Polarization splitting grating couplers
AssigneeLuxtera, Inc.
InventorsLawrence C. Gunn, III, Thierry J. Pinguet, Maxime Jean Rattier, Jeremy Witzens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polarization splitting grating coupler (PSGC) connects an optical signal from an optical element, such as a fiber, to an optoelectronic integrated circuit. The PSGC separates a received optical signal into two orthogonal polarizations and directs the two polarizations to separate waveguides on an integrated circuit. Each of the two separated polarizations can then be processed, as needed for a particular application, by the integrated circuit. A PSGC can also operate in the reverse direction, and couple two optical signals from an integrated circuit to two respective orthogonal polarizations of one optical output signal sent off chip to an optical fiber.
Claims39
An optical apparatus, comprising:
- an optical fiber and
- a waveguide grating coupler disposed on a substrate comprising:
- first and second ports,
- a non-planar port and
- a plurality of light scattering elements arranged in a plurality of curved rows,
- where the first and second ports are in the plane of the substrate,
- the non-planar port is not in the plane of the substrate,
- the waveguide grating coupler propagates light having non-planar wavefronts and couples light having planar wavefronts between the grating coupler and the optical fiber, and
- the plurality of light scattering elements convert wavefronts of light between planar wavefronts and non-planar wavefronts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.