Introduction To Optical Module With And Without TEC

1. Introduction to TEC

TEC (Thermo Electric Cooler) is the abbreviation of Thermoelectric Cooler (also known as Peltier Cooler). It is a solid-state refrigeration technology based on the Peltier effect of thermoelectric materials, which can achieve temperature control on the surface of the TEC device by changing the direction of current.

2. Application of TEC in Optical Modules

From the perspective of whether automatic temperature control is required, optical modules can be classified into two types: non-refrigerated (without TEC) and refrigerated (with TEC). The corresponding TEC is mainly used to control the operating temperature of the LD (Laser Diode) semiconductor chip inside the TOSA (Transmitter Optical Subassembly), ensuring it operates at a constant temperature for a long time.

TEC is generally packaged between the cavity of TO-CAN or BOX and the LD for heat conduction control. The following figure shows a schematic diagram of the TEC in the EML TOSA packaging structure:

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of EML TOSA Structure with TEC

3. Selection Introduction of Optical Modules with and without TEC

Products with TEC are generally used in the following common scenarios:

a. Applications with strict requirements on wavelength temperature drift (such as DWDM optical modules);

b. Most DFBs and EAs in EML TOSAs require TEC to stabilize the temperature, avoiding output optical power fluctuations caused by differences in the temperature drift coefficients of the two components;

c. For high-speed and long-distance transmission products, using TEC for constant temperature can reduce the fluctuation of thermal noise caused by temperature changes, optimize the heat dissipation of high-power optical chips, and thereby improve the signal transmission capability of the product;

The choice of whether an optical module is equipped with TEC mainly depends on the actual application scenario and cost budget. Optical modules with TEC have a relatively higher cost, but offer better transmission performance and reliability in applications such as high speed, long distance, and DWDM.

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Introduction To Optical Module With And Without TEC