Technique for protecting photonic devices in optoelectronic packages with clear overmolding

• Main Authors: MAZOTTI WILLIAM PAUL, DEANE PETER, PHAM KEN, ROBERTS BRUCE CARLTON, NGUYEN LUU THANH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.03.2007
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

This disclosure describes a clear overmolding cap for protecting the photonic devices in optoelectronic packages from damage due to handling, module assembly, board assembly, and environmental exposure in field applications. The overmolding of the devices with a clear mold cap or similar material also provides a standoff for optical fibers positioned next to the active facets. The photonic devices are attached to a substrate, which may be flexible that has electronic traces that allow the photonic devices to be connected to an external device such as a semiconductor device. A technique for manufacturing the overmolding cap using a mold die system in combination with a rigid carrier is also disclosed. The rigid carrier is used to maintain the shape of the substrate during the molding process. The proposed method applies to photonic devices used in optoelectronic packages that can serve as transceivers, transmitters, or receivers.