Ceramic Optical Package: Material Requirements and Guidelines for Material Selection

Abstract

ABSTRACTRecently Lightwave Device Packaging Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories has demonstrated that ceramic materials can provide cost effective and high quality packages to house optical and electronic components for lightwave communication applications. In this paper we examine the material requirements for optical packages. We also study the material properties of metals and ceramics with a potential application in optical packages. In particular, we review hermeticity, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient, dielectric constant, electrical resistivity, sintering temperature and mechanical strength of these materials. Our study will provide a data base and useful guidelines for designers to make uniformed decisions on material selection for optical package. We also review the mixing rules to predict the resultant property of a composite from the known attributes of its constituents and the use of new composite materials will provide a new degree of flexibility in the optical package design.