Optoelectronic device for coupling between different dimensioned waveguides

• US 5,199,092 A
• Filed: 01/31/1992
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Stegmueller, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Frank
• Application Number:
  US07/828,551
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 385/24, 385/27, 385/31, 385/39, 385/43, 385/50, 385/129, 385/130, 385/131, 385/132
• US Class Current: 385/50
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1228 Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers for coupling with fibres G02B6/305
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/305 and having an integrated mode-size expanding section, e.g. tapered waveguide

Abstract

An optoelectronic device for optical coupling between different dimensioned waveguides has an arrangement forming a narrow waveguide and an arrangement forming a broad waveguide, which extend parallel to one another and are superimposed with each other to provide a superimposing wave guidance in a region and transverse dimensions of the narrow waveguide are continuously reduced to zero in the shape of a taper in a second region so that only the broad wave guidance on the basis of the broad ridge fashioned in the broad waveguide are present in a region adjoining this second region having the taper.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device comprising a waveguide having first means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction and second means for a broad wave guidance in the lateral direction, said first means and said second means being arranged to extend parallel to one another and being superimposed at least along a longitudinally directed portion of the waveguide, the second means comprising a broad ridge fashioned in a broad waveguide layer and said first means comprising a narrow waveguide having a higher refractive index being embedded in the material of the broad waveguide layer, one of said first and second means being continually reduced in thickness in the transversal direction along a section of the longitudinally directed portion so that a narrow wave guidance occurs adjoining one side of said section in the longitudinal direction and a broad wave guidance occurs adjoining the other side of said section in the longitudinal direction.

2. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first means is continually reduced in that the transversal thickness of the narrow waveguide continuously decreases.

3. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second means is continually reduced in that the height of the broad ridge continuously decreases.

4. An optoelectronic device comprising a waveguide having first means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction and second means for a broad wave guidance in the lateral direction, said first means and said second means being arranged to extend parallel to one another and being superimposed at least along a longitudinally directed portion of the waveguide, the first means being composed of a narrow ridge fashioned in a first waveguide and the second means comprising a broad waveguide having a higher index of refraction being embedded in the first waveguide, one of said first and second means being continually reduced in thickness in the transversal direction along a section of the longitudinally directed portion so that a narrow wave guidance occurs adjoining one side of said section in the longitudinal direction and a broad wave guidance occurs adjoining the other side of said section in the longitudinal direction.

5. An optoelectronic device according to claim 4, wherein the first means are continuously reduced in that the height of the narrow ridge continuously decreases.

6. An optoelectronic device according to claim 4, wherein the second means are continually reduced in that the transverse thickness of the broad waveguide continuously decreases.

7. An optoelectronic device comprising a waveguide having first means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction and second means for a broad wave guidance in the lateral direction, said first means and said second means being arranged to extend parallel to one another and being superimposed at least along a longitudinally directed portion of the waveguide, the first means comprising a narrow ridge fashioned in a first waveguide layer embedded in a second waveguide layer and the second means comprising a broad ridge fashioned on said second waveguide layer, one of said first and second means being continually reduced in thickness in the transversal direction along a section of the longitudinally divided portion so that a narrow wave guidance occurs adjoining one side of said section in the longitudinal direction and a broad wave guidance occurs adjoining the other side of said section in the longitudinal direction.

8. An optoelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein the second means are continually reduced in that the height of the broad ridge is continuously decreased.

9. An optoelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first means are continually reduced in that the height of the narrow ridge continuously decreases.

10. An optoelectronic device comprising a waveguide having first means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction and second means for a broad wave guidance in the lateral direction, said first means and said second means being arranged to extend parallel to one another and being superimposed at least along a longitudinally direction portion of the waveguide, the first means comprising a narrow waveguide having a higher index of refraction being embedded in a broad waveguide and said second means comprising lateral limitations of the broad waveguide with material having a lower refractive index, one of said first and second means being continually reduced in thickness in the transversal direction along a section of the longitudinally divided portion so that a narrow wave guidance occurs adjoining one side of said section in the longitudinal direction and a broad wave guidance occurs adjoining the other side of said section in the longitudinal direction.

11. An optoelectronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first means are continually reduced in that the transverse thickness of the narrow waveguide continuously decreases.

12. An optoelectronic device according to claim 10, wherein the second means are continually reduced in that the transversal thickness of the broad waveguide continuously decreases.

13. An optoelectronic device comprising a waveguide having first means for a narrow wave guidance in the lateral direction, said first means and said second means being arranged to extend parallel to one another and being superimposed at least along a longitudinally directed portion of the waveguide, the first means comprising a narrow ridge and the second means comprising a broad ridge surrounding said narrow ridge at least in one section having superimposed wave guidance, one of said first and second means being continually reduced in thickness in the transversal direction along an area of the longitudinally directed portion so that a narrow wave guidance occurs adjoining one side of the area in the longitudinal direction and a broad wave guidance occurs adjoining the other side of the area in the longitudinal direction.

14. An optoelectronic device according to claim 13, wherein the second means are continually reduced in that the height of the broad ridge continuously decreases.

15. An optoelectronic device according to claim 13, wherein the narrow ridge and broad ridge have different refractive indices and wherein the first means are continually reduced in that the height of the narrow ridge continuously decreases.