US 12,436,414 B2Granted

Optical phase modulator

AssigneesDenso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, MIRISE Technologies Corporation

InventorsTaku Suzuki, Tatsuya Yamashita, Naoya Take, Masashige Sato

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Abstract

An optical phase modulator includes a rib part extending in an extending direction. The rib part includes an N-type first rib portion and a P-type second rib portion arranged in a width direction to have a PN junction therebetween along the extending direction. An N-type first slab portion is connected to the first rib portion and a P-type second slab portion is connected to the second rib portion to provide a PN structure with the rib part in a cross-section having a normal direction along the extending direction. A P-type third slab portion is connected to the first rib portion and an N-type fourth slab portion is connected to the second rib portion to have a PNPN structure with the rib part in a cross-section having a normal direction along the extending direction. The PN structure and the PNPN structure are alternately disposed in the extending direction.

An optical phase modulator comprising:

a rib part extending in an extending direction, the rib part including a first rib portion of an N-type and a second rib portion of a P-type, the first rib portion and the second rib portion being arranged in a width direction that intersects the extending direction and a thickness direction of the rib part, the first rib portion and the second rib portion providing a PN junction therebetween along the extending direction;
a first slab portion being the N-type and having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the rib part, the first slab portion being disposed opposite to the second rib portion with respect to the first rib portion in the width direction, and connected to the first rib portion;
a second slab portion being the P-type and having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the rib part, the second slab portion being disposed opposite to the first rib portion with respect to the second rib portion in the width direction, and connected to the second rib portion;
a third slab portion being the P-type and having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the rib part, the third slab portion being disposed opposite to the second rib portion with respect to the first rib portion in the width direction, and connected to the first rib portion;
and
a fourth slab portion being the N-type and having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the rib part, the fourth slab portion being disposed opposite to the first rib portion with respect to the second rib portion in the width direction, and connected to the second rib portion, wherein
the rib part, the first slab portion and the second slab portion provide a PN structure in a cross-section having a normal direction along the extending direction,
the rib part, the third slab portion and the fourth slab portion provide a PNPN structure in a cross-section having a normal direction along the extending direction, and
the PN structure and the PNPN structure are alternately disposed in the extending direction.

6 more elements

Facts

Application

18/192,791Filed 30 Mar 2023

Priority

JP 2022-06586612 Apr 2022

Published

US 2023/0324723 A112 Oct 2023

Granted

7 Oct 2025

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G02F 1/0154
Modulating the refractive index: using electro-optic effects, e.g. linear electro optic [LEO], Pockels, quadratic electro optical [QEO] or Kerr effect
G02F 1/025
Based on semiconductor elements having potential barriers, e.g. having a PN or PIN junction: in an optical waveguide structure
G02F 2203/50
Function characteristic: phase-only modulation
G02F
Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light by modification of

Abstract

Claims7