High-performance TO packages for high-frequency actively-cooled applications

Schott has expanded its design portfolio of high-performance TO packages for the 10GBit/sec range to suit high-frequency, actively cooled applications. The new TO package enables the development of high-speed data transfer in telecom and data communications markets and is ideal for 10GBit/s laser diodes that require a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), enabling its application in middle to long distances. Since the package is based on a TO footprint, it is also reduced in size compared to the conventional box packages. When designing a TO package for high-frequency applications, impedance matching and space constraints pose the largest challenge to the developer. Schott has overcome these limitations with the new TEC TO design. The thermoelectric cooler allows for controlled heat dissipation, which leads to regulated and stable laser wave lengths. The new design is also based on an extended radio-frequency feedthrough, which boasts shortened wire-bonds to minimize signal losses to the laser diode, thereby improving the overall performance. In addition, the new TEC TO is a package design based on a well-conducting steel platform that no longer relies on the box design. “Box packages have a natural mechanical limitation in size reduction,” said Kenneth Tan, research and development manager, Schott Electronic Packaging, Singapore. “With TOs, a familiar face in the industry, the glass ceiling of miniaturization is broken. Having overcome the challenges of meeting all of our customers’ requirements in one TO package, we now offer an economical alternative to the conventional box solutions.” The new® TEC TO is designed for use in telecommunication and data communication applications that rely on cooled devices for 10GBit/sec data transfer speeds. Recently introduced to the market, the product is currently available to customers for qualification. It is suitable for various TEC sizes. Options for further improved heat dissipation are also available, says the company. “With 50 years of research and applied knowledge in the TO field, Schott continues to be an innovative force in the industry. The newest TEC TO offers unmatched performance in a smaller package, unleashing new capabilities for the telecommunications and data fields," added Tan. For us, the TEC TO header is not just a product, it underscores our research and development capability in this domain of high-frequency applications. The new TEC TO package highlights Schott’s leadership in designing and manufacturing fully hermetic packages for innovative high-speed tele- and data communication." Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC), March 24 to 26, 2015, Los Angeles (booth #1317).