JPH07106635A - Semiconductor light emitting element array module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To regulate the wavelength of light emitted from each semiconductor light emitting element in a semiconductor light emitting element array module by controlling the temperature of light emitting element individually. CONSTITUTION:A semiconductor light emitting element array 11 comprising semiconductor light emitting elements A, B, C, D is mounted on a mounting/heat introducing board 2. A controller 6 controls the temperature of an electronic cooling element 4 such that a temperature detecting element 5 detects a set temperature thus cooling the entirety of the semiconductor light emitting element array 11 through a heat spreader 3. Each semiconductor light emitting element A, B, C, D is provided with a micro heating element board 8 and the current supply thereto is controlled individually to vary the quantity of heat generated therefrom such that the light emitted from each semiconductor light emitting element A, B, C, D has a target wavelength.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is capable of accurately adjusting the wavelength of an optical carrier of a semiconductor light emitting device module (hereinafter referred to as "semiconductor light emitting device array module") using a semiconductor light emitting device array. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Optical frequency division mul
In tiplexing “FDM”) communication, the wavelength of light that is a carrier wave of each channel is set in angstrom units. For example, in a 100-channel experimental system, the wavelength spacing is designed to be about 0.8 Å (reference: H.Toba, K.Oda, K.Nakanishi, N.Shibata, K.Nosu,
N.Takano, and M.Fukuda, "A 100-channel optical FDM t
ransmission / distributionat 622 Mb / s over 50 kM, "IE
EE J. Lightwave Technol., Vol.LT-8, pp.1396-1401, Sep
t.1990.). Therefore, when the semiconductor light emitting device module is used in this communication system, it is necessary to precisely adjust the wavelength of the optical carrier.

A light emitting element mounted on a semiconductor light emitting element module for optical FDM communication has various optical parameters (for example, a period of a grating built into the element) so as to oscillate at a wavelength required by the optical FDM communication system. ) Is determined and manufactured. However, the current element manufacturing technology has not reached the stage where the oscillation wavelength setting with the angstrom accuracy required for optical FDM communication can be achieved. Therefore, normally, after the semiconductor light emitting device is mounted on the module, the semiconductor light emitting device is mounted by adjusting the temperature of the module by utilizing the fact that the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting device depends on the temperature of the device (usually about 1 angstrom / ° C.). The oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting device was finely adjusted and provided for optical FDM communication.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the structure of a typical semiconductor light emitting device module. Reference numeral 1 is a semiconductor light emitting element. 2 is a plate for mounting and heat introduction of the semiconductor light emitting device 1,
It is usually made of a good thermal conductor such as diamond. Reference numeral 3 denotes a heat diffusion member, which is usually made of a heat conductive metal such as copper or aluminum. Reference numeral 4 is an electronic cooling element, 5 is a temperature detecting element, 6 is a control device for the electronic cooling element 4, and 7 is a temperature detecting element 5.
And a controller 6 and a cable connecting the controller 6 and the electronic cooling element 4. In this module configuration, the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting element 1 can be easily finely adjusted by changing the set temperature of the control device 6.

[0005]

In recent years, semiconductor light emitting element arrays in which a large number of light emitting elements are integrated on one chip have become available due to improvements in semiconductor light emitting element manufacturing technology. Attempts to mount it on a semiconductor light-emitting device module for automobiles are active. However, these semiconductor light emitting element array modules have serious drawbacks with respect to the fine adjustment of the oscillation wavelength. The semiconductor light emitting element array module has a configuration in which the semiconductor light emitting element 1 in the semiconductor light emitting element module of FIG. 5 is replaced with the semiconductor light emitting element array 11 shown in FIG. The semiconductor light emitting element array 11 includes, for example, four semiconductor light emitting elements as indicated by A, B, C, and D. The oscillation wavelengths of the semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, C, and D are set to the wavelength of the carrier wave of each channel of the optical FDM communication system (for example, in the 100-channel experimental system, at wavelength intervals of about 0.8 angstrom). It Even if an attempt is made to finely adjust the deviation of the oscillation wavelengths of the semiconductor light emitting elements A, B, C, and D from the design value, which is caused by variations in manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element array 11, by adjusting the temperature of the module, for example, the semiconductor light emitting element is used. Since the temperature adjustment amount required for fine adjustment of the oscillation wavelength of the device A is different from the temperature adjustment amount required for fine adjustment of the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting device B, as a result, in this module configuration, the setting of the control device 6 is set. Fine adjustment of the oscillation wavelength by changing the temperature was impossible.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and provide a semiconductor light emitting element array module in which the oscillation wavelength can be adjusted by temperature adjustment for each semiconductor light emitting element of the semiconductor light emitting element array.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above problems, a substrate on which a minute heat generating element for individually adjusting the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting element of the semiconductor light emitting element array is formed (hereinafter referred to as a minute heat generating element). The element substrate) is incorporated in the module, and the minute heat generating element substrate is mounted so that the minute heat generating element is located at a position corresponding to the semiconductor light emitting element of the semiconductor light emitting element array.

