172may sequentially comprise a first lens1721, an optical isolator1722, a mirror assembly1723and a second lens1724along the optical path of the third optical signal, wherein the laser chip171, the first lens1721and the optical isolator1722are disposed on the first side S3of the first metal base14facing the circuit board13, and the mirror assembly1723and the second lens1724are disposed on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131. The first lens1721is configured to converge the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171into the optical isolator1722; the optical isolator1722is configured to prevent the return of the third optical signal passing therethrough; the mirror assembly1723is configured to reflect the third optical signal from the optical isolator1722twice and then incident on the second lens1724, wherein each reflection is to turn the optical path of the third optical signal by 90 degrees; and the second lens1724is configured to converge the third optical signal into the silicon photonic chip16.

Specifically, in the embodiment ofFIG.6, the mirror assembly1723comprises a first reflection unit1723aand a second reflection unit1723b, and a reflection surface R1of the first reflection unit1723aand a reflection surface R2of the second reflection unit1723bare parallel to each other. Therefore, when the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171along a first direction D1passes through the first lens1721and the optical isolator1722and is incident on the first reflection unit1723a, the reflection surface R1of the first reflection unit1723areflects the incident third optical signal to the second reflection unit1723balong a second direction D2perpendicular to the first direction D1, and the reflection surface R2of the second reflection unit1723breflects the incident third optical signal to the second lens1724along the first direction D1, and the second lens1724converges the third optical signal into the silicon photonic chip16. The first reflection unit1723aand the second reflection unit1723bmay be right-angle isosceles reflecting prisms, the first direction D1may be the rightward horizontal direction of the drawing ofFIG.6, and the second direction D2may be the downward vertical direction of the drawing ofFIG.6.

It should be noted that, when there is a plurality of the light emission modules17, the mirror assemblies1723included in the plurality of the light emission modules17are integrated into a reflection structure17230as shown inFIG.3, which is beneficial to reduce the space required for disposing a plurality of light emission modules17. In addition, when there is a plurality of the light emission modules17, the third optical signals provided by the plurality of the light emission modules17to the silicon photonic chip16may be optical signals of the same wavelength or different wavelengths.

Please refer toFIG.7, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a second embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. The difference between the embodiment ofFIG.7and the embodiment ofFIG.6is that the reflection surface R1of the first reflection unit1723aand the reflection surface R2of the second reflection unit1723bare modified to be perpendicular to each other. Therefore, when the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171along the first direction D1passes through the first lens1721and the optical isolator1722and is incident on the first reflection unit1723a, the reflection surface R1of the first reflection unit1723areflects the incident third optical signal to the second reflection unit1723balong the second direction D2perpendicular to the first direction D1, and the reflection surface R2of the second reflection unit1723breflects the incident third optical signal to the second lens1724along a third direction D3opposite to the first direction D1, and the second lens1724converges the third optical signal into the silicon photonic chip16. The third direction D3may be the leftward horizontal direction of the drawing ofFIG.7, the second direction D2may be the downward vertical direction of the drawing ofFIG.7, and the first direction D1may be the rightward horizontal direction of the drawing ofFIG.7.

It should be noted that the relative position between the first metal base14and the second metal base15needs to be adjusted based on the optical path design ofFIG.7. If the projections of the first metal base14and the second metal base15on the horizontal direction inFIG.7overlap, the shape of the first metal base14can be adjusted to be a metal plate instead of the aforementioned U-shaped housing with openings at both ends inFIG.1toFIG.4. The actual shape of the first metal base14can be adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the optical path design ofFIG.7can make the projections of the first metal base14and the second metal base15on the horizontal direction ofFIG.7overlap, which saves configuration space and is beneficial to apply in a miniaturized optical module1.

