Evanescent Wave Coupling Patents (Class 385/30)
  • Patent number: 7734123
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a hybrid photonics device comprises a silicon portion having one or more features formed therein, a non-silicon portion comprising one or more photonics devices proximate to the one or more features of the silicon portion, and a bonding layer coupling the silicon portion with the non-silicon portion, the non-silicon portion being bonded to the silicon portion via the bonding layer prior to patterning of the one or more photonics devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hanan Bar, Richard Jones
  • Patent number: 7729576
    Abstract: Various embodiments and methods utilizing resonators that differently receive electromagnetic radiation from a modulated signal are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pavel Kornilovich, Michael W. Cumbie
  • Patent number: 7729575
    Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configuration scan support plasmons for routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7720341
    Abstract: A waveguide and resonator are formed on a lower cladding of a thermo optic device, each having a formation height that is substantially equal. Thereafter, the formation height of the waveguide is attenuated. In this manner, the aspect ratio as between the waveguide and resonator in an area where the waveguide and resonator front or face one another decreases (in comparison to the prior art) thereby restoring the synchronicity between the waveguide and the grating and allowing higher bandwidth configurations to be used. The waveguide attenuation is achieved by photomasking and etching the waveguide after the resonator and waveguide are formed. In one embodiment the photomasking and etching is performed after deposition of the upper cladding. In another, it is performed before the deposition. Thermo optic devices, thermo optic packages and fiber optic systems having these waveguides are also taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy T. Blalock, Howard E. Rhodes, Vishnu K. Agarwal, Gurtej Singh Sandhu, James S. Foresi, Jean-Francois Viens, Dale G. Fried
  • Publication number: 20100118375
    Abstract: Photonic devices and techniques based on tunable single sideband (SSB) modulation in whispering gallery mode resonators formed of electro-optic materials to effectuate coupling between whispering gallery modes of different polarizations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: OEWAVES, INC.
    Inventors: Lute Maleki, Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy Savchenkov, Vladimir Ilchenko, David Seidel
  • Patent number: 7711221
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device able to luminesce, whereby the optical device comprises, inter alia, a luminescent source that is directly or indirectly mechanically coupled to a low-order mode waveguide, such that light emitting from the luminescent source is optically coupled into the low-order mode waveguide. In embodiments of the invention, the distance D between point sources of the luminescent source and the waveguide is about equal to or smaller than the decay length of the exponential tails of the modes supported by the waveguide, thereby obtaining an optical coupling efficiency of at least 3%. Additional and alternative embodiments are claimed and disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: CSEM Centre Suisse D'Electronique Et De Microtechnique SA
    Inventors: Lukas Burgi, Guy Voirin, Ross Stanley, Jurgen Sochtig
  • Publication number: 20100092124
    Abstract: Optical devices with versatile spectral attributes are provided that are implemented with one or more modulated and homogeneous layers to realize leaky-mode resonance operation and corresponding versatile spectral-band design. The first and/or higher multiple evanescent diffraction orders are applied to excite one or more leaky modes. The one- or two-dimensional periodic structure, fashioned by proper distribution of materials within each period, can have a resulting symmetric or asymmetric profile to permit a broadened variety of resonant leaky-mode devices to be realized. Thus, the attributes of the optical device permit, among other things, adjacent, distinct resonance frequencies or wavelengths to be produced, convenient shaping of the reflection and transmission spectra for such optical device to be accomplished, and the wavelength resonance locations to be precisely controlled so as to affect the extent to which the leaky modes interact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
    Inventors: Robert Magnusson, Yiwu Ding
  • Patent number: 7697799
    Abstract: A light receiving device includes a first receiving structure and a second receiving structure. The first receiving structure has a first concentric coupling periodic structure provided in a first surface of a conductive thin film formed on a substrate, a first opening located at a center of the first concentric coupling periodic structure, and a first light receiving section located at an opening end of the first opening. The second receiving structure has a second concentric coupling periodic structure provided in the first surface of the conductive thin film, a second opening located at a center of the second concentric coupling periodic structure, and a second light receiving section located at an opening end of the second opening. The second light receiving section is electrically isolated from the first light receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hideto Furuyama
  • Patent number: 7692125
