Patent ID: 6888995

Claim:
A package for hermetically sealing one or more optical fibers such that they optically communicate with optical elements comprising: a first substrate having one or more first grooves formed in a first substrate surface, each groove configured to retain an individual optical fiber; a second substrate having one or more second grooves formed in a second substrate surface, each second groove configured to retain an individual optical fiber, and each second groove positioned opposite a first substrate groove for retaining an optical fiber between opposing first and second grooves such that positioning the first substrate surface adjacent the second substrate surface with one or more optical fibers positioned in the first and second grooves forms a first and second substrate assembly; a housing configured to surround at least a portion of the first and second substrate assembly, the housing further being configured to retain or optically communicate with one or more optical elements such that the one or more optical elements optically communicate with the one or more optical fibers positioned in the first and second substrate assembly; at least one layer of material disposed on non-grooved surfaces of the first and second substrate assembly, the at least one layer of material being selected to assist in providing a substantially hermetic seal between the first and second substrate assembly and a housing bonding material.