Nonreciprocal optical transmission device and optical apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262606-B2
Application number	US-202016857756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2020
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Nonreciprocal optical transmission devices and optical apparatuses including the nonreciprocal optical transmission devices are provided. A nonreciprocal optical transmission device includes an optical input portion, an optical output portion, and an intermediate connecting portion interposed between the optical input portion and the optical output portion, and comprising optical waveguides. A complex refractive index of any one or any combination of the optical waveguides changes between the optical input portion and the optical output portion, and a transmission direction of light through the nonreciprocal optical transmission device is controlled by a change in the complex refractive index.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonreciprocal optical transmission device comprising:
an optical input portion;
an optical output portion; and
an intermediate connecting portion interposed between the optical input portion and the optical output portion, and comprising a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide,
a first side patch disposed opposite the second optical waveguide with respect to the first optical waveguide,
wherein either one or both of a width and a thickness of one of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide changes in a direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and
wherein both of a width and a thickness of another one of the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide is maintained constant between the optical input portion to the optical output portion.

2. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , wherein either one or both of a width and a thickness of the first optical waveguide changes in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and
wherein either one or both of a width and a thickness of the second optical waveguide changes in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion.

3. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , further comprising a second side patch disposed opposite the first optical waveguide with respect to the second optical waveguide,
wherein a distance between the second side patch and the second optical waveguide decreases and then increases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, or increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion.

4. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 3 , wherein the intermediate connecting portion further comprises a third optical waveguide and a fourth optical waveguide disposed between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide.

5. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 4 ,
wherein both of a width and a thickness of both of the third optical waveguide and the fourth optical waveguide is maintained constant between the optical input portion to the optical output portion.

6. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cladding layer, the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the first side patch are provided on the first cladding layer; and
a second cladding layer provided to cover the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the first side patch,
wherein the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer include materials having lower refractive indices than those of the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the first side patch.

7. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , wherein a complex refractive index of the first optical waveguide changes between the optical input portion and the optical output portion.

8. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 7 , wherein a change profile of a real part of the complex refractive index of the first optical waveguide in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion is asymmetric with respect to a center of the intermediate connecting portion.

9. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , wherein a complex refractive index of the second optical waveguide changes between the optical input portion and the optical output portion.

10. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 9 , wherein a change profile of a real part of the complex refractive index of the second optical waveguide in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion is asymmetric with respect to a center of the intermediate connecting portion.

11. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first side patch and the first optical waveguide decreases and then increases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, or increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion.

12. A nonreciprocal optical transmission device comprising:
an optical input portion;
an optical output portion; and
an intermediate connecting portion interposed between the optical input portion and the optical output portion, and comprising a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide,
a side patch disposed opposite the second optical waveguide with respect to the first optical waveguide,
wherein a distance between the side patch and the first optical waveguide changes in a direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion within a range of 10 nm to 10 μm, and
wherein a width of the first optical waveguide changes within a range of 100 nm, and a width of the second optical waveguide is maintained.

13. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 12 , wherein, when the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the side patch include silicon (Si), a minimum value of the distance is 70 nm.

14. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 13 , wherein the width of the first optical waveguide:
increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and decreases and then increases in a direction from the optical output portion to the optical input portion; or
decreases and then increases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical output portion to the optical input portion.

15. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 14 , wherein the width of the second optical waveguide is maintained at 800 nm.

16. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 12 , wherein, when the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the side patch include doped PMMA, a minimum value of the distance is 300 nm.

17. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 16 , wherein the width of the first optical waveguide:
increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and decreases and then increases in a direction from the optical output portion to the optical input portion; or
decreases and then increases in the direction from the optical input portion to the optical output portion, and increases and then decreases in the direction from the optical output portion to the optical input portion.

18. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 17 , wherein the width of the second optical waveguide is maintained at 1.2 μm.

19. The nonreciprocal optical transmission device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first cladding layer, the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the side patch are provided on the first cladding layer; and
a second cladding layer provided to cover the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the side patch,
wherein the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer include materials having lower refractive indices than those of the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide, and the side patch.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Iucf Hyu

Inventors

• Yang Kiyeon
• Choi Youngsun
• Song Seokho
• Yoon Jaewoong
• Han Choloong
• Kim Yongsung
• Lee Jeongyub
• Lee Changseung

Classifications

• G02F1/0955

  used as non-reciprocal devices, e.g. optical isolators, circulators · CPC title

• G02B2006/12157

  Isolator · CPC title

• G02F1/093 Primary

  used as non-reciprocal devices, e.g. optical isolators, circulators (G02F1/0955 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F2203/06

  Polarisation independent · CPC title

• G02B6/12007

  forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer · CPC title