Electrodes On Or Near The Coupling Region Patents (Class 385/40)
  • Patent number: 8818150
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for modulation of both the intensity and the polarization of radiation in silicon waveguides by applying a biasing voltage to the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Matthew E. Grein, Theodore M. Lyszczarz, Michael W. Geis, Steven J. Spector, Donna M. Lennon, Yoon Jung
  • Patent number: 8805127
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device includes: a substrate which has an electro-optical effect; an optical waveguide which is formed on the substrate and/or inside the substrate; and an in-substrate electrode which is formed of a metal and provided inside the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyatake, Takashi Shiraishi, Masaharu Doi
  • Patent number: 8792752
    Abstract: Provided is an optical waveguide element module which suppresses reflection of a modulation signal and attenuation of a modulation signal, even when an impedance of a modulation electrode of an optical waveguide element and an impedance of a transmission line for inputting the modulation signal from the external of the optical waveguide element are different from each other. The optical waveguide element module is provided with an optical waveguide element, which has a substrate (1) composed of a material having electro-optical effects, an optical waveguide (2) formed on the substrate, and a modulation electrode (3) which modules optical waves propagating in the optical waveguide; a connector (8), wherein an external signal line which inputs the modulation signal to the modulation electrode is connected to the modulation electrode; and a relay line which connects the connector and the modulation electrode and is formed on a relay substrate (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Shimizu, Toru Sugamata
  • Patent number: 8774567
    Abstract: A polarization conversion device converts a polarization state of a light which is input to a first waveguide, that is, TE/TM mode of the light, to output it from the first waveguide. The polarization conversion device includes: a mode converter that performs the inter-conversion of TE/TM modes of the light which is input to the first waveguide; and a polarization separator that receives the light passed through the mode converter and separates the received light into a first light, TE/TM of which mode has been converted by the mode converter and a second light, TE/TM of which mode has not been converted, to output the first light to the first waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masaharu Doi, Kazuhiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8774582
    Abstract: “Hybrid photonic devices” describe devices wherein the optical portion—i.e., the optical mode, comprises both the silicon and III-V semiconductor regions, and thus the refractive index of the semiconductor materials and the refractive index of the bonding layer region directly effects the optical function of the device. Prior art devices utilize an optically compliant layer that is the same material as the III-V substrate; however, during the final sub-process of the bonding process, the substrates must be removed by acids. These acids can etch into the bonding layer, causing imperfections to propagate at the interface of the bonded material, adversely affecting the optical mode shape and propagation loss of the device. Embodiments of the invention utilize a semiconductor etch-selective bonding layer that is not affected by the final stages of the bonding process (e.g., substrate removal), and thus protects the bonding interface layer from being affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Aurrion, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Jacob-Mitos, Gregory Alan Fish, Alexander W. Fang
  • Patent number: 8768114
    Abstract: An opto-electric hybrid board which is capable of suppressing the increase in light propagation losses and which is excellent in flexibility, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The opto-electric hybrid board includes an electric circuit board, an optical waveguide, and a metal layer. The electric circuit board includes an insulative layer having front and back surfaces, and electrical interconnect lines formed on the front surface of the insulative layer. The optical waveguide is formed on the back surface of the insulative layer of the electric circuit board. The metal layer is formed between the optical waveguide and the back surface of the insulative layer of the electric circuit board. The metal layer is patterned to have a plurality of strips. Cores of the optical waveguide are disposed in a position corresponding to a site where the metal layer is removed by the patterning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Tsujita, Yasuto Ishimura, Hiroyuki Hanazono, Naoyuki Tanaka, Yasufumi Yamamoto, Shotaro Masuda, Mayu Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8724932
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to fiber-optic modulators that can be integrated in optical fibers to encode data in optical signals. In one aspect, a fiber-optic modulator includes a weak planar, sub-wavelength grating disposed between an end of a first optical fiber and an end of a second optical fiber. A first electrode is disposed on an edge of the grating and connected to an electronic signal source, and a second electrode is disposed on the edge of the grating opposite the first electrode and connected to the electronic signal source. The grating includes a grating pattern to reflect a channel input to the first optical fiber when a low or no current portion of an electronic signal to be generated by the electronic signal source is applied to the grating and to transmit the channel when a high current portion of the electronic signal is applied to the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marco Fiorentino, Raymond G. Beausolall, David A. Fattal
