# US 12,007,665 B2 · Optical signal processing apparatus

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- Number: US 12,007,665 B2
- Document ID: US12007665B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/419,489
- Filed: 2020-01-07
- Published: 2022-03-24
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-10
- Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
- Applicants: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
- Inventors: Keita Yamaguchi; Kenya Suzuki; Takashi Go; Osamu Moriwaki; Ai Yanagihara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007665B2

## CPC

- G02F 1/3136: {of interferometric switch type}
- G02B 6/29331: {operating by evanescent wave coupling}
- G02B 6/29355: {Cascade arrangement of interferometers}
- G02F 1/313: in an optical waveguide structure
- G02B 6/125: Bends, branchings or intersections
- 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

## Abstract

To provide an optical signal processing device capable of reducing the crosstalk while narrowing the space between switch elements for downsizing, the optical signal processing device includes a plurality of input optical waveguides, a plurality of output optical waveguides, a plurality of optical waveguide elements arranged between the plurality of input optical waveguides and the plurality of output optical waveguides, and a connection optical waveguide. The connection optical waveguide positioned closely to the optical waveguide element is differentiated in propagation constant from the optical waveguide configuring the closely arranged optical waveguide element. The connection optical waveguide positioned closely to the optical waveguide element is a connection optical waveguide having one end or both ends connected to the optical waveguide element, or a connection optical waveguide having both ends not connected to the optical waveguide elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical signal processing device including a plurality of input optical waveguides, a plurality of output optical waveguides, a plurality of optical waveguide elements arranged between the plurality of input optical waveguides and the plurality of output optical waveguides, and a first connection optical waveguide that connects a first one of the plurality of optical waveguide elements with a first one of the plurality of output optical waveguides, wherein
the connection optical waveguide is positioned closely to a non-connected optical waveguide that is not connected to any of the plurality of input waveguides, any of the plurality of output waveguides, and any of the plurality of optical waveguide elements,
the first connection waveguide is differentiated in propagation constant from the non-connected optical waveguide,
the first connection waveguide is not closely positioned to any of the plurality of input optical waveguides, and
the non-connected waveguide and the first connection optical waveguide are positioned between two of the plurality of optical elements that are not connected to the first connection optical waveguide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the optical signal processing device includes a second connection optical waveguide that connects a second one of the plurality of optical elements with a second one of the plurality of output optical waveguides, and
the second connection optical waveguide is differentiated in propagation constant from the non-connected optical waveguide, or
the second connection optical waveguide is differentiated in propagation constant from the first connection optical waveguide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 2, wherein the first connection optical waveguide and the non-connected optical waveguide are differentiated in optical waveguide width.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of optical waveguide elements include Mach-Zehnder interferometers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the first connection optical waveguide and the non-connected optical waveguide are differentiated in optical waveguide width.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 5, wherein the optical signal processing device includes a second connection optical waveguide that connects a second one of the plurality of optical elements with a second one of the plurality of output optical waveguides, and
the second connection optical waveguide is differentiated in propagation constant from the non-connected optical waveguide, or
the second connection optical waveguide is differentiated in propagation constant from the first connection optical waveguide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of optical waveguide elements include Mach-Zehnder interferometers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical waveguide elements include Mach-Zehnder interferometers.