Hermetic optical subassembly

Abstract

A hermetic optical subassembly includes an optical bench having a mirror directing optical signals to/from an optical waveguide, a carrier supporting a photonic device, and an intermediate optical bench having a mirror directing optical signals between the photonic device and the optical bench. The optical bench and the intermediate optical bench optically aligns the photonic device to the waveguide along a desired optical path. In one embodiment, the photonic device is an edge emitting laser (EML). The mirror of the optical bench may be passively aligned with the mirror of the intermediate optical bench. The assembled components are hermetically sealed. The body of the optical benches are preferably formed by stamping a malleable metal material to form precise geometries and surface features. In a further aspect, the hermetic optical subassembly integrates a multiplexer/demultiplexer, for directing optical signals between a single optical fiber and a plurality of photonic devices.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A hermetic optical subassembly, comprising:
 a first optical bench supporting an optical fiber, and comprising at least one first mirror defined by stamping a first malleable metal stock material;   a second optical bench comprising at least one second mirror defined by stamping a second malleable metal stock material;   a carrier supporting at least one photonic device,   wherein the optical fiber, the first mirror, the second mirror and the photonic device are in optical alignment, and the first mirror and the second mirror directs an optical signal between the photonic device and the optical fiber, and wherein the first optical bench, the second optical bench and the carrier are coupled to form a hermetic package.