Microlenses for integrated optical devices
AssigneeLightwave Microsystems Corporation
InventorsKenneth McGreer, Ming Yan, Brian McGinnis
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Abstract
The invention provides integrated optical matching elements for use in integrated optical devices. The matching elements each comprise one or more lenses. The lenses may have low index contrast with the surrounding medium. Required dioptric power is achieved by using a train of lenses. Optical matching elements according to the invention can be used to enhance the optical coupling between channel waveguides and slab waveguides. The insertion loss of devices such as optical power splitters, optical couplers and arrayed waveguide grating routers can be reduced by incorporating optical matching elements according to the invention.
Claims100
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a first slab waveguide;
- a first plurality of channel waveguides optically coupled to the first slab waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of optical matching elements, each of the plurality of optical matching elements associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of channel waveguides, the optical matching element comprising at least one lens formed in the first slab waveguide and disposed to couple light between the first slab waveguide and the channel waveguide.
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a slab waveguide;
- a plurality of channel waveguides optically coupled to the slab waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of optical matching elements, each of the plurality of optical matching elements associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of channel waveguides, the optical matching element comprising a train of lenses formed in the slab waveguide and disposed to couple light between the slab waveguide and the plurality of channel waveguides.
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a first slab waveguide comprising a core layer having a first index of refraction;
- a first plurality of channel waveguides optically coupled to the first slab waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of optical matching elements, each of the plurality of optical matching elements associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of channel waveguides, the optical matching element comprising at least one lens formed in the first slab waveguide and disposed to couple light between the first slab waveguide and the plurality of channel waveguides, the lens comprising an interior region having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction differing from the second index of refraction.
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a first slab waveguide comprising a 1×N power splitter;
- a first plurality of channel waveguides optically coupled to the first slab waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of optical matching elements, each of the plurality of optical matching elements associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of channel waveguides, the optical matching element comprising at least one lens formed in the first slab waveguide and disposed to couple light between the first slab waveguide and the plurality of channel waveguides.
An optical apparatus comprising:
- a first slab waveguide comprising a core layer having a first index of refraction, the first slab waveguide comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a 1×N power splitter, a N×1 optical combiner, and a M×N optical coupler;
- a first plurality of channel waveguides optically coupled to the first slab waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of optical matching elements, each of the plurality of optical matching elements associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of channel waveguides, the optical matching element comprising at least one lens formed in the first slab waveguide and disposed to couple light between the first slab waveguide and the plurality of channel waveguides, the lens comprising an interior region having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction differing from the second index of refraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.