Waveguide grating device and method of controlling Bragg wavelength of waveguide grating

• US 6,522,809 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Minoru, Takeya, Hajime, Matsumoto, Sadayuki, Maegawa, Takeyuki, Uchikawa, Fusaoki, Sakai, Kiyohide, Yoshiara, Kiichi, Takabayashi, Masakazu, Hoshizaki, Junichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Application Number:
  US09/640,000
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 385/37, 385/24, 385/13, 385/137, 359/124, 359/130
• US Class Current: 385/37
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/022 using mechanical stress, e.g. tuning by compression or elongation, special geometrical shapes such as "dog-bone" or taper G02B6/02204 takes precedence; optical modulation using photo-elastic effect G02F1/0131
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/124 Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings

Abstract

A waveguide grating device controlling Bragg wavelength after manufacture of the device includes an optical waveguide on a substrate. A variable stress is applied to a waveguide grating in part of the waveguide to bend at least the portion of the substrate including the waveguide grating, changing the Bragg wavelength.

Claims

1. A waveguide grating device comprising:

an optical waveguide on a substrate;

a waveguide grating in a portion of the optical waveguide;

a casing in which said optical waveguide is disposed;

substrate support bodies contacting and slidably supporting a first side of said substrate, on opposite sides of the waveguide grating, in said casing; and

substrate pressing means mounted in said casing and making contact with a second side of said substrate, opposite the first side of said substrate, and movable in a direction perpendicular to said substrate.

2. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein a distance L1 between said substrate support bodies satisfies t1/L1<

0.2 where t1 represents thickness of said substrate.

3. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate pressing means has, in cross-section, where contacting the second side of said substrate, an arcuate shape, the arcuate shape having a center located at a point.

4. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate pressing means comprises an actuator that expands and contracts in response to an applied voltage.

5. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of said substrate where the waveguide grating is located is thinner than other portions of said substrate.

6. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein said waveguide grating has a period that changes progressively.

7. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate pressing means has in cross-section, where contacting the second side of said substrate, an arc-shaped linear end portion having an axis lying on a straight line that is parallel to said substrate.

8. The waveguide grating device according to claim 1, wherein each of said substrate support bodies has a linear end face having, in cross-section, where contacting the second side of said substrate, an arcuate shape having a radius of curvature with an axis lying on a straight line, parallel to said substrate, each of said substrate support bodies contacting said substrate on the end face.

9. The waveguide grating device according to claim 8, wherein said substrate passing means has in cross-section, where contacting the second principal plane of said substrate, an arc-shaped linear end portion having an axis lying on a straight line that is parallel to said substrate and parallel to each axis of said substrate support bodies.

10. A waveguide grating device comprising:

a substrate having a waveguide grating with a Bragg wavelength;

an optical waveguide connected to the waveguide grating;

a casing;

substrate support bodies contacting and slidably supporting said substrate in said casing on a first principal plane of said substrate; and

substrate pressing means mounted in said casing, in contact with a second principal plane of said substrate, opposite the first principal plane, and movable in a direction perpendicular to said substrate or fixed, at least one of said substrate support bodies and said substrate pressing means having a thermal expansion coefficient canceling a change in Bragg wavelength of said waveguide grating caused by a change in temperature.

11. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, wherein each of said substrate support bodies has a linear end face having, in cross-section, an arcuate shape having a radius of curvature with an axis lying on a straight line, parallel to said substrate, each of said substrate support bodies contacting said substrate at the respective end face.

12. The waveguide grating according to claim 11, wherein an end portion of said substrate pressing means has, in cross-section, where contacting the first principal plane of said substrate, an arcuate shape having a radius of curvature with a center located at a point.

13. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, including a plurality of said substrate pressing means.

14. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, wherein said substrate pressing means includes, on an end portion, a load splitting member having first and second end faces that contact said substrate with said first and second end faces straddling said waveguide grating.

15. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, wherein said substrate pressing means includes, at an end, a flat plate having two parallel surfaces.

16. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, including an organic material on a surface of said substrate.

17. The waveguide grating device according to claim 10, wherein said substrate is hermetically sealed in said casing.

18. The waveguide grating according to claim 10, wherein an end portion of said substrate pressing means has, in cross-section, where contacting the first principal plane of said substrate, an arc-shaped end portion having an axis lying on a straight line that is parallel to said substrate and to each axis of said substrate support bodies.