Circular grating resonator structure with integrated electro-optical modulation

• US 7,406,226 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moll, Nikolaj, Horst, Folkert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi; Hemang
• Application Number:
  US12/041,265
• Time in Patent Office: 148 Days
• Field of Search: 385/2, 385/8, 385/37, 385/50, 385/131, 385/32, 385/39, 385/40, 372/94, 372/102
• US Class Current: 385/37
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/225 in an optical waveguide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/15 involving resonance effects, e.g. resonantly enhanced interaction

Abstract

An optical structure includes a substrate, a circular grating resonator (CGR) formed on the substrate, the CGR including a center disc and a plurality of concentric rings spaced from one another; an input planar waveguide and an output planar waveguide each formed on the substrate, the input planar waveguide and the output planar waveguide optically coupled to the CGR; and an electrode pair, formed on the substrate, coplanar with the input and output planar waveguides, the electrode pair comprising an electrically conductive material in contact with opposing ends of the center disc of the CGR so as to render the CGR capable of electro-optical control.

Claims

1. An optical structure, comprising:

a substrate;

a circular grating resonator (CGR) formed on the substrate, the CGR comprising a center disc and a plurality of concentric rings spaced from one another;

an input planar waveguide and an output planar waveguide each formed on the substrate, the input planar waveguide and the output planar waveguide optically coupled to the CGR; and

an electrode pair, formed on the substrate, coplanar with the input and output planar waveguides, the electrode pair comprising an electrically conductive material in contact with opposing ends of the center disc of the CGR so as to render the CGR capable of electro-optical control.

2. The optical structure of claim 1, wherein the location of the electrode pair on the substrate corresponds to a nodal plane based on a selected resonance mode of operation for the CGR, with the nodal plane corresponding to at least one region of substantially no electric field intensity whenever the CGR is in resonance.

3. The optical structure of claim 2, wherein a longitudinal axis of the electrode pair is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the input and output planar waveguides.

4. The optical structure of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more trenches defined within the plurality of concentric rings of the CGR;

wherein locations of the one or more trenches correspond to additional nodal planes based on the selected resonance mode of operation for the CGR.

5. The optical structure of claim 4, wherein the CGR comprises a trench defined within the plurality of concentric rings for each nodal plane based on the selected resonance mode of operation for the CGR.