  • Publication number: 20140119692
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber includes melting an end of a crystal material and drawing the molten end of the crystal material to form a crystal filament. Conductive paint is coated on two surface sections of the crystal filament to form internal positive and negative electrodes not electrically connected to each other. The crystal filament is placed into a heat resistant tube that is heated until an outer layer of the crystal filament melts and adheres to an inner periphery of the heat resistant tube, with a center of the crystal filament remaining as a solid core. Conductive paint is adhered to two ends of the crystal filament to form external positive and negative electrodes electrically connected to the internal positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The optical fiber thus formed can serve as a photoelectric optical fiber for transmission of current signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jau-Sheng Wang, Yung-Hsin Tseng
  • Patent number: 8693817
    Abstract: The present invention describes a microresonator that can be used as a 1:f variable coupler in a unit cell. It is described how a cascade of unit cells can be used to form a tunable, higher-order RF-filter with reconfigurable passbands. The disclosed filter structure can be utilized for the narrowband channelization of RF signals that have been modulated onto optical carriers. It is also disclosed how to utilize add/drop capabilities of the contemplated microdisks to confer connectivity and cascading in two dimensions. The present invention can conveniently provide a wavelength division multiplexing router, where an array of unit cells as provided herein can form a programmable optical switching matrix, through electronic programming of filter parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Willie N. Ng, Brian N. Limketkai, Robert R. Hayes, Daniel Yap, Peter Petre
  • Patent number: 8682113
    Abstract: An electro-optic waveguide polarization modulator includes cladding layers, and a waveguide core sandwiched between the cladding layers, wherein the waveguide core has a higher refractive index than the cladding layers. The modulator further includes primary electrodes arranged on the opposite side of one cladding layer to the core and a secondary electrode arranged on the opposite side of another cladding layer to the core. The electrodes are arranged to provide an electric field having field components in perpendicular directions within the waveguide core so as to modulate the refractive index such that electromagnetic radiation propagating through the core is converted from a first polarization state to a second polarization state. The modulator further includes a grading layer sandwiched between the cladding layers and the core, the grading layer having an effective refractive index intermediate between that of the waveguide core and the cladding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: U2T Photonics UK Limited
    Inventor: John Heaton
  • Patent number: 8655125
    Abstract: A photo-conductive switch package module having a photo-conductive substrate or wafer with opposing electrode-interface surfaces, and at least one light-input surface. First metallic layers are formed on the electrode-interface surfaces, and one or more optical waveguides having input and output ends are bonded to the substrate so that the output end of each waveguide is bonded to a corresponding one of the light-input surfaces of the photo-conductive substrate. This forms a waveguide-substrate interface for coupling light into the photo-conductive wafer. A dielectric material such as epoxy is then used to encapsulate the photo-conductive substrate and optical waveguide so that only the metallic layers and the input end of the optical waveguide are exposed. Second metallic layers are then formed on the first metallic layers so that the waveguide-substrate interface is positioned under the second metallic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: James S. Sullivan, David M. Sanders, Steven A. Hawkins, Stephen E. Sampayan
  • Publication number: 20140023321
    Abstract: An apparatus with either a graphene sheet or an epsilon-near-zero layer sandwiched in a waveguide structure and a tuning device. The tuning device is configured to selectively control application of at least first and second gate voltages across the waveguide structure. The graphene sheet has a first dielectric constant which is zero and the waveguide structure operates at a first abosrpotion state and a first propagation distance with application of the first voltage by the tuning device and has a second dielectric constant and the waveguide structure operates at a second absorption state and a second propagation distance with application of the second voltage. The second dielectric constant is larger than the first dielectric constant, the second absorption state is smaller than the first absorption state, the second propagation distance is longer than the first propagation distance, and the second voltage which is zero or smaller than the first voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Zhaolin Lu, Wangshi Zhao