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a radome and an evanescent wave-coupled windowing system in the radome. In operation, the apparatus receives radiation reflected from an object that is incident upon a windowing system; emits evanescent waves from the windowing system whose amplitudes are proportional to the angle of incidence of the radiation; and non-coherent, Fresnel direction finds the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Brett A. Williams
  • Patent number: 7689066
    Abstract: An optical modulator is provided for modulating light propagating in a three-dimensional optical waveguide 5 by applying a voltage thereto. The optical modulator has the three-dimensional optical waveguide 5 including at least one pair of branch optical waveguides 5c and 5d, a multiplexing part 5e of the branch optical waveguides and an emission part 5f provided in the downstream of the multiplexing part, modulation electrodes 3A, 3B and 4 for applying a signal voltage for modulating light propagating in the three-dimensional optical waveguide 5, and guiding waveguides 6A and 6B for guiding primary mode light from the multiplexing part. Thickness of the substrate is 20 ?m or less at least under the modulation electrodes, and an operation point of the optical modulator is controlled by changing, based on light output from the guiding waveguides, DC bias applied onto the modulation electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jungo Kondo, Osamu Mitomi, Kenji Aoki, Yuichi Iwata, Tetsuya Ejiri
  • Patent number: 7684666
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for tuning an optical delay line. In one embodiment, an optical delay line includes at least one ring resonator in which light is guided or is confined and at least one heater positioned laterally from the ring resonator. The heater produces heat in a localized area, allowing for the tuning of individual delay elements with minimal crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hendrik Hamann, Yurii A. Vlasov, Fengnian Xia
  • Publication number: 20100065726
    Abstract: This invention provides substrates for use in various applications, including single-molecule analytical reactions. Methods for propagating optical energy within a substrate are provided. Devices comprising waveguide substrates and dielectric omnidirectional reflectors are provided. Waveguide substrates with improved uniformity of optical energy intensity across one or more waveguides and enhanced waveguide illumination efficiency within an analytic detection region of the arrays are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.
    Inventors: CHENG FRANK ZHONG, Paul Lundquist, Mathieu Foquet, Jonas Korlach, Hovig Bayandorian
  • Patent number: 7668419
    Abstract: Method and apparatus enable optical evanescent sensing utilizing a waveguide with an annular core. The annular core can provide detectable sensitivity to a measurand due to optical interactions with contents along an inside surface of the annular core since optical properties of the contents vary with changes in the measurand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Domino Taverner, Edward M. Dowd
  • Patent number: 7660034
    Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: SPI Lasers UK Ltd.
    Inventors: Anatoly Borisovich Grudinin, Dave Neil Payne, Paul William Turner, Lars Johan Albinsson Nilsson, Michael Nickolaos Zervas, Morten Ibsen, Michael Kevan Durkin
  • Publication number: 20100027022
    Abstract: An improved resonator fiber-optic gyro (RFOG). An example RFOG includes a closed-coil resonator where counter-propagating laser beams are done by fiber couplers. Signals are extracted from the ring resonator using other fiber couplers. The fiber couplers may be fiber spliced couplers, free-space fiber-to-fiber coupling elements or comparable coupling devices. A silicon structure may be used to align components of the gyro or just the coupling elements. The resonator includes a hollow-core fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rodney H. Thorland, Bruce A. Seiber, James F. Detry, Jennifer S. Sebby-Strabley
  • Patent number: 7653106
    Abstract: A method of bonding a compound semiconductor on a silicon waveguide is used for attaining a laser above a silicon substrate. While it is essential to attain laser oscillation by injection of a current, since amorphous is formed at the bonding surface of a silicon compound semiconductor, it is difficult to directly inject the current through the silicon waveguide to the compound semiconductor. Further, even when an electrode is formed near the waveguide and the current is injected, since the current is not injected near the silicon waveguide, laser oscillation through the silicon waveguide can not be attained. The problem is solved by forming a structure of laterally injecting a current to the silicon waveguide and concentrating the current near the silicon waveguide in a compound semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Arimoto
  • Publication number: 20100014802
    Abstract: A coherent planar lightwave circuit (PLC) optical mixer chip is described comprising a matched pair of symmetrical four-coupler interferometers for in-phase and in-quadrature detection of two polarization components of light using a polarization diversity arrangement. The waveguide structure of the chip is symmetrical about two orthogonal central axes of the chip, whereby the effect of temperature gradients on the mixer is reduced. A light traveling from an input to an output of any of the two interferometers is cross-coupled by one of the two couplers it passes through, and is bar-coupled by the other of the two couplers, so as to compensate for polarization, wavelength, and manufacturing process dependence of bar-coupling with that of cross-coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: David J. Chapman, David J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 7639910
