# US 12,015,237 B2 · Tunable laser source and light steering apparatus including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,237 B2 - Document ID: US12015237B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/095,435 - Filed: 2020-11-11 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-03 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Dongjae Shin; Hyunil Byun; Changgyun Shin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015237B2 ## CPC - H01S 3/10023: {by functional association of additional optical elements, e.g. filters, gratings, reflectors} - G01S 7/4818: {using optical fibres} - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - H01S 3/0637: {Integrated lateral waveguide, e.g. the active waveguide is integrated on a substrate made by Si on insulator technology (Si/SiO2)} - H01S 5/0071: {for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction} - H01S 5/0612: {controlled by temperature} - H01S 5/0654: {Single longitudinal mode emission} - H01S 5/142: {which comprises an additional resonator} - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - H01S 3/08031: Single-mode emission - H01S 3/082: defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection or suppression - H01S 3/0826: {using a diffraction grating} - H01S 3/083: Ring lasers {(fibre ring lasers H01S3/06791)} - H01S 3/106: by controlling devices placed within the cavity ({H01S3/10076,} H01S3/13 take precedence) - H01S 5/021: {Silicon based substrates} - H01S 5/0218: {Substrates comprising semiconducting materials from other groups of the Periodic Table than the materials of the active layer} - H01S 5/4006: {Injection locking} - H01S 5/4068: {with lateral coupling by axially offset or by merging waveguides, e.g. Y-couplers} - 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 - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Provided is a tunable laser source including a plurality of optical waveguides, at least three optical resonators provided between the plurality of optical waveguides and optically coupled to the plurality of optical waveguides, the at least three optical resonators having different lengths, and at least one optical amplifier provided on at least one of the plurality of optical waveguides, wherein a ratio of a first length of a first optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators to a second length of a second optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators is not an integer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tunable laser source comprising: a plurality of optical waveguides comprising a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a third waveguide; at least three optical resonators provided between the plurality of optical waveguides and optically coupled to the plurality of optical waveguides, the at least three optical resonators comprising a first ring resonator, a second ring resonator, and a third ring resonator having different lengths; and at least two optical amplifiers provided on at least two of the plurality of optical waveguides, wherein a ratio of a first length of a first optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators to a second length of a second optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators is not an integer, and wherein the first ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, the second ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the second waveguide and the third waveguide, and the third ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the third waveguide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tunable laser source of claim 1, wherein the first ring resonator has a first circumference length; wherein theft second ring resonator has a second circumference length that is greater than the first circumference length; and wherein the third ring resonator has a third circumference length that is greater than the second circumference length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, wherein a first ratio of the third circumference length to the first circumference length or a second ratio of the third circumference length to the second circumference length is not an integer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tunable laser source of claim 3, wherein the first ratio of the third circumference length to the first circumference length or the second ratio of the third circumference length to the second circumference length is a rational number having at least two digits after a decimal point. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tunable laser source of claim 3, wherein the first ratio of the third circumference length to the first circumference length or the second ratio of the third circumference length to the second circumference length is an irrational number. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, wherein a difference between the first circumference length and the second circumference length is 1% to 10% of the first circumference length. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising controllers respectively provided at the first ring resonator, the second ring resonator, and the third ring resonator, the controllers being configured to respectively adjust refractive indexes of the first ring resonator, the second ring resonator, and the third ring resonator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising at least one optical delay line provided on at least one of the plurality of optical waveguides. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising at least one optical delay line provided on at least one of the first ring resonator, the second ring resonator, and the third ring resonator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising a fourth ring resonator optically coupled to the third ring resonator, wherein a size of the fourth ring resonator is equal to a size of the third ring resonator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising at least one phase shifter provided on at least one of the plurality of optical waveguides. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, further comprising at least one monitoring device provided on at least one output port of at least one of the plurality of optical waveguides. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The tunable laser source of claim 2, wherein the tunable laser source forms a closed loop resonator. ### Claim 14 A light steering apparatus comprising: a tunable laser source; and a steering device configured to steer a laser beam incident from the tunable laser source, wherein the tunable laser source comprises: a plurality of optical waveguides comprising a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a third waveguide; at least three optical resonators provided between the plurality of optical waveguides and optically coupled to the plurality of optical waveguides, the at least three optical resonators comprising a first ring resonator, a second ring resonator, and a third ring resonator having different lengths; and at least two optical amplifiers provided on at least two of the plurality of optical waveguides, wherein a ratio of a first length of a first optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators to a second length of a second optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators is not an integer, and wherein the first ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, the second ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the second waveguide and the third waveguide, and the third ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the third waveguide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The light steering apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first ring resonator has a first circumference length, the second ring resonator has a second circumference length greater than the first circumference length, and the third ring resonator has a third circumference length greater than the second circumference length; and a first ratio of the third circumference length to the first circumference length or a second ratio of the third circumference length to the second circumference length is not an integer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The light steering apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tunable laser source further comprises at least one monitoring device provided on at least one output port of at least one the plurality of optical waveguides. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The light steering apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a one-dimensional antenna array provided in a light output portion of the steering device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The light steering apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a detector configured to detect the laser beam steered by the steering device. ### Claim 19 A tunable laser source comprising: a plurality of optical waveguides comprising a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a third waveguide; at least three optical resonators provided between the plurality of optical waveguides and optically coupled to the plurality of optical waveguides, the at least three optical resonators comprising a first ring resonator, a second ring resonator, and a third ring resonator having different lengths; and at least two optical amplifiers provided on at least two of the plurality of optical waveguides, wherein a ratio of a first length of a first optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators to a second length of a second optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators is not an integer, wherein at least one optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators is provided on one side of the at least two optical amplifiers and at least two optical resonator of the at least three optical resonators are provided on an opposite side of the at least one two optical amplifiers, and wherein the first ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, the second ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the second waveguide and the third waveguide, and the third ring resonator is provided directly adjacent to the first waveguide and the third waveguide.