# US 10,122,149 B2 · Tunable waveguide devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,149 B2 - Document ID: US10122149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/398,690 - Filed: 2017-01-04 - Published: 2017-07-06 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-04 - Assignees: Infinera Corporation - Applicants: Infinera Corporation - Inventors: Peter W. Evans; Mingzhi Lu; Fred A. Kish, Jr.; Vikrant Lal; Scott Corzine; John W. Osenbach; Jin Yan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122149B2 ## CPC - H01S 5/1017: {Waveguide having a void for insertion of materials to change optical properties} - G02B 6/12004: {Combinations of two or more optical elements} - G02B 6/2813: {based on multimode interference effect, i.e. self-imaging} - G02B 26/04: by periodically varying the intensity of light, e.g. using choppers (shutters, diaphragms for cameras G03B9/00; devices for eliminating or reducing the effect of flicker in projection systems G03B21/40) - G02F 1/2255: {controlled by a high-frequency electromagnetic component in an electric waveguide structure} - G02F 1/2257: {the optical waveguides being made of semiconducting material} - H01S 5/02453: {Heating, e.g. the laser is heated for stabilisation against temperature fluctuations of the environment (H01S5/0612 takes precedence, for monolithically integrated heaters see also H01S5/0261)} - H01S 5/02461: {Structure or details of the laser chip to manipulate the heat flow, e.g. passive layers in the chip with a low heat conductivity} - H01S 5/0261: {Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters (H01S5/0265 takes precedence)} - H01S 5/0425: {Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure} - H01S 5/04257: {having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate} - H01S 5/0612: {controlled by temperature} - H01S 5/06256: {with DBR-structure} - H01S 5/1003: {Waveguide having a modified shape along the axis, e.g. branched, curved, tapered, voids} - H01S 5/22: having a ridge or stripe structure - H01S 5/3013: {AIIIBV compounds} - H04B 10/2507: for the reduction or elimination of distortion or dispersion - H04B 10/40: Transceivers - H04B 10/503: {Laser transmitters} - H04B 10/616: {Details of the electronic signal processing in coherent optical receivers} - H04B 10/67: Optical arrangements in the receiver - G02B 2006/12121: {Laser} - G02F 1/212: {Mach-Zehnder type} - G02F 2201/58: Arrangements comprising a monitoring photodetector - H01S 5/04254: {characterised by the shape} - H01S 5/04256: {characterised by the configuration} - H01S 5/1014: {Tapered waveguide, e.g. spotsize converter (H01S5/1064 takes precedence)} - H01S 5/1064: {varying width along the optical axis} - H01S 5/1215: {Multiplicity of periods} - H01S 5/2081: {using special etching techniques} - H01S 5/3214: {comprising materials from other groups of the Periodic Table than the materials of the active layer, e.g. ZnSe claddings and GaAs active layer} - H01S 2301/176: Specific passivation layers on surfaces other than the emission facet - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a laser including a layer having first and second regions, the first region including a void; a mirror section provided on the layer, the mirror section including a waveguide core, at least part of the waveguide core is provided over at least a portion of the void; a first grating provided on the waveguide core; a first cladding layer provided between the layer and the waveguide core and supported by the second region of the layer; a second cladding layer provided on the waveguide core; and a heat source configured to change a temperature of at least one of the waveguide core and the grating, where an optical mode propagating in the waveguide core of the mirror section does not incur substantial loss due to interaction with portions of the mirror section above and below the waveguide core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser comprising: a layer having first and second regions, the first region including a void; a mirror section provided on the layer, the mirror section comprising: a waveguide core, at least part of the waveguide core is provided over at least a portion of the void; a first grating provided on the waveguide core; a first cladding provided between the layer and the waveguide core and supported by the second region of the layer; a second cladding provided on the waveguide core; and a heat source configured to change a temperature of at least one of the waveguide core and the grating, wherein an optical mode propagating in the waveguide core of the mirror section does not incur substantial loss due to interaction with portions of the mirror section above and below the waveguide core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser in accordance with claim 1, wherein a loss incurred by the optical mode during said propagation in the mirror is less than 7 dB/cm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The laser in accordance with claim 2, wherein a loss incurred by the optical mode during said propagation in the mirror is less than 5 dB/cm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The laser in accordance with claim 3, wherein a loss incurred by the optical mode during said propagation in the mirror is less than 2.5 dB/cm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The laser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lack of substantial loss is achieved by not having a deleterious device layer in the layer. ### Claim 6 A semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate; a layer formed on the substrate, the layer having first and second regions, the first region of the layer including one or more voids; a gain section provided on the layer, the gain section comprising: a first waveguide core; a p-n junction; and a contact layer provided on the first waveguide core, the contact layer being configured to provide an electrical contact to the p-n junction of the gain section; a first mirror section provided on the layer, the first mirror section comprising: a second waveguide core, wherein at least part of the second waveguide core is provided over a first void; a first grating provided on the second waveguide core; and a first heat source configured to change a temperature of the second waveguide core and the first grating; a phase section provided on the layer, the phase section comprising: a third waveguide core; and a second heat source configured to change a temperature of the third waveguide core; a second mirror section, the second mirror section comprising: a fourth waveguide core, wherein at least part of the fourth waveguide core is provided over a second void; a second grating provided on the fourth waveguide core; and a third heat source configured to change a temperature of the fourth waveguide core and the second grating; first, second, third, and fourth claddings surrounding the first, second, third, and fourth waveguide cores, respectively, wherein the first waveguide core, the second waveguide core, the third waveguide core, and the fourth waveguide cores are configured to optically communicate with one another, and wherein an optical mode propagating in the first and second mirror sections does not incur substantial loss due to interaction with portions of the first mirror section and the second mirror section outside the second and fourth waveguide cores. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The semiconductor laser of claim 6, wherein the optical mode propagating in the first mirror section or the second mirror section incurs a loss that is less than 7 dB/cm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The semiconductor laser of claim 7, wherein the optical mode propagating in the first mirror section or the second mirror section incurs a loss that is less than 5 dB/cm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The semiconductor laser of claim 8, wherein the optical modal propagating in the first mirror section or the second mirror section incurs a loss that is less than 2.5 dB/cm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The semiconductor device of claim 6, wherein one or more deleterious device layers do not extend into the mirror sections where the first void and the second void are located.