    Abstract: An optical module is configured with a combination of a single-mode oscillating light source and an optical filter. In this optical module, the single-mode oscillating light source outputs a single-mode, frequency-modulated signal. Further, the optical filter converts the frequency modulation to an amplitude modulation. And, the single-mode oscillating light source and the optical filter are packaged without active alignment on the same substrate. Accordingly, it is possible to realize an optical module in a simple and low-cost configuration by packaging the single-mode oscillating light source and the optical filter by passive alignment, without active alignment, on the same substrate, and by using a simple optical filter such as a waveguide ring resonator, which converts a frequency modulation to an amplitude modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamazaki, Takaaki Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 7630417
    Abstract: Whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) optical resonators made of crystal materials to achieve high quality factors at or above 1010.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Lutfollah Maleki, Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy Savchenkov, Dmitry V. Strekalov
  • Patent number: 7630604
    Abstract: A normally opaque waveguide interacting with a drop-filter cavity can be switched to a transparent state when the drop filter is also coupled to a dipole. This dipole induced transparency may be obtained even when the vacuum Rabi frequency of the dipole is much less than the cavity decay rate. The condition for transparency is a large Purcell factor. Dipole induced transparency can be used in quantum repeaters for long distance quantum communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Edo Waks, Jelena Vuckovic
  • Publication number: 20090274418
    Abstract: Structures including optical waveguides disposed over substrates having a chamber or trench defined therein, and methods for formation thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Charles Holzwarth, Jason S. Orcutt, Milos Popovic, Judy L. Hoyt, Rajeev Ram
  • Publication number: 20090238515
    Abstract: A ring resonator has a first optical waveguide arranged in a loop, a second optical waveguide tangentially optically coupled to the first optical waveguide, and a translatable body configured to selectively move into an evanescent field region of said first optical waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: David Fattal, Sagi Mathal, Marco Fiorentino, Charles Santori, Robert G. Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20090237666
    Abstract: The use of optical microcavities, high-Q resonators and slow-light structures as tools for detecting molecules and probing conformations and measuring polarizability and anisotropy of molecules and molecular assemblies using a pump-probe approach is described. Resonances are excited simultaneously or sequentially with pump and probe beams coupled to the same microcavity, so that a pump beam wavelength can be chosen to interact with molecules adsorbed to the microcavity surface, whereas a probe beam wavelength can be chosen to non-invasively measure pump-induced perturbations. The induced perturbations are manifest due to changes of resonance conditions and measured from changes in transfer characteristics or from changes of the scattering spectra of a microcavity-waveguide system. The perturbations induced by the pump beam may be due to polarizability changes, changes in molecular conformation, breakage or formation of chemical bonds, triggering of excited states, and formation of new chemical species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Frank Vollmer, Juraj Topolancik
  • Patent number: 7587107
    Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configurations can support plasmons for logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090220194
    Abstract: A plasmonic antenna feed and coupling device is disclosed that can include an antenna and a waveguide operatively coupled to the antenna. Surface plasmon polaritons generated on a surface of the antenna can be guided in a plasmonic state from the antenna through the waveguide. A method of plasmonic field guidance can include generating surface plasmon polaritons on a surface of an antenna, guiding the surface plasmon polaritons in a plasmonic state from the antenna to a waveguide and coupling the surface plasmon polaritons in a plasmonic state to a port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Brett A. Williams, Kurt S. Schuder
  • Patent number: 7583879
    Abstract: An integrated optical device is disclosed comprising a substrate, optical waveguide, and compound optical resonator having a temperature sensor, at least two coupled optical resonators, and a heater localized to each optical resonator. An optical input signal is coupled to one of the resonators making up the compound resonator to form an optical output signal. The center wavelength and shape of the output signal is optimized with a feedback loop using the temperature sensor to control the power dissipated in at least one of the localized heaters. The power dissipated in the remaining resonator heaters is set according to a predetermined function having as an input variable the power dissipated in the resonant heater under control of the said feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Infinera Corporation
