Fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board

Abstract

An optical apparatus comprises: an optical fiber, an optical device on a substrate, a circuit board, and an electrical connection therebetween. The substrate has a groove for positioning the fiber for optical coupling with the optical device. A proximal segment of the fiber is secured to the substrate in the groove. The substrate is mounted on the circuit board, and a second segment of the fiber is secured to the circuit board. A method comprises: mounting on the circuit board the substrate with the optical device; establishing the electrical connection; securing the proximal fiber segment to the substrate in the groove; and securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board. Multiple substrates can be secured to a single piece of circuit board material, which can be divided into individual circuit boards after establishing electrical connections and securing optical fibers to the corresponding substrates and to the circuit board material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board, and a housing therefor.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board within a housing.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a housing for a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board.

FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic cross sectional views of an optical fiber secured to a circuit board.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board, and a housing therefor.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a fiber-coupled optical device mounted on a circuit board, and a receptacle housing therefor.

FIG. 10 illustrates schematically a process for mounting fiber-coupled optical devices on circuit boards.

FIG. 11 illustrates schematically a process for mounting fiber-coupled optical devices on circuit boards.

Claims

1. An optical apparatus, comprising: an optical fiber;an optical device on a device substrate, the device substrate having a groove for receiving the optical fiber and positioning a proximal end of the optical fiber to establish optical coupling between the optical fiber and the optical device, a first segment at or near the proximal end of the optical fiber being secured to the device substrate in the groove;a circuit board, the device substrate being mounted on the circuit board, a second segment of the optical fiber being secured to the circuit board, the second fiber segment being distal to the first fiber segment; andat least one electrical connection between the optical device and the circuit board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adhesive for securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adhesive comprises a hardened material that had flowed into place during at least a portion of its application.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber includes a buffer on the second fiber segment, the buffer being secured to the circuit board by the adhesive thereby securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a crimp tube crimped onto the buffer, the crimp tube being secured to the circuit board by the adhesive thereby securing the buffer to the circuit board.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the adhesive covers at least a portion of the crimp tube and at least a portion of the buffer beyond an end of the crimp tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising protrusions on or depressions in the circuit board positioned near the second fiber segment and at least partly covered by the adhesive.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one depression in the circuit board comprises a via through the circuit board at least partially filled with the adhesive.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one protrusion comprises a member secured to the circuit board at least partly covered by the adhesive.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the secured member comprises an electrical component.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adhesive means for securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fiber support member on the circuit board beneath a portion of the optical fiber between the device substrate and the second fiber segment, at least a portion of the optical fiber between the first and second fiber segments being secured to the fiber support member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising adhesive for securing the optical fiber to the fiber support member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the adhesive comprises a hardened material that had flowed into place during at least a portion of its application.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fiber support member comprises an electrical component.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising adhesive means for securing the optical fiber to the fiber support member.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fiber retainer positioned over at least a portion of the groove and secured to the device substrate to secure the first fiber segment to the device substrate in the groove.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising adhesive for securing the fiber retainer to the device substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the adhesive comprises a hardened material that had flowed into place during at least a portion of its application.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising adhesive means for securing the fiber retainer to the device substrate.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an index-matching material between the optical device and the proximal end of the optical fiber.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulant substantially covering the optical device, the device substrate, and the first and second fiber segments.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing secured to the circuit board and having walls that substantially surround an area of the circuit board containing the optical device, the device substrate, and the first and second fiber segments.

27. The apparatus claim 26, further comprising an encapsulant substantially covering the area of the circuit board surrounded by the housing.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a ferrule holder secured to the circuit board;a fiber ferrule received within and secured to the ferrule holder and having the second fiber segment received therethrough and secured thereto, a distal end of the optical fiber being substantially flush with a distal end of the fiber ferrule; anda ferrule sleeve received within and secured to the ferrule holder, the distal end of the fiber ferrule being received within a proximal end of the ferrule sleeve and recessed from a distal end of the ferrule sleeve, the distal end of the ferrule sleeve extending distally beyond a distal end of the ferrule holder.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising adhesive for securing the ferrule holder to the circuit board.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the adhesive comprises a hardened material that had flowed into place during at least a portion of its application.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the ferrule holder includes a pair of proximally-extending members secured to the circuit board.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising adhesive means for securing the ferrule holder to the circuit board.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a receptacle housing, wherein: an outer surface of the ferrule holder is adapted for engaging an inner surface of the receptacle housing;the ferrule housing is received within the receptacle housing and engaged therewith; andthe ferrule holder, the ferrule sleeve, and the receptacle housing are arranged to engage a mating optical fiber connector and establish optical end-coupling between the distal end of the optical fiber and another optical fiber.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a system circuit board, wherein: the receptacle housing is secured to the system circuit board;the circuit board is secured to the system circuit board; andthe circuit board and the system circuit board are connected by at least one electrical connection.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrical component or integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board and electrically coupled to the optical device through the electrical connection.

