Patent ID: 6888169

Claim:
A multilayer ceramic carrier for containing an optical source coupled to an optical housing said multilayer ceramic carrier formed of a plurality of stacked ceramic layers and including a bottom surface and an opposed top surface, at least one of said plurality of ceramic layers including conductive traces formed thereon, such that said multilayer ceramic earner therefore includes conductive traces interposed between at least a pair of adjacent stacked ceramic layers, and a terraced cavity extending down from said top surface and including interior sidewalls and a base surface therein, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSBL) disposed on said base surface in said terraced cavity, said VCSEL capable of emitting light essentially orthogonal to said base surface and said top surface and directed through an aperture of said optical housing said aperture retaining an optical transmission medium therein, such that light emitted by said VCSEL is propagated along said optical transmission medium, said terraced cavity including at least one terrace formed on at least one of said interior sidewalls.