    Inventors: Sai Chu, Frederick G. Johnson, Oliver King, Marcus Schuetz, Brent Little
  • Patent number: 7577327
    Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an optical device formed on a device substrate, a first optical waveguide formed on the substrate or on the optical device, and a second, mechanically discrete optical waveguide assembled with the device substrate, optical device, or first optical waveguide. The first optical waveguide is arranged for transferring an optical signal between the optical device and the first optical waveguide. The first and second optical waveguides are arranged, when the second optical waveguide is assembled with the device substrate, optical device, or first optical waveguide, for transferring the optical signal therebetween via optical transverse coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation USA
    Inventors: Henry A. Blauvelt, Kerry J. Vahala, David W. Vernooy, Joel S. Paslaski
  • Patent number: 7570850
    Abstract: An optical system, device, and method that are capable of generating high-order Bessel beams and determining the orbital angular momentum of at least one of the photons of a Bessel beam are provided. The optical system and device include a tapered waveguide having an outer surface defined by a diameter that varies along a longitudinal axis of the waveguide from a first end to an opposing second end. The optical system and device include a resonator that is arranged in optical communication with the first end of the tapered waveguide such that an evanescent field emitted from (i) the waveguide can be coupled with the resonator, or (ii) the resonator can be coupled with the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy A. Savchenkov, Lute Maleki, Dmitry V. Strekalov
  • Patent number: 7570849
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit device comprising a vertical arrangement of integrated circuit layers, coupling of an optical signal between a first integrated circuit layer thereof and a second integrated circuit layer thereof is described. The optical signal is evanescently coupled between a photonic crystal defect waveguide and a photonic crystal defect cavity in the first integrated circuit layer and projectably coupled between the photonic crystal defect cavity and an optical aperture on the second integrated circuit layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sean M. Spillane, Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 7567734
    Abstract: An optical sensor for sensing information relating to an analyte liquid or gas, has a a planar substrate having a refractive index nc. The planar substrate supports a ridge waveguide having an unclad top portion having a refractive index nr. The substrate serves as cladding layer for the ridge waveguide at a location where the ridge waveguide contacts the substrate. A Bragg grating inscribed in the ridge waveguide has two modes for providing information relating to both temperature and refractive index of the surrounding analyte liquid or gas. A cladding mode has a different response to the analyte when compared to a Bragg resonance response. Both modes have a same reaction to temperature, wherein said Bragg grating is formed within the unclad region of ridge waveguide, wherein nc.<nr. Advantageously multiple parameters can be sensed using only a single Bragg grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, through the Communications Research Centre Canada
    Inventors: Xiaoli Dai, Stephen J. Mihailov, Robert B. Walker, Chantal Blanchetiere, Claire Callender, Huimin Ding, Ping Lu, Dan Grobnic, Christopher W. Smelser, Gino Cuglietta
  • Patent number: 7567738
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for minimizing losses in wavelength selective filters. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a waveguide bus defined in a first crystalline layer of the apparatus, for receiving incoming light, a resonator defined in the first crystalline layer, and a coupling structure defined in a second polysilicon or amorphous silicon layer of the apparatus, for coupling a selected wavelength of the incoming light from the waveguide bus to the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Yurii A. Vlasov
  • Patent number: 7565045
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a tuning light source apparatus including a multiple-optical resonator, where the resonance frequencies of the respective optical resonators in a multiple-optical resonator are exactly coincided with the set frequency, and the frequency of the output laser beam is locked within a range of about 1 GHz from the set frequency. Current is flowed to TO phase shifters based on lights detected by light receiving elements, and the resonance wavelengths of resonators are adjusted in an aim of obtaining a state in which an intensity of an oscillation light becomes a maximum and at the same time an intensity of a light from a through port becomes a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kouichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7561770
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems that can be used as a laser, a modulator, and a photodetector and to methods for fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a microresonator system comprises a substrate having a top surface layer, at least one waveguide embedded within the substrate, and a microdisk having a top layer, an intermediate layer, a bottom layer, current isolation region, and a peripheral annular region. The bottom layer of the microdisk is in electrical communication with the top surface layer of the substrate and is positioned so that at least a portion of the peripheral annular region is located above the at least one waveguide. The current isolation region is configured to occupy at least a portion of a central region of the microdisk and has a relatively lower refractive index and relatively larger bandgap than the peripheral annular region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Renne Ty Tan, Shih-Yuan Wang, Duncan Stewart, David A. Fattal
