Photonics integrated circuit architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525967-B1
Application number	US-201916582838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the layout of optical components included in a photonics integrated circuit (PIC) and the routing of optical traces between the optical components. The optical components can include light sources, a detector array, and a combiner. The optical components can be located in different regions of a substrate of the PIC, where the regions may include one or more types of active optical components, but also may exclude other types of active optical components. The optical traces can include a first plurality of optical traces for routing signals between light sources and a detector array, where the first plurality of optical traces can be located in an outer region of the substrate. The optical traces can also include a second plurality of optical traces for routing signals between the light sources and a combiner, where the second plurality of optical traces can be located in regions between banks of the light sources.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photonics integrated chip comprising:
a plurality of active optical components integrated into a substrate of the photonics integrated chip, the plurality of active optical components including:
a plurality of sets of light sources located in a first region and a second region of the substrate,
a detector array located in a third region of the substrate; and
a combiner located in a fourth region of the substrate;
a first plurality of optical traces for routing the plurality of light sources to the detector array, the first plurality of optical traces located in a fifth region of the substrate; and
a second plurality of optical traces for routing the plurality of light sources to the combiner, the second plurality of optical traces located in a sixth region of the substrate;

wherein the detector array includes a plurality of detectors, each detector connected to a set of the plurality of light sources, the set including light sources unique from other light sources included in other sets, each detector monitoring a locked wavelength of the set.

2. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of light source banks.

3. The photonics integrated chip of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light source banks includes a first light source bank, the first light source bank including one or more light sources that emit light having different wavelengths relative to other light sources in the first light source bank.

4. The photonics integrated chip of claim 2 , wherein the sixth region includes regions of the substrate between the plurality of light source banks.

5. The photonics integrated chip of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light source banks includes a plurality of photonics components, the plurality of photonics components:
receiving and combining a plurality of signals from the plurality of light source banks;
selecting from the combined plurality of signals, and outputting a selected signal along the second plurality of optical traces; and
outputting non-selected signals along the first plurality of optical traces.

6. The photonics integrated chip of claim 5 , wherein the combiner:
receives the plurality of signals from the plurality of photonics components along the second plurality of optical traces, and
combines the received plurality of signals and outputs a combined signal.

7. The photonics integrated chip of claim 6 , wherein each of the non-selected signals output from a same photonics component includes different wavelengths.

8. The photonics integrated chip of claim 5 , wherein the non-selected signals are tapped portions of fundamental modes of light from the combined plurality of signals.

9. The photonics integrated chip of claim 5 , wherein the detector array includes a plurality of detectors, each detector receiving the non-selected signals and outputting detector signals, the photonics integrated chip further comprising:
a controller that receives the detector signals and monitors and determines a locked wavelength based on an intersection wavelength of the detector signals.

10. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sets of light sources is a laser bar.

11. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region each exclude different respective types of the plurality of active optical components.

12. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the third region is located between the first region and the second region.

13. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , wherein the fifth region includes an outside region of the substrate, the outside region located closer to edges of the substrate than the plurality of active optical components.

14. The photonics integrated chip of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of multi-taps connected to the plurality of light sources and the detector array, each multi-tap including a crossing to allow one of the first plurality of optical traces to cross one of the second plurality of optical traces.

15. A photonics integrated chip comprising:
a plurality of active optical components integrated into a substrate of the photonics integrated chip, the plurality of active optical components including:
a plurality of sets of light sources located in a first region and a second region of the substrate,
a detector array located in a third region of the substrate;
a combiner located in a fourth region of the substrate;
a first plurality of optical traces for routing the plurality of light sources to the detector array, the first plurality of optical traces located in a fifth region of the substrate; and
a second plurality of optical traces for routing the plurality of light sources to the combiner, the second plurality of optical traces located in a sixth region of the substrate; and

a plurality of multi-taps connected to the plurality of light sources and the detector array, each multi-tap including a crossing to allow one of the first plurality of optical traces to cross one of the second plurality of optical traces.

16. The photonics integrated chip of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of light source banks.

17. The photonics integrated chip of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of light source banks includes a first light source bank, the first light source bank including one or more light sources that emit light having different wavelengths relative to other light sources in the first light source bank.

18. The photonics integrated chip of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of light source banks includes a plurality of photonics components, the plurality of photonics components:
receiving and combining a plurality of signals from the plurality of light source banks;
selecting from the combined plurality of signals, and outputting a selected signal along the second plurality of optical traces; and
outputting non-selected signals along the first plurality of optical traces.

19. The photonics integrated chip of claim 18 , wherein the combiner:
receives the plurality of signals from the plurality of photonics components along the second plurality of optical traces, and
combines the received plurality of signals and outputs a combined signal.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bismuto Alfredo
• Arbore Mark
• Pelc Jason
• Abediasl Hooman
• Trita Andrea

Classifications

• G02B6/2938

  for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM · CPC title

• G02B6/4206

  Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4215 Primary

  the intermediate optical elements being wavelength selective optical elements, e.g. variable wavelength optical modules or wavelength lockers (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/29301

  based on a phased array of light guides (integrated arrayed waveguide gratings G02B6/12009) · CPC title

• G01N2021/3181

  using LEDs · CPC title