  • Patent number: 8620115
    Abstract: A semiconductor-based optical modulator is presented that includes a separate phase control section to adjust the amount of chirp present in the modulated output signal. At least one section is added to the modulator configuration and driven to create a pure “phase” signal that will is added to the output signal and modify the ei? term inherent in the modulation function. The phase modulation control section may be located within the modulator itself, or may be disposed “outside” of the modulator on either the input waveguiding section or the output waveguiding section. The phase control section may be formed to comprise multiple segments (of different lengths), with the overall phase added to the propagating signal controlled by selecting the different segments to be energized to impart a phase delay to a signal propagating through the energized section(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Webster, Kalpendu Shastri
  • Patent number: 8606060
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for dynamic manipulation and dispersion in photonic crystal devices. In one embodiment, a photonic crystal structure comprises a substrate having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, a waveguide formed by “removing” a row of apertures, and a plurality of pairs of lateral electrical contacts, the lateral electrical contact pairs extending along the length of the waveguide in a spaced-apart manner. The lateral electrical contact pairs facilitate local manipulation of the photonic crystal structure's refractive index. Thus, optical signals of different wavelengths that propagate through the photonic crystal structure can be dynamically manipulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hendrik F. Hamann, Sharee J. McNab, Martin P. O'Boyle, Yurii A. Vlasov
  • Patent number: 8582928
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device includes: a substrate which has an electro-optical effect; an optical waveguide which is formed on the substrate and/or inside the substrate; and an in-substrate electrode which is formed of a metal and provided inside the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyatake, Takashi Shiraishi, Masaharu Doi
  • Patent number: 8582929
    Abstract: An electric field detection device. In one embodiment, the electric field detection device includes an interferometer having a reference arm and an active arm. The reference arm comprises a first electro-optic waveguide. The active arm comprises a first electrically conductive plate, a second electrically conductive plate spaced apart from the first electrically conductive plate defining a first gap therebetween, a third electrically conductive plate disposed in the first gap and vertically extending from the first electrically conductive plate to define a T-shape structure and a second gap between the third electrically conductive plate and the second electrically conductive plate, where the second gap is substantially smaller than the first gap; and a second electro-optic waveguide disposed in the second gap and being in electrical communication with the second and third electrically conductive plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Fei Yi, Seng-Tiong Ho
  • Publication number: 20130294729
    Abstract: An electromagnetic energy collecting and sensing device is described. The device uses enhanced fields to emit electrons for energy collection. The device is configured to collect energy from visible light, infrared radiation and ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation. The device includes a waveguide with a geometry selected to enhance the electric field along a conductor to create a high, localized electric field, which causes electron emission across a gap to an electron return plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Phillip J. Layton, Ezekiel Kruglick, Maha Achour
  • Patent number: 8559777
    Abstract: Provided is an optical modulator that modulates input light with a high frequency and low half-wave voltage. An optical device comprises a substrate; a dielectric film that is formed on the substrate and includes a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide that run parallel to each other; an insulating film formed on the dielectric film; a coplanar line that is formed on the insulating film and includes a signal line arranged between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide, a first ground line arranged in a first region, and a second ground line arranged in a second region; and auxiliary electrodes that are arranged in the first region and the second region, are formed in contact with the dielectric film or within the insulating film, and apply bias voltages to the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Hara, Shin Masuda, Atsushi Seki
  • Patent number: 8548289
    Abstract: Embodiments of a display comprising pixels formed from suitably tethered deformable membrane-based MEMS subsystems are provided that include the means to dynamically alter the in-plane tension, and thus the effective spring constant, of the deformable membrane being ponderomotively propelled between active and inactive optical states, said dynamic alteration being effected by exploiting transverse piezoelectric properties of the deformable membranes. Manipulating the spring constant can reduce the actuation force required to turn pixels on, thus significantly reducing the operational voltages for the display composed of an array of such subsystems. Since display power rises with the square of the pixel drive voltage, such architectures give rise to more power efficient display systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Rambus Delaware LLC
