Optical module

Abstract

An optical module has at least two optical elements mounted in parallel with each other. The module also has a first electrode pad which is formed between the paralleled optical elements and grounded to a ground potential and a second electrode pad which is arranged along a line that is intersected with a direction in which the optical elements are arranged, which faces the first electrode pad and is grounded to the ground potential. The module further has a conductive shield member which is connected to the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad and placed between electrical signal transmission paths each connected to the optical elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical module comprising:
 at least two optical elements mounted in parallel with each other; 
 a first electrode pad formed between the paralleled optical elements and grounded to a ground potential; 
 a second electrode pad arranged along a line that is intersected with by a direction in which the at least two optical elements are arranged, said second electrode pad facing the first electrode pad, and said second electrode pad being grounded to the ground potential; and 
 a conductive shield member connected to both the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad and positioned between electrical signal transmission paths, each one of which is connected to a respective one of the optical elements, 
 wherein,
 the conductive shield member includes a linear wire, said linear wire having one end connected to the first electrode pad and the other end thereof connected the second electrode pad, and is stretched between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad at a height aligned with a height of the electrical signal transmission path connected to the at least two optical elements. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The optical module according to  claim 1 , wherein plural wires are stretched between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad. 
     
     
       3. The optical module according to  claim 1 , wherein the linear wire is made of gold and stretched between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad by wire bonding. 
     
     
       4. The optical module according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting substrate that mounts the optical element, the paralleled optical elements being mounted on the mounting substrate and the first electrode pad being formed on the mounting substrate. 
     
     
       5. The optical module according to  claim 4 , further comprising an electric circuit substrate on which the mounting substrate is mounted, wherein the second electrode pad is formed on the electric circuit substrate; and wherein the first electrode pad formed on the mounting substrate is connected to the a ground electrode formed on the electric circuit substrate. 
     
     
       6. The optical module according to  claim 5 , further comprising a grounding electrode that is electrically connected to the first electrode pad on a back surface of the mounting substrate, wherein the grounding electrode is mounted on the ground electrode formed on the electric circuit substrate, to connect the first electrode pad with the ground through the ground electrode and the grounding electrode. 
     
     
       7. The optical module according to  claim 6 , wherein a conducting electrode that makes the first electrode pad and the grounding electrode conductive to each other is formed on a side surface of the mounting substrate. 
     
     
       8. The optical module according to  claim 5 , wherein the first electrode pad formed on the mounting substrate is grounded to the ground electrode formed on the electric circuit substrate, by a conductive wire having conductivity. 
     
     
       9. The optical module according to  claim 8 , further comprising on a surface of the mounting substrate a grounding pad which is conductive to the first electrode pad and to which the conductive wire for grounding is connected, wherein the conductive wire for grounding and the first electrode pad are connected to each other at a position different from a position where the conductive shield member is connected to the first electrode pad. 
     
     
       10. The optical module according to  claim 1 , further comprising an optical signal transmission device which has a core and a clad to couple the core and the at least two optical elements with each other. 
     
     
       11. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least two optical elements is a light-emitting element and another of the at least two optical elements is a light-receiving element. 
     
     
       12. The optical module according to claim 11, wherein:
 the at least two optical elements comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements and a plurality of light-receiving elements;   the electrical signal transmission paths comprise (a) a first electrical signal transmission path connected to at least one of the plurality of light-emitting elements and (b) a second electrical signal transmission path connected to at least one of the light-receiving elements; and   the conductive shield member is disposed between the first electrical signal transmission path and the second electrical signal transmission path.   
     
     
       13. The optical module according to claim 12, wherein the conductive shield member comprises a plurality of bonding wires. 
     
     
       14. The optical module according to claim 11, wherein a distance between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element is 600 micrometers or more. 
     
     
       15. The optical module according to claim 11, wherein the at least one light-emitting element and the at least one light-receiving element are arranged along a common line. 
     
     
       16. The optical module according to claim 11, further comprising:
 a driver IC that is electrically connected to at least one of the at least two optical elements; and   a receiver IC that is electrically connected to at least one of the at least two optical elements.   
     
     
       17. The optical module according to claim 11, wherein the electrical signal transmission paths comprise:
 a first electrical signal transmission path connected to the at least one light-emitting element; and   a second electrical signal transmission path connected to the at least one light-receiving element.   
     
     
       18. The optical module according to claim 17, wherein:
 the conductive shield member comprises a plurality of bonding wires; and   each of the plurality of bonding wires is disposed between the first electrical signal transmission path and the second electrical signal transmission path.   
     
     
       19. The optical module according to claim 18, wherein:
 each of the plurality of bonding wires is configured to shield the first electrical signal transmission path from electromagnetic radiation from the second electrical signal transmission path, and   each of the plurality of bonding wires is configured to shield the second electrical signal transmission path from electromagnetic radiation from the first electrical signal transmission path.   
     
