Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Housing or package – With contact or lead
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-08
2003-02-18
Lee, Eddie (Department: 2815)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Housing or package
With contact or lead
C257S687000, C257S690000, C257S710000, C257S789000, C257S795000, C257S794000, C361S820000, C174S050510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06521989
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for component packaging and more particularly to systems for sealing opto-electronic components within standard chip packages.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of opto-electronic components, such as laser diodes, photodetectors, and integrated optic chips, is becoming increasingly popular. Typically, opto-electronic components are packaged in transistor outlined packages, more commonly known as “TO Packages” or “TO Cans”, or special photonic packages for use in various applications such as communications systems, industrial and/or aviation control systems.
The performance of opto-electronic components may be adversely affected by environmental contaminants such as dust, moisture, and industrial chemicals. For example, moisture absorbed into a component's substrate may condense on the surface of the component and freeze. Ice formation can damage or seriously affect the component. Similarly, corrosive materials, dust or other environmental impurities can impair component performance, or even cause the component to fail. Consequently, component isolation from environmental effects is frequently a design issue. A common solution is to hermetically seal the packages containing the opto-electronic components to protect them from dust, moisture, and other environmental contaminants.
One challenge to hermetically sealing opto-electronic packages, however, is hermetically sealing the feedthrough for optical fibers or wires connected to the opto-electronic components. With reference to
FIG. 1
, a conventional opto-electronic package
100
includes an opto-electronic component
104
disposed within a customized package
102
. A plurality of optical fibers
106
is connected to opto-electronic component
104
through a plurality of feedthroughs
108
. More particularly, with additional reference to
FIG. 2
, feedthrough
108
includes a metal tube
204
mounted on chip carrier
102
. Optical fiber
106
passes through tube
204
and connects to opto-electronic component
104
. The outer surface of optical fiber
106
is metallized such that a solid metallic mass
200
may be formed using any convenient method (such as soldering, welding, and the like) to hermetically seal optical fiber
106
within tube
204
. A compliant and flexible sleeve
202
covers tube
204
and optical fiber
106
to provide tension relief to optical fiber
106
. A flat lid (not shown) is then hermetically sealed to the top portion of chip carrier
102
.
The conventional system described above, however, has numerous shortcomings. For example, as the feedthrough tubes
204
for the optical fibers
106
are mounted on the chip carrier
102
, a custom built package is generally needed, which contributes to increased development and production costs. Additionally, although multiple optical fibers
106
may be fed through a larger diameter tube
204
, it may be difficult to connect the various optical fibers
106
to the appropriate sites on the opto-electronic component
104
from a single tube. Therefore, more typically, a separate tube
204
is dedicated to each optical fiber
106
and positioned near its connection site on the opto-electronic component
104
. Accordingly, the profile of the overall opto-electronic package
100
may be quite large for large numbers of optical fibers
106
. Additionally, if the connection site of any optical fiber
106
is altered, the package
102
may need to be rebuilt, which also contributes to additional development and production costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a package and/or package lid includes at least one connection slot for receiving a line, such as an optical fiber. The package and/or package lid also includes at least one sealant slot proximate the connection slot. Optical fibers are connected to a component, such as an opto-electronic component, through the connection slot. A sealant provided via the sealant slot hermetically seals the optical fibers within the connection slot.
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Honeywell Inc.
Lee Eddie
Warren Matthew E.
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