Multilayer Structure (mixture) Patents (Class 385/131)
  • Patent number: 7933483
    Abstract: An electro-optical memory cell having a non-volatile programmable refractive index and a method of making. The memory cell includes: a waveguiding structure having a transition metal oxide with oxygen vacancies; a plurality of electrodes for applying an electrical field; and an optical detector for detecting a state of the memory cell. The method includes: fabricating a waveguiding structure having a transition metal oxide with oxygen vacancies; positioning a plurality of electrodes for application of an electric field; arranging the transition metal oxide and the electrodes such that when an electric field is applied, the oxygen vacancies migrate in a direction that has a component which is radial relative to a center of the beam path; applying the electric field thereby programming the refractive index to set a state of the memory cell; and detecting the state of the memory cell using an optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerhard Ingmar Meijer, Paul A Moskowitz, Thilo Hermann Curt Stoeferle
  • Publication number: 20110085773
    Abstract: Provided is an optical waveguide and a method of forming the same. The optical waveguide comprises inductive thin films and a waveguide thin film. The inductive thin films are disposed to be separated from each other. The waveguide thin film fills a gap which separates the inductive thin films, and covers at least one portion of the inductive thin films. A refractive index of the waveguide thin film is greater than refractive indexes of the inductive thin films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Min-su KIM
  • Patent number: 7925124
    Abstract: An electro-optical filter made of a support in which an optical guide with a diffused channel waveguide and of a cover, that are created in borosilicate glass, and which includes a gap obtained by the use of suitable spacers, filled with a grating constituted of alternating strips of polymer and liquid crystal called POLICRYPS (Polymer Liquid CRYstal Polymer Slices), and with first electrodes that are coplanar to the support and next to the optical guide with a channel, that electrically control the grating making the filter tunable, and a manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Universita Della Calabria, Universita Degli Studi Di Roma “La Sapienza”, CNR Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
    Inventors: Antonio D'Alessandro, Romeo Beccherelli, Cesare Umeton, Rita Asquini, Domenico Donisi, Luciano De Sio, Roberto Caputo
  • Patent number: 7920766
    Abstract: An optical frequency converter that uses a nonlinear optical process to transfer energy between a surface-plasmon (SP) wave that is guided along an electrically conducting strip and a light beam that is guided along an optical waveguide whose core is adjacent to the electrically conducting strip. The optical frequency converter has a periodic structure that spatially modulates the nonlinear susceptibility of the waveguide core with a spatial period that is related to a momentum mismatch in the nonlinear optical process. The spatial modulation provides quasi-phase matching for the SP wave and the light beam and enables efficient energy transfer between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Girsh Blumberg, Aref Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 7920268
    Abstract: The present invention provides a long-range surface plasmon optical waveguide sensor which has a reduced loss of an electromagnetic wave, an increased sensitivity and limitation of detection and a high analysis speed, and enables fabrication of a sensor of various sizes such as a small-sized or lightweight system, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: IUCF-HYU (Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University)
    Inventor: Seok Ho Song
  • Patent number: 7914196
    Abstract: Light redirecting film systems comprise a backlight having deformities that cause a majority of the light entering the input edge of the backlight to be emitted from a light output surface of the backlight. In close proximity to the light output surface is a light redirecting film that has a pattern of individual optical elements of well-defined shape to redistribute the light emitted by the light output surface toward a direction normal to the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Rambus International Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Parker, Timothy A. McCollum, Robert M. Ezell
  • Patent number: 7916992
    Abstract: Provided is an optical waveguide manufacturing method that makes the thickness of a clad layer in the vicinity of a core portion uniform. A first lamination film is fabricated by forming a clad layer by forming a first curable resin layer for clad formation on a first base film and curing the first curable resin layer, and forming a core portion by forming a second curable resin layer for core formation having a higher refractive index than that of the clad layer after cured on the clad layer and selectively curing the second curable resin layer. A second lamination film is fabricated by forming a clad layer by forming a third curable resin layer for clad formation on a second base film and curing the third curable resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Eriyama
