Waveguide coupler modulator

An optical device, comprising:

• a laser formed on a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis and coupled to the laser;
• and
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, an input to one of the first and second waveguides being optically coupled to receive an output from the laser, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region, a coupling coefficient between the first waveguide and the second waveguide being responsive to a first signal applied to the coupling region.

An optical communications system, comprising:

• a transmitting unit;
• a receiving unit;
• and
• an optical transport system, the transmitting unit generating an optical information signal that is carried to the receiving unit by the optical transport system and at least one of the transmitting unit, the receiving unit and the optical transport system including at least one optical device that includes:
• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• and
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region.

An optical communications system, comprising:

• a transmitting unit;
• a receiving unit;
• and
• an optical transport system, the transmitting unit generating an optical information signal propagating to the receiving unit through the optical transport system and at least one of the transmitting unit, the receiving unit and the optical transport system including at least one optical device that includes;
• a laser;
• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• and
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region.

A method for modulating a light beam, comprising:

• coupling light to a first waveguide formed on a substrate with a coupler region and an output region, the first waveguide being parallel to an optical axis;
• transferring light from the first waveguide to a second waveguide formed on the substrate proximate the first waveguide in the coupler region;
• controlling a current through the first waveguide and the second waveguide to control an amount of light coupled from the first waveguide to the second waveguide;
• and
• directing the coupled light in the second waveguide in a direction that is nonparallel to the optical axis in at least part of the output region.

An optical device comprising:

• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region, a magnitude of optical coupling between the first waveguide and the second waveguide being responsive to a first portion of a current flowing through the first waveguide and the second waveguide in at least a portion of the coupler region;
• and
• a grating disposed in the coupler region to enhance optical coupling between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, the magnitude of the optical coupling having a wavelength dependence responsive to a second portion of the current, the second portion of the current flowing through at least a portion of the grating.

An optical device comprising:

• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region, a magnitude of optical coupling between the first waveguide and the second waveguide being responsive to a first portion of a current flowing through the first waveguide and the second waveguide in at least a portion of the coupler region;
• and
• a coupling control unit coupled to supply the first portion of the current to the coupler region.

An optical device comprising:

• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region
• wherein, in the output region, the first waveguide is a one-dimensional waveguide and the second waveguide is a two-dimensional waveguide.

An optical device comprising:

• a substrate having a coupler region and an output region, the substrate having an output facet and an input facet, the output facet being nonparallel to the input facet;
• a first waveguide on the substrate parallel to an optical axis;
• and
• a second waveguide formed proximate the first waveguide, the second waveguide being parallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by a coupling distance in at least the coupler region, the second waveguide being nonparallel to the optical axis and separated from the first waveguide by at least the coupling distance in at least part of the output region.