Patents by Inventor René Gerrit Heideman
René Gerrit Heideman 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).
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Publication number: 20230152608Abstract: The present Specification is directed to devices for controlling the phase of a light signal in a surface waveguide of a planar-lightwave circuit by controlling a stress in the waveguide material. Phase controllers disclosed can impart stresses of opposite signs in a material such that a desired effect on the refractive index of an optical material can be accentuated. As a result, a greater change in the refractive index of the material can be realized in a phase controller that requires less chip real estate and/or at lower voltages. In some embodiments, a phase-control module includes a pair of complimentary stress-optic phase controllers, one having electrodes disposed on the top and bottom of a piezoelectric layer, while the other has electrodes disposed only on top of the piezoelectric layer. As a result, the phase controllers impart stress of opposite sign in the material beneath them.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2022Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: René Gerrit HEIDEMAN, Arnoud Sebastiaan EVERHARDT, Jörn Philipp EPPING, Erik SCHREUDER, Thi Lan Anh TRAN
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Publication number: 20220365376Abstract: The instant disclosure is directed toward integrated-optics-based composite phase controllers that include at least one thermo-optic (TO) phase controller and at least one stress-optic (SO) phase controller, each of which is configured to affect the phase, or other propagation characteristic, of a light signal travelling through a surface waveguide. The SO phase controller can induce a small phase change quickly, while the TO phase controller can slowly induce a larger phase change. Embodiments are particularly well suited for use in waveguide-based resonant elements, such as ring resonators, spectral filters, and the like. Furthermore, photonic systems comprising one or more composite phase controllers can be developed, such as wavelength-tunable lasers for applications such as LiDAR, chemical/biological sensing, medical diagnostics, and optical communications.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Ronald DEKKER, Ruud Michiel OLDENBEUVING, Dimitri GESKUS, René Gerrit HEIDEMAN
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Patent number: 11489611Abstract: An approach for realizing low-power, high-port-count optical switching systems, such as OXCs, WXCs, and ROADMs is presented. Optical switching systems in accordance with the present disclosure include arrangements of frequency-filter blocks, each of which includes a cascaded arrangement of tunable couplers and tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZIs) that provides a substantially flat-top broadband transfer function for the frequency-filter block. The tunability for these devices is achieved by operatively coupling a low-power-dissipation phase controller, such as a stress-optic phase controller or liquid-crystal-based phase controller with one arm of the device, thereby enabling control over the coupling coefficient of the device.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: LioniX International BVInventors: Ruud Michiel Oldenbeuving, Chris Gerardus Hermanus Roeloffzen, Caterina Taddei, René Gerrit Heideman
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Publication number: 20210250116Abstract: An approach for realizing low-power, high-port-count optical switching systems, such as OXCs, WXCs, and ROADMs is presented. Optical switching systems in accordance with the present disclosure include arrangements of frequency-filter blocks, each of which includes a cascaded arrangement of tunable couplers and tunable Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZIs) that provides a substantially flat-top broadband transfer function for the frequency-filter block. The tunability for these devices is achieved by operatively coupling a low-power-dissipation phase controller, such as a stress-optic phase controller or liquid-crystal-based phase controller with one arm of the device, thereby enabling control over the coupling coefficient of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2019Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Ruud Michiel OLDENBEUVING, Chris Gerardus Hermanus ROELOFFZEN, Caterina TADDEI, René Gerrit HEIDEMAN
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Patent number: 10437081Abstract: A phase controller for controlling the phase of a light signal in a surface waveguide and a method for its fabrication are disclosed. The phase controller controls the phase of the light signal by inducing stress in the waveguide structure, thereby controlling the refractive indices of at least some of its constituent layers. The phase controller includes a phase-control element formed on topographic features of the top cladding of the waveguide, where these features (1) provide a shape to the phase-control element that matches the shape of the mode field of the light signal and (2) give rise to stress-concentration points that focus and direct induced stress into specific regions of the waveguide structure, thereby providing highly efficient phase control. As a result, the phase controller can operate at a lower voltage, lower power, and/or over a shorter interaction length than integrated-optic phase controllers of the prior art.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2019Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: LioniX International BVInventors: Jörn Philipp Epping, Arne Leinse, René Gerrit Heideman
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Publication number: 20190171043Abstract: A phase controller for controlling the phase of a light signal in a surface waveguide and a method for its fabrication are disclosed. The phase controller controls the phase of the light signal by inducing stress in the waveguide structure, thereby controlling the refractive indices of at least some of its constituent layers. The phase controller includes a phase-control element formed on topographic features of the top cladding of the waveguide, where these features (1) provide a shape to the phase-control element that matches the shape of the mode field of the light signal and (2) give rise to stress-concentration points that focus and direct induced stress into specific regions of the waveguide structure, thereby providing highly efficient phase control. As a result, the phase controller can operate at a lower voltage, lower power, and/or over a shorter interaction length than integrated-optic phase controllers of the prior art.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Jörn Philipp EPPING, Arne LEINSE, René Gerrit HEIDEMAN