    Inventors: Martin G. Selbrede, Daniel K. Van Ostrand
  • Patent number: 8526768
    Abstract: A light control device with a reduced electric loss is provided which can suppress a phenomenon of electrically reflecting a high-frequency signal even when it employs a dielectric anisotropic substrate. A light control device includes a signal electrode formed on a dielectric anisotropic substrate and ground electrodes disposed with the signal electrode interposed therebetween. Here, the signal electrode includes at least two signal electrode portions disposed in directions in which the dielectric constant of the substrate is different from each other and a curved connecting portion connecting the at least two signal electrode portions. The connecting portion is configured so that the characteristic impedance in parts connected to the at least two signal electrode portions is equal to that of the corresponding signal electrode portion, and the characteristic impedance in the connecting portion between the at least two signal electrode portions continuously varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuhki Kinpara, Masayuki Ichioka, Junichiro Ichikawa, Satoshi Oikawa, Yasuhiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8520984
    Abstract: A silicon-based optical modulator exhibiting improved modulation efficiency and control of “chirp” (i.e., time-varying optical phase) is provided by separately biasing a selected, first region of the modulating device (e.g., the polysilicon region, defined as the common node). In particular, the common node is biased to shift the voltage swing of the silicon-based optical modulator into its accumulation region, which exhibits a larger change in phase as a function of applied voltage (larger OMA) and improved extinction ratio. The response in the accumulation region is also relatively linear, allowing for the chirp to be more easily controlled. The electrical modulation input signal (and its inverse) are applied as separate inputs to the second region (e.g., the SOI region) of each arm of the modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Webster, Russell Romano, Kalpendu Shastri
  • Patent number: 8483523
    Abstract: An optical waveguide electro-optic device including: a support substrate; an optical waveguide which has a core layer formed of a ferroelectric material, and is formed on an upper side of the support substrate; a lower electrode layer formed on a lower side of the core layer and which is adhered to the support substrate through an adhesion layer; an upper electrode layer formed on an upper side of the core layer; and an external electrode part, wherein the optical waveguide has an incidence plane from where light enters and an outgoing plane from where the light exits, the core layer has a polarization inversion region and a polarization non-inversion region, the upper electrode layer has a plane in such a shape that a width of the plane expands from a side of the incidence plane toward a side of the outgoing plane, to cover the polarization inversion region of the core layer, and the lower electrode layer is connected electrically to the external electrode part on the side of the incidence plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nakagawa, Shuichi Suzuki, Atsushi Sakai, Koichiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8483526
    Abstract: An innovative micro-size photonic switch is presented. The photonic switch is comprised of: a mirror having a reflecting surface; an input waveguide; and an output tapered waveguide structure. The photonic switch further includes a switching mechanism disposed adjacent to the reflecting surface and operable to change the refractive index along the reflective surface and thereby shift the angle at which the optical signal reflects from the mirror. More specifically, the switching mechanism may operate to change concentration of free carrier distribution along the reflective surface and thereby displace the effective reflecting interface of the mirror. In this way, the optical signal can be directed to one of two or more output ports of the output tapered waveguide structure and finally exited by one output waveguide channel that is connected to the selected port of the output tapered waveguide structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: University of Ottawa
    Inventors: DeGui Sun, Trevor Hall
  • Patent number: 8467637
    Abstract: In a waveguide path coupling-type photodiode, a semiconductor light absorbing layer and an optical waveguide path core are adjacently arranged. An electrode formed of at least one layer is installed in a boundary part of the semiconductor light absorbing layer and the optical waveguide path core. The electrodes are arranged at an interval of (1/100)? to ? [?: wavelength of light transmitted through optical waveguide path core]. At least a part of the electrodes is embedded in the semiconductor light absorbing layer. Embedding depth from a surface of the semiconductor light absorbing layer is a value not more than ?/(2 ns) [ns: refractive index of semiconductor light absorbing layer]. At least one layer of the electrode is constituted of a material which can surface plasmon-induced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Fujikata, Jun Ushida, Daisuke Okamoto, Kenichi Nishi, Keishi Ohashi, Tai Tsuchizawa, Seiichi Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8447153