37. A method for making an optical apparatus, comprising: mounting on a circuit board a device substrate having an optical device and a groove thereon;establishing at least one electrical connection between the optical device and the circuit board;securing a first segment at or near a proximal end of an optical fiber to the device substrate in the groove, the groove positioning the proximal end of the optical fiber to establish optical coupling between the optical fiber and the optical device; andsecuring to the circuit board a second segment of the optical fiber, the second fiber segment being distal to the first fiber segment.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising applying adhesive for securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein applying the adhesive comprises flowing a precursor material into place and causing the precursor material to harden to form the adhesive.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical fiber includes a buffer on the second fiber segment, and securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board comprises applying the adhesive for securing the buffer to the circuit board thereby securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising crimping a crimp tube onto the buffer, wherein securing the buffer to the circuit board comprises applying the adhesive for securing the crimp tube to the circuit board thereby securing the buffer to the circuit board.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising covering at least a portion of the crimp tube and at least a portion of the buffer beyond an end of the crimp tube with the adhesive.

44. The method of claim 38, further comprising providing protrusions on or depressions in the circuit board positioned near the second fiber segment, and at least partly covering the protrusions or depressions with the adhesive.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising forming at least one via through the circuit board and at least partially filling the via with the adhesive.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising securing at least one member to the circuit board to protrude from the circuit board, and at least partly covering the member with the adhesive.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the secured member comprises an electrical component.

48. The method of claim 37, wherein securing the second fiber segment to the circuit board comprises adhering the second fiber segment to the circuit board.

49. The method of claim 37, further comprising: positioning a fiber support member on the circuit board beneath a portion of the optical fiber between the device substrate and the second fiber segment; andsecuring at least a portion of the optical fiber between the first and second fiber segments to the fiber support member.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising applying adhesive for securing the optical fiber to the fiber support member.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein applying the adhesive comprises flowing a precursor material into place and causing the precursor material to harden to form the adhesive.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the fiber support member comprises an electrical component.

54. The method of claim 37, further comprising securing a fiber retainer to the device substrate over at least a portion of the groove to secure the first fiber segment to the device substrate in the groove.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising applying adhesive for securing the fiber retainer to the device substrate.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein applying the adhesive comprises flowing a precursor material into place and causing the precursor material to harden to form the adhesive.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein securing the fiber retainer to the device substrate comprises adhering the fiber retainer to the device substrate.

59. The method of claim 37, further comprising placing index-matching material between the optical device and the proximal end of the optical fiber.

60. The method of claim 37, further comprising substantially covering the optical device, the device substrate, and the first and second fiber segments with an encapsulant.

61. The method of claim 37, further comprising securing a housing to the circuit board, the housing having walls that substantially surround an area of the circuit board containing the optical device, the device substrate, and the first and second fiber segments.

62. The method claim 61, further comprising substantially covering the area of the circuit board surrounded by the housing with an encapsulant.

63. The method of claim 37, further comprising: a ferrule holder secured to the circuit board;a fiber ferrule received within and secured to the ferrule holder and having the second fiber segment received therethrough and secured thereto, a distal end of the optical fiber being substantially flush with a distal end of the fiber ferrule; anda ferrule sleeve received within and secured to the ferrule holder, the distal end of the fiber ferrule being received within a proximal end of the ferrule sleeve and recessed from a distal end of the ferrule sleeve, the distal end of the ferrule sleeve extending distally beyond a distal end of the ferrule holder.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising applying adhesive for securing the ferrule holder to the circuit board.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein applying the adhesive comprises flowing a precursor material into place and causing the precursor material to harden to form the adhesive.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the adhesive comprises cured polymer, reflowed polymer, reflowed solder, reflowed glass, or fused glass frit.

67. The method of claim 63, wherein the ferrule holder includes a pair of proximally-extending members that secured to the circuit board.

68. The method of claim 63, further comprising assembling the ferrule holder within a receptacle housing, wherein: an outer surface of the ferrule holder is adapted for engaging an inner surface of the receptacle housing; andupon assembly the ferrule holder, the ferrule sleeve, and the receptacle housing are arranged to engage a mating optical fiber connector and establish optical end-coupling between the distal end of the optical fiber and another optical fiber.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising: securing the receptacle housing to a system circuit board;securing the circuit board to the system circuit board; andestablishing at least one electrical connection between the circuit board and the system circuit board.

70. The method of claim 37, further comprising: mounting at least one electrical component or integrated circuit on the circuit board; andelectrically coupling the electrical component or integrated circuit to the optical device through the electrical connection.

71. A method for making a plurality of optical apparatus, comprising: mounting on circuit board material multiple device substrates each having thereon a corresponding optical device and a corresponding groove thereon;establishing at least one electrical connection between each optical device and the circuit board material;securing a first segment at or near a proximal end of a corresponding optical fiber to each device substrate in the corresponding groove, the corresponding groove positioning the proximal end of the corresponding optical fiber to establish optical coupling between the corresponding optical fiber and the corresponding optical device;securing to the circuit board material a second segment of each corresponding optical fiber, the second fiber segment being distal to the first fiber segment; anddividing the circuit board material into individual circuit boards, each having thereon a corresponding device substrate and a corresponding optical fiber secured thereto.