POLARIZATION INDEPENDENT OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20200132542A1
• Filed: 12/03/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Jou, Chewn-Pu, Kuo, Fen Wei, Chen, Huan-Neng, Cho, Lan-Chou
• Granted Patent: US 10,921,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4257 applied to monitoring the characteristics of a beam, e.g. laser beam, headlamp beam monitoring arrangements for lasers in general H01S3/0014
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2793 Controlling polarisation dependent loss, e.g. polarisation insensitivity, reducing the change in polarisation degree of the output light even if the input polarisation state fluctuates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2808 using a mixing element which evenly distributes an input signal over a number of outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2813 based on multimode interference effect, i.e. self-imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence

Abstract

A device includes a scattering structure and a collection structure. The scattering structure is arranged to concurrently scatter incident electromagnetic radiation along a first scattering axis and along a second scattering axis. The first scattering axis and the second scattering axis are non-orthogonal. The collection structure includes a first input port aligned with the first scattering axis and a second input port aligned with the second scattering axis. A method includes scattering electromagnetic radiation along a first scattering axis to create first scattered electromagnetic radiation and along a second scattering axis to create second scattered electromagnetic radiation. The first scattering axis and the second scattering axis are non-orthogonal. The first scattered electromagnetic radiation is detected to yield first detected radiation and the second scattered electromagnetic radiation is detected to yield second detected radiation. The first detected radiation is phase aligned with the second detected radiation.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a scattering structure arranged to concurrently scatter incident electromagnetic radiation along a first scattering axis and along a second scattering axis, wherein the first scattering axis and the second scattering axis are non-orthogonal; and

a collection structure to collect the scattered electromagnetic radiation, wherein the collection structure comprises a first input port aligned with the first scattering axis and a second input port aligned with the second scattering axis.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input port and the second input port collectively collect the scattered electromagnetic radiation along a continuous region of a periphery of the scattering structure.

3. The device of claim 1, comprising:

a first photodetector coupled to the first input port;

a second photodetector coupled to the second input port; and

an amplifier coupled to the first photodetector and the second photodetector to generate an output signal.

4. The device of claim 3, comprising:

a first phase tuning circuit coupled between the first photodetector and the amplifier; and

a second phase tuning circuit coupled between the second photodetector and the amplifier.

5. The device of claim 4, comprising:

a controller to configure the first phase tuning circuit and the second phase tuning circuit to phase align the first photodetector and the second photodetector.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first input port comprises a first wave guide and the second input port comprises a second wave guide, and

the device comprises;

an optical combiner coupled to the first wave guide and the second wave guide, wherein the first wave guide has a first path length and the second wave guide has a second path length substantially equal to the first path length; and

a photodetector coupled to the optical combiner.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the scattering structure comprises a set of pillars.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the scattering structure comprises a set of scattering elements, each scattering element of the set of scattering elements having a triangular horizontal cross sectional shape.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the scattering structure comprises a set of scattering elements, and each scattering element of the set of scattering elements comprises:

a first member having a first horizontal cross-sectional shape; and

a second member having a second horizontal cross-sectional shape different than the first horizontal cross-sectional shape and positioned on the first member.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the scattering structure comprises:

a first scattering element having a first facet positioned perpendicular to the first scattering axis; and

a second scattering element having a first facet positioned perpendicular the second scattering axis.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the collection structure comprises:

a third input port aligned with the first scattering axis and positioned at an opposite end of the first scattering axis relative to the first input port; and

a fourth input port aligned with the second scattering axis and positioned at an opposite end of the second scattering axis relative to the second input port.

12. A device, comprising:

a scattering structure arranged to scatter incident electromagnetic radiation; and

a collection structure arranged around a periphery of the scattering structure to collect the scattered electromagnetic radiation, wherein the collection structure comprises;

a first input port positioned at a first radial position around a periphery of the scattering structure; and

a second input port positioned at a second radial position around the periphery of the scattering structure, wherein the first radial position and the second radial position define an oblique angle with respect to a center point of the scattering structure.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first input port and the second input port collectively collect the scattered electromagnetic radiation along a continuous region of the periphery of the scattering structure.

14. The device of claim 12, comprising:

a first photodetector coupled to the first input port;

a second photodetector coupled to the second input port; and

an amplifier coupled to the first and second photodetectors to generate an output signal.

15. The device of claim 14, comprising:

a first phase tuning circuit coupled between the first photodetector and the amplifier; and

a second phase tuning circuit coupled between the second photodetector and the amplifier.

16. The device of claim 15, comprising:

a controller to configure the first phase tuning circuit and the second phase tuning circuit to phase align the first photodetector and the second photodetector.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the first input port comprises a first wave guide and the second input port comprises a second wave guide, and

the device comprises;

an optical combiner coupled to the first wave guide and the second wave guide, wherein the first wave guide has a first path length and the second wave guide has a second path length substantially equal to the first path length; and

a photodetector coupled to the optical combiner.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the scattering structure comprises a set of scattering elements and each scattering element of the set of scattering elements comprises:

a first member having a first horizontal cross-sectional shape; and

a second member having a second horizontal cross-sectional shape different than the first horizontal cross-sectional shape and positioned on the first member.

19. A method, comprising:

scattering electromagnetic radiation along a first scattering axis to create first scattered electromagnetic radiation and along a second scattering axis to create second scattered electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first scattering axis and the second scattering axis are non-orthogonal;

detecting the first scattered electromagnetic radiation to yield first detected radiation and detecting the second scattered electromagnetic radiation to yield second detected radiation; and

phase aligning the first detected radiation with the second detected radiation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the phase aligning comprises:

configuring a variable delay of a phase tuning circuit to phase align the first detected radiation with the second detected radiation.