  • Patent number: 7916986
    Abstract: An erbium (Er)-doped silicon (Si) nanocrystalline embedded silicon oxide (SiOx) waveguide and associated fabrication method are presented. The method provides a bottom layer, and forms an Er-doped Si nanocrystalline embedded SiOx film waveguide overlying the bottom layer, having a minimum optical attenuation at about 1540 nanometers (nm). Then, a top layer is formed overlying the Er-doped SiOx film. The Er-doped SiOx film is formed by depositing a silicon rich silicon oxide (SRSO) film using a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process and annealing the SRSO film. After implanting Er+ ions, the Er-doped SiOx film is annealed again. The Er-doped Si nanocrystalline SiOx film includes has a first refractive index (n) in the range of 1.46 to 2.30. The top and bottom layers have a second refractive index, less than the first refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Zhang, Pooran Chandra Joshi, Apostolos T. Voutsas
  • Patent number: 7912332
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of an optical waveguide device which is capable of easily and precisely aligning the optical axis of a light receiving and emitting element and the optical axis of an optical waveguide and capable of shortening manufacturing time, and to provide an optical waveguide device obtained thereby. An under cladding layer 11 is formed on an upper surface of a substrate 10. A core layer 16 is formed on an upper surface of the under cladding layer 11. Horizontal alignment guides 17 made of the same material as the above-mentioned core layer 16 are formed on the above-mentioned substrate 10. A light emitting element 19 is installed on the substrate 10 along the horizontal alignment guides 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Hodono
  • Patent number: 7912331
    Abstract: Passive optical components may be used to tap the optical power, e.g., from fibers of a wavelength switch system. The passive optical components are realized by a standard photonics light-wave circuit (PLC) integrated to the fiber collimator array of the wavelength switch system. The PLC includes multiple waveguide paths that optically couple optical signals from one or more fiber ports to one or more corresponding free space optical component ports. Optical signals traveling through these waveguide paths are tapped by one or more optical taps and coupled to one or more corresponding tap ports. Each optical tap is located such that an optical signal is tapped after it is coupled into one of the waveguide paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Capella Photonics, Inc.
    Inventor: Long Yang
  • Patent number: 7907848
    Abstract: An optical signal low energy method for coupling electrical signals on-chip between component circuits of for example a CMOS circuit array. The described coupling method employs infrared signals communicated along a nano-scale resonant semiconductor waveguide between for example PIN diode signal transducers. The coupling may employ an electrically pumped laser, an electro absorption modulator and a photodetector all for typically the 1.5 to 2.0 micrometer spectral region with each formed using for example PIN heterodiode semiconductor devices. Each of these three devices includes active semiconductor crystal material situated in a resonator within a strip waveguide. The resonator is defined by two fabricated mirrors having a tapered location one dimensional photonic crystal lattice of oxide hole or slot apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Richard A. Soref
  • Patent number: 7907808
    Abstract: A self-written branched optical waveguide is formed. A laser beam 2 from a laser source (not shown) is focused with a lens 3 onto the face of incidence 10 of an optical fiber 1. The laser beam of an LP11 mode was emitted from the face of emergence 11, and “bimodal” light intensity peaks were arranged in the horizontal direction (1.A). A slide glass 4 coated with a photocurable resin gel 5 was placed horizontally (1.B). A single linear cured material 61 was formed as the LP11-mode laser beam was emitted from the face of emergence 11 of the optical fiber 1 (1.C). A branch portion 62 was then formed at a distance L from the face of emergence 11 of the optical fiber 1, which was followed by the growth of two cylindrical cured materials 63a and 63b. The two cylindrical cured materials 63a and 63b were linear branches, and formed an angle of about four degrees. An optical waveguide 60 thus formed was composed of cured materials 61, 62, 63a, and 63b (1.D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Totoya Chuo Kenkyusho, National University Corporation Shizuoka University Faculity of Engineering
    Inventors: Manabu Kagami, Tatsuya Yamashita, Masatoshi Yonemura, Naomichi Okamoto, Masahiro Tomiki
  • Patent number: 7907800
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring reactions are provided, including methods involving monitoring reactions in zero mode waveguide substrates. The zero mode waveguide substrates have zero mode waveguides wherein the core extends through the cladding layer at least partially into the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.