[0008]

In the module structure according to the present invention, the temperature of each semiconductor light emitting element of the semiconductor light emitting element array can be individually adjusted by using the minute heat generating element.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 11 denotes a semiconductor light emitting element array, which is 4 in the embodiment.
It has individual semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, C, and D. Reference numeral 2 denotes a mounting and heat introduction plate, which is usually made of a good heat conductor such as diamond. Reference numeral 3 denotes a heat diffusion member, which is usually made of a heat conductive metal such as copper or aluminum. Four
Is an electronic cooling element, 5 is a temperature detecting element, 6 is a controller of the electronic cooling element 4, 7 is a cable connecting the temperature detecting element 5 and the controller 6, and the controller 6 and the electronic cooling element 4. Reference numeral 8 denotes a minute heat generating element substrate, and in the embodiment, the semiconductor light emitting element array 1
Four micro heat generating element substrates 8 are mounted on the upper surface of 1 in correspondence with the positions of the four semiconductor light emitting elements A, B, C and D. The four minute heat generating element substrates 8 generate heat by passing an electric current, and each current value passed through each minute heat generating element substrate 8 can be individually controlled. That is, each micro heat generating element substrate 8 has, for example, a nichrome thin film or the like that generates heat by passing an electric current.

In this module structure, the four semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, and
Set each of the oscillation wavelengths of C and D so as to satisfy the temperature adjustment amount necessary for finely adjusting the deviation amount from the design value.
The minute heating element substrate 8 is heated by applying an electric current to finely adjust the oscillation wavelength of each of the semiconductor light emitting elements A, B, C and D. That is, the wavelength of the light output from each semiconductor light emitting device A, B, C, D is measured with an optical wavelength meter or spectrum analyzer,
The value of the current flowing through each of the minute heating elements 8 is adjusted so that the measured wavelength matches the target wavelength.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows the structure of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 18 denotes a minute heating element array substrate, and a plurality of minute heating elements W, X, Y, Z are formed in correspondence with the arrangement of the semiconductor light emitting elements A, B, C, D of the semiconductor light emitting element array 11. . In the embodiment, four semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, C,
It has four micro heating elements W, X, Y, and Z (for example, a nichrome thin film) corresponding to D. The other components are the same as those in the first embodiment (the assigned numbers are also the same). Each minute heating element W, X, Y, Z generates heat by passing an electric current,
Moreover, the values of the currents flowing through the minute heating elements W, X, Y, Z can be individually controlled.

The method of finely adjusting the oscillation wavelength of each of the semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, C, and D is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment. The point that only one of 18 is required is an advantage in mounting.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 3 shows the structure of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
The constituent elements are the same as those in the second embodiment (the same numbers are assigned), but the point that the minute heat generating element array substrate 18 is mounted between the semiconductor light emitting element array 11 and the mounting / heat introducing plate 2. Different from the second embodiment.

In this embodiment, the micro heat generating element array substrate 1
Since 8 is mounted with the element surface facing up like the semiconductor light emitting element array 11, the mounting surface such as the wire connection of the element is
This is advantageous over the first and second embodiments.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows the structure of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a mounting / heat-introducing plate, and the surface of the mounting / heat-introducing plate 12 corresponds to each semiconductor light-emitting element, and is a minute heating element W or X which is formed by passivation with a nichrome thin film. , Y, Z are formed. In the embodiment, four semiconductor light emitting devices A, B, C, D
The individual minute heating elements W, X, Y, Z are mounted. The other components are the same as those in the first embodiment (the assigned numbers are also the same).
Is.

In this embodiment, since the function of the mounting / heat-introducing plate 12 also serves as the function of the minute heat generating element substrate 8 or the minute heat generating element array substrate 18 in the other embodiments, the number of parts, the assembly process, etc. In terms of mounting, it is advantageous as compared with the other embodiments.

In each of the above-described embodiments, only the case where the junction surface of the semiconductor light emitting element array 11 is on the substrate is shown, but the junction surface may be turned upside down to be below the substrate.

[0018]

As described above, in the module structure according to the present invention, the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting elements of the semiconductor light emitting element array module can be individually adjusted by using the minute heat generating elements. Therefore, in the semiconductor light emitting device array module according to the present invention, the oscillation wavelength of each semiconductor light emitting device is controlled by the optical FD.
It is easy to allocate to the carrier wave of each channel of M communication.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element array module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration of a semiconductor light emitting element module according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a semiconductor light emitting element array.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Semiconductor Light Emitting Element 11 Semiconductor Light Emitting Element Array A, B, C, D Semiconductor Light Emitting Element 2 Mounting / Heat Introducing Plate 12 Mounting / Heat Introducing Plate 3 Heat Diffusing Member 4 Electronic Cooling Element 5 Temperature Measuring Element 6 Control Device 7 Cable 8 Micro Heating Element Substrate 18 Micro Heating Element Array Substrate W, X, Y, Z Micro Heating Element

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor light emitting element array module mounting a semiconductor light emitting element array having a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements, wherein a micro heat generating element substrate is mounted at a position corresponding to the semiconductor light emitting element on the semiconductor light emitting element array. A semiconductor light-emitting element array module, which is characterized by being mounted. 2. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the minute heat generating element substrate is formed with a plurality of minute heat generating elements corresponding to the semiconductor light emitting elements on the semiconductor light emitting element array. Array module. 3. A semiconductor light emitting element array module having a semiconductor light emitting element array having a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements mounted on a mounting / heat introducing plate, wherein the mounting / heat introducing plate is A semiconductor light emitting element array module, wherein a plurality of minute heat generating elements are formed at positions corresponding to the semiconductor light emitting elements.