IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0021549
(2004-12-23)
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등록번호 |
US-7260290
(2007-08-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Greiner,Christoph M.
- Iazikov,Dmitri
- Mossberg,Thomas W.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- LightSmyth Technologies Inc
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
23 인용 특허 :
73 |
초록
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An optical waveguide includes a set of diffractive elements. The diffractive element set routes within the waveguide a diffracted portion of an input optical signal between input and output optical ports. The input optical signal is successively incident on the diffractive elements. The optical si
An optical waveguide includes a set of diffractive elements. The diffractive element set routes within the waveguide a diffracted portion of an input optical signal between input and output optical ports. The input optical signal is successively incident on the diffractive elements. The optical signal propagates in the waveguide in a corresponding signal optical transverse mode substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension. A modal index of the signal optical mode or a modal index of a loss optical mode spatially varies along a signal propagation direction within the optical waveguide, or the loss optical mode is optically damped as it propagates along the optical waveguide. Said signal modal index variation, said loss modal index variation, or said loss mode damping yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffract
What is claimed is: 1. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a bulk refractive index of core material provides said signal modal index variation. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein physical spacing along the propagation direction between adjacent diffractive elements spatially varies along the propagation direction, so as to provide a desired spectral transfer function for the diffractive element set and so as to provide said signal modal index variation. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the diffractive element set comprises multiple subsets of diffractive elements separated by intervening regions of the planar optical waveguide lacking diffractive elements of the set; and the subsets and the intervening regions are arranged along the propagation direction so as to provide a desired spectral transfer function for the diffractive element set and so as to provide said signal modal index variation. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of the transverse extent of the core in at least one transverse dimension provides said signal modal index variation. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a transverse position of an interface between the core and the cladding provides said signal modal index variation. 6. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate in the planar optical waveguide in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the loss optical mode propagates with only negligible optical scattering and with only negligible optical absorption; and the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of at least one loss optical mode spatially varies along the optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; and said loss modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a bulk refractive index of cladding material provides said loss modal index variation. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of the transverse extent of the cladding in at least one transverse dimension provides said loss modal index variation. 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a transverse position of an interface between the core and the cladding provides said loss modal index variation. 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a slab optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating in two other spatial dimensions therein. 11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the planar optical waveguide comprises a channel optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in two transverse spatial dimensions optical signals propagating in one other spatial dimension therein. 12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said loss modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a product of: i) a length of the diffractive element set along the propagation direction; and ii) a mean magnitude of the phase mismatch averaged over said length of the diffractive element set, is greater than about π. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the phase mismatch varies substantially linearly along the propagation direction. 15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the phase mismatch varies substantially periodically along the propagation direction. 16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the phase mismatch varies irregularly along the propagation direction. 17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the phase mismatch varies substantially randomly along the propagation direction. 18. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a corresponding lowest-order signal optical transverse mode substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide. 19. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; said signal modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and a product of: i) a length of the diffractive element set along the propagation direction; and ii) a mean magnitude of the phase mismatch averaged over said length of the diffractive element set, is greater than about π. 20. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; said signal modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the phase mismatch varies substantially linearly along the propagation direction. 21. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; said signal modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the phase mismatch varies substantially periodically along the propagation direction. 22. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; said signal modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the phase mismatch varies irregularly along the propagation direction. 23. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that optical signals can propagate therein only in a fixed number of corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; said signal modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and a loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the phase mismatch varies substantially randomly along the propagation direction. 24. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate therein in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode spatially varies along an optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a bulk refractive index of core material provides said signal modal index variation. 25. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate therein in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of at least one loss optical mode spatially varies along the optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said loss modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a bulk refractive index of cladding material provides said loss modal index variation. 26. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate therein in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of at least one loss optical mode spatially varies along the optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said loss modal index variation yields a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the planar optical waveguide comprises a waveguide core and cladding, and spatial variation along the propagation direction of a transverse position of an interface between the core and the cladding provides said loss modal index variation. 27. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate therein in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode or a modal index of at least one loss optical mode spatially varies along the optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation or said loss modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and a product of: i) a length of the diffractive element set along the propagation direction; and ii) a mean magnitude of the phase mismatch averaged over said length of the diffractive element set, is greater than about π. 28. An optical apparatus, comprising a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements, the planar optical waveguide arranged to substantially confine in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein, wherein: each diffractive element set is arranged to route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set; the diffractive elements are arranged so that the input optical signal is successively incident thereon; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that the optical signals propagate therein in corresponding signal optical transverse modes substantially confined in at least one transverse dimension by the planar optical waveguide; the planar optical waveguide is arranged so that a modal index of the signal optical mode or a modal index of at least one loss optical mode spatially varies along the optical signal propagation direction within the planar optical waveguide; said signal modal index variation or said loss modal index variation results in a phase mismatch between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode, the phase mismatch varying along the propagation direction so as to yield a level of optical coupling between the signal optical mode and the loss optical mode at or below an operationally acceptable level; and the phase mismatch varies substantially periodically along the propagation direction.
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