Electrostatically tunable optical device and optical interconnect for processors
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Jr. University
InventorsBardia Pezeshki, James S. Harris, Jr.
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Abstract
A microlaser is described which is electrostatically tunable. One of the reflectors includes at least one reflecting part whose distance from the other reflector can be adjusted to change the effective optical distance between the reflectors and thus tune the optical frequency at which lasing occurs. The disclosure brings out that the inventive aspect is also applicable to other optical devices having reflectors defining a Fabry-Perot cavity. An optical interconnecting scheme for processors using the microlaser is also described.
Claims17
A microlaser comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- means formed on a surface of said substrate defining a first reflector for optical radiation;
- means defining a Fabry-Perot lasing cavity for optical radiation, which lasing cavity is positioned to receive optical radiation reflected by said first reflector;
- means defining a second reflector for optical radiation positioned to reflect optical radiation it receives from said lasing cavity through said lasing cavity toward said first reflector;
- and
- means for adjusting the effective optical distance between said reflectors to tune the optical frequency at which lasing in said cavity occurs.
An optical interconnecting arrangement for processing elements comprising:
- A. a semiconductive substrate having an array of optical interconnects thereon, each of which includes;
- means formed on a surface of said substrate defining a first reflector for optical radiation;
- means defining a Fabry-Perot cavity for optical radiation, positioned to receive optical radiation reflected by said first reflector;
- means defining a second reflector for optical radiation positioned to reflect optical radiation it receives from said cavity toward said first reflector;
- and
- B. means positioned to direct optical radiation to at least two optical interconnects of said array to provide communication therebetween.
An optical device comprising:
- a semiconductive substrate;
- means formed on a surface of said substrate defining a first reflector for optical radiation;
- means defining a Fabry-Perot cavity for optical radiation, which cavity is positioned to receive optical radiation reflected by said first reflector and includes:
- means defining a second reflector for optical radiation spaced from said first reflector by an effective optical distance to reflect optical radiation towards said first reflector;
- and
- means for adjusting the effective optical distance between said reflectors to tune the optical frequency of said Fabry-Perot cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.