# US 12,007,632 B2 · Optical isolator and light source device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,632 B2 - Document ID: US12007632B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/594,582 - Filed: 2020-04-01 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-25 - Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation - Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation - Inventors: Hiromichi Yoshikawa; Naoki Matsui; Tomoya Sugita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007632B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/0955: {used as non-reciprocal devices, e.g. optical isolators, circulators} - G02B 6/2746: {comprising non-reciprocal devices, e.g. isolators, FRM, circulators, quasi-isolators (magneto-optic non-reciprocal devices G02F1/093)} - H01S 5/0239: Combinations of electrical or optical elements - H01S 5/026: Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers (stabilisation of output H01S5/06) - G02B 6/4209: {Optical features} - H01S 5/0064: {Anti-reflection components, e.g. optical isolators} - 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 - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - 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 ## Abstract An optical isolator 10 according to the present disclosure includes a substrate 11 and an optical waveguide 12 provided on the substrate 11. The optical waveguide 12 includes a first end part 13, a plurality of second end parts 14 arranged in an array, and at least one branching part 18 located between the first end part 13 and the plurality of second end parts 14. The optical waveguide 12 has a portion having non-reciprocity and gives different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts between the first end part 13 and at least two of the second end parts 14. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical isolator comprising: a substrate; and an optical waveguide provided on the substrate, the optical waveguide including: a first end part, a plurality of second end parts arranged in an array, at least one branching part located between the first end part and the plurality of second end parts, and a portion having non-reciprocity that provides different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts between the first end part and at least two second end parts of the plurality of second end parts, wherein the plurality of second end parts are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and the different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts regularly differ between adjacent second end parts of the plurality of second end parts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical isolator according to claim 1, further comprising a non-reciprocal member disposed in contact with the portion having non-reciprocity of the optical waveguide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The optical isolator according to claim 2, wherein a magnetization direction of the non-reciprocal member or a direction of an external magnetic field generating non-reciprocity in the non-reciprocal member is substantially orthogonal to a polarization direction of incident light entering the optical waveguide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The optical isolator according to claim 2, wherein a magnetization direction of the non-reciprocal member or a direction of an external magnetic field generating non-reciprocity in the non-reciprocal member is substantially perpendicular to a substrate surface of the substrate on which the optical waveguide is provided, and a polarization direction of incident light entering the optical waveguide is substantially parallel with the substrate surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The optical isolator according to claim 2, wherein a volume of the non-reciprocal member is equal to or less than a half of a volume of the portion having non-reciprocity of the optical waveguide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical isolator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second end parts are optically coupled to a light source or an optical transmission path with a space interposed therebetween. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical isolator according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide has higher permittivity than permittivity of a medium that is provided in contact with the optical waveguide so as to cover a periphery of the optical waveguide along a direction in which the optical waveguide extends. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical isolator according to claim 1, wherein the second end parts have an end surface tapered in a longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical isolator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second end parts are arranged in a two-dimensional array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical isolator according to claim 9, wherein the second end parts are displaced at least in one direction from a grid pattern in a two-dimensional direction of directions orthogonal to each other. ### Claim 11 A light source device comprising: an optical isolator including a substrate and an optical waveguide provided on the substrate, the optical waveguide including a first end part, a plurality of second end parts arranged in an array, a branching part located between the first end part and the plurality of second end parts, and a portion having non-reciprocity, the optical waveguide providing different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts between the first end part and at least two second end parts of the plurality of second end parts, and the plurality of second end parts are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and the different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts regularly differ between adjacent second end parts of the plurality of second end parts; and a light source disposed so that light emitted from the light source enters the first end part or the plurality of second end parts of the optical isolator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The light source device according to claim 11, further comprising a power supply that supplies power to the light source. ### Claim 13 An optical isolator comprising: a substrate; and an optical waveguide provided on the substrate, the optical waveguide including: a first end part, a plurality of second end parts arranged in an array, at least one branching part located between the first end part and the plurality of second end parts, a portion having non-reciprocity that provides different non-reciprocal phase shift amounts between the first end part and at least two second end parts of the plurality of second end parts, and a non-reciprocal member disposed in contact with the portion having non-reciprocity of the optical waveguide, wherein a volume of the non-reciprocal member is equal to or less than a half of a volume of the portion having non-reciprocity of the optical waveguide.