Waveguide Coupler Having Continuous Three-Dimensional Tapering
First Claim
1. A solid state waveguide coupler comprising:
- a first coupler end disposed on a solid state material substrate for connection to a first solid state waveguide located on the substrate;
a second coupler end disposed on the solid state material substrate for connection to a second solid state waveguide located on the substrate; and
a coupling span, comprising a waveguide material layer on the solid state substrate, disposed between the first and second coupler ends and tapering between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide, tapering between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide, and including curved sidewalls along at least a portion of the tapered coupling span.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solid state waveguide coupler is provided including a first coupler end disposed on a solid state material substrate for connection to a first solid state waveguide located on the substrate and a second coupler end disposed on the substrate for connection to a second waveguide located on the substrate. A coupling span, comprising a waveguide material layer on the substrate, is disposed between the first and second coupler ends and tapers between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide, tapers between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide, and includes curved sidewalls along at least a portion of the tapered coupling span. In a method for fabricating the waveguide coupler, material is isotropically removed from a waveguide material layer on the substrate to produce tapered surfaces between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A solid state waveguide coupler comprising:
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a first coupler end disposed on a solid state material substrate for connection to a first solid state waveguide located on the substrate; a second coupler end disposed on the solid state material substrate for connection to a second solid state waveguide located on the substrate; and a coupling span, comprising a waveguide material layer on the solid state substrate, disposed between the first and second coupler ends and tapering between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide, tapering between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide, and including curved sidewalls along at least a portion of the tapered coupling span. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for fabricating a solid state waveguide coupler for connecting a first waveguide disposed on a solid state substrate with a second waveguide disposed on the solid state substrate, comprising:
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providing a waveguide material layer on the solid state substrate; isotropically removing waveguide material to produce a waveguide coupling span having a tapered surface between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide and having tapered surfaces between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide; and removing waveguide material to define sidewalls of the first waveguide and to define sidewalls of the second waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for fabricating a solid state waveguide coupler for connecting a first waveguide disposed on a solid state substrate with a second waveguide disposed on the solid state substrate, comprising:
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providing a silicon waveguide material layer on the solid state substrate; locally oxidizing the silicon waveguide material layer to produce a coupling span having a tapered surface between a height of the first waveguide and a height of the second waveguide and having tapered surfaces between a width of the first waveguide and a width of the second waveguide; removing from the silicon waveguide material layer oxide that was produced by the local oxidation; and etching the silicon waveguide material layer to define sidewalls of the first waveguide and to define sidewalls of the second waveguide.
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Specification