OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS MODULE

1 . A communications adapter card comprising:

a printed-circuit board, the printed circuit board having at least one keep-out area, the at least one keep-out area configured to accept a multi-contact electrical connector receptacle;

at least one optical module attached to the printed circuit board;

wherein the at least one optical module is attached to the printed circuit board substantially within the at-least-one keep-out area.

2 . Communications adapter card of claim 1 , further having

a multiplicity of metalized connection pads, the multiplicity of metalized connection pads located within the at least one keep-out area and configured to electrically connect to the multi-contact electrical connector receptacle,

wherein the multiplicity of metalized connection pads are electrically coupled to the optical module.

3 . Communications adapter card of claim 2 , wherein the communications adapter card is an InfiniBand Host Channel Adapter.

4 . Communications adapter card of claim 1 wherein the optical module includes a media identification circuit.

5 . Communications adapter card of claim 1 , wherein the multi-contact electrical connector receptacle is a CX4-type connector receptacle.

6 . Communications adapter card of claim 1 , wherein the optical module comprises an optical chip, said optical chip comprising an optical turn.

7 . A communications module comprising of a printed-circuit board, said printed circuit board having N keep-out areas, N being a natural number, each keep-out area of the N keep-out areas configured to accept a multi-contact electrical connector receptacle;

M optical modules attached to the printed-circuit board, M being a natural number smaller or equal to N;

wherein each optical module of the M optical modules is attached to the printed-circuit board substantially within each keep-out area of the M keep-out areas.

8 . The communications module of claim 7 , further having

a multiplicity of metalized connection pads, the multiplicity of metalized connection pads located within each keep-out area of the N keep-out areas and configured to electrically connect to the multi-contact electrical connector receptacle,

wherein the multiplicity of metalized connection pads in each of the M keep-out areas of the N keep-out areas are electrically coupled to each optical module of the M optical modules.

9 . The communications module of claim 7 , wherein the multi-contact electrical connector is a CX4-type connector receptacle.

10 . The communications module of claim 8 , wherein the optical module is an optical transceiver.

11 . The communications module of claim 8 , wherein the optical module is a multi-channel optical transmitter.

12 . The communications module of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connection between the optical module and the printed-circuit board is realized using an intermediate layer comprising electrical contacts disposed between the optical module and the printed-circuit board.

13 . The communications module of claim 7 , further comprising

a media detection circuit;

a media identification circuit comprised in the optical module.

14 . The communications module of claim 13 , wherein the electrical connection between the optical module and the printed-circuit board is realized using an intermediate layer comprising electrical contacts disposed between the optical module and the printed-circuit board.

15 . The communications module of claim 13 , wherein the optical module is configured to be mechanically attached to the printed circuit board at room temperature.

16 . An optical module comprising of

an optical chip, said optical chip comprising a vertical-cavity lasers and optical fibers configured in an optical turn configuration

a printed-circuit board, said printed-circuit board having a metalized trace pattern configured to attach to a multi-contact electrical connector receptacle.

17 . The optical module of claim 16 , wherein the multi-contact electrical connector receptacle is a CX4-type connector receptacle.

18 . The optical module of claim 16 , further comprising

a housing;

at least one integrated circuit;

at least one thermally conductive block disposed between and in thermal contact with the housing and the at least one integrated circuit.

19 . The optical module of claim 18 , wherein the thermal contact is further established using a thermally conductive paste disposed between the thermally conductive block and the housing.

20 . The optical module of claim 18 , wherein the thermally conductive block is made out of aluminum nitride.