Integrated fiber devices based on Mach-Zehnder interferometers and evanescent optical coupling
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- first and second separate optical paths joined to each other at two separate locations to form an input joint and an output joint, said input joint configured to receive input optical signals from either one of said first and said second optical paths and split a received optical signal into a first optical signal into said first optical path and a second optical signal into said second optical path, said output joint configured to combine said first and said second optical signals to cause optical interference therebetween, wherein at least said first optical path is formed by an optical fiber engaged to a substrate to form two optical fiber coupling ports on one side of said substrate which partially constitute said input and output joints, respectively, wherein said substrate includes first and second opposing substrate surfaces to have an elongated groove formed over said first substrate surface at each location of said input and said output joints, and at least one opening formed at one end of each elongated groove, each opening formed through said substrate to extend between said first and second substrate surfaces, wherein said optical fiber passes through each opening from said second substrate surface to said first substrate surface to have a first fiber portion disposed in said elongated groove at location of said input joint and a second fiber portion disposed in said elongated groove at location of said output joint, each of said first and said second fiber portions having a portion of fiber cladding removed to form one of said two optical fiber coupling ports to allow for evanescent coupling of energy between said first and said second optical paths, and wherein said optical fiber has a first evanescent monitoring surface located on one side of said input joint and formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding for evanescently sampling an input signal to said first and said second optical paths, a second evanescent monitoring surface located on one side of said output joint and formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding for evanescently sampling an output signal to said first and said second optical paths;
a first optical detector located to receive a sample of said input optical signal from said first evanescent monitoring surface of said optical fiber; and
a second optical detector located to receive a sample of said output optical signal from said second evanescent monitoring surface of said optical fiber.
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Abstract
Optical Mach-Zehnder interferometers and related devices, systems that have at least one fiber integrated or engaged to a substrate fabricated with one or more grooves. An integrated optical monitoring mechanism may be implemented in such devices.
115 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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first and second separate optical paths joined to each other at two separate locations to form an input joint and an output joint, said input joint configured to receive input optical signals from either one of said first and said second optical paths and split a received optical signal into a first optical signal into said first optical path and a second optical signal into said second optical path, said output joint configured to combine said first and said second optical signals to cause optical interference therebetween, wherein at least said first optical path is formed by an optical fiber engaged to a substrate to form two optical fiber coupling ports on one side of said substrate which partially constitute said input and output joints, respectively, wherein said substrate includes first and second opposing substrate surfaces to have an elongated groove formed over said first substrate surface at each location of said input and said output joints, and at least one opening formed at one end of each elongated groove, each opening formed through said substrate to extend between said first and second substrate surfaces, wherein said optical fiber passes through each opening from said second substrate surface to said first substrate surface to have a first fiber portion disposed in said elongated groove at location of said input joint and a second fiber portion disposed in said elongated groove at location of said output joint, each of said first and said second fiber portions having a portion of fiber cladding removed to form one of said two optical fiber coupling ports to allow for evanescent coupling of energy between said first and said second optical paths, and wherein said optical fiber has a first evanescent monitoring surface located on one side of said input joint and formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding for evanescently sampling an input signal to said first and said second optical paths, a second evanescent monitoring surface located on one side of said output joint and formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding for evanescently sampling an output signal to said first and said second optical paths;
a first optical detector located to receive a sample of said input optical signal from said first evanescent monitoring surface of said optical fiber; and
a second optical detector located to receive a sample of said output optical signal from said second evanescent monitoring surface of said optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device, comprising:
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a first fiber having first and second evanescent monitoring ports separated from each other, and first and second separate fiber coupling ports located between said first and second evanescent monitoring ports, wherein each of said evanescent monitoring ports and said fiber coupling ports is formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding to form a coupling surface within a reach of an evanescent field of a guided optical mode of said first fiber;
a second fiber having first and second separate fiber coupling ports each formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding to form a coupling surface within a reach of an evanescent field of a guided optical mode of said second fiber, said second fiber coupled to said first fiber by aligning said first and said second fiber coupling ports of said second fiber to said first and said second fiber coupling ports of said first fiber, respectively, to evanescently exchange energy between said first and said second fibers;
a first optical detector located to receive a first sample of a guided optical signal in said first optical fiber that is evanescently extracted from said first evanescent monitoring port; and
a second optical detector located to receive a second sample of said guided optical signal in said first optical fiber that is evanescently extracted from said second evanescent monitoring port. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device, comprising:
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a first fiber module having a first substrate and a first array of fibers engaged on said first substrate, each fiber having first and second separate fiber coupling ports and an adjustable fiber section between said first and said second fiber coupling ports, wherein each fiber coupling port is formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding to form a coupling surface within a reach of an evanescent field of a guided optical mode of said each fiber, and said adjustable fiber section responds to an external control signal to change an optical property thereof; and
a second fiber module having a second substrate and a second array of fibers engaged to said second substrate, each fiber having first and second separate fiber coupling ports, each fiber coupling port formed by removing a portion of fiber cladding to form a coupling surface within a reach of an evanescent field of a guided optical mode of said each fiber, wherein said first and said second fiber modules are coupled to each other to align said first and said second fiber coupling ports of each fiber in said first fiber module to said first and said second fiber coupling ports of a respective fiber in said second fiber module, respectively, to evanescently exchange energy therebetween and to form an array of fiber Mach-Zehnder units. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
a first array of first optical detectors, each detector located to receive a first sample of a guided optical signal in each fiber that is evanescently extracted from said first evanescent monitoring port; and
a second array of second optical detectors, each detector located to receive a second sample of said guided optical signal in each fiber that is evanescently extracted from said second evanescent monitoring port.
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24. The device as in claim 23, further comprising a control unit coupled to each fiber Mach-Zehnder unit to supply said control signal to said adjustable fiber section therein, said control unit connected to receive said first and said samples from each pair of first and second optical detectors for each fiber Mach-Zehnder unit.
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25. The device as in claim 21, wherein at least one substrate includes first and second opposing substrate surfaces to have an elongated groove formed over said first substrate surface at each location of said fiber coupling ports, and at least one opening formed at one end of each elongated groove, each opening penetrating through said substrate to extend between said first and second substrate surfaces, each fiber engaged to said one substrate passing through each opening from said second substrate surface to said first substrate surface to each fiber coupling port positioned in a respective elongated groove.
Specification