Electro-optic Patents (Class 385/8)
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Patent number: 8306372Abstract: The waveguide-type polarizer includes: a Z-cut lithium niobate substrate; an optical waveguide having a ridge structure and formed on the substrate; a low refractive index film formed with a thickness satisfying 0?n·t/??0.3742 (where n is a refractive index, t (?m) is the thickness of the film, and ? (?m) is the wavelength of a light wave) on the side of the ridge structure; and a high refractive index film formed with a thickness satisfying 0.089?n·/? on the low refractive index film. The width of the ridge structure is a ridge width where the distribution of ordinary light of the light waves propagated through the optical waveguide changes and the distribution of extraordinary light of the light waves does not change, the angle of the ridge structure is less than 90°, and the waveguide-type polarizer has a function of transmitting extraordinary light.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2011Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsutoshi Kondou, Masanao Kurihara, Toru Sugamata
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Publication number: 20120251033Abstract: There are provided an optical interconnection module and an optical-electrical hybrid board using the same to process optical and electric signals on a board at a low transmission loss at high speed in transmitting high-speed optical signals sent and received between chips or between boards in a data processing apparatus. An optical interconnection module has a structure in which an optical signal is emitted from a laser optical source device, propagates the inside of a modulator device, and is deflected by a beam turning structure in the vertical direction of a substrate, an optical signal is incident from the outside of a semiconductor substrate, and transmitted and received at a photo diode provided on the semiconductor substrate, and the optical signals are optically connected to each other through the inside of the semiconductor substrate in the vertical direction of the substrate with the outside of the semiconductor substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventors: Yasunobu MATSUOKA, Toshiki SUGAWARA, Tatemi IDO
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Patent number: 8270781Abstract: A number of fluidic-photonic devices for allowing optical detection, systems employing such devices, and related methods of operation and fabrication of such devices are disclosed herein. In at least some embodiments, the devices can serve as flow cytometry devices and/or employ microfluidic channels. Also, in at least some embodiments, the devices are fluidic-photonic integrated circuit (FPIC) devices that employ both fluidic channels and one or more waveguides capable of receiving and/or delivering light, and that can be fabricated using polymeric materials. The fluidic-photonic devices in at least some embodiments are capable of functionality such as on-chip excitation, time-of-flight measurement, and can experience enhanced fluorescence detection sensitivity. In at least some embodiments, the devices employ detection waveguides that are joined by way of a waveguide demultiplexer.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Yu-Hwa Lo, Victor Jie Lien, Chun Hao Randy Chen
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Patent number: 8270780Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical switch system using optical interference. An optical switch system (1) comprises an input part (2) of an optical signal, a branching part (3) of the signal, a main Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZC) (7), a first intensity modulator (9) provided on a first arm (4) for controlling an amplitude of an optical signal propagating through the first arm (4), a second intensity modulator (10) provided on a second arm (5) for controlling an amplitude of an optical signal propagating through the second arm (5), and a combining part (6) of the signals outputted from the first arm and the second arm, wherein one or both of the branching part (3) and the combining part (6) are X-branched.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications TechnologyInventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu, Takahide Sakamoto, Masahiro Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 8270778Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for CommercializationInventors: Michael J. Hochberg, Thomas W. Baehr-Jones
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Patent number: 8263928Abstract: An input analog signal is applied to electrodes bracketing electro-optically responsive waveguides being driven by a continuous wave or pulsed laser. The waveguides have reflection elements installed with transmission spectra sized, located and designed to transmit the laser light to photodetectors. The transmission of the laser light depends on the shift in transmission spectra caused by the applied analog voltage. The reflection element transmits laser light according to a digital encoding design. The second embodiment describes a device and method for converting high frequency analog signals greater than approximately 10 GHz into digital signals. The high frequency quantizer relies on reflectors reflecting the laser light as a high frequency RF pulse propagates along electrodes bracketing the electro-optically responsive material in the opposite direction of the laser light.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2008Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventor: Oleg M Efimov
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Patent number: 8260093Abstract: Fibre substrates act as a conduit for light along which response signals are transmitted to a controller in the form of an electronic device associated with a component. The processed signals are stored in a local memory to provide a component history and a prediction of future performance and life. Service and repair history may be added to the component device memory to enable a complete history to be stored with the component. A controller may transmit data to an external controller or display through typically a wireless connection. Power to the component electronics may be provided by an induction loop or transformer.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2008Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLCInventor: Ian C. D. Care
