JPH063566A - Optical module - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide an optical module with high reliability and long life, which enables the entire module to be hermetically sealed by hermetically sealing between the optical fiber array and the module package. Is. In an optical module comprising a module package for holding a light emitting and receiving element, its peripheral circuit, and an optical fiber for guiding light, and an optical fiber array extending from the package, an airtight seal is provided between the package and the optical fiber array. An optical module in which a U-shaped groove that is shallower than the optical fiber diameter is formed in the package for stopping, and the surface-treated optical fiber is embedded in the U-shaped groove to hermetically seal the entire module package.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to hermetic sealing of a package in an optical transmission module used for optical fiber communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The hermetic sealing of an optical module package is
By making the package airtight, the adverse effect of corrosion of the semiconductor element due to moisture, oxygen, etc. is prevented, and it is used to provide a highly reliable and long-life optical module. One of the conventional technologies related to the hermetically sealing structure of an optical module is to insert an optical fiber into a metal ferrule, seal and fix the fiber and metal ferrule with resin, and perform optical axis alignment between the ferrule and the optical component. The connection is made, and it is inserted into a package whose one end is sealed to seal the metal ferrule and the package, whereby the hermeticity of the package can be maintained. In addition, the light emitting and receiving elements are sealed in the package, a window is provided in a part of the package, and a glass or lens that guides light is attached to the window, which is coupled with the optical fiber and fixed with low melting point solder. . The light emitting / receiving element section and the coupling section are separated and hermetically sealed. The former is Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-2
20011 and the latter are Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-45915.

[0003]

In the case of hermetically sealing with a metal ferrule, resin is used to fix the metal ferrule and the optical fiber, and therefore there is a problem that these parts are largely deteriorated with time. was there. In addition, the gas generated when the resin is cured and the water contained in the resin adversely affect the components inside the package such as corrosion. When the package is provided with a window to keep it airtight, the optical axis is aligned when the light emitting and receiving element is hermetically sealed, and the optical axis is also used when coupling the light guided in the window with the optical fiber. There is a problem that it is necessary to perform the adjustment, and the number of steps is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide an optical module which is capable of easily hermetically sealing an optical module and which is highly reliable and has a long life.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the optical module according to the present invention, the thickness of solder necessary for joining the package body and the lid is taken into consideration,
A U-shaped groove having a depth smaller than the optical fiber diameter is provided at the end of the module package, and the core wire of the surface-treated optical fiber array is embedded in the U-shaped groove and sealed and fixed with solder or the like. ing.

[0006]

In the optical module of the present invention, the module package is provided with a U-shaped groove shallower than the optical fiber diameter, and the optical fiber core wire portion is embedded in the U-shaped groove. The U-shaped groove, which is provided in consideration of the thickness of the solder necessary for joining the package body and the lid, and which is shallower than the optical fiber diameter, reduces the space between the optical fiber and the package. Further, since it is a groove, the space between the optical fiber and the package can be easily filled with the sealing material, and the space can be sufficiently filled with solder. As a result, it becomes possible to easily hermetically seal the module package, and it is possible to provide a highly reliable and long-life optical module that is not adversely affected from the outside.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an example of an optical module showing the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the U-shaped groove portion, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the U-shaped groove portion.

A portion of the joint between the module package body 11 and the lid 12 has a diameter substantially equal to the core diameter of the optical fiber array 13, a bottom portion having a roundness, and a width dimension substantially equal to the width dimension of the optical fiber array core portion. The groove 14 is cut.
The package surface including the core wire portion and the U-shaped groove portion of the optical fiber array 13 is plated.

First, the joint portion between the module package body 11 having the U-shaped groove 14 and the flat package lid 12 and the U-shaped groove portion 14 of the package body 11 are soldered. The package body 11 is attached to a heat block to heat the entire package 11 to remove excess solder in the U-shaped groove portion 14. This is because when the solder is applied, the amount of solder is too large to fill the U-shaped groove portion 14 and the core wire of the optical fiber array 13 does not enter the groove portion 14, or the module package body 11 and the lid 12 are completely joined. You can't do this to avoid opening a gap. After that, the surface-treated core of the optical fiber 13 is applied to the U-shaped groove 14, and the optical fiber 13
Is embedded in the U-shaped groove 14. After the solder 21 is made to fit into the fiber 13 embedded in the U-shaped groove portion 14, the package lid 12 is placed on the package body 11 to melt the solder 21. Package body 11
In order to prevent a gap from being formed between the lid 12 and the lid 12, the lid 12 of the package is cooled and fixed so that the solder 21 has a uniform thickness. Optical fiber array 13
The module package 11 is hermetically sealed, and the entire module is hermetically sealed.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily hermetically seal an optical module, and to provide an optical module with high reliability and long life.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hermetically sealed optical module according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a U-shaped groove portion.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a U-shaped groove portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ... Module package body, 12 ... Module package lid, 13 ... Optical fiber array, 14 ... U-shaped groove, 15 ... Array light emitting / receiving element, 21 ... Solder.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tsutomu Kono 216 Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Stock company Hitachi Information & Communication Division

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical module having a module package that internally holds a semiconductor element constituting a light emitting and receiving element and its peripheral circuit, and an optical module having a plurality of optical fibers for guiding light from the inside of the package. A U-shaped groove having a depth smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber is provided in the optical fiber, the optical fiber is embedded between the cap and the U-shaped groove, and the optical fiber is hermetically sealed by a sealing material capable of maintaining hermeticity. module.