Optical structure

• US 7,376,309 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gulde, Stephan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi; Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prince; Kajli
• Application Number:
  US11/679,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 385/39
• US Class Current: 385/39
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/124 Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0635 provided with a periodic structure, e.g. using distributed feed-back, grating couplers controlling, e.g. modulating distributed feed-back lasers H01S3/102
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1042 Optical microcavities, e.g. cavity dimensions comparable to the wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/11 Comprising a photonic bandgap structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/12 the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers comprising a photonic bandgap structure H01S5/11; surface-emitting lasers H01S5/18

Abstract

An optical structure comprising an optical resonator is provided. The optical resonator comprises a first set of nested closed optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, and a second set of nested optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index. Each optical region of the second set is interrupted by a first gap region with a lower refractive index, wherein the first gap regions substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index. The first set is arranged nested within the second set and the optical structure further comprises a first optical waveguide optically coupled to the optical resonator via a first waveguide portion reaching into the first gap regions and being arranged coplanar to the optical resonator.

Claims

1. Optical structure comprising:

an optical resonator, the optical resonator comprising a first set of nested closed optical regions forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, and a second set of nested optical regions forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, each optical region of said second set is interrupted by a first gap region with a lower refractive index, said first gap region substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, said first set being nested within the second set;

a first optical waveguide optically coupled to the optical resonator via a first waveguide portion reaching into the first gap region and being arranged coplanar to said optical resonator.

2. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein the first waveguide portion reaches through the first gap region towards the first set.

3. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said first gap region has a gap width that is selected such that the effect of overlap of the optical field around the nested optical regions with the optical field around the first waveguide portion is substantially equal to the effect of reduced reflection of the second set due to the gap region.

4. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said first optical waveguide has a lobe-like end, at least part of which forms the first waveguide portion.

5. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein each optical region of said second set is interrupted by a second gap region with a lower refractive index, wherein said second gap region substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, and wherein within said second gap region a second waveguide portion pertaining to a second optical waveguide is arranged.

6. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein the second waveguide portion is arranged coplanar to said optical resonator.

7. The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said second optical waveguide and said first optical waveguide converge into a common waveguide.

8. An optical structure comprising:

an optical resonator that comprises a first set of nested closed optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index,

a first optical waveguide comprising several waveguide arms, each of which being optically coupled to the optical resonator at a different position of the first set, wherein said waveguide arms converge into said optical waveguide.

9. The optical structure according to claim 8, wherein said first optical waveguide is arranged coplanar to said optical resonator.

10. The optical structure according to claim 8, further comprising a second set of nested optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, each optical region of said second set being interrupted by at least one first gap region, wherein said first gap region substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, wherein said first set is arranged nested within the second set, wherein at least one of said waveguide arms reaches into at least one of the first gap region.

11. The optical structure according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said waveguide arms has a lobe-like end.

12. The optical structure according to claim 8, wherein each optical region of said second set is interrupted by a second gap region, wherein said second gap region substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, and wherein within said second gap region a second waveguide portion pertaining to a second optical waveguide is arranged.

13. The optical structure according to claim 8, wherein said second waveguide portion is coplanar to said optical resonator.