Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Incoherent light emitter structure – In combination with or also constituting light responsive...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-14
2001-06-26
Lee, Eddie C. (Department: 2815)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Incoherent light emitter structure
In combination with or also constituting light responsive...
C257S080000, C257S082000, C257S433000, C257S436000, C438S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252252
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical semiconductor device and an optical semiconductor module equipped with it, and more particularly to those with a low-profiled structure of the optical semiconductor device which light is incident to or exits from. The present invention intends to realize the compacting or low-profiling of the components using them.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, multi-media components such as a “sub-note personal computer”, a portable information terminal, electronic still camera, etc. are developing rapidly.
In addition, seven million portable components are sold in a year, and about 80% of them adopt an infrared rays system in IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standard. This system requires transmission/reception between an external device and a main body using an infrared ray signal. Therefore, a light emitting element for emitting infrared rays and a light receiving element for receiving them are required.
Further, the optical head used in an optical recording/playing device such as an “MD” or “CD” makes recording/reproducing information by irradiating an optical recording medium with a beam and detecting the modulated beam therefrom. In this case, the light emitting element and light receiving element are required.
However, these light emitting elements and light receiving elements have not been miniaturized sufficiently.
FIG. 15
shows an example of a semiconductor device equipped with an optical device which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication. 7-28085. In
FIG. 15
, a semiconductor laser
1
is directly placed on a semiconductor substrate
2
, and a prism
3
having a trapezoidal sectional shape is secured on the semiconductor substrate
2
. Reference numeral
4
denotes an optical recording medium.
A slope
5
of the prism
3
opposite to the semiconductor laser
1
is a semi-transparent reflecting face. A prism face
6
in contact with the semiconductor substrate
2
constitutes a reflecting face at the other portion than a photodetector (light-receiving element)
7
. A prism face
8
opposite to the face
6
also constitutes a reflecting face.
A beam
9
, which is emitted from the semiconductor laser
1
and is incident on the prism
3
from the slope
5
, is reflected from the reflecting faces
6
and
8
, and detected by a photodetector
7
.
On the other hand,
FIG. 16
shows an infrared ray data communication module
11
incorporating an infrared ray LED, LED driver, PIN photodiode and an amplifier, etc. In this module, light emitted from the LED
12
mounted on a substrate is caused to exit through a lens
13
. The light is incident on a photodiode
14
mounted on the substrate through a lens
15
.
The module as shown in
FIG. 15
, in which the optical component is mounted above the semiconductor substrate, requires a very sophisticated technique and is high in production cost.
In the module as shown in
FIG. 16
, emission or reception of light must be made on a mold body and another semiconductor device must be set at an opposite position. Therefore, the entire resultant system is increased in thickness and cannot be miniaturized.
If the emission or reception of light in a horizontal direction is intended in the module in
FIG. 16
, a lead
16
to the optical semiconductor device
11
must be bent at 90°. The manner of bending the lead
11
influences the stability of securing the semiconductor device
11
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical semiconductor device which can be easily manufactured and easily miniaturized and low-profiled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical semiconductor module equipped with such an optical semiconductor device.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device.
A first aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device of the present invention which comprises:
a semiconductor chip having a light emitting face or a light receiving face; and
a mold for molding said semiconductor chip, having a reflecting face arranged to form a prescribed angle with said light emitting face or light receiving face, wherein
an optical path of light exiting from or being incident on said semiconductor chip is bent through said reflecting face.
A second aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the first aspect, wherein said semiconductor chip is a chip having the light receiving face,
said mold has the reflecting face arranged to cross a perpendicular line of the light receiving face at a prescribed angle, and
said optical path is formed so that the light incident from a side of said mold is bent by said reflecting face and incident on said light receiving face.
A third aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the first aspect, wherein
said semiconductor chip is a chip having the light emitting face,
said mold has the reflecting face arranged to cross a perpendicular line of the light emitting face at a prescribed angle, and
said optical path is formed to exit at the prescribed angle with respect to a light emitting direction through said reflecting face.
A fourth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the third aspect, wherein said semiconductor chip is connected to a lead extended from a first side of said mold, and the light emitted from the semiconductor chip is caused to exit through said reflecting face from a second side of said mold opposite to said first side.
A fifth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the third aspect, wherein
said semiconductor chip is a chip having the light emitting face on its side, and
the light emitted from said semiconductor chip is caused to emit through the reflecting face from an upper face of said mold.
A sixth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the third aspect, wherein said mold is made of resin capable of transmitting at least prescribed light, and a face formed in the mold itself constitutes said reflecting face.
A seventh aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the sixth aspect, wherein said reflecting face is a slope of the groove formed in said mold.
An eighth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the first aspect, wherein
said mold is made of a hollow package of a first material not constituting the optical path,
said package is provided in its opening with means made of a second material capable of transmitting at least prescribed light and constituting the optical path, and
a face formed in said means itself constitutes said reflecting face.
A ninth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the eighth aspect, wherein said first material is ceramic or metal, and said second material is glass or resin capable of transmitting at least prescribed light.
A tenth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the ninth aspect, wherein said reflecting face is a slope of the groove formed in said second material.
An eleventh aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor device according to the first aspect, which further comprises:
a lead frame having an island on which said semiconductor is placed; and a lead electrically connected to said semiconductor chip and extended externally from said mold, said lead being extended from a side opposite to a side on which light is incident.
A twelfth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor module including the optical semiconductor device according to the first aspect, which further comprises:
a supporting substrate on which said semiconductor chip is placed;
a lead electrically connected to said semiconductor chip and extended externally from said supporting substrate, said lead being extended from a side opposite to a side which light is incident on or exits from.
A thirteenth aspect of the device is an optical semiconductor module according to th
Arai Masashi
Inoguchi Hiroshi
Ishikawa Tsutomu
Kobori Hiroshi
Kunii Hideo
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Lee Eddie C.
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
Wilson Allan R.
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