US 2003/0113067 A1Published application

Multifunctional intelligent optical modules based on planar lightwave circuits

OwnerSeungug Koh, Danjin Wuinventors

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Abstract

Since the bandwidth-intensive applications such as Internet access, electronic commerce, multimedia applications, and distributed computing are rapidly increasing the volume of telecommunication traffics, optical networks become an essential backbone of telecommunication networks. The optical networks have shown a superior performance/cost ratio for both long-haul and short-haul routes and the emerging dense wavelength division multiplexing and all-optical network technologies have promised a potential to improve speed, capacity and connectivity of telecommunication networks. The present invention provides a multifunctional intelligent optical module (IOM) by integrating a multitude of photonic, electronic, and micro mechanical elements into a single module. The multifunctional IOM is an integrated hybrid microsystem and it applicable to fast network provisioning, reliable protection switching, instant fault detection/correction, guaranteed quality-of-service, accurate optical performance monitoring, and efficient optical transmission engineering.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A multifunctional intelligent optical module platform, capable of constructing optical channel monitor, comprises:

a substrate with planar lightwave circuit fabricated thereto;
light-transmitting waveguides of said planar lightwave comprising first and second waveguides, wherein said first waveguide is an optical pass-through waveguide interfaced with light-transmitting optical fibers, and said second waveguide is a single or a plurality of optical signal-tap waveguide in order to couple out a portion of optical signals from said optical pass-through waveguide
a signal branching waveguide structure, wherein said optical pass-through waveguide and said optical signal-tap waveguide interface with each other through said signal branching waveguide structure;
a single or a plurality of trench with substantially vertical sidewalls terminating said optical signal-tap waveguide;
a single or a plurality of micro mirror with a small footprint size being inserted into said trench in order to couple out optical signals from cores of said optical signal-tap waveguide in a direction substantially normal to major surfaces of said planar lightwave circuit;
and
a single or a plurality of electronic chip, photonic chip, or any combination thereof being interfaced to said planar lightwave circuit in order to provide electrical-to-optical signal conversion, optical-to-electrical signal conversion, information processing, feed-back control, signal driver, external data communication, or any combinations thereof.

4 more elements

A vertical optical switching element comprising:

a first waveguide layer deposited on planar lightwave circuit substrate, wherein a single or plurality of light-transmitting waveguide being formed;
a second waveguide layer deposited on planar lightwave circuit substrate, wherein a single or plurality of light-transmitting waveguide being formed, and further wherein, said light-transmitting waveguide on said second waveguide layer being positioned precisely relative to said light-transmitting waveguide on said first waveguide layer;
a cantilever flexure comprising a single or a plurality of light-transmitting waveguide port from said first waveguide layer and said second waveguide layer, wherein said cantilever flexure being micromachined on a planar lightwave circuit platform and capable of placing itself in first position or second position;
a stationary waveguide port comprising a single or a plurality of light-transmitting waveguide from said first waveguide layer and said second waveguide layer, wherein said stationary waveguide port and said cantilever flexure is aligned in a substantially collinear configuration;
and
a mean of moving said cantilever flexure relative to said stationary waveguide port in order to couple optical signals between said light-transmitting waveguide of said first waveguide layer and said second waveguide layer.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/303,333Filed 25 Nov 2002
Priority: 23 Nov 2001
Published: 19 Jun 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

G02B 6/4214
The coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms: the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective…
G02B 6/12004
Of the integrated circuit kind: combinations of two or more optical elements
G02B 6/12007
Of the integrated circuit kind: forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
G02B 6/266
With optical elements between opposed fibre ends which perform a function other than beam splitting: the optical element being an attenuator