  • Patent number: 7561769
    Abstract: An object of this invention to transfer the light emitted from the light source and exit the light with a uniform distribution of light quantity, without incurring transfer loss and an increase of costs. In this invention, an optical fiber 11 for irradiation-light transfer of a single major optical fiber element composed of a core 12 and a clad 13 is bent in its intermediate region in an annular shape to form an annular portion 14. The crossing zone at the annular portion is fixed by a fixing member 15. By incidenting light from its incidence terminal 11a, variations in the distribution of light quantity are eliminated at the annular portion 14 so that the light with distribution of light made uniform is exited from an exit terminal 11b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Miyoko Fujimoto, Kazuhiro Okamoto, Hiroshi Kohda
  • Patent number: 7558451
    Abstract: An optical fiber line arranging guide groove capable of sensing optical signals is provided for detecting the status of optical signals in the optical fiber line. Through an optical detection circuit and a display element, the connection status of optical signals for the optical fiber line in the optical fiber line arranging guide groove is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Inventec Multimedia & Telecom (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kevin Lu
  • Patent number: 7555180
    Abstract: An optical branching component particularly suitable for use as a tap device is described. The component has two optical waveguides coupled between two optical couplers which each include at least one MMI supporting at least two guided modes. There is an effective optical path length difference between the two waveguides and the coupling strength of at least one of the couplers monotonically decreases with increasing wavelength in the operational wavelength region of the component. This means a coupler with relatively large coupling strength and relatively low polarization dependency can be used in the component, giving low polarization dependent variation in the tap ratio, particularly for small tap ratios. Moreover, the use of MMIs in the couplers avoids the need to fabricate to a high process tolerance very small gaps between two waveguides, as can be the case with directional couplers used in prior art branching component designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Gemfire Europe Limited
    Inventors: Hindrick Freerk Bulthuis, Frederick Marcel van der Vliet, Gunter Beelen, Jamie Suarez Pandavenes
  • Patent number: 7545496
    Abstract: A support structure, such as an optical disc, is designed having surface structures formed on one or more surfaces of the support to enable formation of evanescent fields in a medium adjacent to the surface structures and allow for detection of optically-active substances within the evanescent fields in the medium. The surface structures may be formed in one or more areas on the surface of the support. The surface structures may have inclined surfaces that are inclined with respect to a general plane of the support surface, and form wedge structures or symmetric pyramidal structures, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Menno Willem Jose Prins, Johannes Joseph Hubertina Barbara Schleipen
  • Patent number: 7545999
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an integrated circuit having a plurality of devices each having device characteristics, and a waveguide structure coupled to the integrated circuit, wherein photons provided to the waveguide structure are directed to one or more devices of the plurality of devices and can alter the device characteristics of the device or devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Philip J. Kuekes, Theodore I. Kamins
  • Patent number: 7546007
    Abstract: A broadband optical via provides a low loss interconnection between waveguides in two vertically adjacent planar waveguiding layers. Two waveguides, one in each planar layer, evanescently interact over an interaction length, and substantially all of the power on one waveguide is transferred to the second waveguide. The relative detuning between waveguides is varied along the interaction region by tapering the width of one or both guides along the direction of propagation. The interaction strength is also varied by varying the physical separation between the two waveguides such that the interaction approaches zero near the two ends of the interaction length. The performance of the broadband optical via is fabrication tolerant, polarization tolerant, wavelength tolerant, and dimensionally tolerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Infinera Corporation
    Inventor: Brent E. Little
  • Patent number: 7542633
    Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configurations can support plasmons for logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7539369
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a substrate side waveguide formed on a substrate; and a plurality of optical elements fixed on the substrate. The substrate side waveguide and an optical element side waveguide formed in each of the plurality of optical elements forms a continuous optical waveguide path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7539374
    Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configurations can support plasmons for logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7532793
    Abstract: A planar light wave circuit may be formed with a pair of waveguides arranged in close proximity to one another. At least one of the waveguides may be segmented. Through segmentation, the average mode-field diameter may be adjusted. Controlling the average mode-field diameter enables precise control over the coupling characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Grunnet Jepsen, Craig Liddle, John Sweetser
  • Patent number: 7532790
    Abstract: A method of making a microresonator device includes the steps of providing at least a first substrate and providing a waveguide integrated on the substrate. The waveguide includes a core and a metal cladding layer on at least part of one boundary of the core. Another step is positioning a microresonator so that it is in an optically coupling relationship with the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Jun-Ying Zhang, Robert W. Wilson, Xudong Fan
  • Patent number: 7522648
    Abstract: A hybrid type integrated optical device has a semiconductor laser mounted on a planar waveguide platform by flip-chip bonding. The optical device comprises a semiconductor laser and a planar waveguide platform. The semiconductor laser includes a first structure, which has an active region and a light emission surface formed on at least one side surface of the first structure, and a second structure, which is formed below the first structure and has upper surfaces exposed at the light emission surface of the first structure and/or to a surface opposite to the light emitting surface. The planar waveguide platform includes a substrate, a lower clad layer, a core layer, and an upper clad layer, being sequentially stacked on the substrate. The semiconductor laser is flip-chip bonded on the substrate, such that the exposed upper surfaces of the second structure contact the upper surface of the upper clad layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Mahn Yong Park, Byoung Whi Kim
  • Patent number: 7515786
    Abstract: An optical resonator system and method that includes a whispering-gallery mode (WGM) optical resonator that is capable of resonating across a broad, continuous swath of frequencies is provided. The optical resonator of the system is shaped to support at least one whispering gallery mode and includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a side wall, and a first curved transition region extending between the side wall and the top surface. The system further includes a coupler having a coupling surface which is arranged to face the transition region of the optical resonator and in the vicinity thereof such that an evanescent field emitted from the coupler is capable of being coupled into the optical resonator through the first curved transition region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy A. Savchenkov, Lute Maleki
  • Patent number: 7505649
    Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configurations can support plasmons for routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Nathan P. Myhrvold, John Brian Pendry, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7499604
    Abstract: A process for fabricating an optically coupled resonant pressure sensor includes the steps of forming a sensor die including at least one optically coupled resonator from a first semiconductor substrate and forming a cap die including a fiber hole from a second semiconductor substrate. The sensor die and the cap die are aligned and bonded to form a resonant pressure sensor capsule. The fiber hole in the cap die is aligned with at least one resonator on the sensor die. Also disclosed is an optically coupled resonant pressure sensor formed from steps thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Inventor: David W. Burns
  • Patent number: 7499611
    Abstract: A composite evanescent waveguide can include a first structured dielectric layer and a second dielectric material oriented adjacent one another to form a wave propagation interface between the first structured dielectric layer and second dielectric material. Each of the first structured dielectric layer and second dielectric material are formed of materials such that the wave propagation interface can be capable of propagating an all-evanescent surface wave. The resulting propagating surface waves tend to have low losses and can be suitable for optical communications, surface analysis, sensors, and a variety of other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Pavel Kornilovich
  • Patent number: 7496245
    Abstract: A misalignment compensating optical sensor (222), that is operable to receive excitation light (30) having a range of input propagation angles ?. The sensor (222) has a variable reflected propagation angle ?0i reflective surface (227) and a sensing waveguide (228). The shape of the reflective surface (227) is selected to maximize the amount of the excitation light (30) it reflects into the sensing waveguide (227) despite misalignment errors between the sensor (222) and the source (58) of excitation light (30). The sensor may also have a lens portion (160) for focusing the excitation light (30) onto the reflective surface (227), and/or a lens portion (174) for collimating the output of signal recovery light (32) from the waveguide (228). An iterative method may be used for designing any particular lens portion (160, 174).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Research International, Inc.
    Inventor: Elric W. Saaski