OPTICAL COUPLING DEVICE FOR PASSIVE ALIGNMENT OF OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES AND OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

The present invention relates to an optoelectronic transceiver using a passive alignment scheme for aligning surface emitting/detecting optical electronic devices (303, 304) to optical (208) through the use of a mini-MT ferrule used in a RJ connector (204) by way of silicon waferboard technology. The mini-MT ferrule has guide pins (201) which are used to align the optical fibers ultimately to the optoelectronic devices. A light coupling device (203) having holes (209) for receiving the guide pins as well as lens elements (207) for coupling light between the optical fibers and the optical electronic devices is used. The light coupling device is positioned between the optical fibers in the ferrule and the optoelectronic devices mounted on the silicon waferboard (202). Alignment fiducials (301) to include x-y alignment pedestals and z-alignment standoffs are also used to accurately locate and precisely align in a passive manner the optical electronic devices of the present invention.