Integrated laser array devices

• US 6,411,424 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Raj, Kannan
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'NEILL, GARY WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/663,602
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/115, 359/123, 359/124, 359/239, 359/245, 359/248, 359/627, 372/20, 372/23, 372/26, 372/96, 372/97, 372/108
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1086 operating by diffraction only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/143 using macroscopically faceted or segmented reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/35 having switching means by changing the optical properties of the medium G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3518 the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3542 Non-blocking switch, e.g. with multiple potential paths between multiple inputs and outputs, the establishment of one switching path not preventing the establishment of further switching paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3598 Switching means directly located between an optoelectronic element and waveguides, including direct displacement of either the element or the waveguide, e.g. optical pulse generation based on changing the optical properties of the medium G02F1/00; optical pulse generation in optical transmitters H04B10/508; optical pulse generation by controlling laser operation H01S3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3636 the mechanical coupling means being grooves G02B6/3652 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3652 the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
• 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 6/4214 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4243 Mounting of the optical light guide into a groove mounting optical light guides into a groove in general G02B6/3636
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4244 Mounting of the optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4259 of the transparent type
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0305 in end terminals

Abstract

An integrated laser multiplexer may be formed of an integrated laser array which produces a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths. The light beams of different wavelengths may be reflected by an elliptical reflector and a dispersive element for transmission over a single optical fiber.

Claims

1. A laser array multiplexer comprising:

a laser array that produces at least two light beams of different wavelengths;

an elliptical reflector aligned with said array to reflect said light beams; and

a dispersive element aligned with said elliptical reflector to reflect said beams towards at least one focal point.

2. The multiplexer claim 1 including a support that supports said laser array, said elliptical reflector and dispersive element as a unit.

7. The multiplexer of claim 1 wherein said laser array is a multi-quantum well gain-coupled distributed feedback laser array.

8. The multiplexer of claim 1 wherein said dispersive element is selected from the group consisting of a reflection phase grating, a thin film dielectric grating or a prism.

9. The multiplexer of claim 1 wherein said dispersive element is aligned to deflect a plurality of beams of different wavelengths onto a single fiber.

10. The multiplexer of claim 1 wherein said dispersive element is a micro-electromechanical structure including a plurality of mirrors.

11. The multiplexer of claim 10 wherein said beams are directed to at least two different focal points by said micro-electromechanical structure.

12. The multiplexer of claim 11 wherein said micro-electromechanical structure includes a plurality of mirrors whose angle of tilt is selectively controllable.

3. A laser array multiplexer comprising:

a laser array that produces at least two light beams of different wavelengths;

an elliptical reflector aligned with said array to reflect said light beams;

dispersive element aligned with said elliptical reflector to reflect said beams toward at least one focal point; and

a support that supports the laser array, said elliptical reflector and said dispersive element as a unit, said support includes an optical block that optically couples said laser array, said elliptical reflector and said dispersive element.

4. The multiplexer of claim 3 wherein said optical block is a transparent solid block of material.

5. The multiplexer of claim 4 including a securement system for securing an output fiber to said support.

6. The multiplexer of claim 5 wherein said securement system is arranged to align an end of an optical fiber with said focal point.

13. A method comprising:

receiving at least two light beams of different wavelengths;

reflecting said light beams from an elliptical reflector; and

reflecting said light beams from said elliptical reflector towards at least one focal point.

14. The method of claim 13 including reflecting said light beams from said elliptical reflector to at least two focal points.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein reflecting said beams from said elliptical reflector includes reflecting said beams using a micro-electromechanical structure including a plurality of mirrors.

18. The method of claim 17 including reflecting said beams from said elliptical reflector to a plurality of focal points.

19. The method of claim 18 including aligning an optical fiber at each of said focal points.

20. The method of claim 13 including forming a multiplexer including an add/drop unit integrally included in said multiplexer.

21. The method of claim 13 including generating at least two light beams of different wavelengths from a distributed feedback laser array.

22. The method of claim 13 including receiving said light beams of different wavelengths from two different optical fibers.

15. A method comprising:

receiving at least two light beams at different wavelengths;

reflecting said light beams from an elliptical reflector;

reflecting said light beams from said elliptical reflector towards at least one focal point; and

securing an optical fiber having an end and securing said end at said focal point.

16. The method of claim 15 including securing said optical fiber in a V-shaped groove and clamping said fiber in said V-shaped groove.

23. A wavelength division multiplexing system comprising:

a multiplexer including a distributed feedback laser array that generates at least two beams of different wavelengths; and

an optical system that focuses said beams onto a single focal point, said optical system including an elliptical reflector.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said optical system includes an integrated add/drop unit.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said optical system includes an elliptical reflector.

26. The system of claim 23 including a dispersive element arranged between said single focus point and said elliptical reflector.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein said optical system includes a micro-electromechanical structure including a plurality of mirrors.

28. A router comprising:

a multiplexer including a distributed feedback laser array that generates at least two beams of different wavelengths; and

a micro-electromechanical structure that selectively focuses said beams onto one or more of a plurality of output channels; and

an elliptical reflector that receives said beams from said array and reflects said beams to said micro-electromechanical structure.

29. A router comprising:

a multiplexer including a distributed feedback laser array that generates at least two beams of different wavelengths;

a micro-electromechanical structure that selectively focuses said beams onto one or more of a plurality of output channels; and

a controller and said structure includes a plurality of mirrors, said controller controls the orientation of said mirrors in said electromechanical structure to select the output channel for each of said beams.