Planar optical waveguide amplifier with mode size converter

• US 20040081415A1
• Filed: 06/23/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symmorphix, Inc. (Demaray LLC)
• Original Assignee: Symmorphix, Inc. (Demaray LLC)
• Inventors: Demaray, Richard E., Dawes, David
• Application Number:
  US10/350,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20040081415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/121 Channel; buried or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12147 Coupler
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1347 using ion implantation ion implantation in glass C03C23/0055; ion implantation in general C23C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/136 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/063 Waveguide lasers, i.e. whereby the dimensions of the waveguide are of the order of the light wavelength waveguide gas lasers H01S3/0315
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1603 rare earth

Abstract

Planar wave guide devices deposited by reactive pulsed dc sputtering processes are presented. Devices according to the present invention include a waveguide with a core sputter deposited onto a substrate and a cladding sputter deposited onto the core. In some embodiments, second waveguide can be deposited in close proximity to the first waveguide to form a direction coupler. In some embodiments, light traveling through the waveguide can be amplified or attenuated in response to signals applied to the waveguide. In some embodiments, a DWDM device is formed in the waveguide. In other devices, a mode-locked laser is formed.

Claims

1. An planar wave guide device, comprising

a core layer deposited by sputtering onto a substrate;

and

an upper cladding layer fabricated by sputter deposition processes.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the core layer includes a rare earth dopant.

3. The device of claim 1, further including a second planar waveguide with a core layer and an upper cladding layer, the second planar waveguide being arranged proximate and parallel for a preselected distance to the planar waveguide to form a directional coupler, wherein a portion of a light wave within one of the planar waveguide or second planar waveguide is transferred to the other of the planar waveguide or second planar waveguide.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the planar waveguide and the second planar wave guide each form a separate facet at the edge of the planar device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein light traveling through the planar waveguide is amplified or attenuated in response to a control signal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device transmits light or does not transmit light in response to a control signal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configure as a gain flattening filter.

8. The device of claim 1, further including a DWDM array deposited on the substrate.

9. The device of claim 1, coupled to provide feedback so as to form a mode locked laser.

10. The device of claim 1, coupled to form an oscillator in a frequency source or a clock.

11. The device of claim 1, further including an input terminal and an output terminal located on the same side of a substrate.