    Inventors: Mathieu Foquet, Paul Peluso, Stephen Turner, Daniel Bernardo Roitman, Geoffrey Otto
  • Patent number: 7907805
    Abstract: An optical waveguide for a touch panel which eliminates the need for alignment between the optical waveguide and a lens device, and to provide a touch panel using the same. An optical waveguide for a touch panel is provided in which end surfaces of cores 3A for emitting light beams are positioned in a first side portion of a display screen of a display, and end surfaces of cores 3B for receiving the light beams are positioned in a second side portion of the display screen of the display. Edge portions of an over cladding layer 4 for covering the end surfaces of the cores 3A for emitting the light beams and the end surfaces of the cores 3B for receiving the light beams are formed as lens portions 40A, 40B having spherical lens surfaces 41A, 41B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Juni
  • Patent number: 7903913
    Abstract: An optical apparatus including a 360-degree star coupler with derivative structure(s) and applications to optical imaging, optical communications and optical spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Doerr
  • Patent number: 7899283
    Abstract: An optical device including: an optical waveguide; and a plurality of diffraction grating layers provided along the optical waveguide, wherein each of the diffraction grating layers comprises a diffraction grating, each diffraction grating comprising a discontinuous first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer burying the first semiconductor layer, the first and second semiconductor layers having different refractive indices, the plurality of diffraction grating layers comprise at least two diffraction grating layers being different from each other in terms of the length of a region where the diffraction grating is provided, and the diffraction gratings in an overlap region of the plurality of diffraction grating layers have the same phase and period is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Matsuda, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7894699
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to photonic-based interconnects for transmitting data encoded in electromagnetic signals between electronic mosaics. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photonic-based interconnect comprises a first photonic node coupled to a second photonic node via a waveguide. The first photonic node is coupled to a first electronic mosaic and is configured to transmit electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the first electronic mosaic to a second electronic mosaic and receive electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the second electronic mosaic. The second photonic node is coupled to the second electronic mosaic and is configured to transmit electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the second electronic mosaic to the first electronic mosaic and receive electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the first electronic mosaic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 7894696
    Abstract: Systems and methods for manipulating light with high index contrast waveguides clad with crystalline substances having that exhibit large nonlinear electro-optic constants ?2 and ?3. Waveguides fabricated on SOI wafers and clad with crystalline materials such as barium titanate are described. Embodiments of waveguides having slots, electrical contacts, and input waveguide couplers are discussed. Waveguides having closed loop structures (such as rings and ovals) as well as linear or serpentine waveguides, are described. Optical signal processing methods, such as optical rectification and optical modulation, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Tom Baehr-Jones, Michael J. Hochberg, Axel Scherer
  • Publication number: 20110038588
    Abstract: Provided is an optical coupler. The optical coupler includes a lower cladding layer on a substrate, a core layer on the lower cladding layer, the core layer comprising a diffraction grating coupler and an optical waveguide, and an upper cladding layer on the core layer. The upper cladding layer has a thickness of about one quarter of a wavelength of an optical signal passing through the core layer divided by a refractive index of the first upper cladding layer. Thus, Fresnel reflection may be minimized, and also, it may prevent a Fabry-Perot interferometer from occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Duk Jun KIM, Junghyung Pyo, Gyungock Kim
  • Patent number: 7885502
    Abstract: A disclosed waveguide film cable includes a waveguide formed on a film. The waveguide film cable includes a coating film made of a material having a Young's modulus smaller than or equal to the Young's modulus of a material that forms the film and/or the waveguide and coats partially or entirely the film and/or the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Ono
  • Publication number: 20110026892
    Abstract: An optical fiber with filtering thin film includes a first ferrule having a first through hole and a first contact surface. A first fiber is disposed into the first through hole, extending to the first contact surface. A first interface coupling material is between the first ferrule and the first fiber. A second ferrule has a second through hole and a second contact surface. A second fiber is disposed into the second through hole, extending to the second contact surface. A second interface coupling material is between the second ferrule and the second fiber. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are parallel and have an included tilt angle from a perpendicular transverse plane of first fiber. An optical filtering film is disposed between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The first fiber and the second fiber are aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shih-Ting Lin, Yao-Wun Jhang, Hsin-Chia Su, Chien-Ming Huang, Chieh Hu
  • Patent number: 7881571