     
       20. The optical module according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of bonding wires is disposed substantially along a line that runs midway between at least one neighboring pair of the at least two optical elements. 
     
     
       21. The optical module according to claim 17, wherein the conductive shield member is disposed between the first electrical signal transmission path and the second electrical signal transmission path. 
     
     
       22. The optical module according to claim 21, wherein the at least one light-emitting element includes a Vertical Cavity-Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), and the at least one light-receiving element includes a photo diode. 
     
     
       23. The optical module according to claim 21, wherein:
 the conductive shield member is configured to shield the first electrical signal transmission path from electromagnetic radiation from the second electrical signal transmission path, and   the conductive shield member is configured to shield the second electrical signal transmission path from electromagnetic radiation from the first electrical signal transmission path.   
     
     
       24. The optical module according to claim 21, wherein the conductive shield member is disposed substantially along a line that runs midway between at least one neighboring pair of the at least two optical elements. 
     
     
       25. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the conductive shield member comprises a plurality of linear wires connected to the first electrode pad. 
     
     
       26. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting substrate and a bonding pad for at least one of the at least two optical elements, wherein the bonding pad is disposed on the mounting substrate. 
     
     
       27. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate, wherein the first electrode pad is disposed on a surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       28. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a ground electrode and a substrate, wherein the ground electrode is disposed on a back surface of the substrate, and wherein the first electrode pad and the ground electrode are electrically connected to one other. 
     
     
       29. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a ground potential electrode that is electrically connected to the first electrode pad. 
     
     
       30. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the at least two optical elements comprise a light-receiving element array. 
     
     
       31. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising an optical waveguide member, wherein the optical waveguide member comprises a core and a clad. 
     
     
       32. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical signal transmission paths are made of gold. 
     
     
       33. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical signal transmission paths comprise gold. 
     
     
       34. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein:
 the conductive shield member includes a plurality of metal wires, each of the plurality of metal wires including a first end and a second end; and   the first end of each of the plurality of metal wires is disposed on a first surface, and the second end of each of the plurality of the metal wires is disposed on a second surface, the second surface being higher than the first surface.   
     
     
       35. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver IC that is electrically connected to at least one of the at least two optical elements. 
     
     
       36. The optical module according to claim 35, further comprising an electric circuit support substrate, wherein:
 the electric circuit support substrate has a first surface, and   wherein the receiver IC and the at least one of the at least two optical elements are disposed above the first surface.   
     
     
       37. The optical module according to claim 36, wherein the receiver IC and the at least one of the at least two optical elements are electrically connected to the electric circuit support substrate. 
     
     
       38. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a second conductive shield member, wherein the second conductive shield member comprises a plurality of bonding wires. 
     
     
       39. The optical module according to claim 38, wherein the linear wire and the plurality of bonding wires are made of gold. 
     
     
       40. The optical module according to claim 38, wherein the linear wire and the plurality of bonding wires comprise gold. 
     
     
       41. The optical module according to claim 38, wherein the linear wire and at least one of the plurality of bonding wires are disposed at approximately a same height. 
     
     
       42. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising a driver IC, the driver IC being electrically connected to at least one of the at least two optical elements. 
     
     
       43. The optical module according to claim 42, further comprising an electric circuit substrate, wherein:
 the electric circuit substrate has a first surface, and   the driver IC and the at least one of the at least two optical elements are disposed above the first surface.   
     
     
       44. The optical module according to claim 43, wherein the at least two optical elements comprise at least one light-emitting element and at least one light-receiving element. 
     
     
       45. The optical module according to claim 44, wherein the electrical signal transmission paths comprise:
 a first electrical signal transmission path connected to the at least one light-emitting element; and   a second electrical signal transmission path connected to the at least one light-receiving element.   
     
     
       46. The optical module according to claim 43, wherein the electric circuit substrate has a ground electrode electrically connected to the first electrode. 
     
     
       47. The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the conductive shield member comprises a plurality of bonding wires aligned in substantially a same direction. 
     
     
       48. The optical module according to claim 47, wherein the plurality of bonding wires and at least one of the electrical signal transmission paths are aligned in substantially a same direction. 
     
     
       49. The optical module according to claim 1, further comprising an optical waveguide member, wherein the optical waveguide member comprises a first path configured to propagate a first optical signal output from the optical module. 
     
     
       50. The optical module according to claim 49, wherein at least one of the at least two optical elements is coupled to the first path via at least one reflective member. 
     
     
       51. The optical module according to claim 49, wherein the optical waveguide member further comprises a second path configured to propagate a second optical signal input to the optical module. 
     
     
       52. The optical module according to claim 51, wherein a portion of the first path and a portion of the second path intersect. 
     
     
       53. The optical module according to claim 51, wherein each of one or more of the at least two optical elements is configured to transmit the first optical signal in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the first path. 
     
     
       54. The optical module according to claim 51, wherein each of one or more of the at least two optical elements is configured to receive the second optical signal from a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the second path.