Automated fiber attachment for 980mm pump modules

Automation is the keyword for further fast progress at reasonable prices in telecommunication device production. Up to now most assembly procedures are still performed manually because of the very different nature of the components such as fibers, laser diodes, thermoelectric coolers, lenses etc., their high price and low product volumes. For 980 nm pump laser modules, the most crucial and time-consuming assembly step is the fiber to laser diode attachment. Here, mostly a multi-part structure is used for longtime stability fixing of a lensed fiber in respect to a mounted laser diode. This structure is designed for fixing by laser welding and allows a consecutive fine adjustment by mechanical plastic deformation. At JDS Uniphase in Zurich, new design concepts with respect to the automation point of view were studied and implemented. As a result, all the necessary parts and functions could be included in one structure design, the so-called 'all-in-one' clip (pat. pending). This clip allows simpler part handling, a more stable and automated welding/fine adjustment and smaller cycle times with the same longtime stability as test results for coupling efficiencies, fixing losses, vibration and temperature cycling tests show.