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling device comprising a support substrate; a first layer arranged on the support substrate and comprising first patterns produced within the thickness of said first layer, said first patterns being arranged in parallel and periodic rows; a second layer arranged on the first layer and comprising second patterns passing through the thickness of said second layer, said second patterns being arranged in parallel and periodic rows. The direction of periodicity of the rows of the first patterns is perpendicular to the direction of periodicity of the rows of the second patterns. The rows of the first patterns extend over a distance greater than or equal to the wavelength in the void of the optical wave intended to be coupled. The first patterns have a width less than or equal to a tenth of the wavelength of the optical wave intended to be coupled, and the period of these patterns is between 50 nm and 1 ?m. The second patterns are arranged so as to form a periodic diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Commissariat A l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Badhise Ben Bakir, Alexei Tchelnokov
  • Patent number: 7873247
    Abstract: An optical waveguide for a touch panel which includes a planar base; light emitting cores and light incident cores provided on a surface of the base; and an over-cladding layer covering the cores. The light emitting core has a first lens portion provided at the end thereof for suppressing lateral divergence of the emitted light beam, the over-cladding layer has a second lens portion provided in an edge portion thereof covering the end of the light emitting core for suppressing vertical divergence of the emitted light beam, the over-cladding layer has a third lens portion provided in an edge portion thereof covering the end of the light incident core for vertically converging the incident light beam, and the light incident core has a fourth lens portion provided at the end thereof for further laterally converging the incident light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Shimizu, Noriyuki Juni
  • Patent number: 7867448
    Abstract: The optical sensor contains an optical waveguide (1) with a substrate (104), waveguiding material (105), a cover medium (106) and a waveguide grating structure (101-103). By means of a light source (2), light can be emitted to the waveguide grating structure (101-103) from the substrate side and/or from the cover medium side. (101-103). With means of detection (11), at least two differing light proportions (7-10) radiated from the waveguide (1) can be detected. For carrying out a measurement, the waveguide can be immovably fixed relative to the light source (2) and the means of detection (11). The waveguide grating structure (101-103) itself consists of one or several waveguide grating structure units (101-103), which if so required can be equipped with (bio-)chemo-sensitive layers. The sensor permits the generation of absolute measuring signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Artificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG
    Inventor: Kurt Tiefenthaler
  • Patent number: 7869670
    Abstract: A substrate on which an optical element is mounted is provided, including: an optical element; an optical circuit substrate which is formed by an optical waveguide layer having a core portion and cladding portions; and an electrical circuit substrate on which is provided a mounting portion that is used for mounting the optical element, wherein the optical element is mounted on the electrical circuit substrate via the optical circuit substrate and wherein the optical circuit substrate has an optical element mounted thereon and is provided with a receptor structure having a conductive portion that conducts electricity between an electrode of the optical element and an electrode of the electrical circuit substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Choki, Mutsuhiro Matsuyama, Kenji Miyao, Keizo Takahama, Tetsuya Mori, Kei Watanabe, Hiroshi Owari, Yoji Shirato
  • Patent number: 7869671
    Abstract: A three-dimensional optical waveguide is formed by laminating planar substrates such as a plurality of lens substrates and, an isolator substrate and a wavelength division multiplexing filter, the optical substrates at least include a waveguide substrate having a waveguide and a reflecting surface. In the three-dimensional optical waveguide, the planar substrates are positioned by markers integrally formed on at least two of the planar substrates. Light directed into the waveguide is reflected by a reflecting surface and passes through the lens substrates and the isolator substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Pansonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Ishida, Tsuguhiro Korenaga
  • Patent number: 7869483
    Abstract: A surface emitting laser which oscillates at a wavelength ? of a blue band, including a photonic crystal layer including a photonic crystal structure, an active layer provided on one surface of the photonic crystal layer, and an electrode provided on the other surface of the photonic crystal layer for injecting electric current into the active layer. The photonic crystal structure has a thickness of 100 nm or more. A laser beam is emitted toward a direction opposite to a side of the photonic crystal layer on which the electrode is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchida, Yasuhiro Nagatomo, Yuichiro Hori, Mitsuhiro Ikuta
  • Patent number: 7865053
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a substrate having a surface and an optical waveguide having a ridge-shaped semiconductor optical core, the ridge-shaped semiconductor optical core being located over the surface. The apparatus may further include a first semiconductor slab being in contact with a first portion of the ridge-shaped semiconductor optical core, and a second semiconductor slab being in contact with a second portion of the ridge-shaped semiconductor optical core, the second semiconductor slab being farther from the surface than the first semiconductor slab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas M. Gill
