Solder preform for low heat stress laser solder attachment

Abstract

A solder preform for attaching an optical fiber having a diameter to a fiber attach pad, the solder preform comprising a body including solder at least on a bottom surface thereof, the body having a groove extending along a first face from a first end to a second, the groove being larger in width than the diameter of the optical fiber to allow unimpeded alignment of the optical fiber. The solder preform above, wherein the body is formed substantially as a geometric shape, for example, a substantially rectangular box, a substantially cubical box, substantially a cylinder, substantially a semi-cylinder, substantially a sphere, substantially a semi-sphere, and substantially a cone or any geometric shape having a flat surface and a groove found therein.

1 . A method of making a solder preform for attaching an optical fiber having a diameter to a fiber attach pad, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a block of solder material;    b) stamping a shape from the block of solder material; and    c) forming a groove on a first face of the shape extending from a first end to a second end, the groove being larger in width than that diameter of the optical fiber.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step c is performed as part of step b.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step c is performed by grinding the groove on the first face of the shape extending from the first end to the second end.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of stamping includes forming the shape from a group consisting of a substantially rectangular box, a substantially cubical box, substantially a cylinder, substantially a semi-cylinder, substantially a sphere, substantially a semi-sphere, and substantially a cone.  
   
   
       5 . A method of using a solder preform for attaching an optical fiber having a diameter to a fiber attach pad, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing the solder preform;    b) placing the optical fiber over the fiber attach pad;    c) placing the solder preform over the optical fiber and onto the fiber attach pad; and    d) applying laser radiation in a manner such that the optical fiber is shielded from the laser radiation by the solder preform.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of aligning the optical fiber to receive a desirable optimized optical signal strength from an adjacent optical component.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of aligning the optical fiber to provide a desirable optimized optical signal strength to an adjacent optical component.