Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-18
2003-04-22
Healy, Brian (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector
C385S092000, C385S093000, C385S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550982
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an optoelectronic module in which an optoelectronic component is fixed on a substrate and is connected to internal electrical connections of the module. These internal electrical connections are connected via electrical leads to external electrical connections which are provided in a common mounting plane and are configured in such a way that they allow a surface mounting of the optoelectronic module on a printed circuit board. Thus, the present invention is concerned in general with the field of electronic and optoelectronic components which can be used for a surface mounting technology (SMT). In particular, the present invention relates to optoelectronic modules which can be used in a surface mount technology in which the external electrical connections are formed by a ball grid array (BGA), that is to say by a regular configuration of fusible or reflowable solder bumps. The present invention also relates to optoelectronic modules which can also be coupled to an optical fiber for transmitting information and data signals.
An optoelectronic module of this type is known per se in the prior art. Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application No. DE 196 43 072 A1 describes an optically and electrically coupleable optoelectronic module in which the electrical connection includes external contacts on an SMD housing and an optical connection includes a connector socket compatible with a so-called MT connector (mechanically transferable connector). In this case, the external connections can be embodied using BGA technology (BGA=ball grid array). The optoelectronic component proposed here can thus be coupled to an optical waveguide whose optical signals are converted into electrical signals in the component. The exemplary embodiment shows a housing configured using SMD technology, with external electrical connections which can be soldered to conductor tracks on a printed circuit and whose ends, which project into the housing, are connected to a printed circuit board containing an electronic circuit required for operation of the optical component. A connector socket is fixed in a side wall of the housing, the end of the optical waveguide being routed in the socket, the connector socket being the mating piece with respect to an MT connector. However, the production of this known optoelectronic component requires a relatively high outlay since, on the one hand, a housing has to be provided and, on the other hand, a connector socket that is complicated to manufacture has to be inserted into a side opening of the housing, through which the optical connection for the optical waveguide is formed.
Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application No. DE 197 54 874 A1 discloses a method for converting a substrate with edge contacts into a ball grid array, a ball grid array produced by this method, and a flexible wiring for converting a substrate with edge contacts into a ball grid array. In this case, a substrate with edge contacts is converted into a ball grid array with the aid of a flexible wiring. The flexible wiring has, on the underside, flat connections for receiving fusible bumps and whose conductors leading to the outside from the connections have exposed ends. In this case, the exposed ends of the conductors are bent in a U-shaped manner around the end face of the substrate and are electrically conductively connected to the edge contacts of the substrate. However, this document is concerned only with electronic components, and not with optoelectronic optical waveguide components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an optoelectronic surface-mountable module which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known modules of this general type and which is simpler to produce and in which, in particular, the coupling to an optical waveguide can be effected in a less complicated manner.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an optoelectronic surface-mountable module, including:
a substrate having a first side with a first main surface and a second side with a second main surface opposite the first main surface;
an optoelectronic component mounted on the first side of the substrate, the optoelectronic component utilizing a plurality of wavelengths;
the substrate being transparent to at least one of the wavelengths utilized by the optoelectronic component;
internal electrical connections provided on the first main surface and electrically connected to the optoelectronic component;
external electrical connections connected to the second main surface of the substrate;
electrical leads connecting the internal electrical connections to the external electrical connections; and
the external electrical connections defining a light passage opening opposite the optoelectronic component.
In other word, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an optoelectronic surface-mountable module, includes:
a substrate;
at least one optoelectronic component, mounted on the side of a first main surface of the substrate;
internal electrical connections, which are applied on the first main surface and are electrically connected to the optoelectronic component;
external electrical connections, which are connected to the second main surface of the substrate, the main surface being opposite to the first main surface, and are connected to the internal electrical connections by electrical leads;
the substrate is transparent to at least one of the wavelengths which can be utilized by the optoelectronic component; and
a light entry opening and/or light exit opening for the optoelectronic component is defined by the positioning and/or structure of the external electrical connections.
In a first embodiment in accordance with the first aspect, the external electrical connections may be embodied using BGA technology (BGA=ball grid array) and thus be formed, in particular, from fusible bumps connected to the electrical leads, the light entry opening and/or light exit opening being defined by the interspace between two bumps. In a second embodiment in accordance with the first aspect, the external electrical connections may be formed by a lead frame, the light entry opening and/or light exit opening being formed by a through opening of the lead frame.
In a second embodiment in accordance with the first aspect, the external electrical connections may be formed by a lead frame, the light entry opening and/or light exit opening being formed by a through opening of the lead frame.
In a third embodiment in accordance with the first aspect, the external electrical connections may be led through a plastic support through the use of through contacts, the light entry opening and/or light exit opening being formed by a through opening of the plastic support.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, an optoelectronic surface-mountable module, including:
a substrate having a main surface;
the main surface having a relief structure with recessed sections and elevated sections, one of the recessed sections having a bottom area;
an optoelectronic component mounted in the bottom area of the one of the recessed sections, the optoelectronic component having connections;
internal electrical connections applied on given ones of the recessed sections and being electrically connected to the connections of the optoelectronic component;
external electrical connections applied on the elevated sections; and
electrical leads connecting the internal electrical connections to the external electrical connections.
In other words, a second aspect of the present invention describes an optoelectronic surface-mountable module, having:
a substrate, whose one main surface has a relief structure with recessed and elevated sections;
at least one optoelectronic component mounted on the bottom area of a recessed section;
internal electrical connections, which are applied on recessed sections and are electrically connected to t
Auburger Albert
Gattinger Peter
Hurt Hans
Kuhn Gerhard
Reill Joachim
Greenberg Laurence A.
Healy Brian
Infineon - Technologies AG
Locher Ralph E.
Stemer Werner H.
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