Photonic coupling device
First Claim
1. An optical element comprising a photonic coupling device, said photonic coupling device having an input end and an output end, said photonic coupling device comprising a first dielectric material, said first dielectric material surrounding a plurality of discrete dielectric regions included within said photonic coupling device, said discrete dielectric regions having a dielectric constant that differs from the dielectric constant of said first dielectric material, said discrete dielectric regions having two or more sizes, wherein said discrete dielectric regions are arranged in order of increasing or decreasing size in a direction extending between said input end and said output end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photonic coupling device for the efficient transfer of an optical signal to or from a photonic crystal. The element receives an optical signal from a transmitting element connected to its input end and efficiently transmits that signal to a receiving element connected to its output end. Efficient transfer is accomplished by designing the coupling element to provide a gradual transition from the propagation environment of the transmitting element to the propagation environment of the receiving element. In one embodiment, the photonic coupling device is partially embedded in a photonic crystal receiving element. In a preferred embodiment, the photonic crystal includes a defect and the optical signal propagating in the coupling device is a frequency that corresponds to a frequency associated with the photonic bandgap state of the defect. The photonic coupling device may include a tapered shape that promotes a gradual delocalization of an optical signal propagating therein into a photonic crystal receiving element, whereupon the optical signal is influenced by the photonic crystal and is preferably localized in a photonic crystal defect. In other embodiments, the photonic coupling device includes a series of holes tapered in size that act to gradually transform the environment of a propagating optical signal from that of a waveguide or photonic wire to that of a linear defect in a hole photonic crystal. Still other embodiments include photonic coupling devices having photonic grooves and tapered variations thereof, optionally in combination with a hole taper.
27 Citations
35 Claims
- 1. An optical element comprising a photonic coupling device, said photonic coupling device having an input end and an output end, said photonic coupling device comprising a first dielectric material, said first dielectric material surrounding a plurality of discrete dielectric regions included within said photonic coupling device, said discrete dielectric regions having a dielectric constant that differs from the dielectric constant of said first dielectric material, said discrete dielectric regions having two or more sizes, wherein said discrete dielectric regions are arranged in order of increasing or decreasing size in a direction extending between said input end and said output end.
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33. An optical circuit comprising
a photonic coupling device having an input end and an output end, said photonic coupling device comprising a first dielectric material and a photonic groove, said photonic groove having a width less than the width of said photonic coupling device, said photonic groove corresponding to a continuous dielectric region having a dielectric constant that differs from the dielectric constant of said first dielectric material of said photonic coupling device; - and
a first optical element interconnected to said input end or said output end of said photonic coupling device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification