Patents by Inventor Eric Kittlaus

Eric Kittlaus has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Wideband acousto-optic modulator/isolator in integrated photonics
    Patent number: 12663668
    Abstract: An acousto-optic device employing strong interband coupling in a multi-mode, spiral-shaped optomechanical waveguide is disclosed. The acousto-optic device includes multiple interdigitated transducers to produce phonons, which are directed to the optomechanical waveguide at an angle. By confining the produced phonons to the optomechanical waveguide, using phonon confining elements and/or a suspended structure, the interband coupling is increased. Through the use of spatial mode multiplexers at either end of the optomechanical waveguide to block or pass different spatial optical modes, one can create an acousto-optic modulator or an optical isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignees: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Nils Thomas Otterstrom, Peter Rakich, Yishu Zhou, Freek Ruesink, Hoatian Cheng, Shai Gertler, Eric Kittlaus, John Bowers
  • Opto-acoustic signal processing
    Patent number: 11378741
    Abstract: Devices and systems for opto-acoustic signal processing are described herein. In one embodiment, the device may include a structure configured to laterally confine travelling acoustic phonons (hypersound) throughout, a first multimode optical waveguide embedded within the structure, and an acoustic phonon emitter within the structure, where the first multimode optical waveguide is selected to couple to the acoustic phonons (hypersound) confined within the structure. In one embodiment, the system may include a first light source optically coupled to a proximal end of the first multimode optical waveguide, the first light source emitting a probe wave having a frequency ?p(1), and a driver configured to drive the acoustic phonon emitter to emit acoustic phonons (hypersound).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: YALE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Eric Kittlaus, Nils Otterstrom, Prashanta Kharel, Shai Gertler, Peter Rakich
  • OPTO-ACOUSTIC SIGNAL PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20200050030
    Abstract: Devices and systems for opto-acoustic signal processing are described herein. In one embodiment, the device may include a structure configured to laterally confine travelling acoustic phonons (hypersound) throughout, a first multimode optical waveguide embedded within the structure, and an acoustic phonon emitter within the structure, where the first multimode optical waveguide is selected to couple to the acoustic phonons (hypersound) confined within the structure. In one embodiment, the system may include a first light source optically coupled to a proximal end of the first multimode optical waveguide, the first light source emitting a probe wave having a frequency ?p(1), and a driver configured to drive the acoustic phonon emitter to emit acoustic phonons (hypersound).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Eric Kittlaus, Nils Otterstrom, Prashanta Kharel, Shai Gertler, Peter Rakich