Please refer toFIG.8, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a third embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. As shown inFIG.8, the laser chip171is disposed on the first metal base14for emitting a third optical signal as shown by the thick arrow on the figure; and the components of the optical path assembly172are distributed on the first metal base14and the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131, and the optical path assembly172is configured to guide the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the silicon photonic chip16. The optical path assembly172may sequentially comprise a lens1725, a mirror1726and an optical isolator1727along the optical path of the third optical signal, wherein the laser chip171and the lens1725are disposed on the second side S4of the first metal base14which is perpendicular to the upper housing12, and the mirror1726and the optical isolator1727are disposed on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow area131. The lens1725is configured to converge the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the mirror1726along the fourth direction D4; the mirror1726is configured to reflect the incident third optical signal to the optical isolator1727along the fifth direction D5perpendicular to the fourth direction D4; and the optical isolator1727is configured to prevent the return of the third optical signal passing therethrough, so that the third optical signal passing through the optical isolator1727is incident on the silicon photonic chip16. The reflection of the mirror1726is to turn the optical path of the third optical signal by 90 degrees, the mirror1726can be but is not limited to a right-angle isosceles reflective prism, the fourth direction D4may be a downward vertical direction of the drawing ofFIG.8, and the fifth direction D5may be a rightward horizontal direction of the drawing ofFIG.8.

It should be noted that, based on the optical path design ofFIG.8and the condition that the laser chip171and the lens1725are disposed on the second side S4of the first metal base14perpendicular to the upper housing12, the thickness of the first metal base14inFIG.8in the vertical direction is thicker than that of the first metal base14in each ofFIG.6andFIG.7in the vertical direction, so the shape of the first metal base14ofFIG.8can be adjusted to be a metal plate instead of the aforementioned U-shaped housing with openings at both ends inFIG.1toFIG.4. The actual shape of the first metal base14can be adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the optical path inFIG.8is shorter than that in each ofFIG.6andFIG.7, so that the number of components of the optical path assembly172ofFIG.8is less than that of the optical path assembly172in each ofFIG.6andFIG.7, which can reduce the cost of the optical path assembly172, save configuration space and be beneficial to apply in a miniaturized optical module1.

As can be seen fromFIG.6toFIG.8, in the present disclosure, by constructing optical paths on different planes, the heat energy generated by the laser chip171can be dissipated through the first metal base14from the upper housing12which belongs to the optimal heat dissipation path. That is to say, in order to solve the problem of poor heat dissipation in the prior art, the present disclosure proposes to use the mirror assembly1723or the mirror1726to deflect the optical path (i.e., constructing optical paths on different planes), so that the heat energy of the light emission module17and the silicon photonic chip16can be dissipated through the upper housing12and the lower housing11. It should be noted that the deflected optical path designed for the heat dissipation requirement in the present disclosure is different from the reflection path designed for the demultiplexing requirement in the prior art.

In the present disclosure, the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171can also be guided to the silicon photonic chip16in a straight line through the optical path assembly172, wherein the optical path assembly172comprises at least one lens and an optical isolator; the at least one lens and the optical isolator are disposed on the first side S3of the first metal base14facing the circuit board13and/or on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131; the at least one lens is configured to converge the incident third optical signal; and the optical isolator is configured to prevent the return of the third optical signal passing therethrough.

Specifically, please refer toFIG.9, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a fourth embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. As shown inFIG.9, the laser chip171is disposed on the first metal base14for emitting a third optical signal as shown by the thick arrow on the figure; and the components of the optical path assembly172are distributed on the first metal base14and the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131, and the optical path assembly172is configured to guide the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the silicon photonic chip16. The optical path assembly172may sequentially comprise a first lens1728, an optical isolator1729and a second lens1730along the optical path of the third optical signal, wherein the first lens1728and the optical isolator1729are disposed on the first metal base14facing the first side S3of the circuit board13, the second lens1730is disposed on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131; the first lens1728is configured to converge the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip171to the optical isolator1729; the optical isolator1729is configured to prevent the return of the third optical signal passing therethrough; and the second lens1730is configured to converge the third optical signal from optical isolator1729to the silicon photonic chip16.