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Patent number: 8244077Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 24, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventor: Daniel Yap
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Patent number: 8233753Abstract: An electric field sensor or a magnetic field sensor includes an optical fiber and an electro-optic layer or a magneto-optic layer. The electro-optic layer or a magneto-optic layer is provided on an end surface of an end portion of the optical fiber. The end surface of the optical fiber is a convex shape. The optical fiber may have the end portion with a shape of a substantial cone formed by extending the end portion, and the electro-optic layer or the magneto-optic layer may be formed on a side surface of a front end of the substantial cone. A dielectric layer may be further included between the optic layer and the end surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2006Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: NEC CorporationInventors: Mizuki Iwanami, Masafumi Nakada, Norio Masuda, Keishi Ohashi
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Patent number: 8218919Abstract: A MEMS-based display device is described, wherein an array of interferometric modulators are configured to reflect light through a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sealed to a backplate and the backplate may contain electronic circuitry fabricated on the backplane. The electronic circuitry is placed in electrical communication with the array of interferometric modulators and is configured to control the state of the array of interferometric modulators.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2012Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Karen Tyger
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Patent number: 8218914Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Inventor: Karl Kissa
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Patent number: 8204347Abstract: In a conventional optical signal processing device, a confocal optical system is configured in which a focusing lens is positioned at a substantially-intermediate point of a free space optical path. Thus, the free space optical system had a long length. It has been difficult to reduce the size of the entire device. The optical signal processing device of the present invention uses a lens layout configuration different from the confocal optical system to thereby significantly reduce the length of the system. The optical signal processing device consists of the first focusing lens positioned in the close vicinity of a signal processing device, and the second focusing lens positioned in the vicinity of a dispersing element. A distance between the dispersing element and the signal processing device is approximately a focal length of the first focusing lens. Compared with the conventional technique, the length of the optical path can be halved.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone CorporationInventors: Naoki Ooba, Kenya Suzuki, Motohaya Ishii, Shinji Mino, Atsushi Aratake
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Patent number: 8200055Abstract: Methods and devices for optical beam steering are disclosed including coupling a laser light into an apparatus comprising a first substrate; an array of air core photonic crystal waveguides; columnar members etched around each air core waveguide; a pair of metal electrodes around the columnar members; a trench around the pair of metal electrodes surrounding each air core photonic crystal waveguide; a second substrate coupled to the first substrate comprising electrical interconnection lines; and a holographic fanout array comprising a third substrate; a photopolymer film coated on the third substrate; a hologram written in the photopolymer film configured to couple the laser light into the third substrate; and an array of holograms recorded in the photopolymer film configured to couple a portion of the laser light into the waveguides; and passing a current through the electrodes to induce a refractive index change in the first substrate to control the phase of the portion of the laser light that passes througType: GrantFiled: July 19, 2010Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Inventors: Harish Subbaraman, Ray T Chen
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Patent number: 8175422Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 15, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahide Okazaki, Toshiaki Suhara
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Publication number: 20120093455Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: Northwestern UniversityInventors: Fei Yi, Seng-Tiong Ho
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Publication number: 20120063715Abstract: An electrooptic element includes an optical waveguide layer made from a ferroelectric material and having a polarization inverted region of a predetermined shape having an optical incidence face and an optical exit face, and an upper electrode layer and a lower electrode layer formed on a top face and a bottom face of the optical waveguide layer, respectively, in which the ferroelectric material is magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate, and at least one of the optical incidence face and the optical exit face of the optical waveguide layer is formed in parallel with a crystal face of the ferroelectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Inventors: Jun Nakagawa, Koichiro Nakamura, Shuichi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20120063714Abstract: Provided are an electro-optic device with a high modulation rate and a mach-zehnder optical modulator having the same. The electro-optic device includes a slap, a rip waveguide, a first impurity region, a second impurity region, and a third impurity region. The slap is disposed on a substrate. The rip waveguide includes a mesa extending in one direction on the slap and the slap disposed under the mesa. The first impurity region is disposed in the slap of one side of the mesa. The third impurity region is disposed in the slap of the other side of the mesa to oppose the first impurity region. The second impurity region is disposed in the rip waveguide between the first impurity region and the third impurity region.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Jeong Woo PARK, Gyungock KIM
