Optical: systems and elements – Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels – By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
Reissue Patent
2001-02-16
2003-10-21
Phan, James (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels
By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
C359S199200, C359S199200, C359S618000, C359S199200, C385S031000
Reissue Patent
active
RE038280
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the optoelectronics field. Specifically, the invention concerns an optoelectronic module for bidirectional optical data transmission, in which a transmitting component to emit radiation, a receiving component to receive radiation, a beam splitter with a beam splitter layer and a radiation focusing to focus the radiation are designed and arranged relative to each other, so that during operation of the optoelectronic module, at least part of a radiation emitted by the transmitting component is input coupled in an optical device, especially an optical waveguide, optically coupled to the optoelectronic module, and that at least part of the received radiation, output coupled from the optical device, is input coupled in the receiving component.
This type of module is known, for example, from European Patent Application EP 664 585. In this document a transmitting and receiving module for bidirectional optical message and signal transmission is described. In this known module a laser chip is arranged on a common support between two support parts, whose side surfaces, adjacent to the resonator surfaces of the laser chip, are provided with mirror layers and are sloped at an angle of 45° to the resonator surfaces. Radiation emitted from the laser chip, parallel to the top of the common support, is diverted from one of these side surfaces by 90° in the direction of a lens coupling optics attached to the support part and input coupled in an optical waveguide by means of this. Radiation output coupled from the optical waveguide, for which the mirror layers and the material of the support parts, as well as the common support, are at least partially transparent, is received by a photodiode arranged beneath the common support. The device, consisting of a laser chip, photodiode, common support and support parts, is incorporated in a hermetically sealed metal housing with a window.
Installation of the individual components of an optical electronic module designed in this way is very complicated. It requires a large number of process steps and adjustment of the individual components relative to each other is difficult. Moreover, large reflection losses occur because of the air gap between the lens and the mirror layer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an optoelectronic module, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which requires the least possible installation expense, permits the simplest possible adjustment of the individual components, and exhibits limited reflection losses.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an optoelectronic module for bidirectional optical data transmission, comprising:
a transmitting component emitting radiation;
a receiving component receiving the radiation;
a beam splitter with a beam splitter layer and a radiation focusing device to focus radiation;
said transmitting and receiving components, said beam splitter and said focusing device being and arranged relative to each other, so that during operation of the optoelectronic module, at least one part of the radiation emitted by the transmitting component is input coupled in an optical device optically coupled to the optoelectronic module, and that at least one part of the received radiation output coupled from the optical device is input coupled in the receiving component, characterized by the fact:
that a molded element is prescribed as beam splitter, which consists essentially of a material transparent to the emitted radiation and the received radiation, and in which the beam splitter layer is embedded,
that the molded element has at least a first side surface, a second side surface and a third side surface,
that the first side surface and the second side surface are sloped toward each other, that the third side surface and the second side surface or the third side surface and the first side surface are sloped toward each other.
that the first side surface and the third side surface or the second side surface and the third side surface are opposite side surfaces of the molded element,
that a transmitting component beam output surface of the transmitting component faces the first side surface,
that a receiving component beam input surface of the receiving component faces the second side surface,
that a beam input and beam output surface of the radiation focusing device faces the third side surface,
that the beam splitter layer is arranged so that it intersects both the beam axis of the emitted radiation and the beam axis of the received radiation, and
that the transmitting component beam output surface of the transmitting component is connected to the first side surface, the receiving component beam input surface of the receiving component is connected to the second side surface, and the beam input and beam output surface of the radiation focusing device is connected to the third side surface.
According to the invention, a molded element is provided as beam splitter in the optoelectronic module of the type mentioned at the outset, which consists essentially of a material transparent to the emitted radiation and the received radiation and in which the beam splitter layer is embedded. The configuration of the beam splitter according to the invention as a molded element has the particular advantage that its side surfaces can be used as reference and adjustment surfaces for all the components just mentioned of the optoelectronic module.
The molded element has at least a first side surface, a second side surface and a third side surface, in which the first side surface and the second side surface are sloped toward each other, especially perpendicular to each other. The third side surface is sloped to the second side surface or to the first side surface, in particular, has the included angle of 90°. The first and third side surfaces or the second and third side surfaces are the opposite side surfaces of the molded element and lie parallel to each other. A transmitting component radiation output surface of the transmitting component faces the first side surface of the beam splitter device, a receiving component radiation input surface of the receiving component faces the second side surface and a radiation input and radiation output surface of the radiation focusing device faces the third side surface. The beam splitter layer is arranged so that it intersects both the beam axis of the emitted radiation and the beam access of the received radiation.
Transmitting component beam output surface is to be understood to mean that side surface of the transmitting component through which the greatest part of radiation generated in the transmitting component emerges from it. Likewise, receiving component beam input surface means that side surface of the receiving component through which radiation being received by the receiving component is input coupled. The beam input and beam output surface of the radiation focusing device means that side surface of the radiation focusing device through which the radiation emitted by the transmitting component penetrates the radiation focusing device, and through which radiation received by the radiation focusing device from the optical device emerges from the radiation focusing device.
The transmitting component beam output surface is connected to the first side surface, the receiving component beam input surface is connected to the second side surface and the beam input and beam output surface of the radiation focusing device is connected to the third side surface. A radiation-transparent medium, like transparent synthetic resin that fills up any gap present between the individual surfaces, serves as means of connection. It is particularly advantageous if the transmitting component beam output surface has physical contact with the first side surface, i.e., if the spacing between the transmitting component beam output surface and the firs
Althaus Hans-Ludwig
Gramann Wolfgang
Reill Wolfgang
Spath Werner
Greenberg Laurence A.
Infineon - Technologies AG
Locher Ralph E.
Phan James
Stemer Werner H.
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