Multilayered optical structures

• US 7,039,264 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Bi, Xiangxin, Bryan, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feely, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/420,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20030232200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 428/364, 428/375, 428/446, 428/448, 385/115, 385/123, 385/129, 385/141, 385/142, 385/143
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/04 comprising such particular substance as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a glass layer B32B17/06; layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/1415 Reactant delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/1423 Reactant deposition burners
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/1484 Means for supporting, rotating or translating the article being formed
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2203/34 Plural core other than bundles, e.g. double core
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2205/40 Monitoring or regulating the draw tension or draw rate
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2207/02 Elongated flat flame or slit-nozzle type
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2207/34 Liquid, e.g. mist or aerosol
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2207/66 Relative motion
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 2207/85 with vapour generated from liquid glass precursors, e.g. directly by heating the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/01413 Reactant delivery systems C03B37/01807 takes precedence; devices therefor in general B01D1/00, B01J4/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/0142 Reactant deposition burners
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/01486 Means for supporting, rotating or translating the preforms being formed, e.g. lathes C03B37/01884 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/027 Fibres composed of different sorts of glass, e.g. glass optical fibresC03B37/0253, C03B37/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3201 Alkali metal oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3203 Lithium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3215 Barium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3217 Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3224 Rare earth oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. scandium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3225 Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3227 : Lanthanum oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3232 : Titanium oxides or titanates, e.g. rutile or anatase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3234 : Titanates, not containing zirconia
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3244 : Zirconium oxides, zirconates, hafnium oxides, hafnates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3251 : Niobium oxides, niobates, tantalum oxides, tantalates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3258 : Tungsten oxides, tungstates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3287 : Germanium oxides, germanates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. copper germanate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3293 : Tin oxides, stannates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3294 : Antimony oxides, antimonates, antimonites or oxide forming salts thereof, indium antimonate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3296 : Lead oxides, plumbates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. silver plumbate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3298 : Bismuth oxides, bismuthates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc bismuthate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3409 : Boron oxide, borates, boric acids, or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. borax
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3418 : Silicon oxide, silicic acids, or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. silica sol, fused silica, silica fume, cristobalite, quartz or flint glass constituents C04B2235/36
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3463 : Alumino-silicates other than clay, e.g. mullite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/14 : based on silica
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/483 : using coherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/00 : Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12147 : Coupler
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/1215 : Splitter
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12176 : Etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02042 : Multicore optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12002 : Three-dimensional structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/13 : Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/132 : by deposition of thin films
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 : Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Abstract

Monolithic optical structures include a plurality of layer with each layer having an isolated optical pathway confined within a portion of the layer. The monolithic optical structure can be used as an optical fiber preform. Alternatively or additionally, the monolithic optical structure can include integrated optical circuits within one or more layers of the structure. Monolithic optical structures can be formed by performing multiple passes of a substrate through a flowing particle stream. The deposited particles form an optical material following consolidation. Flexible optical fibers include a plurality of independent light channels extending along the length of the optical fiber. The fibers can be pulled from an appropriate preform.

Claims

1. A monolithic optical structure comprising a plurality of planar layers with each layer having an isolated optical pathway confined within a portion of the plane of the layer;

wherein the confined optical pathway within the plane of at least one of the plurality of layers comprises an inorganic optical glass.

2. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 further comprising a substrate comprising non-optical material.

3. The monolithic optical structure of claim 2 wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

4. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least three layers.

5. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least five layers.

6. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least ten layers.

7. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1, wherein the isolated optical pathways of each layer is surrounded by a cladding material;

and wherein the isolated optical pathways comprise an optical material having an index-of-refraction different from the index-of-refraction of the cladding material.

8. The monolithic optical structure of claim 7 wherein the optical material of at least one of the isolated optical pathways comprises a first doped silicon oxide.

9. The monolithic optical structure of claim 8 wherein the cladding material comprises a second doped silicon oxide.

10. The monolithic optical structure of claim 7 wherein the optical material of at least one of the isolated optical pathways comprises a crystalline optical material.

11. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein each layer has a thickness no more than about 250 microns.

12. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein each layer has a thickness from about 3 microns to about 100 microns.

13. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein each layer has a thickness from about 4 microns to about 20 microns.

14. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein at least one layer includes a plurality of isolated optical pathways.

15. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein at least one isolated optical pathway comprises an integrated optical circuit comprising a plurality of optical devices distinguishable from each other by the presence of optical material having different optical properties.

16. The monolithic optical structure of claim 15 wherein the plurality of optical devices comprises an electro-optical device.

17. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein at least one of the isolated optical pathways comprises an optical core of approximately uniform composition extending through a linear dimension of the structure.

18. The monolithic optical structure of claim 1 wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least about ten isolated optical pathways each comprising an optical core of approximately uniform composition extending through a linear dimension of the structure.

19. The monolithic structure of claim 1 wherein the inorganic glass comprises silicon oxide doped with boron, germanium, phosphorous, titanium, zinc, aluminum or a combination thereof.

20. The monolithic structure of claim 1 wherein the inorganic glass comprises silicon oxide doped with a rare earth element.