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Patent number: 8103136Abstract: Thermo-optical devices providing heater recirculation in an integrated optical device are described. The thermo-optical devices include at least one waveguide having a non-linear path length in thermal communication with a thermal device. Methods of fabrication and use are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Infinera CorporationInventors: Wei Chen, Wenlu Chen
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Patent number: 8098965Abstract: A novel electroabsorption modulator based on tuning the Fermi level relative to mid-gap states in a semiconductor. The modulator includes a semiconductor waveguide that has an input port and an output port. Between the input port and the output port is a section of the waveguide that functions as an electroabsorptive region. Adjacent to the electroabsorptive region are electrical contacts. In operation by adjusting voltages on the electrical contacts, the quasi-Fermi level in the electroabsorptive region of the semiconductor waveguide is brought above or below mid band-gap electronic states. As these states transition between occupancy and vacancy, the absorption coefficient for optical radiation in the electroabsorptive region of the semiconductor changes.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: University of WashingtonInventors: Tom Baehr-Jones, Michael J. Hochberg
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Patent number: 8090229Abstract: A MEMS-based display device is described, wherein an array of interferometric modulators are configured to reflect light through a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sealed to a backplate and the backplate may contain electronic circuitry fabricated on the backplane. The electronic circuitry is placed in electrical communication with the array of interferometric modulators and is configured to control the state of the array of interferometric modulators.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2011Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Karen Tyger
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Patent number: 8086078Abstract: An electronic device in which a signal electrode has a bent portion. Earth electrodes are formed with the signal electrode between. A width of a gap at the bent portion between the signal electrode and each earth electrode is narrower than a width of a gap at both ends of the bent portion between the signal electrode and each earth electrode.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2009Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Masaki Sugiyama
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Patent number: 8081851Abstract: A high-index contrast waveguide component is presented, which is based on the fast changing of the transmission properties of an optical waveguide by applying electric voltages, or by embossing electric currents. The waveguide consists of a high-refractive waveguide core surrounded by a low-refractive surrounding material, which at least area by area has electro-optical properties. By applying a voltage to completely or partially optically transparent electrodes, an electric field is generated having a strong overlap with the optical mode, being in interaction with it, and therefore changing the transmission properties of the waveguide. The transparent electrodes or supply line areas are laminar, connected at low resistance with conductor paths of high conductivity by means of structures continually repeated along the propagation direction. Thus, it is possible for example to very fast load the capacity being effective between the electrodes, and to thus achieve a high electric band width.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Karlsruher Institut fur TechnologieInventors: Christian Koos, Jurg Leuthold, Wolfgang Freude, Jan Michael Brosi
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Patent number: 8031986Abstract: The optical device includes a substrate having an electrooptic effect; a plurality of optical waveguides formed in the substrate in parallel to one another; and a polarization inversion region which is disposed a part of the substrate and which has a polarization characteristic that is an inverse to that of the substrate, wherein a profile of a boundary between the polarization inversion region and a remaining region in which the polarization is not inverted is configured such that accumulated amounts of distortion that affects the respective waveguides over coordinates along a light propagation direction are substantially identical.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Takashi Shiraishi
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Patent number: 8031012Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to shorten a cavity length of an optoelectronic oscillator and to integrate on a semiconductor or SiO2-substrate. An optoelectronic oscillator 10 have an optoelectronic loop comprising a semiconductor laser 11, an optical waveguide 12 guiding laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser, a photodetector 13 detecting laser light guided by the optical waveguide and outputting an electrical signal, an amplifier 14 amplifying the electrical signal outputted from the photodetector, generating an amplified signal and formed on a semiconductor substrate 15. Laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 11 is controlled by generated amplified signal and it oscillates with a fundamental oscillation frequency determined by a delay time of carrier in the optoelectronic loop circuit or one of the high harmonic components of integral multiples of a fundamental oscillation frequency.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideaki Hasegawa
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Patent number: 8019185Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 1, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventor: Daniel Yap
