Stacked Photonic Chip Coupler for SOI Chip-Fiber Coupling

A network component configured for transmitting, receiving, and switching optical signals, the network component comprising:

• an input/output (I/O) component for receiving and transmitting signals to other network components;
• and
• an optical processing element coupled to the I/O component, wherein the optical processing element comprises:
• a photonic chip comprising a nano-sized photonic waveguide, photonic optical diffraction surface grating in a same plane as that of the photonic chip, and a first cladding covering the nano-sized photonic waveguide and the photonic optical diffraction surface grating;
• and
• an optical coupling chip comprising a micron-sized coupling waveguide and coupling optical diffraction surface grating embedded in a first coupling cladding and on a second coupling cladding, wherein the first coupling cladding is connected to the first cladding, wherein the optical coupling chip is configured to couple to light transmitted between the photonic chip and an optical fiber.

A method for fabricating a photonic chip coupler for silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip-fiber coupling, comprising:

• fabricating a silica chip comprising a first cladding, a micron-sized silica waveguide, a silica grating, and a second cladding, wherein the silica chip comprises a silica on silicon chip;
• fabricating a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), wherein the PIC comprises a nano-sized PIC waveguide and a PIC optical diffraction surface grating covered by a top cladding, wherein the PIC comprises a silicon on insulator (SOI) chip;
• and
• connecting the first cladding of the silica chip to the top cladding of the PIC to produce a photonic chip coupler.