Programmable signal time delay device using electro-optic and passive waveguide circuits on planar substrates
First Claim
1. An optical time delay device comprising:
- a switching component comprising a first planar substrate, with an optical waveguide switching array comprising integrated optical switches formed on said first substrate;
a delay line component comprising a second planar substrate butt-coupled to said first substrate with a plurality of optical waveguides of different optical lengths formed on said second substrate;
the input ends and output ends of said waveguides being disposed along the edge of said second substrate which is butt-coupled to said first substrate;
said switching array being coupled to said input ends and output ends of said plurality of waveguides so as to direct an optical signal through a selected one or more of said waveguides.
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Abstract
An optical time delay device includes a switching component butt-coupled to one or two delay line components. The switching component is a planar substrate with an optical waveguide switching array formed thereon. The delay line component is a second planar substrate with a plurality of optical waveguides of different optical lengths. The input ends and output ends of the waveguides are disposed along the butt-coupled edge of the second substrate. The waveguides and switches are arranged so that the switches direct an incoming optical signal to a selected one or more of said waveguides. In a preferred embodiment, one of the waveguides has an optical length ΔL, and the remaining waveguides have optical lengths which are multiples of ΔL. The use of planar substrates with electro-optic and passive waveguide circuits allows for a modular approach, with interchangeable delay line components chosen for a particular application and butt-coupled to the switching component.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An optical time delay device comprising:
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a switching component comprising a first planar substrate, with an optical waveguide switching array comprising integrated optical switches formed on said first substrate; a delay line component comprising a second planar substrate butt-coupled to said first substrate with a plurality of optical waveguides of different optical lengths formed on said second substrate; the input ends and output ends of said waveguides being disposed along the edge of said second substrate which is butt-coupled to said first substrate; said switching array being coupled to said input ends and output ends of said plurality of waveguides so as to direct an optical signal through a selected one or more of said waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification