An isolated laser module based on a modularity concept

A modular design concept of an isolated laser package for terrestrial and undersea lightwave communication system is discussed. To assure a flexible and reliable design, five independent and stable building blocks were developed. The building blocks are: (1) the package enclosure, (2) the thermoelectric cooler, (3) the laser and its platform, (4) the isolator assembly, and (5) the optical platform/fiber termination. One of the fundamental design rules is to keep the building blocks fully compatible and mechanically stable. Such an approach allows the designer to omit unnecessary modules or replace existing modules based on the customer´s specifications for any new application. This results in cost-effective designs and short design/model building intervals. In addition, the qualification of each building block does not have to be duplicated for every new laser module. The design, assembly, and performance of an isolated laser package utilizing all five building blocks are described