System, method and apparatus for improved electrical-to-optical transmitters disposed within printed circuit boards

1. A heat sink for an electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within a cavity of a printed circuit board, the heat sink comprising a thermal conductive material disposed within the cavity wherein the thermal conductive material is thermally coupled to a bottom surface of the electrical-to-optical transmitter and at least a portion of the thermal conductive material extends approximately to an outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

2. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling device thermally coupled to the portion of the thermal conductive material extending approximately to the outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

3. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductive material comprises a film on the bottom surface of the electrical-to-optical transmitter and an interior wall of the cavity extending approximately to the outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

4. The heat sink as recited in claim 3 , wherein the film is approximately 30 μm in thickness.

5. The heat sink as recited in claim 3 , wherein the film is approximately 10 to 50 μm in thickness.

6. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductive material comprises copper, a thermal conductive paste, or copper and a paste.

7. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductive material substantially fills the cavity from the bottom of the electrical-to-optical transmitter to approximately the outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

8. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter is between 10 and 250 μm in thickness and the heat sink is between 30 and 250 μm in thickness.

9. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter is between 10 and 250 μm in thickness and the heat sink is between 10 and 490 μm in thickness.

10. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter comprises a laser, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, or an edge emitting laser.

11. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the cavity of the printed circuit board comprises a planarized signal communications system.

12. The heat sink as recited in claim 11 , wherein the planarized signal communications system comprises:

a first index buffer layer within the printed circuit board;

a second index buffer layer within the printed circuit board;

a polymer waveguide disposed below the first and above the second index buffer layers;

the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the first index buffer layer, adjoining the polymer waveguide;

a reflective element disposed within the polymer waveguide in direct alignment with the electrical-to-optical transmitter, adapted to reflect optical energy from the electrical-to-optical transmitter along the polymer waveguide;

an optical-to-electrical receiver disposed within the first index buffer layer, adjoining the polymer waveguide;

a reflective element disposed within the polymer waveguide in direct alignment with the optical-to-electrical receiver, adapted to reflect optical energy from within the polymer waveguide to the optical-to-electrical receiver; and

an at least partially metal layer within the printed circuit board, fabricated to provide electrical coupling between the electrical-to-optical transmitter and a surface of the printed circuit board, and between the optical-to-electrical receiver and the surface of the printed circuit board.

13. The heat sink as recited in claim 12 , wherein the polymer waveguide is fabricated using a compression molding process using UV/thermal cross linkable polymers.

14. The heat sink as recited in claim 12 , wherein the reflective elements are fabricated using a sharp blade.

15. The heat sink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the cavity of the printed circuit board comprises an optoelectronic signal communications system.

16. The heat sink as recited in claim 15 , wherein the optoelectronic signal communications system comprises:

a substrate having a first surface;

a waveguide structure fabricated within the substrate;

the electrical-to-optical transmitter fabricated within the substrate and in direct adjoinment with the waveguide structure;

a first reflective element fabricated within the waveguide structure in direct alignment with the electrical-to-optical transmitter;

an optical-to-electrical receiver fabricated within the substrate and in direct adjoinment with the waveguide structure;

a second reflective element fabricated within the waveguide structure in direct alignment with the optical-to-electrical receiver; and

an at least partially metal layer within the substrate, fabricated to provide electrical coupling between the electrical-to-optical transmitter and the first surface, and between the optical-to-electrical receiver and the first surface.

17. The heat sink as recited in claim 16 , wherein the waveguide structure is fabricated using a compression molding process using UV/thermal cross linkable polymers.

18. The heat sink as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first and second reflective elements are fabricated using a sharp blade.

19. A printed circuit board comprising:

an electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within a cavity of the printed circuit board; and

a heat sink disposed within the cavity wherein the heat sink is thermally coupled to a bottom surface of the electrical-to-optical transmitter and at least a portion of the heat sink extends approximately to an outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

20. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 19 , further comprising a cooling device thermally coupled to the heat sink.

21. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 19 , wherein the heat sink comprises a thermal conductive material.

22. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 21 , wherein the thermal conductive material comprises a film on the bottom surface of the electrical-to-optical transmitter and on an interior wall of the cavity extending to approximately the outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

23. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 22 , wherein the film is approximately 30 μm in thickness.

24. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 22 , wherein the film is approximately 10 to 50 μm in thickness.

25. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 21 , wherein the thermal conductive material comprises copper, a thermal conductive paste, or copper and a paste.

26. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 21 , wherein the thermal conductive material substantially fills the cavity from the bottom of the electrical-to-optical transmitter to approximately the outer surface of a layer of the printed circuit board.

27. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 19 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter comprises a laser, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, or an edge emitting laser.

28. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 19 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the cavity of the printed circuit board comprises a planarized signal communications system.

29. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 28 , wherein the planarized signal communications system comprises:

a first index buffer layer within the printed circuit board;

a second index buffer layer within the printed circuit board;

a polymer waveguide disposed below the first and above the second index buffer layers;

the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the first index buffer layer, adjoining the polymer waveguide;

a reflective element disposed within the polymer waveguide in direct alignment with the electrical-to-optical transmitter, adapted to reflect optical energy from the electrical-to-optical transmitter along the polymer waveguide;

an optical-to-electrical receiver disposed within the first index buffer layer, adjoining the polymer waveguide;

a reflective element disposed within the polymer waveguide in direct alignment with the optical-to-electrical receiver, adapted to reflect optical energy from within the polymer waveguide to the optical-to-electrical receiver; and

an at least partially metal layer within the printed circuit board, fabricated to provide electrical coupling between the electrical-to-optical transmitter and a surface of the printed circuit board, and between the optical-to-electrical receiver and the surface of the printed circuit board.

30. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 29 , wherein the polymer waveguide is fabricated using a compression molding process using UV/thermal cross linkable polymers.

31. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 29 , wherein the reflective elements are fabricated using a sharp blade.

32. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 19 , wherein the electrical-to-optical transmitter disposed within the cavity of the printed circuit board comprises an optoelectronic signal communications system.

33. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 32 , wherein the optoelectronic signal communications system comprises:

a substrate having a first surface;

a waveguide structure fabricated within the substrate;

the electrical-to-optical transmitter fabricated within the substrate and in direct adjoinment with the waveguide structure;

a first reflective element fabricated within the waveguide structure in direct alignment with the electrical-to-optical transmitter;

an optical-to-electrical receiver fabricated within the substrate and in direct adjoinment with the waveguide structure;

a second reflective element fabricated within the waveguide structure in direct alignment with the optical-to-electrical receiver; and

an at least partially metal layer within the substrate, fabricated to provide electrical coupling between the electrical-to-optical transmitter and the first surface, and between the optical-to-electrical receiver and the first surface.

34. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 33 , wherein the waveguide structure is fabricated using a compression molding process using UV/thermal cross linkable polymers.

35. The printed circuit board as recited in claim 33 , wherein the first and second reflective elements are fabricated using a sharp blade.