Diagnostic waveguide for optical chip testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10732029-B2
Application number	US-201816178840-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 10, 2012
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A photonics system includes a transmit photonics module and a receive photonics module. The photonics system also includes a transmit waveguide coupled to the transmit photonics module, a first optical switch integrated with the transmit waveguide, and a diagnostics waveguide optically coupled to the first optical switch. The photonics system further includes a receive waveguide coupled to the receive photonics module and a second optical switch integrated with the receive waveguide and optically coupled to the diagnostics waveguide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for optical communication, the system comprising:
a chip;
a transmitter, wherein:
the transmitter is on the chip; and
the transmitter generates light;

a receiver, wherein:
the receiver is on the chip; and
the receiver is an optical receiver; and

a diagnostics waveguide, wherein:
the diagnostics waveguide is on the chip; and
the diagnostics waveguide optically couples light from the transmitter with the receiver.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a photodetector integrated on the chip and optically coupled with the transmitter.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a tap that couples the photodetector with the diagnostics waveguide, such that the photodetector is optically coupled with the transmitter.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the photodetector provides data on optical power, wavelength, spectral characteristics, and/or compliance with modulation or communication standards of light generated by the transmitter.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the chip is part of an undiced wafer.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmit waveguide, wherein:
the transmit waveguide is on the chip; and
the transmit waveguide is coupled with the transmitter; and

a receive waveguide, wherein:
the receive waveguide is on the chip;
the receive waveguide is coupled with the receiver; and
the diagnostics waveguide optically couples light from the transmitter with the receiver by optically coupling the transmit waveguide with the receive waveguide.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a variable coupler between the transmit waveguide and the diagnostics waveguide.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the variable coupler is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an out-of-plane coupler optically coupled with the diagnostics waveguide.

10. A method for testing optical communication, the method comprising:
generating an optical signal using a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is on a chip;
coupling at least a part of the optical signal into a diagnostics waveguide to provide a diagnostics signal, wherein the diagnostics waveguide is on the chip;
transmitting the diagnostics signal through the diagnostics waveguide; and
receiving the diagnostics signal at a receiver, wherein:
the receiver is an optical receiver; and
the receiver is on the chip.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising coupling light into a photodetector on the chip.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a tap is used to couple at least a portion of the diagnostics signal from the diagnostics waveguide with the photodetector.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving from the photodetector data on optical power, wavelength, spectral characteristics, and/or compliance with modulation or communication standards of light generated by the transmitter.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the chip is part of a wafer that is undiced, and the method further comprises dicing the wafer after receiving the diagnostics signal at the receiver.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the optical signal is generated in accordance with a test pattern using circuitry on the chip.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising coupling light from off the chip into the diagnostics waveguide.

17. A system for optical testing, the system comprising:
a chip;
a transmitter, wherein:
the transmitter is on the chip; and
the transmitter generates light;

a receiver, wherein:
the receiver is on the chip; and
the receiver is an optical receiver;

a photodetector; and
a diagnostics waveguide, wherein the diagnostics waveguide optically couples light from the transmitter with the receiver and with the photodetector.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a branching coupler that couples the photodetector with the diagnostics waveguide, such that the photodetector is optically coupled with the transmitter.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the chip is part of an undiced wafer.

20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a test circuit on the chip.

Assignees

• Skorpios Tech Inc

Inventors

• Stone Robert J
• Krasulick Stephen B

Classifications

• H04B10/0731 Primary

  Testing or characterisation of optical devices, e.g. amplifiers · CPC title

• H04B10/0779

  Monitoring line transmitter or line receiver equipment · CPC title

• G01J2001/4247

  for testing lamps or other light sources · CPC title

• H04B17/0082

  using service channels; using auxiliary channels · CPC title

• G01R31/3187

  Built-in tests · CPC title