Photonic wirebond loopback evanescent coupler
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsThien An Nguyen, Zakary N. Burkley, Mackenzie A. Van Camp, Charles J. Turner, John Jost, Leif Johansson, Gordon B. Morrison, Victoria M. Rosborough
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Abstract
Photonic coupling mechanisms are described. In one example, an evanescent coupler includes a substrate, first and second optical waveguides formed on the substrate, and a photonic wirebond having first and second end regions coupled to the first and second optical waveguides, respectively and a loopback portion extending between the first and second end regions, the photonic wirebond extending away from the first optical waveguide by an extension length.
Claims18
An evanescent coupler comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first optical waveguide formed on the substrate;
- a second optical waveguide formed on the substrate;
- and
- a photonic wirebond having first and second end regions coupled to the first and second optical waveguides, respectively, and a loopback portion extending between the first and second end regions, the photonic wirebond extending away from the first optical waveguide by an extension length,
- wherein the loopback portion has an elliptical profile that is configured to individually tune different characteristics of the loopback portion and its optical coupling with a microresonator.
A photonic system comprising:
- a photonic integrated circuit including a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide;
- a crystalline microresonator;
- and
- a loopback photonic wirebond attached to the photonic integrated circuit and configured to couple light between the photonic integrated circuit and the crystalline microresonator via evanescent coupling;
- wherein the loopback photonic wirebond is formed as a loop extending from a first facet of the first optical waveguide to a second facet of the second optical waveguide,
- wherein the loopback photonic wirebond includes a first end region attached to the first facet of the first optical waveguide, a second end region attached to the second facet of the second optical waveguide, and a loop portion extending between the first and second end regions;
- the first and second end regions have a circular profile;
- and the loop portion has an elliptical profile that is configured to individually tune different characteristics of the loopback portion and its optical coupling with the crystalline microresonator.
A loopback photonic wirebond comprising:
- a first tapered end region having a circular profile and tapering in diameter from a first diameter at a first end face to a second diameter at a first point a first length away from the first end face;
- a second tapered end region having the circular profile and tapering in diameter from the first diameter at a second end face to the second diameter at a second point the first length away from the second end face;
- and
- a loop portion extending from the first point to the second point, the loop portion having an elliptical profile with the second diameter in a first dimension and a third diameter in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, the third diameter being larger than the second diameter, wherein the loop portion is configured to position the second tapered end region parallel to the first tapered end region,
- wherein a diameter of the circular profile substantially matches a minor diameter of the elliptical profile of the loop portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.