Back to results
US 6,618,535 B1Granted
Photonic bandgap device using coupled defects
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorAndrew L Reynolds
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorAndrew L Reynolds
Estimating the term…
A photonic bandgap device has a lattice structure, with a waveguide formed by a mesh of defects in the lattice, the defects being located discontinuously, but sufficiently close to each other to provide coupling between overlapping evanescent defect modes. By changing shape and configuration of the mesh and varying the types of defects, it is easier to control the width and position of the transmission band, in wavelength terms, compared to a waveguide formed only from a planar defect, i.e. a single line of defects. Multiplexers, demultiplexers, filters, switches, combiners, and splitters may be created. Many devices and different types of devices can be integrated onto the same crystal lattice, with far greater compactness than planar waveguide technology. The mesh can have a periodic structure of lines of defects, or periodic spacing between defects to reduce loss.
A photonic bandgap device having a lattice structure, and having an electromagnetic waveguide formed at least in part by a mesh of defects in the lattice, the defects being located discontinuously through the lattice, but sufficiently close to each other to provide coupling between overlapping evanescent defect modes.
A device having a lattice structure, and having an electromagnetic waveguide formed at least in part by defects in the lattice, the defects being close enough to provide coupling between overlapping evanescence defect modes, the waveguide being joined to at least one other waveguide, also formed by defects in the lattice, and having a wavelength response differing from the wavelength response of the first waveguide.
An optical wavelength demultiplexer having a photonic bandgap device having a lattice structure, and having a number of electromagnetic waveguides formed at least in part by a mesh of defects in the lattice, the defects being located discontinuously through the lattice, but sufficiently close to each other to provide coupling between overlapping evanescent defect modes, one of the waveguides being an input waveguide for multiplexed optical signals, others of the waveguides being joined to the input waveguide, a configuration of mesh or type of defects of the others of the waveguides being selected to cause transmission of only a selected one of the optical signals, to achieve the demultiplexing.
An optical filter having a photonic bandgap device having a lattice structure, and having an electromagnetic waveguide formed at least in part by a mesh of defects in the lattice, the defects being located discontinuously through the lattice, but sufficiently close to each other to provide coupling between overlapping evanescent defect modes, the configuration or type of the defects being selected to provide the desired transmission characteristics.
An optical switch having a photonic bandgap device having a lattice structure, and having electromagnetic waveguides formed at least in part by a mesh of defects in the lattice, the defects being located discontinuously through the lattice, but sufficiently close to each other to provide coupling between overlapping evanescent defect modes, the waveguides forming a “y” junction, and having one or more active elements for controlling the characteristics of the waveguides to cause an optical signal to be switched along either branch of the junction.
An integrated optical circuit combining more than one optical signal processing function, from the following;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.