    Abstract: A low inductance structure for improving the integrity of data signals carried in an optical subassembly is disclosed. In one embodiment the optical subassembly comprises a housing containing a lens assembly and an optical isolator. The optical subassembly further includes an optoelectronic package having a base defining a mounting surface that cooperates with a cap to define a hermetic enclosure. First and second signal leads of the subassembly include ends that extend into the hermetic enclosure. A submount is disposed on the base mounting surface. A low inductance structure is integrally formed with the submount and includes a dielectric body interposed between the first and second leads. The body includes shaped edges and conductive pad structures in electrical communication with conductive traces disposed on the submount. Each pad structure is also in electrical communication with a respective one of the first and second signal leads via a plurality of wirebonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Darin James Douma, The 'Linh Nguyen, Hongyu Deng, Martin Kalberer, Maziar Amirkiai
  • Patent number: 8427604
    Abstract: A display device includes a light source, an optical waveguide, a light-extracting portion, a liquid crystal dispersion layer and a drive circuit. The optical waveguide has two ends to guide light from one of the two ends to the other end. The light is emitted by the light source. The light-extracting portion is provided to a side face of the optical waveguide. The liquid crystal dispersion layer is included in the light-extracting portion and includes liquid crystal droplets whose mean diameter is 100 nm or less. The drive circuit applies a voltage to the light-extracting portion to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal dispersion layer so that the light transmitting through the optical waveguide is scattered to be extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakai, Tsuyoshi Hioki
  • Patent number: 8428399
    Abstract: An optical module including a first optical coupler; a second optical coupler; a first optical waveguide; a second optical waveguide; a first electrode provided on the first optical waveguide; a second electrode provided on the second optical waveguide; a short electrode shorter than the first and second electrodes and provided on the second optical waveguide; and a first high-frequency connector and a second high-frequency connector; wherein, the short electrode provided on the second optical waveguide is coupled to the second high-frequency connector; and the first electrode provided on the first optical waveguide is coupled to the first high-frequency connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kazumasa Takabayashi
  • Patent number: 8422834
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a semiconductor pattern disposed on a substrate and including an optical waveguide part and a pair of recessed portions. The optical waveguide part has a thickness ranging from about 0.05 ?m to about 0.5 ?m. The recessed portions are disposed on both sides of the optical waveguide part and have a thinner thickness than the optical waveguide part. A first doped region and a second doped region are disposed in the recessed portions, respectively. The first and second doped regions are doped with a first conductive type dopant and a second conductive type dopant, respectively. An intrinsic region is formed in at least the optical waveguide part to contact the first and second doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jeong-Woo Park, Gyung-Ock Kim, Mi-Ran Park, Jong-Bum You
  • Patent number: 8410420
    Abstract: An optoelectronic structure includes a waveguide region, a detector region that is weakly evanescently coupled to the waveguide region, and a dielectric layer interposed between the waveguide region and the detector region and configured to provide the weak evanescent coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Michael Hochberg, Thomas W. Baehr-Jones
  • Patent number: 8396336
    Abstract: An optical phase modulator includes a main Mach-Zehnder interferometer having first and second main optical waveguide path arms, whose initial phase difference in the used wavelength is ?, a first sub Mach-Zehnder interferometer having first and second sub optical waveguide path arms that are formed in the first main optical waveguide path arm, whose initial phase difference in the used wavelength is 0, and a second sub Mach-Zehnder interferometer having third and fourth sub optical waveguide path arms that are formed in the second main optical waveguide path arm, and whose initial phase difference in the used wavelength is 0. Of each of the main optical waveguide path arms and the sub optical waveguide path arms, at least the portions where high-frequency electrodes are formed are constructed using semiconductor waveguide paths, and reduce the effects of frequency chirping caused by an orthogonal component due to light absorption in the semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tomofumi Kise, Masaki Funabshi
  • Patent number: 8385698
