A Low Cost Lead Frame Techonology for Automated Laser Packaging

The current price of packaged high quality 1.3 um lasers for lightwave communications makes them prohibitively expensive for local applications. To demonstrate a way of reducing this high price a laser mount has been designed and fabricated using an inherently inexpensive stamping process. The design is adaptable for automated bonding testing and accelerated aging, which promises significant further cost reduction. This low cost forming offers a laser mount which is entirely compatible with the lead frame processing techniques developed for light emitting diodes (LED´s) and silicon devices. Features of the new laser-mount include a novel pedestal design which exposes both laser facets, chip protection from mishandling, and features for the precise location of both the laser chip and the ceramic standoff. The projected cost for the laser mount in volume production is less than $0.25.