Optical junction apparatus and methods employing optical power transverse-transfer
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- (a) transferring an optical signal between an optical device of an optical device subunit and an external transfer planar optical waveguide of the optical device subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a device substrate, the optical device formed on the device substrate, and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide formed over the device substrate, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being integrated with the optical device for enabling transfer of optical power between the optical device and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide, the optical signal propagating in the external-transfer optical waveguide; and
(b) transferring the optical signal between the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and a transmission optical waveguide of an optical transmission subunit, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and the transmission optical waveguide each having a respective optical junction region thereof, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide or the transmission optical waveguide being adapted for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power between the optical waveguides at the respective optical junction regions, the optical device subunit and the optical transmission subunit comprising discrete subunits assembled together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical apparatus comprises an optical device fabricated on a substrate, an external-transfer optical waveguide fabricated on the substrate and/or on the optical device, and a transmission optical waveguide. The optical device and/or the external-transfer waveguide are adapted for and positioned for transfer of optical power therebetween (end-transfer or transverse-transfer). The external-transfer waveguide and/or the transmission waveguide are adapted for transverse-transfer of optical power therebetween (mode-interference-coupled or adiabatic). The transmission waveguide is initially provided as a component mechanically separate from the substrate, device, and external-transfer waveguide. Assembly of the transmission waveguide with the substrate, device, and/or external-transfer waveguide results in relative positioning of the external-transfer waveguide and the transmission waveguide for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power therebetween. Optical power transfer between the device and the transmission waveguide through the external-transfer waveguide is thereby enabled. The transmission waveguide may preferably comprise a planar waveguide on a waveguide substrate.
19 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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(a) transferring an optical signal between an optical device of an optical device subunit and an external transfer planar optical waveguide of the optical device subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a device substrate, the optical device formed on the device substrate, and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide formed over the device substrate, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being integrated with the optical device for enabling transfer of optical power between the optical device and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide, the optical signal propagating in the external-transfer optical waveguide; and
(b) transferring the optical signal between the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and a transmission optical waveguide of an optical transmission subunit, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and the transmission optical waveguide each having a respective optical junction region thereof, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide or the transmission optical waveguide being adapted for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power between the optical waveguides at the respective optical junction regions, the optical device subunit and the optical transmission subunit comprising discrete subunits assembled together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An method comprising:
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(a) transferring an optical signal between an optical device of an optical device subunit and an external transfer planar optical waveguide of the optical device subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a device substrate, the optical device formed on the device substrate, and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide formed over the device substrate, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being integrated with the optical device for enabling transfer of optical power between the optical device and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide, the optical signal propagating in the external-transfer optical waveguide; and
(b) transferring the optical signal between the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and a transmission optical waveguide of an optical transmission subunit, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide and the transmission optical waveguide each having a respective optical junction region thereof, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide or the transmission optical waveguide including means for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power between the optical waveguides at the respective optical junction regions, the optical device subunit and the optical transmission subunit comprising discrete subunits assembled together. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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- 19. A method comprising transferring an optical signal between an optical device of an optical device subunit and an external transfer planar optical waveguide of the optical device subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a device substrate, the optical device formed on the device substrate, and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide formed over the device substrate, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being integrated with the optical device for enabling transfer of optical power between the optical device and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide, the optical signal propagating in the external-transfer optical waveguide, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being adapted for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power at an optical junction region thereof between the external-transfer optical waveguide and a transmission optical waveguide of an optical transmission subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a discrete subunit relative to the optical transmission subunit.
- 38. A method comprising transferring an optical signal between an optical device of an optical device subunit and an external transfer planar optical waveguide of the optical device subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a device substrate, the optical device formed on the device substrate, and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide formed over the device substrate, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide being integrated with the optical device for enabling transfer of optical power between the optical device and the external-transfer planar optical waveguide, the optical signal propagating in the external-transfer optical waveguide, the external-transfer planar optical waveguide including means for enabling transverse-transfer of optical power at an optical junction region thereof between the external-transfer optical waveguide and a transmission optical waveguide of an optical transmission subunit, the optical device subunit comprising a discrete subunit relative to the optical transmission subunit.
Specification