    Abstract: A controllable optical ring resonator, a photonic system and a method of controlling an optical ring resonator employ control electrodes periodically spaced apart along a closed loop optical path of an optical waveguide. The controllable optical ring resonator includes the optical waveguide and a plurality of the periodically spaced control electrodes. The photonic system includes an input optical waveguide segment and the controllable optical ring resonator adjacent and optically coupled to the segment. The method includes providing the plurality of periodically spaced control electrodes, providing an optical signal within the optical path, and addressing one or more of the control electrodes to interact with the optical signal within the optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Terrel L. Morris, Michael R. Tan, Wei Wu, Shih-Yuan Wang
  • Patent number: 8380016
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing electrooptic modulation. The apparatus includes electrical contacts, a waveguide coupled between the electrical contacts, and a nonlinear optical material positioned in the slot region. The waveguide includes a first arm and a second arm that are each arranged to define a slot region for confining an optical mode. The slot region has a height, t1, and each of the first arm and the second arm include a strip load region having a height that is less than the height, t1, of the slot region. Each of the first arm and the second arm is configured to provide an electrical signal to the slot region via at least one of the electrical contacts. In one embodiment, the nonlinear optical material includes a ?2-based material. In another embodiment, each of the first arm and the second arm have an “L”-type shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Michael Hochberg, Thomas W. Baehr-Jones
  • Patent number: 8380015
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical control device capable of achieving an accurate match of modulation timing and modulation intensity between optical waves propagating through optical waveguides disposed between a plurality of signal electrodes in an optical control device using an anisotropic dielectric substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuhki Kinpara, Masayuki Ichioka, Junichiro Ichikawa, Satoshi Oikawa, Yasuhiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8374469
    Abstract: A waveguide structure includes core 1 formed of a semiconductor such as Si, two external regions 2 which are not optically connected to the core but arranged at a certain distance from the core and bridges 3 which electrically connect the external regions to the core. Light propagating in the waveguide core is strongly confined in the waveguide core and optically disconnected from (i.e. not coupled with) the external regions, so that light can propagate in the waveguide without being affected by the existence of the external regions. Furthermore, the waveguide core is electrically connected to the external regions through the bridges, so that a voltage can be applied and a current can be caused to flow to the core from the external regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hirohito Yamada
  • Patent number: 8363986
    Abstract: A high speed silicon-based optical modulator with control of the dopant profiles in the body and gate regions of the device reduces the series resistance of the structure without incurring substantial optical power loss. That is, the use of increased dopant values in areas beyond the active region will allow for the series resistance to be reduced (and thus increase the modulating speed of the device) without incurring too large a penalty in signal loss. The dopant profiles within the gate and body regions are tailored to exhibit an intermediate value between the high dopant concentration in the contact areas and the low dopant concentration in the carrier integration window area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Mark Webster, Vipulkumar Patel, Prakash Gothoskar, David Piede
  • Patent number: 8358897
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are hybrid photonic devices including a first semiconductor slab (i.e. region) comprising a silicon material and a second semiconductor slab, comprising a III-V material, above and partially overlapping the first semiconductor slab to create a lateral overlap region. A bonding layer may be formed on the second semiconductor slab to enable the bonding of the first and second semiconductor slabs at the lateral overlap region. An optical waveguide is formed to be included in the lateral overlap region and comprising the silicon semiconductor material, the III-V semiconductor material and the bonding layer. Thus, in embodiments of the invention the bonding layer comprises a material with a refractive index of at least 2.0 so as to not affect the optical mode shape or propagation loss of the hybrid electro-optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Aurrion, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Fish, Matthew Jacob-Mitos
  • Patent number: 8358891
    Abstract: There is provided a waveguide type optical device whose parasitic capacitance is reduced to allow an increase in signal transmission speed. Bottom electrode 41 is formed on substrate 2, bottom cladding 51 is formed on bottom electrode 41, and bottom core 62 is formed on bottom cladding 51. Top core 61 is formed on bottom core 62, top cladding 53 is formed on top core 61, and top electrode 42 is formed on top cladding 53. Two sides of top core 61 and bottom core 62 are covered with side cladding layer 52. Vertically overlapping portions of top electrode 42 and bottom electrode 41 are located almost at a same place as a region for a core layer composed of top core 61 and bottom core 62. The width of one from among top core 61 and bottom core 62 is satisfying a single mode condition, and the width of the other is almost equal to or more than the width of a field distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Shimizu, Masafumi Nakada
