Optical couplers and hybrids
AssigneeII-Vi Delaware, Inc.
InventorPo DONG
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical circuit for routing a signal includes a coupler and first and second waveguides. The coupler has an input for the signal and has first and second outputs. The first waveguide has a first optical connection to the first output, and the second waveguide has a second optical connection to the second output. Both waveguides have the same propagation length. The first and second waveguides include different widths at the respective optical connections to the respective outputs. This coupler can be used with another input couplers, two additional waveguides, and two 2×2 output couplers to provide a 90-degree hybrid for mixing signal light and local oscillator light in a coherent receiver or the like.
Claims20
An optical circuit for routing a signal, the optical circuit comprising:
- a coupler having an input for the signal and having first and second outputs, the coupler being configured to output the signal at the first and second outputs;
- a first waveguide having a first optical connection to the first output and having a propagation length;
- and
- a second waveguide having a second optical connection to the second output and having the propagation length,
- wherein the first and second optical waveguides comprise different input widths at the respective optical connections to the respective outputs,
- wherein the first and second waveguides comprise a same output width at terminations of the propagation length, and
- wherein the different input widths between the respective first and second waveguides at the respective optical connections are configured to produce a phase difference in the signal along the propagation length to the terminations.
(canceled)
An optical circuit for mixing first and second signals, the optical circuit comprising:
- input couplers for each of the first and second signals, each input coupler comprising a first input and two first outputs, the input couplers being configured to output the respective first and second signal at the first outputs;
- four waveguides each having a first optical connection to one of the first outputs of the input couplers, each of the four waveguides having a same propagation length;
- and
- output couplers each comprising two second inputs and two second outputs, each of the second inputs having a second optical connection to one of the four waveguides,
- wherein at least two of the waveguides comprise different input widths at the first optical connections to the two first outputs of at least one of the input couplers,
- wherein the at least two of the waveguides comprise a same output width at terminations of the propagation length, and
- wherein the different input widths between the at least two of the waveguides at the respective optical connections are configured to produce a phase difference in the respective first and second signal along the propagation length to the terminations.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.