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Patent number: 7986452Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can obtain a multiplied harmonic signal fast and with ease, and the method using the apparatus. The object is attained by the method for obtaining a multiple harmonic signal comprises, suppressing a different parity optical signal having parity different from fundamental optical signals; suppressing residual optical signals using an optical filter after suppressing the different parity optical signal; and obtaining the frequency difference component using the fundamental optical signals, and the device realizing the method.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2006Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: National Institute Of Information And Communications TechnologyInventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Takahide Sakamoto, Masahiro Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20110170821Abstract: An optical switch structure and a method for fabricating the optical switch structure provide at least two ring waveguides located and formed supported over a substrate. At least one of the at least two ring waveguides includes at least one PIN diode integral with the ring waveguide as a tuning component for an optical switch device that derives from the optical switch structure. The PIN diode includes different doped silicon slab regions internal to and external to the ring waveguide, and an intrinsic region there between that includes the ring waveguide. The method uses two photolithographic process steps, and also preferably a silicon-on-insulator substrate, to provide the ring waveguides formed of a monocrystalline silicon semiconductor material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: CORNELL UNIVERSITYInventors: Michal Lipson, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Hugo Leonardo Rocha de Lira
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Patent number: 7978953Abstract: A method is provided for visual inspection of an array of interferometric modulators in various driven states. This method may include driving multiple columns or rows of interferometric modulators via a single test pad or test lead, such as test pad, and then observing the array for discrepancies between the expected optical output and the actual optical output of the array. This method may particularly include, for example, driving a set of non-adjacent rows or columns to a state different from the intervening rows or columns and then observing the optical output of the array.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.Inventors: William J Cummings, Brian J Gally
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Patent number: 7973265Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 31, 2009Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Infinera CorporationInventors: Sai Chu, Frederick G. Johnson, Oliver King, Marcus Schuetz, Brent Little
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Patent number: 7953305Abstract: An optical waveguide device includes; a substrate having an electro-optic effect, and a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide formed substantially in parallel on a top face of the substrate. A groove is formed for cutting only the first optical waveguide, of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide. The groove penetrates from the top face to a bottom face of the substrate. Such a groove can be formed for example by fixing a side face of the substrate on the second optical waveguide side to a supporting base of a dicing machine so that the first optical waveguide is positioned on an upper side and the second optical waveguide is positioned on a lower side, and advancing the dicing saw from the bottom face side to the top face side of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Masaki Sugiyama
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Patent number: 7949210Abstract: This invention provides fundamental science and novel device architectures for surface plasmon (SP)-based, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible, optical elements such as modulators, couplers, and switches. The primary focus of the work is on waveguides based on an ultra-long-range surface plasmon (ULRSP) waveguide mode recently discovered by our team. This mode exists at the metal-dielectric interfaces in a silicon-oxide-metal-silicon layer structure. While initial work focuses on noble metals to support the ULRSP, our analysis shows Si processing-compatible metals such as Cu and Al can also be used. Our modeling has also shown that variation in the thickness of the oxide layer can be used to give unprecedented propagation lengths in such structures. Electrically-induced free carrier modulation of the dielectric constant in the Si adjacent to the oxide can modulate the waveguide properties allowing novel Si-compatible electro-optic devices to be created.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Colorado School of MinesInventors: Charles G. Durfee, Reuben T. Collins, Thomas E. Furtak
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Patent number: 7933483Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 21, 2010Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gerhard Ingmar Meijer, Paul A Moskowitz, Thilo Hermann Curt Stoeferle
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Patent number: 7933476Abstract: A MEMS-based display device is described, wherein an array of interferometric modulators are configured to reflect light through a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sealed to a backplate and the backplate may contain electronic circuitry fabricated on the backplane. The electronic circuitry is placed in electrical communication with the array of interferometric modulators and is configured to control the state of the array of interferometric modulators.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2010Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Karen Tyger
