Patents by Inventor Michel J.F. Digonnet

Michel J.F. Digonnet 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).

  • Publication number: 20240401950
    Abstract: A fiber optic gyroscope includes an optical fiber coil, at least one optical circuit, and at least one optical gate. The at least one optical circuit is configured to receive input optical signals generated by at least one optical source, to split each input optical signal into first and second optical signals, to phase modulate one or both of the first and second optical signals, to transmit the first and second optical signals to the optical fiber coil such that the first and second optical signals counterpropagate through the optical fiber coil, to receive the first and second optical signals after counterpropagating through the optical fiber coil, to combine the first and second optical signals after counterpropagating through the optical fiber coil, and to transmit the combined first and second optical signals to at least one photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Jonathan M. Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20230314207
    Abstract: An acoustic sensor includes at least one optical waveguide configured to emit an optical beam, a substantially planar first substrate optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide, and a substantially planar second substrate substantially parallel to the first substrate, affixed to the first substrate, and affixed to the at least one optical waveguide. The first substrate is configured to be illuminated by the optical beam and to reflect at least a portion of the optical beam to the at least one optical waveguide. The first substrate includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of the optical beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the optical beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The optical beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Behrad Habib Afshar, Michel J.F. Digonnet
  • Patent number: 11629979
    Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Publication number: 20220082413
    Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Publication number: 20200249023
    Abstract: A gyroscope includes a first optical resonator in optical communication with at least one optical waveguide and a second optical resonator in optical communication with the first optical resonator. One of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power loss rate L greater than zero and the other of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power gain rate G greater than zero. The at least one optical waveguide, the first optical resonator, and the second optical resonator are configured to be below lasing threshold. The gyroscope further includes at least one optical detector in optical communication with the at least one optical waveguide, and the at least one optical waveguide is configured to receive, from at least one light source, light having an input power Pin at a frequency ?p and to transmit at least a portion of the light having an output power Pout to the at least one optical detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Matthew James Grant
  • Publication number: 20190293458
    Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide having a mode-field diameter greater than 11 ?m and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Publication number: 20190094066
    Abstract: A sensor is provided. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector. The optical reflector is optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to reflect a first portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The second portion is configured to reflect a second portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The reflected second portion of the light differs in phase from the reflected first portion of the light by a phase difference that is not substantially equal to an integer multiple of ? when the second portion of the optical reflector is in an equilibrium position in absence of the perturbation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Onur Kilic, Wonuk Jo, Olav Solgaard, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Publication number: 20180080770
    Abstract: An optical system is provided having a laser configured to generate light having a first laser spectrum with a first linewidth, a waveform generator configured to produce a noise waveform, and an electro-optic phase modulator in optical communication with the laser and in electrical communication with the waveform generator. The electro-optic phase modulator is configured to receive the light having the first laser spectrum, to receive the noise waveform, and to respond to the noise waveform by modulating the light to produce light having a second laser spectrum with a second linewidth broader than the first linewidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Jacob N. Chamoun, Michel J.F. Digonnet
  • Publication number: 20160245687
    Abstract: A sensor and a method of fabrication are provided. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector. The optical reflector is optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to reflect a first portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The second portion is configured to reflect a second portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The reflected second portion of the light differs in phase from the reflected first portion of the light by a phase difference that is not substantially equal to an integer multiple of ? when the second portion of the optical reflector is in an equilibrium position in absence of the perturbation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Onur Kilic, Wonuk Jo, Olav Solgaard, Behrad Habib Afshar
  • Publication number: 20150330848
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an optical device and a method of use is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating having a substantially periodic refractive index modulation along a length of the fiber Bragg grating. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum with a plurality of local transmission minima, wherein each pair of neighboring local transmission minima has a local transmission maximum therebetween. The local transmission maximum has a maximum power at a transmission peak wavelength. The optical device further includes a narrowband optical source in optical communication with a first optical path and a second optical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Shanhui Fan, He Wen, Matthew A. Terrel
  • Publication number: 20150330830
    Abstract: A sensor is provided, with the sensor including a reflective element and an optical fiber positioned relative to the reflective element such that light emitted from the optical fiber is reflected by the reflective element and propagates in an optical cavity between the optical fiber and the reflective element. A first material is within the optical cavity and has a coefficient of thermal expansion and a thickness that compensate a refractive index change with temperature of a second material within the optical cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Onur Can Akkaya, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Onur Kilic, Gordon S. Kino, Olay Solgaard
