A thermal interface may include a thermally conductive cap. The thermally conductive cap may include a base, a finger, and an extension. The base may define a plurality of cap openings. The finger may extend from the base. The extension may extend from the base. The thermal interface may also include a gasket defining a plurality of gasket openings. The gasket may be located on the base of the cap such that the gasket openings are positioned over the cap openings.

A plug connector is attachable with an optical fiber cable and is connectable with a receptacle connector. The receptacle connector comprises a receptacle shell. The plug connector comprises a front holder, a cable holding portion, a rear holder and a coupling member. The front holder is made of metal. The front holder is mated with the receptacle shell when the plug connector is connected with the receptacle connector. The cable holding portion is made of metal. The cable holding portion is configured to hold the optical fiber cable. The rear holder guards the cable holding portion. The rear holder comprises, at least in part, a thermal insulating portion made of non-metal material. The coupling member couples the front holder and the rear holder with each other. Each of the coupling member and the front holder is in contact with the rear holder only on the thermal insulating portion.

A photonic integrated circuit may be coupled to an optical fiber and packaged. The optical fiber may be supported by a fiber holder during a solder reflow process performed to mount the packaged photonic integrated circuit to a circuit board or other substrate. The optical fiber may be decoupled from the fiber holder, and the fiber holder removed, after completion of the solder reflow process.

A thermal-optical phase shifter includes a substrate layer, a cladding layer, and a beam in the cladding layer. The thermal-optical phase shifter includes a waveguide and a heating element disposed in the beam. The thermal-optical phase shifter includes a thermally conductive structure disposed on the cladding layer to disperse heat from the beam. The thermally conductive structure may include a metal strip disposed longitudinally along the beam, may include thermally conductive pads, and/or may include thermally conductive vias coupled between the cladding layer and the substrate layer. The thermal-optical phase shifter may be incorporated into light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices, telecommunications devices, and/or computing devices.

An optical module includes: a casing in which light is propagated; a heating portion; a device arranged inside the casing and configured to change, when heated, characteristics of the light propagated inside the casing; and a first member thermally connected to the heating portion and the device, the first member including a hollow arranged in a heat transfer path from the heating portion to the device and configured to prevent convective heat transmission to an inside of the casing.

An optical transceiver may include a circuit board, lasers, and a PLC including optical multiplexers and demultiplexers. The PLC may be coupled to fiber optic lines at a forward edge of the PLC, with a rear edge of the PLC receiving light for transmission generated by the lasers. Light received at the forward edge of the PLC may be demultiplexed into data channels and routed to a top surface of the PLC for optoelectronic conversion by photodetectors. In some embodiments each data channel is routed into a corresponding plurality of waveguides, with each of the corresponding plurality of waveguides providing light to the same photodetector. In some embodiments at least some receive side electronic circuitry, other than photodetectors, is stacked on top of the PLC.

A connector system includes a cage assembly in which a thermally conductive heat sink and a connector are mounted. The heat sink includes a base, a ramp extending downwardly from the base and a pedestal extending downwardly from the base. A thermal interface material is disposed on lower surface of the pedestal. A module can be inserted into the cage assembly and connected to the connector and to the heat sink. Thermal energy generated by the module is transferred to the heat sink which dissipates the heat by convention. The ramp protects a leading edge of the thermal interface material form engagement by the module during insertion of the module into the cage assembly.

Variations in a thermal structure for an open cavity photonic integrated circuit (OCPIC) having an MRR. The structure includes an air trench in fluid communication with an air cavity that is located under the MRR. The air trench is a gap/opening in the oxide that encircles at least a portion of the MRR and extends outward radially therefrom, with a consistent width, to a diameter D1. An oxide cladding is not removed in areas that are used for metal traces and routing. The structure is characterized by straight walls along the air trench. The structure has a lower diameter D2, measured at a bottom/floor of the air cavity. In various embodiments, D2 is substantially equal to D1.

A method for assembling an optoelectronic package assembly includes engaging a connector holder with a substrate, the connector holder defining an engagement feature and the substrate including optical waveguides, engaging a connector of a fiber array unit with the engagement feature the connector holder where the engagement feature retains the connector and where the fiber array unit includes the connector and optical fibers coupled to the connector, optically coupling the optical fibers to the optical waveguides of the substrate, heating the connector holder, the fiber array unit, the substrate, and a solder positioned between the substrate and a base substrate, where the heating is sufficient to melt the solder, and cooling the solder to couple the substrate to the base substrate.

An optical module includes: a board that is accommodated in a housing and in which a through hole is formed; a metal plate that is bonded to an area of the board including the through hole; a component that is mounted on one surface of the metal plate and is arranged inside the through hole; and a thermal-conductive member that is arranged on another surface of the metal plate and transmits heat generated by the component to the housing.