Optically-enabled integrated circuit package
An optically-enabled integrated circuit (IC) package for connecting an electrical circuit board to an optical fiber is presented. The IC package comprises an OSA having a laser which is pre-aligned with the optical fiber. The OSA further comprises a standard electrical interface for the connection to the microchip and a standard optical interface for the connection to the optical fiber. A set of mechanical concepts for connecting optical connectors and cables to integrated circuit packages is also presented and can be applied for any type of optical connector such as single optical fiber ferrules, MT-RJ type optical ferrules and 2-D MT-type optical ferrules.
1. An optically-enabled integrated circuit (IC) package for connecting an electrical printed circuit board (PCB) to an optical fiber, the package comprising:
a substrate comprising a plurality of electrical contacts for providing electrical connections between the package and the PCB;
a user-defined microchip affixed to the substrate, the microchip being electrically connected to the electrical contacts of the substrate; and
an optical sub-assembly (OSA) secured to the substrate and comprising:
an electro-optical device;
an electrical interface for electrically connecting circuit traces of the substrate to the electro-optical device;
an optical interface prealigned with the electro-optical device, for optically coupling the electro-optical device to the optical fiber; and
a mechanical connection between the electrical interface and the optical interface is adapted to permit positional adjustment of the electrical interface relative the optical interface.
2. The package as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical connection comprises an optical ribbon fiber array optically coupled between the optical interface and the electro-optical device of the OSA, a flexibility of the optical ribbon fiber array permitting positional tolerances between the substrate and both of the electrical interface and the optical interface to be greater than an alignment tolerance between the optical interface and the electro-optical device of the OSA.
3. The package as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing affixed to the substrate and enclosing the user-defined microchip and the OSA; and
a mating clip assembly associated with the housing for removably biasing an optical connector of the optical fiber into optical engagement with the optical interface of the OSA.
4. The package as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the optical sub-assembly (OSA) is secured to the substrate within the package, between the user defined microchip and a side-face of the housing.
5. The package as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a first zone in which is located the user defined microchip and a second zone in which is located the OSA.
6. The package as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical interface comprises an electrical interface with gold pads for one of wirebonding and flip-chipping.
7. The package as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical interface of the OSA comprises a mechanical transfer (MT) multi-fiber optical ferrule having at least one alignment dowel pin.