  • Patent number: 7860356
    Abstract: The body (10) comprises a first portion of transparent material and is provided with embedded optical and other elements (12, 13, 22, 16) and a pattern of conductors 15 used for interconnection and electrical contacting of the elements (12,13, 22,16). The first portion constitutes a light path from the optical elements (12) to either other opto-electronic elements or electro-optical elements embedded in the body (10) or present at a surface thereof. The electro-optical element is for instance a liquid-crystalline display (20) and the optical elements (12) are for instance light-emitting diodes, which are used for backlighting the display (20). The body (10) has a three-dimensional shape derived from its application and is preferably fitted for mechanical attachment of external components, that together constitute a device (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Johannes Jacobus Van Montfort, Fransiscus Gerardus Coenradus Verweg
  • Patent number: 7856155
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a light modulator using a thin plate having a thickness of 20 ?m or less and capable of stably holding a conductive film suppressing troubles such as resonance phenomenon of microwaves in a substrate and pyro-electric phenomenon and to provide a method of fabricating the light modulator. The light modulator includes: a thin plate (10) formed of a material having an electro-optic effect and having a thickness of 20 ?m or less; a light waveguide (11) formed on the front or rear surface of the thin plate; and modulation electrodes (13, 14) formed on the front surface of the thin plate to modulate light passing through the light waveguide. The light modulator further includes a reinforcing plate (16) bonded to the rear surface of the thin plate and a conductive film (17) continuously formed in the range from the side surface of the thin plate to the side surface of the reinforcing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shinriki, Katsutoshi Kondou, Tsutomu Saitou
  • Patent number: 7856163
    Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit is provided which can be easily fabricated by an existing planar-lightwave-circuit fabrication process, which can lower the propagation loss of signal light and which can convert inputted signal light so as to derive desired signal light. A planar lightwave circuit having a core and a clad which are formed on a substrate, has input optical waveguide(s) (111) which inputs signal light, mode coupling part (112) for coupling a fundamental mode of the inputted signal light to a higher-order mode and/or a radiation mode, or mode re-coupling part (113) for re-coupling the higher-order mode and/or the radiation mode to the fundamental mode, and output optical waveguide(s) (114) which outputs signal light. The mode coupling part or the mode re-coupling part is an optical waveguide which has core width and/or height varied continuously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Saida, Yohei Sakamaki, Toshikazu Hashimoto, Tsutomu Kitoh, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masahiro Yanagisawa, Senichi Suzuki, Yasuhiro Hida, Motohaya Ishii, Munehisa Tamura
  • Publication number: 20100315736
    Abstract: A waveguide is provided, in which the optical coupling efficiency to a light source is sufficiently high, and the light-emitting spot center is stably provided at the intended position. The waveguide comprises a multilayered structure in which refractive indexes of layers having a surface contact with each other are different from each other. The multilayered structure is divided into a plurality of groups, and the length from the light-receiving end surface to the light-emitting end surface of one group is different from that of the neighboring group, and the protruded light-emitting end surface of the first group defined as a group that has the largest length includes a center of the light-emitting spot. In this waveguide, the state in which the light-emitting spot center is positioned within the light-emitting end surface does not easily be changed, even when the light-receiving spot center within the light-receiving end surface is rather displaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Takayama, Satoshi Tomikawa, Toshiyuki Ayukawa, Daisuke Miyauchi, Koji Shimazawa
  • Patent number: 7853108
    Abstract: An optical waveguide having a core region with a substantially rectangular cross-section with a selected aspect ratio of width to height. Embodiments include devices incorporating the optical waveguide and methods for using the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Milos Popovic, Tymon Barwicz
  • Patent number: 7853103
    Abstract: A method comprises: forming an optical device on a device substrate; forming a first optical waveguide on the device or device substrate; forming a second, structurally discrete optical waveguide on a structurally discrete waveguide substrate; and assembling the optical device, first waveguide, or device substrate with the second waveguide or waveguide substrate. The device and first waveguide are arranged for transferring an optical signal between the device and the first waveguide. Upon assembly the first and second waveguides are positioned between the device and waveguide substrates and are relatively positioned for transferring the optical signal therebetween via optical transverse coupling. The first or second optical waveguide is arranged for transferring the optical signal therebetween via substantially adiabatic optical transverse coupling with the first and second waveguides so positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: HOYA Corporation USA
    Inventors: Henry A. Blauvelt, Kerry J. Vahala, David W. Vernooy, Joel S. Paslaski
  • Patent number: 7853105