Please refer toFIG.10, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a fifth embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. The difference between the embodiment ofFIG.10and the embodiment ofFIG.9is that the optical path assembly172ofFIG.10does not comprise the second lens1730. Since the optical path ofFIG.10is shorter than that ofFIG.9, the optical path assembly172ofFIG.10may not comprise the second lens1730to reduce the cost of the optical path assembly172and save the configuration space, which is beneficial to apply in a miniaturized optical module1.

Please refer toFIG.11, which is a schematic diagram of an optical signal transmission structure of a sixth embodiment in which the light emission module of the present disclosure provides the third optical signal to the silicon photonic chip. The difference between the embodiment ofFIG.11and the embodiment ofFIG.10is that the first lens1728and the optical isolator1729are modified to be disposed on the second metal base15exposed from the hollow region131.

It should be noted that, inFIG.9toFIG.11, since the optical path of the third optical signal from the laser chip171to the silicon photonic chip16is in a straight line, and the heat energy of the light emission module17and the silicon photonic chip16can be dissipated through the upper housing12and the lower housing11, the shape of the first metal base14in each ofFIG.9toFIG.11can be adjusted to be a metal block instead of the aforementioned U-shaped housing with openings at both ends inFIG.1toFIG.4. The actual shape of the first metal base14can be adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the optical path in each ofFIG.9toFIG.11is in a straight line, so the optical path assembly172may not comprise a reflective element, thereby reducing the cost of the optical path assembly172and reducing light loss.

Please refer toFIG.12toFIG.14, whereinFIG.12is a combined view of an optical module according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.13is an exploded view of an embodiment of the optical module ofFIG.12, andFIG.14FIG.14is a sectional view of the optical module ofFIG.12taken along line BB. The difference between the optical module2in each ofFIG.12toFIG.14and the optical module1in each ofFIG.1toFIG.5is that the optical module2may further comprise a heat conduction tube26disposed between the upper housing12and the first metal base14and in contact with the upper housing12and the first metal base14, so that the optical module2not only has the lateral heat dissipation capability, but also has the vertical heat dissipation capability. That is, the heat energy is dissipated into the environment in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the drawing ofFIG.14.

In one embodiment, the optical module2may further comprise a heat dissipation fin27, which is disposed on a side of the upper housing12away from the lower housing11and in contact with the heat conduction tube26, so that the heat energy laterally conducted by the heat conduction tube26can be further dissipated from the heat dissipation fin27to the environment.

To sum up, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, by the design of the optical path for transmitting the third optical signal emitted by the laser chip to the silicon photonic chip, the laser chip can be disposed on the first metal base, the optical path assembly can be disposed on the first metal base and/or the second metal base exposed from the hollow region, and the silicon photonic chip can be disposed on the second metal base exposed from the hollow region, so that the heat energy of the laser chip and part of the optical path assembly can be dissipated through the first metal base from the upper housing that belongs to the optimal heat dissipation path, and the heat energy of another part of the optical path assembly and the silicon photonic chip can be dissipated from the lower housing through the second metal base, which solves the problem of poor heat dissipation in the prior art. In addition, only part of the optical path assembly and the silicon photonic chip are disposed on the second metal base exposed from the hollow region, so that the circuit board can reduce the area of the hollow region and maintain the structural strength. Moreover, the optical path of the third optical signal from the light emission module to the silicon photonic chip can be in a straight line or can be constructed on different planes, so that the opto-mechanical layout in the optical module can be more flexible. Furthermore, the optical module can increase the lateral heat dissipation capability through the arrangement of the heat conduction tube, and at the same time, the optical module can further comprise the heat dissipation fin disposed on the upper housing to improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

Although the above-described components are included in the drawings of the present disclosure, it is not excluded that more other additional components can be used to achieve better technical effects without violating the spirit of the invention.

Although the present disclosure is disclosed in the foregoing embodiments, it should be noted that these descriptions are not intended to limit the present disclosure. On the contrary, the present disclosure covers modifications and similar arrangements obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the claims is to be construed in the broadest manner so as to encompass all obvious modifications and similar arrangements.