  • Patent number: 8358886
    Abstract: A low-loss waveguide that can be curved aggressively, that is, curved with a radius of curvature that is substantially zero, in the plane of propagation, without radiating, is formed by a slab of dielectric material having four metal plates, two on each opposite surface of the slab and mutually spaced to define in the dielectric slab between the four metal plates a confinement zone. In use, electromagnetic radiation injected in one end of the zone by suitable input means will propagate throughout the zone to an extraction means. Lower loss and better confinement of the radiation may be obtained by providing plugs of dielectric material adjacent the inwardly-facing edge of each of the metal plates. Embodiments of the invention can be used to implement integrated optical devices and circuits for routing or processing light signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Pierre Simon Joseph Berini, Robin Andrew Buckley
  • Patent number: 8346025
    Abstract: An apparatus 100 that comprises a planar electro-optic modulator 110 being located on a substrate 105 and including a waveguide 115 and electrical contacts 120. The waveguide that includes first and second substantially straight segments 122, and a curved segment 126 that serially end-connects the first and second substantially straight segments such that light 130 travels in a substantially anti-parallel manner in the first and second substantially straight segments. The electrical contacts being located adjacent the first and second substantially straight segments and being connected to produce constructively adding phase modulations on an optical carrier passing through the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Douglas M. Gill
  • Patent number: 8331743
    Abstract: The present invention describes a microresonator that can be used as a 1:f variable coupler in a unit cell. It is described how a cascade of unit cells can be used to form a tunable, higher-order RF-filter with reconfigurable passbands. The disclosed filter structure can be utilized for the narrowband channelization of RF signals that have been modulated onto optical carriers. It is also disclosed how to utilize add/drop capabilities of the contemplated microdisks to confer connectivity and cascading in two dimensions. The present invention can conveniently provide a wavelength division multiplexing router, where an array of unit cells as provided herein can form a programmable optical switching matrix, through electronic programming of filter parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Willie W. Ng, Brian N. Limketkai, Robert R. Hayes, Daniel Yap, Peter Petre
  • Patent number: 8326094
    Abstract: The sensor includes an optical waveguide defined in a light-transmitting medium. The waveguide includes a sensing portion and an non-sensing portion. The light-transmitting medium included in the sensing portion has defects that provide the light-transmitting medium with a deep band gap level between a valence band of the light-transmitting medium and a conduction band of the light-transmitting medium. The deep band gap level is configured such that the waveguide guiding light signals through the light-transmitting medium in the sensing portion causes free carriers to be generated in the light-transmitting medium. A detector is configured to detect the free carriers in the sensing region of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kotura, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Knights, Adrian Petru Vonsovici, Dominic Joseph Brady, Andrew Alan House, George Frederick Hopper
  • Patent number: 8326096
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a digital electro-optical switch (1) comprising: an electro-optical substrate (3); a Y-shaped optical waveguide (2) formed in the substrate (3) and including an input branch (4) configured to be connected to an input optical waveguide, and two output branches (5) configured to be connected to respective output optical waveguides; and electrically conductive electrodes (6, 7) formed on the substrate (3) and including an inner electrode (7) arranged between the output branches (5), substantially at a branching area of the optical waveguide (2), and two outer electrodes (6) arranged outside the output branches (5), on opposite sides of the inner electrode (7), the outer electrodes (6) being electrically operable to make the electro-optical switch (1) operative between a first switching state wherein transmission of optical energy is enhanced between the input branch (4) and a first one of the output branches (5), and substantially inhibited in a second one of the output branches (5), and a se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Selex Sistemi Integrati S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luigi Pierno, Massimiliano Dispenza
  • Patent number: 8320723
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a connector for an optical imaging probe that includes one or more optical fibers communicating light along the catheter. The device may use multiple sections for simpler manufacturing and ease of assembly during a medical procedure. Light energy to and from a distal minimally-invasive portion of the probe is coupled by the connector to external diagnostic or analytical instrumentation through an external instrumentation lead. Certain examples provide a self-aligning two-section optical catheter with beveled ends, which is formed by separating an optical cable assembly. Techniques for improving light coupling include using a lens between instrumentation lead and probe portions. Techniques for improving the mechanical alignment of a multi-optical fiber catheter include using a stop or a guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Vascular Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Eberle, Kenneth N. Bates, William W. Morey
