Patent ID: 8503838

Claim:
A two-part optical coupling system for use in an optical transmitter (TX) module, the two-part optical coupling system comprising: a first optical part having at least an upper surface and a lower surface, the first optical part comprising a material that is transparent to a primary wavelength of a laser diode of the optical TX module, the upper surface having an indentation formed therein; and a second optical part having at least an upper surface and a lower surface, the second optical part comprising a material that is transparent to the primary wavelength of the laser diode of the optical TX module, the lower surface of the second optical part being in contact with the upper surface of the first optical part such that an air gap exists where the indentation formed in the upper surface of the first optical part interfaces with the lower surface of the second optical part, and wherein a first portion of light, L 1 , produced by the laser diode is refracted by the air gap and wherein a second portion of the light, L 2 , produced by the laser diode is reflected by the air gap, the second portion of light L 2 being coupled by the two-part optical coupling system onto a monitor photodiode of the optical TX module, the first portion of the light L 1 being coupled by the two-part optical coupling system into an end of an optical fiber.