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Patent number: 10241352Abstract: A phase controller for controlling the phase of a light signal in a surface waveguide and a method for its fabrication are disclosed. The phase controller controls the phase of the light signal by inducing stress in the waveguide structure, thereby controlling the refractive indices of at least some of its constituent layers. The phase controller includes a phase-control element formed on topographic features of the top cladding of the waveguide, where these features (1) provide a shape to the phase-control element that matches the shape of the mode field of the light signal and (2) give rise to stress-concentration points that focus and direct induced stress into specific regions of the waveguide structure, thereby providing highly efficient phase control. As a result, the phase controller can operate at a lower voltage, lower power, and/or over a shorter interaction length than integrated-optic phase controllers of the prior art.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2018Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: LioniX International BVInventors: Jörn Philipp Epping, Arne Leinse, René Gerrit Heideman
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Publication number: 20180203262Abstract: A phase controller for controlling the phase of a light signal in a surface waveguide and a method for its fabrication are disclosed. The phase controller controls the phase of the light signal by inducing stress in the waveguide structure, thereby controlling the refractive indices of at least some of its constituent layers. The phase controller includes a phase-control element formed on topographic features of the top cladding of the waveguide, where these features (1) provide a shape to the phase-control element that matches the shape of the mode field of the light signal and (2) give rise to stress-concentration points that focus and direct induced stress into specific regions of the waveguide structure, thereby providing highly efficient phase control. As a result, the phase controller can operate at a lower voltage, lower power, and/or over a shorter interaction length than integrated-optic phase controllers of the prior art.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2018Publication date: July 19, 2018Inventors: Jörn Philipp EPPING, Arne LEINSE, René Gerrit HEIDEMAN
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Patent number: 9939582Abstract: A method for forming a non-linear thickness-profile in a first layer of a first material is disclosed. The method comprises forming an accelerator layer of a second material on the first layer and forming a mask layer disposed on the accelerator layer, wherein the mask layer enables the accelerator layer to expose the first layer to a first etchant in a first region, where the exposure time for each point along a first axis varies non-linearly as a function of distance from a first point on the first axis. Since the time for which the first layer is exposed to the first etch in the first region is non-linear, the thickness of the first layer in the first region changes non-linearly along the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: LioniX International BVInventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Marcel Hoekman
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Patent number: 9864144Abstract: A multi-path interferometric sensor for sensing small changes in the refractive index of sensing arms thereof, such as caused by the presence of an analyte or changes in analyte concentration, is disclosed. The sensor includes a single light source, a single detector, and a plurality of interferometers or a single multi-path interferometer. The various sensing branches within the multi-path interferometric sensor each include a delay having a different length. This results in a different modulation frequency for each interferometer, each of carriers include phase information that correlates to a change in refractive index and, ultimately, analyte concentration. The plural carrier frequencies enable simultaneous detection of multiple samples.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: LioniX International BVInventors: Frederik Schreuder, Rene Gerrit Heideman
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Patent number: 9764352Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit that can be optically coupled with an external device with low optical loss, while also providing low-power functional control over an optical signal propagating through the PLC is disclosed. The PLC includes a high-contrast waveguide region in a stress-inducing (SI) phase shifter is formed such that it can control the phase of the optical signal. The high-contrast-waveguide region is optically coupled to a low-contrast-waveguide region via a spotsize converter, thereby enabling optical coupling to off-chip devices with low optical loss. Formation of the SI phase shifter in a high-contrast-waveguide region enables improved responsivity and phase control, reduced voltage, and smaller required chip real estate. As a result, the present invention enables lower-cost and higher-performance PLC systems.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: OctroliX BVInventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Arne Leinse
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Publication number: 20160265898Abstract: A multi-path interferometric sensor for sensing small changes in the refractive index of sensing arms thereof, such as caused by the presence of an analyte or changes in analyte concentration, is disclosed. The sensor includes a single light source, a single detector, and a plurality of interferometers or a single multi-path interferometer. The various sensing branches within the multi-path interferometric sensor each include a delay having a different length. This results in a different modulation frequency for each interferometer, each of carriers include phase information that correlates to a change in refractive index and, ultimately, analyte concentration. The plural carrier frequencies enable simultaneous detection of multiple samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Frederik Schreuder, Rene Gerrit Heideman
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Publication number: 20160246003Abstract: A method for forming a non-linear thickness-profile in a first layer of a first material is disclosed. The method comprises forming an accelerator layer of a second material on the first layer and forming a mask layer disposed on the accelerator layer, wherein the mask layer enables the accelerator layer to expose the first layer to a first etchant in a first region, where the exposure time for each point along a first axis varies non-linearly as a function of distance from a first point on the first axis. Since the time for which the first layer is exposed to the first etch in the first region is non-linear, the thickness of the first layer in the first region changes non-linearly along the first axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2016Publication date: August 25, 2016Inventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Marcel Hoekman
