Methods and structures for the control of optical waveguide devices by stress
AssigneeJDS Uniphase Corporation
InventorsRobert I. MacDonald, Barrie Keyworth, Alan J.P. Hnatiw
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Abstract
The invention provides polarization state changer and a phase shifter for shifting a phase of an optical signal including a waveguide having a waveguiding region for guiding the optical signal therethrough, a substrate for supporting said waveguide, and means for inducing stress on the waveguiding region for shifting the phase of the optical signal. The stress is induced by MEMS means. The MEMS means are monolithically formed on the substrate and can be actuated by electrostatical force, mechanical force, or tiltable flaps.
Claims20
An integrated MEMS/waveguide structure comprising:
- a waveguide having a waveguiding region for guiding an optical signal therethrough;
- a substrate for supporting said waveguide;
- and
- means for inducing stress on the waveguide for one of shifting a phase and modifying a polarization state of the optical signal.
A method of inducing a phase shift of an optical signal propagating through an optical waveguide relative to the phase of another optical signal, comprising the steps of:
- supporting said optical waveguide on a substrate;
- providing MEMS means on said substrate;
- and inducing stress on the optical waveguide using the MEMS means for changing a refractive index of the waveguide and thereby shifting the phase of the optical signal propagating through said optical waveguide.
A method of inducing a shift of a polarization state of an optical signal propagating through an optical waveguide, comprising the steps of supporting said optical waveguide on a substrate;
- providing MEMS means on said substrate;
- and inducing stress on the optical waveguide using the MEMS means for changing a birefringence of the waveguide and thereby changing the polarization state of the optical signal propagating through said optical waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.