  • Patent number: 8295656
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for compensating the polarization-dependent shift of the center frequency in an optical filter comprising an interferometer by way of compensating the birefringence in at least one waveguide of the interferometer, wherein at least one half-wave plate is arranged into the optical path of the interferometer and at least a section of the waveguide (16, 17) on the right and on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a pre-selectable temperature, and wherein at least one section on the right of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a first temperature T1, and at least one section on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a second temperature T2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Schell, Norbert Keil, Huihai Yao, Crispin Zawadzki
  • Patent number: 8270779
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an electronic-photonic device. The device includes a planar substrate having a top layer on a middle layer, active electronic components and active photonic waveguide components. The active electronic components are located on first lateral regions of the top layer, and the active photonic waveguide components are located on second lateral regions of the top layer. The second-region thickness is greater than the first-region thickness. The top layer has a higher refractive index than the middle layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Douglas M. Gill, Mahmoud Rasras
  • Patent number: 8270778
    Abstract: A single-photon absorption all-optical signal-processing device, systems employing the same, and methods of making and using the same. Illustrative examples are provided based on silicon semiconductor technology that employs rectangular waveguides fabricated on SOI wafers. In some embodiments, it is observed that the waveguides have surface state density, ?, of not less than 1.5×1018 cm?1s?1mW?1 to provide a single-photon absorption operation mode. In some embodiments, some portion of the ridge waveguide structure has a surface to volume ratio of at least 18 ?m?1, computed using a unit length of 1 ?m of the waveguide, with the width and depth dimensions of the waveguide being measured in units of microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Michael J. Hochberg, Thomas W. Baehr-Jones
  • Patent number: 8244077
    Abstract: This invention provides a versatile unit cell as well as programmable and reconfigurable optical signal processors (such as optical-domain RF filters) that are constructed from arrays of those unit cells interconnected by optical waveguides. Each unit cell comprises an optical microdisk, an optical phase shifter, and at least one input/output optical waveguide, wherein the microdisk and the phase shifter are both optically connected to a common waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel Yap
  • Patent number: 8242571
    Abstract: Provided is a waveguide photodetector that may improve an operation speed and increase or maximize productivity. The waveguide photodetector includes a waveguide layer extending in a first direction, an absorption layer disposed on the waveguide layer, a first electrode disposed on the absorption layer, a second electrode disposed on the waveguide layer, the second electrode being spaced from the first electrode and the absorption layer in a second direction crossing the first direction, and at least one bridge electrically connecting the absorption layer to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Dongwoo Suh, Sanghoon Kim, Jiho Joo, Gyungock Kim
  • Patent number: 8218914
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electro-optic device comprising three or more radio-frequency (RF) signal electrodes, which each include an input segment. The input segments of the three or more RF-signal electrodes are arranged in a fractal pattern followed in an RF-signal transit direction by a parallel-bend pattern. Advantageously, this arrangement allows matching of RF-signal transit times of the input segments and near matching of RF-signal losses of the input segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Karl Kissa
  • Patent number: 8175422
    Abstract: In an optical modulator, a first electrode portion having a plurality of first electrodes is provided on the upper surface of a base part having a periodically-poled structure and a second electrode portion is provided on the lower surface thereof, and voltage is applied in one direction between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion, to thereby cause a periodic change of the refractive index in a polarization-part array direction in the periodically-poled structure and diffract light which enters the base part. This allows reduction in the voltage applied between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion, and it is thereby possible to form a desired electric field inside the periodically-poled structure while achieving a high-density channel arrangement. By reducing the voltage, the rate of the optical modulation performed by the optical modulator can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Okazaki, Toshiaki Suhara