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Publication number: 20160202502Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit that can be optically coupled with an external device with low optical loss, while also providing low-power functional control over an optical signal propagating through the PLC is disclosed. The PLC includes a high-contrast waveguide region in a stress-inducing (SI) phase shifter is formed such that it can control the phase of the optical signal. The high-contrast-waveguide region is optically coupled to a low-contrast-waveguide region via a spotsize converter, thereby enabling optical coupling to off-chip devices with low optical loss. Formation of the SI phase shifter in a high-contrast-waveguide region enables improved responsivity and phase control, reduced voltage, and smaller required chip real estate. As a result, the present invention enables lower-cost and higher-performance PLC systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2015Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Arne Leinse
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Patent number: 9268089Abstract: A method for forming a non-linear thickness-profile in a first layer of a first material is disclosed. The method comprises forming an accelerator layer of a second material on the first layer and forming a mask layer disposed on the accelerator layer, wherein the mask layer enables the accelerator layer to expose the first layer to a first etchant in a first region, where the exposure time for each point along a first axis varies non-linearly as a function of distance from a first point on the first axis. Since the time for which the first layer is exposed to the first etch in the first region is non-linear, the thickness of the first layer in the first region changes non-linearly along the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Octrolix BVInventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Marcel Hoekman
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Patent number: 9221074Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit that can be optically coupled with an external device with low optical loss, while also providing low-power functional control over an optical signal propagating through the PLC is disclosed. The PLC includes a high-contrast waveguide region in a stress-inducing (SI) phase shifter is formed such that it can control the phase of the optical signal. The high-contrast-waveguide region is optically coupled to a low-contrast-waveguide region via a spotsize converter, thereby enabling optical coupling to off-chip devices with low optical loss. Formation of the SI phase shifter in a high-contrast-waveguide region enables improved responsivity and phase control, reduced voltage, and smaller required chip real estate. As a result, the present invention enables lower-cost and higher-performance PLC systems.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Octrolix BVInventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Arne Leinse
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Patent number: 9020317Abstract: A method for forming a waveguide having a thin-core region, a thick-core region, and a transition region of tapered thickness between them is disclosed. The method comprises forming a lower core layer of a first material on a lower cladding, forming a thin central core layer of a second material on the first core layer, forming an upper core layer of the first material on the central core layer, and etching the upper core layer in an etchant such that it is removed from the thin-core region and its thickness monotonically changes from its as-deposited thickness to extinction across the transition region, where the central core layer protects the lower core layer from exposure to the etchant.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2013Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Octrolix BVInventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Arne Leinse
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Publication number: 20150110441Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit that can be optically coupled with an external device with low optical loss, while also providing low-power functional control over an optical signal propagating through the PLC is disclosed. The PLC includes a high-contrast waveguide region in a stress-inducing (SI) phase shifter is formed such that it can control the phase of the optical signal. The high-contrast-waveguide region is optically coupled to a low-contrast-waveguide region via a spotsize converter, thereby enabling optical coupling to off-chip devices with low optical loss. Formation of the SI phase shifter in a high-contrast-waveguide region enables improved responsivity and phase control, reduced voltage, and smaller required chip real estate. As a result, the present invention enables lower-cost and higher-performance PLC systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Arne Leinse
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Patent number: 8974650Abstract: A method for forming a microfluidic channel with improved flow characteristics for one or more analytes is disclosed. A microfluidic channel having modified surfaces is formed in a glass layer or glass substrate. The glass surfaces of the microfluidic channel are modified by the addition of a layer of borophosphosilicate glass. The addition of the borophosphosilicate glass results in an improved flow velocity profile of the analyte. As a result, control over the position and movement of analytes within the solution is improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Octrolix BVInventor: Rene Gerrit Heideman
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Publication number: 20140286616Abstract: A method for forming a non-linear thickness-profile in a first layer of a first material is disclosed. The method comprises forming an accelerator layer of a second material on the first layer and forming a mask layer disposed on the accelerator layer, wherein the mask layer enables the accelerator layer to expose the first layer to a first etchant in a first region, where the exposure time for each point along a first axis varies non-linearly as a function of distance from a first point on the first axis. Since the time for which the first layer is exposed to the first etch in the first region is non-linear, the thickness of the first layer in the first region changes non-linearly along the first axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2014Publication date: September 25, 2014Inventors: Rene Gerrit Heideman, Marcel Hoekman