Waveguide array with improved efficiency for wavelength routers and star couplers in integrated optics
First Claim
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1. An optical interconnection apparatus comprisinga planar free-space region having an input side and an output side;
- at least one input waveguide, radially connected to the input side of said free-space region, for directing optical signals to a plurality of output waveguides radially connected, at a junction, to the output side of said free-space region;
a transition region, extending radially from said junction along said plurality of output waveguides, where a coupling efficiency between said free-space region and said plurality of output waveguides is maximized by reducing the width of said plurality of output waveguides in the transition region close to said junction to be less than the width at distances farther away from said junction, and wherein the width, w, at said junction is smaller than the gaps, t, between adjacent ones of said plurality of output waveguides.
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Abstract
An optical interconnection apparatus including waveguide arrays, such as grating routers and star couplers, has reduced coupling loss by reducing the width of the waveguides in the array, where they connect to the free-space region, so that they are smaller than the gaps between adjacent waveguides. The free-space region is formed by a slab whose thickness is tapered in a transition region, where it connects to the waveguide arrays, so as to essentially eliminate any mismatch loss that would otherwise be caused in an abrupt junction of the waveguide arrays with the free-space region.
91 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An optical interconnection apparatus comprising
a planar free-space region having an input side and an output side; at least one input waveguide, radially connected to the input side of said free-space region, for directing optical signals to a plurality of output waveguides radially connected, at a junction, to the output side of said free-space region; a transition region, extending radially from said junction along said plurality of output waveguides, where a coupling efficiency between said free-space region and said plurality of output waveguides is maximized by reducing the width of said plurality of output waveguides in the transition region close to said junction to be less than the width at distances farther away from said junction, and wherein the width, w, at said junction is smaller than the gaps, t, between adjacent ones of said plurality of output waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of making an optical interconnection apparatus comprising the steps of
forming a planar free-space region having an input side and an output side; -
forming at least one input waveguide, radially connected to the input side of said free-space region, for directing optical signals to a plurality of output waveguides radially connected, at a junction, to the output side of said free-space region; forming a transition region, extending radially from said junction along said plurality of output waveguides, by reducing the width of said plurality of output waveguides in the transition region close to said junction to be less than the width at distances farther away from said junction, and wherein the width, w, at said junction is smaller than the gaps, t, between adjacent ones of said plurality of output waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification