Integrated etched multilayer grating based wavelength demultiplexer
First Claim
1. An optical device for reflectively diffracting optical signals, comprising:
- an input port for receiving an optical signal, the optical signal comprising light having wavelengths corresponding to a predetermined set of wavelength channels;
an optical medium, the optical medium comprising at least one of a plurality of waveguide layers and being characterised by a thickness, for guiding the optical signal within the optical device;
a grating structure disposed at a predetermined location within the optical medium, the grating structure comprising at least one of a plurality of diffractive elements and a plurality of multilayer reflector elements;
wherein, the grating structure reflectively diffracts light in dependence upon a wavelength such that light having a wavelength corresponding to a first wavelength channel is directed to a first target location of the optical medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated etched multilayer grating-based wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer is disclosed wherein an etched multilayer grating structure is monolithically integrated within the optical waveguide stack of the multiplexer/demultiplexer to reflectively diffract an input optical beam. The multilayer grating structure is generally comprised of a series of etched diffractive elements and an etched multilayer reflector, the combined optical response of which providing the desired multiplexing/demultiplexing effect. The etched structures are generally comprised of shallow etch structures in a top surface of the multiplexer/demultiplexer waveguide stack. Monolithically integrated input and output ridge waveguides may also be provided, optionally fabricated in a same etching step as the etched multilayer grating.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. An optical device for reflectively diffracting optical signals, comprising:
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an input port for receiving an optical signal, the optical signal comprising light having wavelengths corresponding to a predetermined set of wavelength channels;
an optical medium, the optical medium comprising at least one of a plurality of waveguide layers and being characterised by a thickness, for guiding the optical signal within the optical device;
a grating structure disposed at a predetermined location within the optical medium, the grating structure comprising at least one of a plurality of diffractive elements and a plurality of multilayer reflector elements;
wherein,the grating structure reflectively diffracts light in dependence upon a wavelength such that light having a wavelength corresponding to a first wavelength channel is directed to a first target location of the optical medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of directing optical signals comprising:
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providing an optical medium, the optical medium comprising at least one of a plurality of waveguide layers and being characterised by a thickness, the optical medium for guiding optical signals;
coupling a plurality of optical signals to the optical medium, each optical signal of the plurality of optical signals having a characteristic wavelength corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined wavelength channels;
providing a grating structure optically coupled to the optical medium, the grating structure comprising;
a plurality of diffracting elements and at least a multilayer reflective element, such that upon interacting with the grating structure a first optical signal corresponding to a first wavelength channel is directed to a first position of the optical medium and upon interacting with the grating structure a second optical signal corresponding to a second other wavelength channel is directed to a second other position of the optical medium; and
,diffracting at least one of the plurality of optical signals by reflective diffraction using the grating structure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A computer readable medium having stored therein data according to a predetermined computing device format, and upon execution of the data by a suitable computing device a design procedure for providing a design of optical device is provided, comprising:
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providing an optical medium, the optical medium comprising at least one of a plurality of waveguide layers and being characterised by a thickness, the optical medium for guiding optical signals;
coupling a plurality of optical signals to the optical medium, each optical signal of the plurality of optical signals having a characteristic wavelength corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined wavelength channels;
providing a grating structure optically coupled to the optical medium, the grating structure comprising;
a plurality of diffracting elements and at least a multiplayer reflective element, such that upon interacting with the grating structure a first optical signal corresponding to a first wavelength channel is directed to a first position of the optical medium and upon interacting with the grating structure a second optical signal corresponding to a second other wavelength channel is directed to a second other position of the optical medium; and
,diffracting at least one of the plurality of optical signals by reflective diffraction using the grating structure. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
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Specification