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US 10,768,369 B2Granted
Waveguide mode expander having non-crystalline silicon features
AssigneeSkorpios Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGuoliang Li, Damien Lambert, Nikhil Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A waveguide mode expander couples a smaller optical mode in a semiconductor waveguide to a larger optical mode in an optical fiber. The waveguide mode expander comprises a shoulder and a ridge. In some embodiments, the ridge of the waveguide mode expander has a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages having different widths at a given cross section.
Claims19
A method of shifting a height of an optical beam relative to a substrate, comprising:
- receiving the optical beam at an input end of a multistage coupler that is coupled with the substrate, wherein the input end of the multistage coupler defines a first height relative to an upper surface of the substrate;
- propagating the optical beam through the multistage coupler, wherein the multistage coupler comprises a first stage and a final stage, and wherein:
- the first stage is disposed at the first height, relative to the upper surface, from the input end to a first-stage end, and
- the first stage tapers along a propagation direction that extends from the input end to the first-stage end,
- the first-stage end is narrower than the input end,
- the first stage is optically coupled with the final stage,
- the final stage is disposed at a second height relative to the upper surface from a final-stage end to an output end of the multistage coupler, the second height being greater than the first height, and
- the final stage widens along the propagation direction, wherein the output end is wider than the final-stage end;
- and
- transmitting the optical beam through the output end of the multistage coupler.
7 more elements
A multistage coupler that shifts a height of an optical beam relative to a substrate, comprising:
- the substrate, wherein the substrate defines an upper surface;
- a lower cladding layer;
- a first stage and a final stage, wherein:
- the first stage comprises silicon,
- the first stage forms an input end that is configured to receive the optical beam from an input waveguide that propagates the optical beam along a propagation direction;
- the lower cladding layer is disposed between the first stage and the upper surface,
- the first stage has a higher index of refraction than the lower cladding layer,
- the first stage is disposed at a first height, relative to the upper surface, from the input end to a first-stage end,
- the first stage forms a first-stage cross section, transverse to the propagation direction, that tapers along the propagation direction, wherein the first-stage end is narrower than the input end,
- the first stage is optically coupled with the final stage,
- the final stage forms an output end that is configured to transmit the optical beam into an output waveguide at a second height relative to the upper surface,
- the final stage has a higher index of refraction than the lower cladding layer,
- the final stage is disposed at the second height relative to the upper surface from a final-stage end to the output end, the second height being greater than the first height, and
- the final stage forms a final-stage cross section, transverse to the propagation direction, that widens along the propagation direction, wherein the output end is wider than the final-stage end.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.