US 12,216,312 B2Granted

Optical input polarization management device and associated methods

AssigneeAyar Labs, Inc.

InventorsPavan Bhargava, Derek Van Orden, Mark Wade, John Fini, Chen Sun, Milos Popovic, Anatol Khilo

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Abstract

An optical input polarization management device includes a polarization splitter and rotator (PSR) that directs a portion of incoming light having a first polarization through a first optical waveguide (OW). The PSR rotates a portion of the incoming light having a second polarization to the first polarization so as to provide polarization-rotated light. The PSR directs the polarization-rotated light through a second OW. Light within the first and second OW's is input to a first two-by-two optical splitter (2×2OS). A first phase shifter (PS) is interfaced with either the first or second OW. Light is output from the first 2×2OS into a third OW and a fourth OW. Light within the third and fourth OW's is input to a second 2×2OS. A second PS is interfaced with either the third or fourth OW. Light is output from the second 2×2OS into a fifth OW for further processing.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method for optical input polarization management, comprising:

receiving incoming light through an optical input port, a first portion of the incoming light having a first polarization and a second portion of the incoming light having a second polarization;
splitting the first portion of the incoming light from the second portion of the incoming light;
directing the first portion of the incoming light through a first optical waveguide and into a first optical input of a first two-by-two splitter;
rotating the second polarization of the second portion of the incoming light to the first polarization so that the second portion of the incoming light is a polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light;
directing the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through a second optical waveguide and into a second optical input of the first two-by-two splitter;
operating a first phase shifter interfaced with either the first optical waveguide or the second optical waveguide to apply a controlled amount of shift to a phase of light traveling through either the first optical waveguide or the second optical waveguide to which the phase shifter is interfaced;
directing some of the first portion of the incoming light through a first optical output of the first two-by-two optical splitter and into a third optical waveguide;
directing some of the first portion of the incoming light through a second optical output of the first two-by-two optical splitter and into a fourth optical waveguide;
directing some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through the first optical output of the first two-by-two optical splitter and into the third optical waveguide;
directing some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through the second optical output of the first two-by-two optical splitter and into the fourth optical waveguide;
operating a second phase shifter interfaced with either the third optical waveguide or the fourth optical waveguide to apply a controlled amount of shift to a phase of light traveling through either the third optical waveguide or the fourth optical waveguide to which the phase shifter is interfaced;
directing said some of the first portion of the incoming light and said some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light from the third optical waveguide into a first optical input of a second two-by-two splitter;
directing said some of the first portion of the incoming light and said some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light from the fourth optical waveguide into a second optical input of the second two-by-two splitter;
and
directing part of said some of the first portion of the incoming light and part of said some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through an optical output of the second two-by-two splitter and into a fifth optical waveguide.

12 more elements

A method for operating an electro-optic transmitter, comprising:

receiving incoming light through a plurality of optical input ports;
operating a plurality of polarization controllers, each of the plurality of polarization controllers having an optical input respectively optically connected to the plurality of optical input ports, each of the plurality of polarization controllers operating to convert light having two polarizations as received through a corresponding one of the plurality of optical input ports into light having a single polarization, each of the plurality of polarization controllers operating to direct the light having the single polarization through an output optical waveguide of the polarization controller;
operating an optical multiplexer having a plurality of optical inputs respectively optically connected to the output optical waveguides of the plurality of polarization controllers, the optical multiplexer having a plurality of optical outputs, the optical multiplexer operating to direct a portion of light received at each of the plurality of optical inputs of the optical multiplexer to each of the plurality of optical outputs of the optical multiplexer;
directing light from each of the plurality of optical outputs of the optical multiplexer through respective ones of a plurality of optical waveguides, each of the plurality of optical waveguides having a first end and second end, the first end of each of the plurality of optical waveguides respectively optically connected to the plurality of optical outputs of the optical multiplexer, the second end of each of the plurality of optical waveguides respectively optically connected to a plurality of optical output ports;
and
operating a plurality of ring resonator modulators positioned along a given one of the plurality of optical waveguides to modulate light with the given one of the plurality of optical waveguides in accordance with a digital bit pattern.

3 more elements

A method for optical modulation, comprising:

receiving incoming light through an optical input port, a first portion of the incoming light having a first polarization and a second portion of the incoming light having a second polarization;
splitting the first portion of the incoming light from the second portion of the incoming light;
directing the first portion of the incoming light through a first optical waveguide;
rotating the second polarization of the second portion of the incoming light to the first polarization so that the second portion of the incoming light is a polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light;
directing the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through a second optical waveguide;
operating a plurality of ring resonator modulator pairs positioned along the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide, each ring resonator modulator pair of the plurality of ring resonator modulator pairs including one ring resonator modulator positioned within an evanescent optical coupling distance of the first optical waveguide and one ring resonator modulator positioned within an evanescent optical coupling distance of the second optical waveguide, wherein each of the plurality of ring resonator modulator pairs is configured to create a first portion of modulated light having the first polarization within the first optical waveguide and to create a second portion of modulated light having the first polarization within the second optical waveguide;
rotating a polarization of the second portion of modulated light within the second optical waveguide back from the first polarization to the second polarization;
and
directing both the first portion of modulated light having the first polarization and the second portion of modulated light having the second polarization through a same optical output port.

6 more elements

A method for optical modulation, comprising:

receiving incoming light through an optical input port, a first portion of the incoming light having a first polarization and a second portion of the incoming light having a second polarization;
splitting the first portion of the incoming light from the second portion of the incoming light;
directing the first portion of the incoming light through a first optical waveguide and into a first optical input of a two-by-two splitter;
rotating the second polarization of the second portion of the incoming light to the first polarization so that the second portion of the incoming light is a polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light;
directing the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through a second optical waveguide and into a second optical input of the two-by-two splitter;
directing some of the first portion of the incoming light through a first optical output of the two-by-two optical splitter and into a third optical waveguide;
directing some of the first portion of the incoming light through a second optical output of the two-by-two optical splitter and into a fourth optical waveguide;
directing some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through the first optical output of the two-by-two optical splitter and into the third optical waveguide;
directing some of the polarization-rotated second portion of the incoming light through the second optical output of the two-by-two optical splitter and into the fourth optical waveguide;
operating a plurality of ring resonator modulator pairs positioned along the third optical waveguide and the fourth optical waveguide, each ring resonator modulator pair of the plurality of ring resonator modulator pairs including one ring resonator modulator positioned within an evanescent optical coupling distance of the third optical waveguide and one ring resonator modulator positioned within an evanescent optical coupling distance of the fourth optical waveguide;
rotating a polarization of modulated light within either the third optical waveguide or the fourth optical waveguide from the first polarization to the second polarization;
and
directing both modulated light having the first polarization and modulated light having the second polarization through a same optical output port.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/157,055Filed 19 Jan 2023 · continuation
Priority: 24 Jun 2020
Published: US 2023/0161106 A125 May 2023
Granted: 4 Feb 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G02B 6/29343
Loop resonators: cascade of loop resonators
G02B 6/272
Cascade of polarisation selective or adjusting operations: comprising polarisation means for beam splitting and combining
G02B 6/2766
Characterised by their function or use, i.e. of the complete device: manipulating the plane of polarisation from one input polarisation to another…
G02B 6/2773
Characterised by their function or use, i.e. of the complete device: polarisation splitting or combining

Family

Application63/043,774Us provisional application · filed 24 Jun 2020
Application17/353,782Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Jun 2021
US 2023/0161106 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 May 2023
US 11,561,347 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2021/0405295 A1Published application
US 12,216,312 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.