Method and System for Integrated Power Combiners

• US 20160349544A1
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Luxtera Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mekis, Attila, Narasimha, Adithyaram, Witzens, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 9,823,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system for integrated power combiners is disclosed and may include receiving optical signals in input optical waveguides and phase-modulating the signals to configure a phase offset between signals received at a first optical coupler, where the first optical coupler may generate output signals having substantially equal optical powers. Output signals of the first optical coupler may be phase-modulated to configure a phase offset between signals received at a second optical coupler, which may generate an output signal having an optical power of essentially zero and a second output signal having a maximized optical power. Optical signals received by the input optical waveguides may be generated utilizing a polarization-splitting grating coupler to enable polarization-insensitive combining of optical signals. Optical power may be monitored using optical detectors. The monitoring of optical power may be used to determine a desired phase offset between the signals received at the first optical coupler.

Claims

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

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

generate two output signals from said 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 said optical coupler; and

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

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said optical coupler comprises a grating coupler.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said optical coupler comprises a multi-mode interference coupler.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said optical coupler comprises a multi-stage cascaded directional coupler.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said chip is operable to monitor optical power in waveguides coupling said optical coupler using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said optical coupler.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said chip is operable to communicate optical signals to said optical detectors utilizing optical taps in said coupling waveguides.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

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

in a chip comprising a polarization controller, said polarization controller comprising an input optical fiber, two output waveguides, an optical coupler, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler;

generating two output signals from said polarization-splitting grating coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical fiber;

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 said optical coupler; and

launching optical signals of desired polarizations into said output waveguides via said optical coupler.

10. The method according to claim 10, wherein said optical coupler comprises a grating coupler.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said optical coupler comprises a multi-mode interference coupler.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said optical coupler comprises a multi-stage cascaded directional coupler.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

14. The method according to claim 10, comprising monitoring optical power in waveguides coupling said optical coupler using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said optical coupler.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said polarization controller comprises a single stage.

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

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

generate two output signals from said 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 said optical coupler; and

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

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said chip is operable to monitor optical power in waveguides coupling said polarization splitting grating coupler to said optical coupler 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.

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

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said polarization controller comprises a plurality of stages.