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US 5,703,980 AGranted
Method for low-loss insertion of an optical signal from an optical fibre to a waveguide integrated on to a semiconductor wafer
AssigneeNorthern Telecom Limited
InventorsThomas MacElwee, Stephen J. Kovacic, Jugnu J. Ojha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for coupling light from a fiber to a waveguide on an OEIC (optoelectronic integrated circuit). The region of the fiber to be connected is made into a D-fiber by removing a portion of its cladding. The flat surface is fused to a silicon dioxide coated portion of the waveguide. The light in the fiber is evanescently coupled into the waveguide on the OEIC which is typically a planar or channel waveguide.
Claims31
An optically coupled arrangement comprising:
- an optical waveguide on an opto-electronic integrated circuit, the waveguide having a core, a first cladding underlying the core and a second cladding overlying the core, the second cladding having a first coupling surface;
- an optical fiber having a core and a cladding and having a portion of the cladding removed along the length of the fiber to form a second coupling surface, the second coupling surface being held in contact with the first coupling surface;
- whereby light propagating in either of the fiber or the waveguide is evanescently coupled between the fiber and the waveguide.
A method of making an optical coupling between
- a) an optical waveguide on an opto-electronic integrated circuit having a core, a first cladding underlying the core and a second cladding overlying the core, the second cladding having a first coupling surface;
- and
- b) an optical fiber having a core and a cladding;
- comprising the steps of:
- removing a portion of the cladding of the fiber along its length to form a second coupling surface;
- attaching the fiber to the waveguide such that the first coupling surface is held in contact with the second coupling surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.