Symmetric Optical Circuit with Integrated Polarization Rotator
First Claim
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1. A Mach-Zehnder circuit, comprising:
- a first directional coupler;
a second directional coupler; and
first and second arms provided between the first and second directional couplers, the first arm including a waveguide having a length extending in a first direction and a width extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, the waveguide including, first, second and third portions, the third portion being provided between the first and second portions, wherein the width of the waveguide is substantially uniform in the third portion, the width of the waveguide in the first portion narrows in the first direction such that the first portion includes a first tapered part, and the width of the waveguide in the second portion narrows in the first direction such that the second portion includes a second tapered part, the second portion being configured to rotate a polarization of light propagating in the first direction in the waveguide.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an on-chip symmetric optical circuit having one or more integrally fabricated polarization rotators forming a monolithic, solid state polarization independent symmetric circuit. The symmetric optical circuit has at least one integrally fabricated rotator positioned in a plane of symmetry of at least one optical fiber, waveguide or circuit path of the symmetric optical circuit. The folded symmetric optical circuit may be for example a Mach-Zehnder type optical circuit or an arrayed waveguide grating optical circuit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A Mach-Zehnder circuit, comprising:
a first directional coupler; a second directional coupler; and first and second arms provided between the first and second directional couplers, the first arm including a waveguide having a length extending in a first direction and a width extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, the waveguide including, first, second and third portions, the third portion being provided between the first and second portions, wherein the width of the waveguide is substantially uniform in the third portion, the width of the waveguide in the first portion narrows in the first direction such that the first portion includes a first tapered part, and the width of the waveguide in the second portion narrows in the first direction such that the second portion includes a second tapered part, the second portion being configured to rotate a polarization of light propagating in the first direction in the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 8)
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2. (canceled)
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4. (canceled)
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6-7. -7. (canceled)
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9-16. -16. (canceled)
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17. An arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) circuit, comprising:
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a first free space region; a second free space region; and a plurality of waveguides provided between the first and second free space regions, one of the plurality of waveguides having a length extending in a first direction and a width extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, said one of the plurality of waveguides including, first, second and third portions, the third portion being provided between the first and second portions, wherein the width of said one of the plurality of waveguides is substantially uniform in the third portion, the width of said one of the plurality of waveguides in the first portion narrows in the first direction such that the first portion includes a first tapered part, and the width of said one of the plurality of waveguides in the second portion narrows in the first direction such that the second portion includes a second tapered part, the second portion being configured to rotate a polarization of light propagating in the first direction in said one of the plurality of waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification