Optical off-chip interconnects in multichannel planar waveguide devices

• US 7,376,308 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Research Council Canada
• Original Assignee: National Research Council Canada
• Inventors: Janz, Siegfried, Xu, Dan-Xia, Cheben, Pavel, Lamontagne, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mooney; Michael P.
• Application Number:
  US11/016,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 385/27, 385/31, 385/37, 385/39, 385/43, 385/47, 385129-132
• US Class Current: 385/37
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12019 characterised by the optical interconnection to or from the AWG devices, e.g. integration or coupling with lasers or photodiodes coupling integrated waveguide to fibre G02B6/30, to optoelectronic element G02B6/42; monolithic integration of integrated waveguides with other optical elements G02B6/12004
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/124 Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• 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 6/425 Optical features semiconductor laser arrays H01S5/40; hybrid LED arrays H01L25/0753; monolithic LED arrays H01L27/153
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4287 Optical modules with tapping or launching means through the surface of the waveguide G02B6/2852, G02B6/4286 take precedence

Abstract

The multichannel waveguide device includes an array of waveguides located in a plane. Each waveguide channel has a redirecting element for redirecting a guided wave out of said plane, or vice versa. The redirecting elements are staggered in the direction of the waveguides so as to transform a one-dimensional array of in-plane waves into a two-dimensional array of out-of-plane waves, or vice versa.

Claims

1. A multichannel waveguide device comprising:

an array of waveguide channels located in a plane;

each waveguide channel having a diffraction element for redirecting waves propagating in an in-plane direction to an out-of-plane direction, or redirecting waves propagating in an out-of-plane direction to an in-plane direction; and

said diffraction elements being staggered in the direction of said waveguide channels so as to transform a one-dimensional array of guided waves propagating in an in-plane direction in said waveguide channels into a two-dimensional array of waves propagating in an out-of-plane direction or a two dimensional array of waves propagating in said out-of-plane direction into a one-dimensional array of guided waves propagating in said in-plane direction.

2. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, including an exit or entrance port for waves redirected by said redirecting elements, said exit or entrance port having antireflective properties.

3. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said waveguide device includes a substrate with a thinned portion providing an exit or entrance port for waves redirected by said diffraction elements.

4. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 3, wherein said substrate with a thinned portion has antireflective coating.

5. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said diffraction element is a blazed waveguide grating.

6. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said diffraction element is an unblazed waveguide grating.

7. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said diffraction element is a computer-generated diffractive optics element.

8. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said diffraction element is selected from the group consisting of:

a photonic bandgap structure and a nanoplasmonic structure.

9. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said diffraction element is a waveguide grating associated with a mirror.

10. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 9, wherein said mirror is selected from the group consisting of:

a metallic mirror, a dielectric mirror, a mirror grating, and a photonic bandgap material.

11. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 9, wherein said mirror is a mirror grating comprising a one or two dimensional array of a first material having a higher refractive index than a second material separating the first material from said waveguide grating, and wherein the grating geometry and dielectric constants of the material are chosen to provide a high reflectivity for light within a predetermined bandwidth of wavelengths.

12. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 11, wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of:

silicon in its single crystal, amorphous or polycrystalline forms, a III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride.

13. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, further comprising an optical element performing a function selected from the group consisting of:

collimating, focussing, waveguiding, beam-shaping, and imaging, to modify the two-dimensional array of waves propagating in out-of-plane direction.

14. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, further comprising a two dimensional detector array positioned to receive waves that have been redirected into said out-of-plane direction.

15. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 14, wherein said two dimensional detector array is selected from the group consisting of:

a charge coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) array, and a III-V semiconductor detector array.

16. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said waves propagate into said out-of-plane direction as free propagating waves.

17. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said waves are redirected into said out-of-plane direction as guided waves.

18. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 1, wherein said array of waveguide channels are configured to guide light of different wavelengths or bandwidths.

19. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 18, further comprising a wavelength dispersive element to separate said different wavelengths or bandwidths.

20. The multichannel waveguide device of claim 19, wherein said wavelength dispersive element is selected from the group consisting of:

an arrayed waveguide grating, a truncated arrayed waveguide grating device, an echelle grating device, and a Fourier synthesis filter.

21. A multichannel waveguide device comprising:

an array of waveguide channels;

each waveguide channel terminating with a diffraction element for redirecting waves exiting or entering said waveguide channels;

said diffraction elements being staggered in the direction of said waveguide channels so as to transform a one-dimensional array of guided waves propagating in said waveguide channels into a two-dimensional array of waves propagating outside said waveguide channels or a two dimensional array of waves propagating outside said waveguide channels into a one-dimensional array of guided waves propagating in said waveguide channels.

22. The multichannel device of claim 21, wherein said array of waveguide channels is mounted on a substrate with an entrance or exit port for waves redirected by said diffraction elements.

23. The multichannel device of claim 22, wherein said exit port has an antireflective coating.

24. The multichannel device of claim 22, wherein said substrate is thinned in the vicinity of said entrance or exit port.