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Patent number: 7925122Abstract: A slot waveguide utilized as a color-selecting element. The slot waveguide includes a first layer of plasmon supporting material, the first layer being optically opaque and having an input slit extending through the first layer; a second layer of plasmon supporting material facing the first layer and separated from the first layer by a first distance in a first direction, the second layer being optically opaque and having an output slit extending through the second layer and separated from the input slit by a second distance extending along a second direction differing from first direction; a dielectric layer interposed between the first layer and the second layer, the dielectric layer having a real or complex refractive index; and a power source electrically coupled to the first layer and the second layer to apply an electrical signal for modulation of the real or complex refractive index of the dielectric layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2008Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: California Institute of TechnologyInventors: Kenneth A. Diest, Jennifer A. Dionne, Harry A. Atwater, Henri Lezec
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Patent number: 7925123Abstract: A light control element is provided with a thin board having electro-optical effects; an optical waveguide formed on the thin board; and a control electrode for controlling light that passes through the optical waveguide. The light control element performs speed matching between a microwave signal applied to the control electrode and the light, impedance matching of the microwaves, reduction of a driving voltage and high speed operation. In the control electrode of the light control element, a signal electrode and a grounding electrode are arranged on an upper side of the thin board, and on a lower side of the thin board, a second electrode including the grounding electrode is arranged, through a low refractive index layer entirely formed in the length direction of the signal electrode, with a width wider than that of the signal electrode.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Oikawa, Junichiro Ichikawa, Yuhki Kinpara
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Patent number: 7920769Abstract: In a compact formed by subjecting an ultrafine particle brittle material supplied on a substrate to mechanical impact force as a load, whereby the ultrafine particle brittle material is crushed and joined to each other, manganese is added into the ultrafine particle brittle material to form the compact.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignees: NEC Corporation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Masafumi Nakada, Jun Akedo
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Patent number: 7912327Abstract: A hybrid strip-loaded EO polymer/sol-gel modulator in which the sol-gel core waveguide does not lie below the active EO polymer waveguide increases the higher electric field/optical field overlap factor ? and reduces inter-electrode separation d thereby lowering the modulator's half-wave drive voltage V?, reducing insertion loss and improving extinction. The strip-loaded modulator comprises an EO polymer layer that eliminates optical scattering caused by sidewall roughness due to etching. Light does not encounter rough edges as it transitions to and from the sol-gel and EO polymer waveguides. This reduces insertion loss.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of ArizonaInventors: Christopher T. DeRose, Roland Himmelhuber, Robert A. Norwood, Nasser N. Peyghambarian
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Patent number: 7912326Abstract: A light control element is provided with a thin board having electro-optical effects; an optical waveguide formed on the thin board; and a control electrode for controlling light that passes through the optical waveguide. The light control element performs speed matching between a microwave signal applied to the control electrode and the light, impedance matching of the microwaves, reduction of a driving voltage and high speed operation. In the control electrode of the light control element, a signal electrode and a grounding electrode are arranged on an upper side of the thin board, and on a lower side of the thin board, a second electrode including the grounding electrode is arranged. The second electrode is arranged not to exist below the signal electrode, especially for achieving impedance matching.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Oikawa, Junichiro Ichikawa, Yuhki Kinpara, Yuji Yamane
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Publication number: 20110064352Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Inventors: Jun NAKAGAWA, Shuichi Suzuki, Atsushi Sakai, Koichiro Nakamura
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Patent number: 7903910Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Infinera CorporationInventors: Sai Chu, Frederick G. Johnson, Oliver King, Marcus Schuetz, Brent Little
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Patent number: 7873329Abstract: A transceiver capable of processing signals having wavelengths of less than 1 millimeter and/or more than 1 millimeter comprising a mixer/filter circuit coupled to an IF filter where said mixer/filter circuit is positioned within a mixer block to receive incoming signals guided into one or more feed horn openings of the mixer block by an optical arrangement. The IF filter is also disposed within the mixer block, but is positioned substantially orthogonal with respect to the mixer/filter circuit for efficient use of space.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2006Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: ThruVision Systems LimitedInventors: Christopher M. Mann, David John Coombs
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Patent number: 7865053Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 29, 2006Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.Inventor: Douglas M. Gill