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a waveguide assembly and an optical coupling element. The waveguide assembly includes a core, a cladding portion, and, preferably, at least two waveguide core fiducials, the at least two waveguide core fiducials and the core being lithographically formed substantially simultaneously in a substantially coplanar layer. The core and the at least two waveguide core fiducials are formed in a predetermined relationship with the cladding portion. The optical coupling element (for example, a lens array or mechanical transfer (MT) ferrule), includes an optical element and, preferably, at least two alignment features associated with the optical element, the at least two alignment features being mated with the at least two waveguide core fiducials to accurately position the optical element with respect to the core in an X-Y plane. A method of alignment is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Russell A. Budd, Punit Chiniwalla, Philip C. D. Hobbs, Frank R. Libsch
  • Patent number: 7848599
    Abstract: Embodiments of an optical device, an array of optical devices, and a technique for fabricating the optical device or the array are described. This optical device is implemented on a substrate (such as silicon), and includes a thermally tunable optical waveguide that has good thermal isolation from its surroundings. In particular, a portion of a semiconductor in the optical device, which includes the optical waveguide, is free standing above a gap between the semiconductor layer and the substrate. By reducing the thermal coupling between the optical waveguide and the external environment, the optical device can be thermally tuned with significantly less power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Cunningham, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy, Ivan Shubin, Guoliang Li, Xuezhe Zheng
  • Patent number: 7844156
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes: an optical waveguide core through which light propagates, at least one end portion of the optical waveguide core in a longitudinal direction thereof having an inclined surface; a reflective layer provided on the inclined surface and formed by a metal layer of silver or a silver alloy; a protective layer disposed to cover the reflective layer; and a cladding portion enclosing the optical waveguide core and having a lower refractive index than that of the optical waveguide core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigemi Ohtsu, Akira Fujii, Kazutoshi Yatsuda, Masahiro Igusa, Toshihiko Suzuki, Keishi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20100296158
    Abstract: The invention includes optical signal conduits having rare earth elements incorporated therein. The optical signal conduits can, for example, contain rare earth elements incorporated within a dielectric material matrix. For instance, erbium or cerium can be within silicon nanocrystals dispersed throughout dielectric material of optical signal conduits. The dielectric material can define a path for the optical signal, and can be wrapped in a sheath which aids in keeping the optical signal along the path. The sheath can include any suitable barrier material, and can, for example, contain one or more metallic materials. The invention also includes methods of forming optical signal conduits, with some of such methods being methods in which the optical signal conduits are formed to be part of semiconductor constructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 7840098
    Abstract: A variable optical power limiter is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes an optical waveguide disposed in semiconductor material. An optical beam is to be directed through the optical waveguide. The optical beam is to generate free carriers in the optical waveguide via two-photon absorption in response to an input power level of the optical beam. A diode structure is disposed in the optical waveguide. The diode structure is coupled to be biased to control free carrier lifetimes of the free carriers in the optical waveguide to set an output power of the optical beam to a clamped output power level in response to the bias of the diode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Haisheng Rong
  • Patent number: 7835602
    Abstract: A photonic guiding device and methods of making and using are disclosed. The photonic guiding device comprises a large core hollow waveguide configured to interconnect electronic circuitry on a circuit board. A reflective coating covers an interior of the hollow waveguide to provide a high reflectivity to enable light to be reflected from a surface of the reflective coating. A collimator is configured to collimate multi-mode coherent light directed into the hollow waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Renne Ty Tan, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan (SY) Wang
  • Patent number: 7835610
    Abstract: An optical waveguide and method of making are disclosed. The method of making includes forming a layer on a substrate of a substantially optically transparent material. The layer includes an inner area and an outer area. A sufficient number of voids can be created in the inner area to form a first index of refraction. A plurality of the voids have a dimension that is less than a wavelength of the light beam. A sufficient number of voids can be created in the outer area to form a second index of refraction less than the first index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Shih-Yuan Wang
  • Patent number: 7831124
    Abstract: An active area includes a photonic-crystal optical waveguide formed by periodically arranging a plurality of holes in a primary plane direction of an active-area core layer in an active-area growth portion. A passive area includes a passive optical waveguide formed in a passive-area growth portion. An effective refractive index of a growth structure of the active-area growth portion is larger than an effective refractive index of a growth structure of the passive-area growth portion, and an active layer has a gain at a zero group-velocity point positioned on a high-frequency side of a dispersion curve of the photonic-crystal optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., National University Corporation Yokohama National University
