Diffractive grating coupler and method
First Claim
1. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
- a predetermined surface grating pattern having a surface grating period decreasing along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating; and
a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention entails a volume grating for use as an optical coupler and method for creating the same which comprises a predetermined surface grating pattern having a decreasing surface grating period along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating with a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction to focus coupled light in a first dimension with a predetermined light intensity profile along a grating-cover interface plane of the volume grating. In addition, the predetermined surface grating pattern further includes an increasing radius of curvature along the waveguide light propagation direction to focus the light in a second dimension. The present invention further comprises a system and method for designing the volume grating, as well as a system and method for designing an apparatus for fabricating the volume grating.
271 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a predetermined surface grating pattern having a surface grating period decreasing along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating; and
a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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first means for variably altering the propagation of a guided wave according to a preferential order;
second means for focusing light in a first dimension;
third means for focusing light in a second dimension; and
fourth means for causing a predetermined light intensity profile at an output plane of the volume grating. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for coupling light from a waveguide to a focused point, comprising the steps of:
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directing a laser light beam into a waveguide having a volume grating;
coupling the laser light with a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along a waveguide light propagation direction; and
focusing the laser light with a predetermined surface grating pattern having a decreasing surface grating period along the waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A collimating volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a predetermined surface grating pattern having an even surface grating period; and
a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction.
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30. A surface relief grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a waveguide;
a predetermined number of separated grating ridges disposed in the waveguide, the separated grating ridges forming a predetermined surface grating pattern having a decreasing surface grating period along a waveguide light propagation direction; and
the separated grating ridges having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a first means for focusing a laser light with a plurality of slanted grating fringes, with each one of said plurality of slanted grating fringes having a predefined variable slant angle along a waveguide light propagation direction; and
a second means for configuring a predetermined light intensity profile at an output plane of the volume grating. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. An optical coupler for use in optical communications systems which comprises:
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a volume grating having a predetermined surface grating pattern; and
a plurality of variably slanted grating fringes along said volume grating. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An optical communication system, comprising:
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an optical fiber;
an optical circuit;
a transmitter;
a receiver; and
an optical coupler;
said optical coupler further comprising a volume grating having a plurality of variably slanted grating fringes along a waveguide light propagation direction.- View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a predetermined surface grating pattern having a surface grating period decreasing along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating;
a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction; and
wherein the predetermined surface grating pattern further includes an increasing radius of curvature along the waveguide light propagation direction. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A volume grating for use in an optical coupler, comprising:
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a predetermined surface grating pattern having a surface grating period decreasing along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating;
a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction;
wherein the variable slant angle is configured to provide a predetermined light intensity profile at an output plane of the volume; and
wherein the predetermined light intensity profile propagates into a preferential order.
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50. A method for coupling light from a waveguide to a focused point, comprising the steps of:
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directing a laser light beam into a waveguide having a volume grating;
coupling the laser light with a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along a waveguide light propagation direction;
focusing the laser light with a predetermined surface grating pattern having a decreasing surface grating period along the waveguide light propagation direction; and
focusing the laser light with fringes having an increasing radius of curvature along the waveguide light propagation direction in the predetermined surface grating pattern.
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51. An optical coupler for use in optical communications systems which comprises:
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a volume grating having a predetermined surface grating pattern;
a plurality of variably slanted grating fringes along said volume grating; and
wherein the predetermined surface grating pattern of the volume grating has an increasing radius of curvature along a waveguide light propagation direction.
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52. An optical communication system, comprising:
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an optical fiber;
an optical circuit;
a transmitter;
a receiver;
an optical coupler, said optical coupler further comprising a volume grating having a plurality of variably slanted grating fringes along a waveguide light propagation direction;
wherein the volume grating has a predetermined surface grating pattern; and
wherein the predetermined surface grating pattern of the volume grating has an increasing radius of curvature along the waveguide light propagation direction.
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Specification