Photodetector with sequential asymmetric-width waveguides
AssigneeOpenLight Photonics, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Edgar Roth, Jared Bauters, Erik Johan Norberg
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Abstract
Described are various configurations of optical structures having asymmetric-width waveguides. A photodetector can include parallel waveguides that have different widths, which can be connected via passive waveguide. One or more light absorbing regions can be proximate to the waveguides to absorb light propagating through one or more of the parallel waveguides. Multiple photodetectors having asymmetric width waveguides can operate to transduce light in different modes in a polarization diversity optical receiver.
Claims20
A method for transducing light, the method comprising:
- receiving a first light beam at a first optical structure, the first optical structure comprising a first waveguide and a second waveguide;
- receiving a second light beam at a second optical structure, the second optical structure comprising a third waveguide and a fourth waveguide, the first waveguide being optically coupled to the third waveguide, the second waveguide being optically coupled to the fourth waveguide;
- propagating the first light beam through the first waveguide of the first optical structure and through the third waveguide of the second optical structure;
- propagating the second light beam through the fourth waveguide of the second optical structure and through the second waveguide of the first optical structure, the first light beam in the first waveguide and the second light beam in second waveguide propagating in opposite directions in the first optical structure, the first light beam in the third waveguide and the second light beam in the fourth waveguide propagating in opposite directions in the second optical structure;
- and
- generating electrical current by transducing the propagated light beams in the first optical structure and the second optical structure.
An optical device to transduce light beams, the optical device comprising:
- a first optical structure comprising a first light absorbing layer, a first waveguide, and a second waveguide;
- and
- a second optical structure comprising a second light absorbing layer, a third waveguide, and a fourth waveguide, the first waveguide being optically coupled to the third waveguide, the second waveguide being optically coupled to the fourth waveguide, a first light beam in the first waveguide and a second light beam in second waveguide propagate in opposite directions in the first optical structure, the first light beam in the third waveguide and the second light beam in the fourth waveguide propagate in opposite directions in the second optical structure, the first and second light absorbing layers to generate electrical current by transducing the propagated light beams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.