  • Publication number: 20150211918
    Abstract: An optical device, a method of configuring an optical device, and a method of using a fiber Bragg grating is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating, a narrowband optical source, and at least one optical detector. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum as a function of wavelength with one or more resonance peaks, each comprising a local maximum and two non-zero-slope regions with the local maximum therebetween. The light generated by the narrowband optical source has a wavelength at a non-zero-slope region of a resonance peak that is selected such that one or more of the following quantities, evaluated at the resonance peak, is at a maximum value: (a) the product of the group delay spectrum and the power transmission spectrum and (b) the product of the group delay spectrum and one minus the power reflection spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: He Wen, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Shanhui Fan
  • Publication number: 20150022818
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing coherent backscattering-induced errors in an optical gyroscope is provided. A first time-dependent phase modulation is applied to a first laser signal and a second phase modulation is applied to a second laser signal. The phase-modulated first laser signal propagates in a first direction through a waveguide coil and the phase-modulated second laser signal propagates in a second direction opposite the first direction through the waveguide coil. The first time-dependent phase modulation is applied to the phase-modulated second laser signal after the phase-modulated second laser signal propagates through the waveguide coil to produce a twice-phase-modulated second laser signal. The second time-dependent phase modulation is applied to the phase-modulated first laser signal after the phase-modulated first laser signal propagates through the waveguide coil to produce a twice-phase-modulated first laser signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Seth Lloyd, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Shanhui Fan
  • Publication number: 20150023633
    Abstract: An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a silicon-rich silicon oxide layer and a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within the silicon-rich silicon oxide layer. The microresonator further includes an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a signal source. The microresonator is configured to receive signal light having a signal wavelength, and at least a portion of the microresonator is responsive to the signal light by undergoing a refractive index change at the signal wavelength. The optical switch further includes an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a signal source. The optical coupler transmits the signal light from the signal source to the microresonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Anuranjita Tewary, Mark Brongersma
  • Publication number: 20140340688
    Abstract: An optical device and a method of using an optical filter are provided. The optical device includes an optical filter and a narrowband optical source. The optical filter has a refractive index that varies along a length of the optical filter. The narrowband optical source is in optical communication with the optical filter and is configured to generate light having a wavelength at or in the vicinity of at least one of a wavelength corresponding to a local transmission maximum and a wavelength corresponding to a maximum slop of the group index spectrum of the optical filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Shanhui Fan, He Wen, Matthew Terrel
  • Publication number: 20140233884
    Abstract: An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within a silicon-rich silicon oxide layer. The microresonator further includes an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a signal source. A method of optical switching includes providing an optical switch comprising an optical coupler and a microresonator having a plurality of nanoparticles and receiving an optical pulse by the optical switch, wherein at least a portion of the optical pulse is absorbed by the nanoparticles such that at least a portion of the microresonator undergoes an elevation of temperature and a corresponding refractive index change when the optical pulse has an optical power greater than a predetermined threshold level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Michel J.F. Digonnet, Anuranjita Tewary, Mark Brongersma
  • Publication number: 20140217269
    Abstract: An optical device includes at least one optical waveguide including a plurality of elongate portions. Light propagates sequentially and generally along the elongate portions. At least two elongate portions of the plurality of elongate portions are generally planar with one another and are adjacent and generally parallel to one another. The at least two elongate portions are optically coupled to one another such that the light is coupled between the at least two elongate portions in a direction generally perpendicular to the at least two elongate portions as the light propagates generally along the at least two elongate portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Wenqiong Guo, Michel J.F. Digonnet
  • Publication number: 20140130597
    Abstract: A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Onur Kilic, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Gordon S. Kino, Olav Solgaard
  • Publication number: 20130340232
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a sensor is provided, with the sensor including a reflective element and an optical fiber positioned relative to the reflective element such that light emitted from the optical fiber is reflected by the reflective element and propagates in an optical cavity between the optical fiber and the reflective element. The method includes positioning an element within the optical cavity. The element has a coefficient of thermal expansion and a thickness that compensate a refractive index change with temperature of a medium within the optical cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Onur Can Akkaya, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Onur Kilic, Gordon S. Kino, Olav Solgaard
  • Publication number: 20130292555
    Abstract: Optical apparatus and methods utilizing sensors operating in the reflection mode are provided. The apparatus includes at least one optical bus. The at least one optical bus is configured to be optically coupled to at least one source of input optical signals, to at least one optical detector, and to a plurality of reflective sensing elements. The at least one optical bus transmits an input optical signal from the at least one source to the plurality of reflective sensing elements. At least one reflective sensing element of the plurality of reflective sensing elements receives a portion of the input optical signal and reflects at least a portion of the received portion. The at least one optical bus transmits the reflected portion to the at least one optical detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Onur Can Akkaya, Onur Kilic, Michel J.F. Digonnet, Gordon Kino, Olav Solgaard