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US 12,731,964 B2Granted
Inverted slab-coupled optical waveguide
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsDominic F. Siriani, Kenneth J. Thomson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The structures and methods described include an inverted slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) structure, which inverts the polarity of a typical SCOW diode and includes an active region located at an inverted side of the slab section of the inverted SCOW. The inverted SCOWs provide for easily adjustable optical mode confinement or overlap in an active region/gain medium without the risks of generating multiple spatial modes or high electrical resistance associated with traditional non-inverted SCOWs.
Claims20
An optical waveguide, comprising:
- a slab section comprising a slab width in a first direction, the slab section further comprising a current confinement region;
- a rib section formed on a first side of the slab section, wherein the rib section comprises a rib width in the first direction that is less than the slab width, and wherein the rib section comprises a rib height in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- an active region positioned in the slab section,
- wherein a p-cladding layer is positioned on a second side of the slab section opposite to the rib section;
- wherein an n-cladding layer is formed on a first side of the rib section opposite to the slab section,
- wherein the current confinement region extends contiguously from the rib section to the active region, and
- wherein the current confinement region has a confinement width that is greater than the rib width.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal in a first direction in a waveguide comprising a rib section disposed on and a slab section;
- changing a first optical mode of the optical signal in a first cross-sectional segment of the waveguide to a second optical mode in a second cross-sectional segment of the waveguide, wherein the first cross-sectional segment and the second cross-sectional segment are defined in different parallel planes perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a width of the rib section is different in the first cross-sectional segment from the second cross-sectional segment, wherein the width is defined in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the rib section projects from the slab section in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction;
- and
- confining current to a current confinement region of the slab section that extends contiguously from the rib section to an active region in the slab section, wherein the current confinement region has a confinement width that is greater than the width of the rib section.
1 more element
An optical waveguide, comprising:
- a slab section including an active region configured to transmit optical signals in a first direction, the slab section further including a current confinement region;
- and
- a rib section projecting from the slab section in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the rib section has a smaller width than the slab section, and a width of the rib section tapers along the first direction,
- wherein the current confinement region extends contiguously from the rib section to the active region, and
- wherein the current confinement region has a confinement width that is greater than the width of the rib section.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.