Passively Aligned InGaAs/InP Receiver Array

Many telecommunications and data communications applications require fiber ribbon-coupled detector arrays. Not only is such a product not commercially available, it is currently impossible to buy even an unpackaged bare detector array. We propose fabricating a fiber ribbon-coupled array. This will include multi-mode fiber ribbon, an InGaAs/InP substrate-illuminated detector array designed for 1.0-1.55 um operation, and transimpedance amplifiers following the detectors. Our receiver array will be capable of 2 Gbit/channel in first generation devices. We propose a simple passive alignment scheme for fiber to detector coupling, which has a displacement tolerance of 2 microns. This alignment scheme can be combined with integrated semiconductor microlenses to passively align to smaller, higher speed detector arrays in future generation receivers.