Method and System for Integrated Power Combiners

• US 20140126856A1
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adithyaram Narasimha, Attila Mekis, Jeremy Witzens
• Inventors: Mekis, Attila, Narasimha, Adithyaram, Witzens, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/3
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12142 Modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/126 using polarisation effects G02B6/1226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2726 in or on light guides, e.g. polarisation means assembled in a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2773 Polarisation splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29344 operating by modal interference or beating, i.e. of transverse modes, e.g. zero-gap directional coupler, MMI
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4286 Optical modules with optical power monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/011 in optical waveguides, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0136 for the control of polarisation, e.g. state of polarisation [SOP] control, polarisation scrambling, TE-TM mode conversion or separation G02F1/0353 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/313 in an optical waveguide structure

Abstract

A method and system for integrated power combiners are disclosed and may include a chip comprising a polarization controller, the polarization controller comprising an input optical waveguide, optical couplers, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler. The chip may be operable to: generate two output signals from a first optical coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical waveguide, phase modulate one or both of the two output signals to configure a phase offset between the two generated output signals before communicating signals with the phase offset to a second optical coupler. One or both optical signals generated by said second optical coupler may be phase modulated to configure a phase offset between signals communicated to the polarization-splitting grating coupler; and an optical signal of a desired polarization may be launched into an optical fiber via the polarization-splitting grating coupler by combining the signals communicated to the polarization-splitting grating coupler.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

a chip comprising a polarization controller, said polarization controller comprising an input optical waveguide, optical couplers, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler, said chip being operable to;

generate two output signals from a first optical coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical waveguide;

phase modulate one or both of said two output signals to configure a phase offset between said two generated output signals before communicating signals with said phase offset to a second optical coupler;

phase modulate one or both optical signals generated by said second optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler; and

launch an optical signal of a desired polarization into an optical fiber via said polarization-splitting grating coupler by combining said signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-mode interference couplers.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-stage cascaded directional couplers.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said chip is operable to monitor optical power in waveguides coupling said optical couplers using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said second optical coupler.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said chip is operable to communicate optical signals to said optical detectors utilizing optical taps in said coupling waveguides.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

20-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A method for processing optical signals, the method comprising:

in a chip comprising a polarization controller, said polarization controller comprising an input optical waveguide, optical couplers, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler;

generating two output signals from a first optical coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical waveguide;

phase modulating one or both of said two output signals to configure a phase offset between said two generated output signals before communicating signals with said phase offset to a second optical coupler;

phase modulating one or both optical signals generated by said second optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler; and

launching an optical signal of a desired polarization into an optical fiber via said polarization-splitting grating coupler by combining said signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-mode interference couplers.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-stage cascaded directional couplers.

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

43. The method according to claim 38, comprising monitoring optical power in waveguides coupling said optical couplers using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said second optical coupler.

44. The method according to claim 38, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

45. The method according to claim 38, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

47. The system according to claim 45, wherein said chip is operable to monitor optical power in waveguides coupling said optical couplers using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said second optical coupler.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein said chip is operable to communicate optical signals to said optical detectors utilizing optical taps in said coupling waveguides.

49. The system according to claim 45, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

46. A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

a chip comprising a polarization controller, said polarization controller comprising an input optical waveguide, optical couplers, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler, said chip being operable to;

generate two output signals from a polarization splitting grating coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical waveguide;

phase modulate one or both of said two output signals to configure a phase offset between said two generated output signals before communicating signals with said phase offset to a first optical coupler;

phase modulate one or both optical signals generated by said first optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals communicated to a second optical coupler; and

launch an optical signal of a desired polarization into an optical fiber via said second optical coupler.