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Patent number: 7848601Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for optical switching and data control, without the interaction of electronic switching speeds. In one example embodiment, a common cavity optical latch is provided that that can hold an optical state for an extended period of time, and the operation of which is controlled optically. Optical phase control allows optical modal switching to be employed between two common optical cavities, using incident optical signals and the way in which the cavities manipulate the phase within them to lock in one or the other configuration, thereby forming an optical latch. The optical latch is implemented in an integrated fashion, such as in a CMOS environment.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2010Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventor: Daniel N. Carothers
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Patent number: 7831113Abstract: An optical pulse position modulator includes a substrate with parallel first and second sides, the substrate including a first waveguide channel and a parallel second waveguide channel orthogonal to the first and second sides, a linear chirped grating orthogonal to and upon the first and second waveguide channels, and at least a first electrode along the first waveguide channel to apply a voltage modulation thereto. A first optical circulator has a first port coupled to a pulsed optical carrier signal, and a second port coupled to the first waveguide channel on the first side of the substrate, and a second optical circulator has a fourth port coupled to the third port of the first optical circulator, and a fifth port coupled to the second waveguide channel on the second side of the substrate. An output of the second waveguide channel is a position modulated optical pulse signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2008Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventor: Monica Minden
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Patent number: 7831358Abstract: Land-based vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle includes a source from which modulated illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle, a receiver arranged to receive illumination reflected from an object in the path of the modulated illumination, and circuitry coupled to the receiver and the source and arranged to compare a phase of the modulated illumination with a phase of the reflected radiation at a common frequency to determine whether there is a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination. The phase difference is a measure of a property of the object, such as the distance between the object and the source/receiver, which can be co-located. Otherwise, if the source and receiver and not co-located or substantially co-located, the distance is a measure of the distance of travel of the illumination.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2006Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Automotive Technologies International, Inc.Inventors: David S. Breed, Wendell C. Johnson, Wilbur E. DuVall
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Patent number: 7826688Abstract: Embodiments of the inventions described herein comprise a device and method for manipulating an optical beam. The method comprises propagating an optical beam through a waveguide in proximity to a resonant cavity and pumping the resonant cavity with sufficient optical power to induce non-linearities in the refractive index of the resonant cavity. The method further comprises tuning the resonant frequency band of the resonant cavity with a modulation signal such that the optical beam is manipulated in a useful way.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2006Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Luxtera, Inc.Inventors: Thiruvikraman Sadagopan, Roger Koumans, Thierry Pinguet, Lawrence Cary Gunn, III
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Publication number: 20100265737Abstract: A light guiding plate may include a substrate, a waveguide, and a reflective metal. The waveguide and the reflective metal may be formed on the substrate. The waveguide may guide light. The reflective metal may reflect the light guided along the waveguide to change a propagation direction of the light. A light guiding plate may include a substrate, a cladding layer, and a plurality of waveguides. The cladding layer may be formed on the substrate. The cladding layer may include a first insulating layer having a first refractive index. The plurality of waveguides may be formed on the cladding layer. The plurality of waveguides may include a second insulating layer having a second refractive index. The second refractive index may be higher than the first refractive index. The plurality of waveguides may guide light provided by a light emitting element. At least two of the waveguides may have different lengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2010Publication date: October 21, 2010Inventor: Yu-Sik Kim
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Patent number: 7809216Abstract: A signal interface includes a dual-drive device having a first and a second input port that receive an outgoing signal. One of the first and the second input ports also receive an incoming signal. The dual-drive device passes the incoming signal to an output port while isolating the outgoing signal from the incoming signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Photonic Systems, Inc.Inventor: Charles H. Cox, III
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Patent number: 7801189Abstract: Examples and implementations of photonic devices and techniques based on whispering gallery mode resonators formed of electro-optic materials to effectuate cross modulation between whispering gallery modes of different polarizations in the resonators.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2008Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: OEWaves, Inc.Inventors: Lutfollah Maleki, Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy Savchenkov, Vladimir Ilchenko
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Patent number: RE41748Abstract: The present invention relates generally to electro-optically active waveguide segments, and more particularly to the use of a selective voltage input to control the phase, frequency and/or amplitude of a propagating wave in the waveguide. Particular device structures and methods of manufacturing are described herein.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Inventors: Ravinder Jain, Balaji Srinivasan