Integrated Optoelectronic Components For Optical Storage And Consumer Applications

The continuously expanding compact disk market and the rapidly growing Mini-disk [l] market have stimulated the replacement of optical elements by monolithic or hybrid integrated optics in optical pickups. The compactness and mass-production capability of integrated optics make them particularly attractive for consumer applications. A good example of an integrated optical device that has been introduced into an optical pickup is the compact (6.5x6.5x1.7mm3) pickup of the 'Jacket Discman' [2], a 14.8"-thick pocket compact disk (CD) player. The major development in this pickup was the so called 'Laser Coupler (LC)'. The LC consists of a laser diode (LD) submount and a 1.5xl.Ox0.6mm3 beamsplitting micro-prism both precisely bonded on a Si substrate. The micro-prism is now fabricated with advanced glass molding technology, while the laser diode submount consists of a smaller Si substrate containing a monitor photo-diode (PD) and the laser diode. The main Si substrate contains PIN PD's which formed with built-in preamplifiers and additional circuitries for RF and servo error signals detection. Integrating many functions in only three main parts has considerably reduced total assembly time, thereby cost and enhanced reliability.