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kiyota, Toshihiko Baba
  • Patent number: 7831123
    Abstract: The invention provides a waveguide with a waveguide core having longitudinal sidewall surfaces, a longitudinal top surface, and a longitudinal bottom surface that is disposed on a substrate. An interface layer is disposed on at least one longitudinal sidewall surface of the waveguide core. A waveguide cladding layer is disposed on at least the waveguide core sidewall and top surfaces, over the interface layer. The waveguide of the invention can be produced by forming a waveguide undercladding layer on a substrate, and then forming a waveguide core on the undercladding layer. An interface layer is then formed on at least a longitudinal sidewall surface of the waveguide core, and an upper cladding layer is formed on a longitudinal top surface and on longitudinal sidewall surfaces of the waveguide core, over the interface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel K. Sparacin, Anuradha M. Agarwal, Pradip K. Roy, Lionel C. Kimerling
  • Patent number: 7831116
    Abstract: An optical waveguide, an optical printed circuit board equipped with the optical waveguide, and methods of manufacturing the optical waveguide and the optical printed circuit board are disclosed. The optical waveguide can include: a first cladding layer; a core formed on the first cladding layer; an alignment pattern, having a predefined positional relationship to the core, formed on the first cladding layer; a target mark formed on the alignment pattern to indicate a position of the alignment pattern; and a second cladding layer formed on the first cladding layer to cover the core, the alignment pattern, and the target mark. In such an optical waveguide, circuit patterns, etc., formed over the second cladding layer may be precisely and efficiently aligned with the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon-Sung Kim, Jae-Hyun Jung, Han-Seo Cho, Sang-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 7826699
    Abstract: An optical waveguide for a touch panel and a touch panel using the same. A lens portion 30 formed in an end portion of each light-emitting core 3 and each light-receiving core 3 has a tapered portion 31 such that the width thereof gradually increases toward an end surface thereof. The end surface is an arcuately curved surface 32 which bulges outwardly and has a radius of curvature R. When the tapered portion 31 has a length L not less than 800 ?m, a taper angle ? is in the range of 2 to 20 degrees, and (A) is satisfied. When the tapered portion 31 has a length L not less than 400 ?m but less than 800 ?m, the taper angle ? is in the range of 4 to 16 degrees, and condition (A) is satisfied. 0.5×L×tan(?/2)<R<2.5×L×tan(?/2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Juni
  • Patent number: 7826704
    Abstract: A Low-E glass includes a glass substrate and a multilayer Low-E film formed on at least one surface of the glass substrate. The multilayer Low-E film includes a number of high refractive index layers and a number of low refractive index layers stacked on one another. An innermost layer contacting with the glass substrate is the high refractive index layer. A total number of layers of the multilayer Low-E film is in a range from 30 to 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ga-Lane Chen
  • Patent number: 7826693
    Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer comprises a first waveguide layer having formed therein a first multiplexer-demultiplexer, a second multiplexer-demultiplexer, and a plurality of optical switches. The reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer further comprises a second waveguide layer optically coupled to the first waveguide and having a second effective index of refraction, said second waveguide layer having an optical amplifier formed therein. An input signal is amplified by the optical amplifier and communicated to the first optical multiplexer-demultiplexer where the signal is demultiplexed into a plurality individual wavelength signals. The second optical multiplexer-demultiplexer is adapted to receive a multiplexed add signal and to demultiplex the add signal into component wavelength signals. The individual wavelength signals are received at the optical switches and selectively routed to either an optical detector or toward the first multiplexer-demultiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Shashank S. Agashe, Kuen-Ting R. Shiu, Stephen R. Forrest
  • Patent number: 7824582
    Abstract: Unconventional twisted ?-electron system electro-optic (EO) chromophores/compounds, compositions and related device structures. Crystallographic analysis of several non-limiting chromophores reveals, for instance, large ring-ring dihedral twist angles and a highly charge-separated zwitterionic structure in the ground state, in both solution phase and solid-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Tobin J. Marks, Hu Kang
  • Patent number: 7826174
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tohoku University
    Inventors: Migaku Takahashi, Masakiyo Tsunoda, Shin Saito, Tomoyuki Ogawa, Itaru Fujimura, Shigeyoshi Misawa, Toshiyuki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: RE41954
    Abstract: An optical time delay apparatus comprises: a multi-wavelength optical source; a diffractive element set imparting a wavelength-dependent delay on signals routed from the source to a 1×N optical switch; and N diffractive element sets routing signals from the 1×N switch to an output port. The optical propagation delay between the source and the output port varies according to the operational state of the source and the 1×N switch. A photodetector may receive the time-delayed signal at the output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Inventors: Christoph M. Greiner, Thomas W. Mossberg, Dimitri Iazikov