Optical module
View Patent ↗An optical module using an optical assembly for optical transmission and reception is disclosed. At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides an optical module which can improve the productivity by enabling efficient optical alignment and optical coupling between optical devices and optical fibers in an optical transmission-reception module using a plurality of optical fibers while increasing the data transfer rate per unit module.
1. An optical module, comprising:
a substrate configured to support at least one optical device and at least one electronic device;
a first optical assembly configured to optically couple a first optical fiber inserted from outside to a first optical device;
a second optical assembly configured to optically couple a second optical fiber inserted from outside to a second optical device,
wherein each of the first optical assembly and the second optical assembly is disposed at a predetermined position on the substrate, and the second optical fiber passes through an interior of the first optical assembly, to be optically coupled with the second optical assembly;
a first body comprising a first lens unit and a first reflector and configured to change at least one selected among a direction and a shape of light emitted from the first optical device or incident on the first optical device; and
a first cover comprising a third lens unit and configured to change at least one selected among a direction and a shape of light incident on the first optical fiber or emitted from the first optical fiber.
2. The optical module of claim 1 , wherein the second optical assembly comprises:
a second body comprising a second lens unit and a second reflector and configured to change at least one selected among a direction and a shape of light emitted from the second optical device or incident on the second optical device; and
a second cover comprising a fourth lens unit and configured to change at least one selected among a direction and a shape of light incident on the second optical fiber or emitted from the second optical fiber.
3. The optical module of claim 2 , wherein the first body comprises:
a passage configured to allow the second optical fiber to pass through one surface of the second optical assembly, making the second optical fiber be optically coupled with the second optical device.
4. The optical module of claim 2 , wherein the first optical assembly is formed by integrating the first body and the first cover and forms a first optical path extending seamlessly along the first optical device, the first lens unit, the first reflector, the third lens unit, and the first optical fiber in order of occurrence.
5. The optical module of claim 2 , wherein the second optical assembly is formed by integrating the second body and the second cover and forms a second optical path extending seamlessly along the second optical device, the second lens unit, the second reflector, the fourth lens unit, and the second optical fiber in order of occurrence.
6. The optical module of claim 4 , wherein the first optical assembly comprises:
a first-optical-fiber guide and a third-optical-fiber guide,
wherein the first-optical-fiber guide and the third-optical-fiber guide are formed by integrating the first cover and the first body.
7. The optical module of claim 5 , wherein the second optical assembly comprises:
a second-optical-fiber guide,
wherein the second-optical-fiber guide is formed by integrating the second cover and the second body.
8. The optical module of claim 6 , wherein the first optical fiber is configured to be fixated or supported to the first optical assembly by the first-optical-fiber guide.
9. The optical module of claim 7 , wherein the second optical fiber is configured to be fixated or supported to the second optical assembly by the second-optical-fiber guide and a third-optical-fiber guide that is included in the first optical assembly.
10. The optical module of claim 1 , wherein the first optical device or the second optical device comprises:
an electrical-to-optical conversion device for converting an electric signal into an optical signal, or an optical-to-electrical conversion device for converting an optical signal into an electric signal.
11. The optical module of claim 1 , wherein the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are arranged to be separated apart from the substrate by a predetermined distance or distances, and a virtual plane passing through both the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is in parallel with the substrate.
12. The optical module of claim 1 , wherein the first optical assembly and the second optical assembly are integrated with one another.