Symmetric coherent optical mixer

Abstract

Aspects of a symmetric coherent optical mixer are described. In one example, the coherent optical mixer includes a group of symmetric MMI couplers and a group of symmetric bend waveguides optically coupled between the MMI couplers. The group of symmetric MMI couplers can include an input for a local light reference signal, an input for a modulated light signal, and outputs for detection of data from the modulated light signal. The group of symmetric MMI couplers can include four MMI couplers, each of which comprises a 2×2 MMI coupler of symmetric dimension. The group of symmetric bend waveguides can include a symmetric layout of four 90° bend waveguides optically coupled between the four MMI couplers. The coherent optical mixer, which can be implemented as a Silicon Photonics (SiPh) device, provides better performance as a 90° degree optical hybrid than prior mixer devices due to its symmetric layout.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.