MT (TM)-compatible connectorisation of VCSEL and RCLED arrays to plastic optical fibre ribbon for low cost parallel datalinks

For the realisation of MT(TM)-compatible direct connectorised modules, a PM MA-based interconnection scheme, using index alignment is developed. Plasti c pieces ari: accurately positioned with respect to the chips and then fixe d with epoxy, following an index-alignment strategy. Alignment accuracies i n the range of 5-10 mum have been achieved, which is sufficient to have goo d coupling efficiencies in view of the relaxed alignment tolerances when co upling to small diameter (125 mum) plastic optical fibre. The chips are ass embled in commercially available packages, which are then mounted on PCB bo ards. First coupling measurements on fully assembled modules, using a red ( 670 nm) 1 x 8 VCSEL-array and an infrared (980 nm) 1 x 8 RCLED (resonant ca vity LED) array, are successfully carried out. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.