Micromechanically-tunable polarization rotator for photonic integrated circuits

Abstract

An apparatus includes a polarization rotator or a polarization splitter. The polarization rotator and the polarization splitter each includes a first optical waveguide. The polarization rotator further includes a movable symmetry-breaking micro-electro-mechanical systems (“MEMS”) dielectric perturber separated from the first optical waveguide by a gap. The first optical waveguide and the MEMS dielectric perturber define a gap therebetween. The polarization rotator also includes a MEMS actuator moving the MEMS dielectric perturber so as to control the gap, thereby controlling polarization rotation within the first optical waveguide. The polarization splitter includes a second optical waveguide separated from the first optical waveguide by a gap. The polarization splitter also includes a MEMS actuator moving the first optical waveguide and/or the second optical waveguide so as to control the gap, thereby controlling polarization splitting between the optical waveguides.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.